Blood Of Pandora

We Are One

Warnings: None

       Jake and I make our first clean kill with hexapedes. Also known as the Yerik, in na'vi tongue.
       Neytiri and Tsu'tey had watched us closely, to see how we did. Together, my friend and I pray as we put these creatures out of their misery, we let their spirits return to Eywa, and their bodies stay to become a part of the people.
       I could feel her presence in the back of my head, feeling her approval and pride.

We were ready...

       As we rode up a narrow cliff side, I gently patted the side of Kratos' neck. I did not wish for him to rear back in case he was startled.
       Learning to rid an ikran, is the test that every young hunter has to pass. That was where we were heading, up into the floating mountains. The Omaticaya people knew where they neared and gathered.
       Tsu'tey signals us to stop in a certain area. The gear that the other young hunters, including Jake and I, had, were checked before we could continue.
       Together, we climbed up boulders connected with vines, this string is hovering near a floating  mountain above, one we'd have to get to, before it passes by at a certain point.
       When we got up to the top of the string of vines and boulders, Tsu'tey was the first to leap out and grab onto the vines that hung from the floating rock.
       Nobody misses, and nobody falls as we climbed to the top, before we headed out on larger, thicker vines, to another floating mountain.
       Neytiri flies over us on Seze, her ikran. She was a beautiful banshee, having stunning colors of greenish blue, yellow and black. Seeing them flying together, made me excited to bond with my own.
       Climbing inside of the mountain, a natural cave provided a safe passage to the other side. A waterfall was there too, the water dropping into a pool of it below.
       We all stopped to look out at the opening of the other side of the cave, banshees shrieked and flew around the floating mountains. There was another waterfall on the cliff side, with a rainbow appearing below it. I was stunned once again by the beauty.
       Neytiri lands in front of us, and detaches from Seze. Jake and I greet her, and she smiled bashfully at Jake. That smile drops as she looks at Tsu'tey, and the two greet each other formally.
       "Jakesully will go first." He smirked, having seen how out of breath Jake was. My friend only let out an airy chuckle, before smiling. He hands Tsu'tey his bow, and starts moving behind the waterfall. Neytiri was close behind him, explaining what he must do.
       "When you choose your ikran, you must feel it inside. If he chooses you, move quickly. You will have one chance. To know if he chooses you, he will try to kill you." Tsu'tey explains, almost exactly alike to what Neytiri had said to Jake. I didn't miss Jake's quip of 'outstanding.'
       Our group all went after Jake, following him behind the waterfall, and around it was the large colony of ikrans, their eyes watching us. Some flew off to avoid Jake when he approached first, or he lunged at them to see if any tried to kill him.
       Then... Jake found his Banshee. It had turned and roared at him, and Jake hissed. The ikran hisses back in response.
       "Let's dance." Jake mused as he began swinging some binding in his hands. Tsu'tey mockingly laughed.
       "That moron's going to die." He smirked, only for me to 'accidentally' hit him in the back of his head, with my borrowed bow.
       "Oops. Sorry." I bluntly apologized in a mocking way, ignoring his glare and scowl, when he turned to look at me directly. I teasingly smirked back. When my attention returned to Jake, I decided to study his ikran. It was a mix of purple, blue, green and bronze.
       "Don't be afraid, warrior." Tsu'tey now scolds.
       "Make the bond!" Neytiri yelled at Jake, and we all watched him grab onto his banshee's queue, but it rears back its head, and smacks into Jake's. This causes him to become disoriented, be thrown off of his ikran, and then rolling off the edge of the cliffside. Luckily, my friend grabbed onto a thick root, before he could have fell to his death.
       "Jake!" Neytiri yelled, while Tsu'tey laughed. So I whacked him again, making him turn to hiss at me threateningly. I challengingly moved closer to his face, glaring into his eyes.
       "We both know you won't hurt me, moron." I snapped, before we focused our gazes onto Jake, who had climbed right up and lunged back onto the struggling ikran. It was still trying to get the binding off of its muzzle, so it was distracted.
       "Tsaheylu, Jake. Tsaheylu!" Neytiri spoke up worriedly as he still struggled, but he finally connected their queues together, finally connecting his bond with his banshee.
       "Stop!" He ordered, and his ikran tiredly obeyed his command, the both of them catching their breath. Jake then hovers over his banshee's head and smiles.
       "Yeah, that's right. You're mine." He pants as he removed the binding off its muzzle, allowing it to lift its head. Though it was still disoriented.
       "First flight seals the bond. You cannot wait. Think, 'Fly!'" Neytiri ordered Jake, pushing his banshee's head to turn it towards the cliff.
       "Fly?" He questioned, before his ikran threw them off of the side of the floating mountain. Neytiri had to duck to avoid getting hit by its wing.
       For a few seconds, Jake struggled to gain control of his new companion's flight, but eventually managed to get it to calm down, and fly correctly.
       Neytiri ran to go get Seze, so she could catch up with Jake. The others cheered for him, but Tsu'tey angrily silenced the two, making me roll my eyes and smile in amusement.
       I allowed the other young hunters to gain their ikran's, before Tsu'tey finally grew tired of my patience, and forced me to go search for mine.
       For a bit, I stared off many banshees. I did not find one just yet.
       That was until I heard HER voice calling for me, beckoning me to move towards a hidden cave to my left. Ignoring Tsu'tey warning me, I walked inside of it without fear.
       As I got deeper into the cave, it became darker. Yet it ended quickly, it was not that far into the mountain.
       I quickly noticed the form of a sleeping ikran, and I thanked Eywa for her help, before I kicked a small stone to alert it to my presence. Watching as it woke up, it threateningly hissed and charged foreword in the dark area.
       I could not tell what it really looked like just yet, so I ran towards the entrance of the cave, and made sure the creature followed me out.
       Tsu'tey barely dodged me, when I ran out with my 'banshee,' chasing me.  I easily turned and swung my binding at its face, to force it to flinch or try to dodge it, and give me more time to look at it.
       "Well shit." I gasped excitedly, looking at the large creature in front of me. This was no banshee...it was much too big. It was safe to say, that this was an albino, juvenile, Toruk. Its coloration making it far more deadly in the sky, where it could hide better in the clouds.
       It's mere appearance made the ikrans around it shriek, and scatter away in fear.
       "Ready to samba, oh great one?" I grinned, earning a snarl from the Toruk, before it charges, jaws wide open for the kill.
       Ignoring Tsu'tey's yells for me to run, I instead charged at the angered creature, staring right into their blood red eyes, before I faked a right. Instead I moved left, watching as it turned its head where it thought I was moving to, biting air.
       This gave me a chance to jump onto its neck, grabbing onto its queues to steady myself, as it thrashes around to try and bite me, or try to knock me off of its back. Most likely both.
       Hissing at it, I firmly wrapped my legs around its neck for support, carefully tightening my thighs to hold myself in place, as I quickly made Tsaheylu with it.
       I sigh in relief as it stops attacking with a final shriek. It takes a deep breath as we searched each other's thoughts, feelings. And memories. I felt his love for flying, and having no fear in the sky; I pat his neck once, and smiled.
       "I shall name you Phobos. Named after the God of fear and terror." I grinned, briefly glancing over to Tsu'tey. He had a cautious but stunned expression, and I took that as my cue to turn away.
       Having sensed my new companion's eagerness to fly, and seal our bond, I excitedly had him move to the cliff.
       "Let us fly together as one!" I cheered, the both of us diving off of the cliff. I made sure Phobos was calm, before we leveled out and flew straight.
       Watching the other hunters, Neytiri and Jake in the distance, we decided to go a different route for a moment. Taking Phobos, we headed in a new direction, flying higher as we moved over the tree of souls, before returning to the group and flying together.
       "What? Never saw a juvenile Toruk before?" I said neutrally, when they only had stared at us.
       Tsu'tey shook his head with an amused sigh, moving over to fly to the right of Neytiri.

       The next day, we hunted. Racing amongst a stampeding herd of sturmbeests. I was riding on Kratos, since I don't believe Khione or Phobos would have been allowed. They were not ikran or direhorse.
       I held my bow closely in hand, making sure that my six legged companion did not get too close to the herd. We had to avoid several na'vi people falling off of their own direhorse's.
       "Run steady, Kratos. I must take my shot." I asked, smiling as he listened to my command.
       Carefully, i aimed my arrow at a sturmbeest's operculum, before I fired. Firing a perfect hit.

       Jake's real body had grown weaker, the more time he spent in his avatar. I knew that he was slowly losing memory of his old life, replaced by new ones. Ones that were far better. Human minds were such fickle, and fragile things.
       My own body remained the same, only a tad bit thinner, but it did not matter much. Poor Jake was worse than a twig. Honestly, Grace and I have been forcing him to take care of himself more. Though he still went unshaven, and we don't know when the last time he actually took a shower.
       Yet, with my sense of smell, it's been WAY too long. Luckily, he eventually realized he needed to shave, and did exactly that.

       Soon, it was the ceremony for the young hunters, the final stage. Jake and I would become a part of the people, officially.
       Earlier, I as discussed with Mo'at about a feeling that I had, with Jake providing intel to Quaritch. I told her that I was worried that it may lead HomeTree to be brought down because of it, and that many na'vi would die.
       She took it into consideration, saying that they'd be careful, and keep watch over Jake. Quickly enough, it was time for me to see my spirit animal, to see my vision.
       It was an excruciating process, though I could not really tell, as I was forced into my vision.
       Everything seemed normal and peaceful, until a large shadow covered me and the ground around me. I ran instead of looking behind me, and the shadow gave chase, and another had joined in.
       When I finally turned, I did not regret it. Because there was Phobos and Khione racing after me. That was when I smiled, seeing them move to race me side me, until I allowed myself to exit the vision.
       I woke up on my back beside Jake, as he had gone through the same process as the others, and myself. We were both gasping for breath, and I took notice of the puke all over the ground. Glad none of us had rolled into it...
       "It is finished." Mo'at informs, and I spot Neytiri and Tsu'tey standing together, equal looks of relief on their faces.
       "Did your spirit animal come?" She asked us expectantly. All of us nodded, though Jake seemed troubled.
       I was soon guided away by Mo'at, Eytukan staying behind to check on the rest of the hunters, and Jake. My throat was dry and sore, possibly from heaving up what I last ate, and from screaming.
       Tsu'tey met up with me in a room, so he could apply the ceremonial paint to my skin.
       He seemed way to silent, and calm for what he had watched. Most likely because he has seen it much more than I have, and had experienced it himself.
       "Do not be afraid no more, little warrior." He finally murmured, as his fingers danced along my skin, creating beautiful designs over my body.
       "I am not afraid. This is the life I want to live." Came my response, remaining truthful as we looked into each other's eyes. Watching as he finished with the designs on my face.
       "Good." Was his reply, and soon I went up along with Jake. Joining the gathering crowd.
       "You are now a son and daughter of the Omaticaya. You are both part of the people." Eytukan announced, placing a hand on our shoulders. The rest of the clan joining in.
       Hands were placed on shoulders, connecting with each other, and with us. Jake and I, in the middle of the connection.

       The na'vi say that every person is born twice. The second time... is when you earn your place among the people, forever.
       And oh boy do I believe it. I'm sure it would have been my own families third rebirth, if they were here too...