horizons | jake sully

T H R E E

His name is Jake Sully. A warrior. I watched as he was presented to Mo'at and Eytukan. Neytiri stood beside me as they decided whether or not to kill him. He looked back at us and Neytiri looked anywhere but his face. I made eye contact with him and nodded.

He'll be fine.

"You will learn our ways," Eytukan said, "Our daughters, Neytiri and L'aiola will teach you."

Neytiri gave me an angry glare and shook her head. I looked down at the ground.

"You will live among us."

Jake nodded and those around us dispersed. Neytiri tried to leave but I caught her and held her back. She groaned and looked at me.

"Why do I have to do this? You I understand, you brought him here. But me?" she said. I shook my head.

"You know why. Just go along with it. I'll do most of the work, do not worry."

She sighed and watched as Jake turned us. Neytiri looked away again and broke free from my grasp. I huffed and watched her storm off, leaving me alone with him again.

"Come," I said quietly. I took him to where he'd be sleeping and dropped into my own hammock in between him and Neytiri. He dropped into it and wobbled. I shook my head and laid back as he struggled to get situated. Then, he laid on his side. I could feel his eyes burning into my skull.

So I rolled over.

I couldn't fall asleep, though. Something about this doesn't feel right. But then again, the forest is never wrong. He's here for a reason. He's supposed to be here. But why?

I fell asleep and let myself relax. The next morning, I woke up to Neytiri hovering over me. I looked over and at the sight of his empty hammock, I sat up.

"He's changing. The sky people clothes were not cutting it," she said. I took a breath and pushed myself up out of the hammock.

We waited for him to finish changing. When he came out, it was like his whole persona changed. I could see he was uncomfortable with it. I nodded and silently took him to a clearing.

"What do you have planned?" Neytiri asked.

"He's going to try to ride."

I approached a direhorse and ran my fingertips along its neck. Jake followed behind me and I watched Neytiri run her hand on one's face. I looked at Jake and took his braid in my hand.

"Get on," I said. He slowly climbed onto the back and I handed him the braid and nodded at the horse.

"The Tsaheylu. The bond. Connect yours to the horses," I said. He looked down and made the connection. I kept a hand on her neck and looked up at Jake.

"Close your eyes," I said.

He's actually listening.

"Feel her. Her breath. Her skin. Feel her heartbeat. Connect with her."

He was breathing deeply. I knew I had an audience. Neytiri was watching along with a few others that had found us.

"When you are ready, open your eyes and tell her to go forward."

He opened his eyes almost immediately.

"Forward." His voice was unsure and he wasn't ready for what was going to happen. The direhorse took off and some laughs left the lips of those around me. I bit back a smile as he slid off into the mud and the direhorse returned to me. I let my hand graze against her skin before walking toward the now mud covered Jake.

"That wasn't bad. Just keep your balance. Guide her with your mind," I said. He nodded silently and pushed himself up.

"You're not going to make him embarrass himself again, L'ai?" Tsu'tey said with a sneer.

"Don't," I said before turning back to Jake. "Again."

He tried several times. Eventually he got it. By the time eclipse came, he had the hang of it. I watched him ride around on it and felt some sort of accomplishment. I taught him that. I'm the reason he can even mount the damn thing. I deserve to feel accomplished.

I let him mess around for another hour before taking him back to the hammocks. Neytiri watched me as I climbed into mine and faced her.

"Did he ever do it?"

"He did. Pretty well, actually."

"Interesting. I didn't think he'd ever pick up on it. How much does your brain hurt?" she asked with a smirk.

"Good night," I said bluntly. She chuckled and rolled onto her back. I glanced over at him and knew he was already back with the humans. Them. Who knows why he's here. Surely Grace wouldn't let anyone will ill intentions into a mission.

But it's not Grace I'm worried about.

I was sent here to gather information about the clan and bring it back to them to assist in their efforts to strike. I never made a single report. I fell in love with this too quickly. These people. This life. Neytiri showed me the ways of life. And I was so willing to learn.

I think that's her issue with Jake. He didn't seem to eager to learn from her at their first meeting. But he listens. Maybe he isn't bad at all. Maybe he just needs to see the beauty of Pandora to understand why what those people are doing is wrong. To experience the culture. The live amongst the people.

Maybe that's why I didn't try to get out of working with him. Something in me decided that I needed to do this. Is it simply because I know exactly what it's like to be just an Avatar? Maybe. Maybe it's Eywa. Or the forest. Maybe it's something far greater than I could imagine. I don't know.

But I do know he could be an asset here. Someone as experienced and skilled as him could give us an upper-hand against the sky people.

I just really hope this doesn't all blow up in my face. And I really hope Grace hasn't let some outside force control her missions.