Avatar - Me and the Devil.

VIII

I stand by Jake as a funeral is held for a passed Omatikaya. I look beside me and meet eyes with Tsu'tey, he's yet to approach me after that one night. It's been weeks I've come to assume. I'm still, if not even more, confused.

He hasn't glared at me the way he did before. He looks at me without hatred but with something I couldn't tell yet. His eyes meet mine and they seem to soften. I sigh and look away back towards Neytiri as she sends a woodsprite down with the body.

#

I follow behind Neytiri while Jake makes his first hunt. I'd made mine a few days prior to his. He pulls his bow back as silent as possible and releases it, it hisses through the air and pierces into a deer-like Hexapede in the side. He goes down with a wail of fear, we rush out and meet its laid spot.

Jake crouches down in front of him, hand on the arrow as he speaks in Na'vi. "Oel ngati kameie, ma tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi irayo."

He stabs him in the side. "Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea... Tokx 'ì'awn... Slu Na'viyä hapxì."

He slides his knife back into his holder and leans forward to cleanly rip the arrow out.

"A clean kill. You are ready." Neytiri says, looking at Jake and I.

#

I follow behind Tsu'tey on Saek through a narrow rock path up the mountains. Once cleared of the path we get to an opening a bunch of rocks held together by vine leading up the way we need to go.

Tsu'tey leads us over to a different part and hops off his direhorse. I follow after Jake and stand beside him as he looks up at where we're going. I look back at Tsu'tey, who was leading us, as he talks to the other two young Omatikaya with us.

#

We make haste as we climb up the floating rocks, a piece of rock breaking off as I set my hand down on its eroded body, I let out a quick gasp as I start to slide down. I let out a hiss of pain as someone grabs my wrist before I fall off my other rock.

I look up and meet eyes with Tsu'tey the dick who's left me on 'ghosted'. He pulls me up beside him and rests a quick hand on the small of my back before removing it and continuing up.

I look at Jake as he eyes me and then Tsu'tey, the very dick who targets him, keeping close to me. I shake my head at him to diffuse anything from starting and continue my way up. We make it to the top rock and Tsu'tey calls out in Na'vi as I look around.

"Now what?" Jake asks, seeing nothing but another higher boulder that we can't climb onto.

"Kivä ko!" Tsu'tey bellows out before pulling my arm and gesturing to a vine, he jumps onto one and we all follow after. Climbing up one by one. Once on top of said boulder we begin to run across a thick vine connecting to a different one.

Tsu'tey looks back at me as I look over the side, this would be one terrifying fall. I feel a hand wrap around my hand as I'm pulled forward,

"Keep up." Tsu'tey spits out gently pushing me forward by my back as he keeps me at pace with him and Jake.

#

We make our way up another rock path into a cave like structure. Finally, we make it to where we're supposed to be, I walk towards the waterfall and cup my hands under it before splashing my hot face, the cold water bringing instant relief.

I smile as Jake breathes heavily behind me, just as exhausted and hot as I am. I look beside me to see Tsu'tey not even an inch from my arm. I look past the waterfall and see a bunch of ikran flying around, I smile as I see Neytiri come flying in. She hops off her ikran and walks over to us.

"Mengati kame." She says bowing her head at Tsu'tey who gestures with his hand back to her.

He walks over to Jake and stares at him with a smug smirk. "Jakesully will go first."

Jake huffs out, probably mentally hyping himself up as he hands his bow to Tsu'tey. Neytiri eyes him as she walks over to Jake, going past the waterfall with him. Neytiri takes a minute to explain to Jake what to do and after they move again, we all follow.

Jake unravels the yìmkxa (banshee catcher) and holds it in both hands as he makes his way cautiously looking at the ikran eyeing him too. He soon enough finds his match, a light blue one who hissed and squawked at him as he angles himself threateningly to Jake.

"Tsamsiyu! Txopu rä'ä si! Tsamsiyu!" Tsu'tey mocks Jake and I glare at him before focusing back onto Jake.

He hisses at the ikran and it hisses right back at him. "Let's dance."

Jake swings the rope around as the ikran grows antsy,

"Tìyerkup skxawng."

I roll my eyes at Tsu'teys mockery. He lunges at Jake and the ropes wrapped around his mouth as Jake takes his chance to jump on the ikrans back. Keeping a firm grasp on the creature as it flaps his wing and goes a few inches above ground trying to get Jake off, he forces it back down onto the ground and holds his head down.

"Make the bond!" Neytiri yells and he listens, pulling the ikran's tswin in his hand to do so. Putting his guard down the ikran headbutts him, knocking him back and off his back. Jake yells sliding off the edge, catching himself on a root sticking out.

"Jake!" Neytiri yells moving closer, Tsu'tey laughs finding this funny. I spin around and smack the man's arm with my bow as I glare at him, he quickly shuts up and focuses on the situation. His eyes flickering down to me here and there, looking almost like a wounded puppy.

Jake pulls himself up and runs at the ikran,

"Shahaylu Jake!" Neytiri shouts crouched on the ground. He's turned around on his back, wrapping his legs around ikran's mouth holding him down best he could.

"Shahaylu!"

Jake grunts as he pulls his braid over his shoulder and the ikran's tswin forcing the bond.

"Stop!" He yells and the banshee does just that, his wings stop flapping, and he calms down. Moving to straddle his neck, Jake removes the rope from his mouth.

"Yeah, that's right, you're mine. Huh?" Jake proudly states laughing. The banshee opens his jaw flexing it. Jake sits on him the proper way letting himself breathe. Neytiri runs up to him and pushes the neck of the banshee.

"The first flight seals the bond. You cannot wait. Think fly!" She tells him and he says it out loud causing the ikran to basically fall down off the edge, Jake lets out a scream. I run to the edge with Neytiri and watch with fear.

After a few minutes of him straight up falling and screaming he steadies out. Neytiri smiles and looks at me placing a hand on my arm before she runs off to hers. Tsu'tey shuts the other young na'vi up as they cheer for Jake, I turn and look at him as he eyes me up and down.

Time to find mine, couldn't be that hard—when done right.