Ma Tsawke

Chapter three

Beneath the sprawling branches, Jake maneuvers through the intricate maze of the forest. Overhead, a Na'vi woman perches on a thick limb, her keen eyes locked onto his every step. Tension emanates from her neck and muscular shoulders while her tail coils rigidly around the sturdy branch beneath her.

Despite the intensity in the air, Jake remains oblivious to her presence. With less than three meters between them, the Na'vi woman silently rises into a crouched position. The soft hum of an arrow being drawn against the bowstring fills the air as she takes aim, focused gaze now directed straight at Jake, ready to unleash her shot.

In the oppressive stillness, Jake remains oblivious to the impending threat, a lethal arrow poised at his throat, waiting to cut short his existence under the watchful eyes above.

As the Na'vi woman tracks his every move with the drawn bow, a mysterious entity descends before her. The arrowhead becomes a delicate perch for a single woodsprite, casting a subtle glow in the shadows. Muscles tense in anticipation, ready to release the arrow at the perfect angle.

However, the arrow's intended path is disrupted as the woodsprite hovers over it. With gentle movements, the Na'vi woman guides the ethereal spirit away from harm's reach, clearing her arrow's trajectory. Undeterred, she readies her shot again, only for the woodsprite to brush against her hand, diverting its course toward Jake. It hovers over his head as he looks around, becoming an unexpected companion on his journey.

A furrow appears on her brow, a mixture of confusion and contemplation. Her aim shifts downward, targeting the heart of the creature as she ponders whether the enigmatic being seeks mercy for the alien lifeform.

A quick death then.

The woodsprite gracefully hovers over the intended spot, drawing an exasperated huff from her. It seems to mockingly accompany him, dancing around the precise location her arrow would have struck. Her gaze penetrates through his torso, intensified as the eclipse casts its shadow.

Grace and Norm gaze into the dimly-lit forest, the foliage casting shadows as Trudy maneuvers in a search pattern.

"I'm afraid I have to make the call, guys. We're not allowed to run night ops, Colonel's orders. He'll have to tough it out till morning." Trudy declares solemnly, her eyes scanning the terrain for the absent member.

"He won't make it until morning." Grace exhales with a heavy sigh, both she and Norm exchanging concerned glances while anxiously observing the ground below.

Why me?

Jake faces a new problem. Amidst the darkness, elusive figures emerge behind him, shadows moving with a seamless elegance. A predatory pack of viperwolves stealthily closes in on him.

In the obscurity, Jake catches a mere glimmer of an eye, witnessing a sinuous black motion and then an abyss of nothingness. Determined to shed light on the situation, he wraps his jacket around the spear's base, intending to fashion a makeshift torch.

With resolve, he thrusts the improvised torch into a tree, saturating his shirt with sap before igniting it with a waterproof match from his survival kit. The resultant glow forms a pool of orange light, surrounded by undulating and leaping shadows.

Jake treads the trail with utmost caution, acutely aware of the myriad pairs of luminous green eyes trailing him. High above, another set of eyes peers at him from the lofty branches, observing his every move. The forms seem to undulate like liquid, weaving a disorienting tapestry around him, rendering him incapable of tracking them all.