Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

011, Carving Arrows.

♯┆calm before the storm .ᐟ
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     "You do know how to carve arrows, right?" Why else would Jake want to tag along during a boring task? The logs of wood sat between the two of them, keeping a safe distance from their thighs touching. Jake shook his head before Denahi sighed. Must he be so useless? Besides, Na'vi arrows were more confusing than human arrows.

There were two shapes to them. One, a feather had to be straight so the arrow can lie vertically and flat. Two, a feather had to be wrapped around the arrow to make it spiral for a better accuracy during shooting.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it," Jake said after watching Denahi's hands carve at the wood. Denahi looked up from her third arrow before realising Jake was still doing his first. And there was still sixteen more to do. "Would you like some help?" Denahi asked because he was beginning to struggle.

She crawled towards him, grabbing his knife and carving the blade slightly to make it easier and sharper for him. He wasn't bad at carving the arrows, but his knife needed a touch up. "That should make it better," Denahi said before handing him the knife.

"You have to be more careful. The wood is too thin, snap easily..." Jake smiled at her broken English, almost forgetting that it wasn't her first language, "I was being gentle. As gentle as I can." Then he started carving the arrow too gently.

"Here..." Denahi took Jake's hand and moved his fingers along with hers, showing him how to precisely carve the arrow. Jake flicked his eyes towards Denahi's before she cleared her throat, cheeks flushing a light purple. The warmth of her hand disappeared as she continued to carve her own arrow. "I will put on the feathers. That will be too tricky," Denahi broke the tension between them.

"After this, what else do you have planned next for me?" Jake asked. Denahi had already taught him how to ride a Direhorse, the language, hunting and now carving. Still waiting on that lesson on how to tie your own loincloth to your waist.

Denahi also taught him how to envision Pandora the she does. It was her home. The home she welcomed him into without problem. Teaching him that all energy is borrowed and one day, you must return it.

"Hunting again? You give me a perfect kill and I will say you are ready. Then you will have your Iknimaya..." Denahi said to him. All he needed to do was give Denani the chance to prove he was ready. "Iknimaya?" Jake furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

Denahi cleared her throat, "It is the Rite of Passage so you will bond with your Ikran. Do you want me to give you some help?"

He looked up at her before continuing to carve another arrow. "Capturing them is the hardest. You have to wrap their mouth to stop them from attacking you..." The whole ordeal made Jake's eyes widen. Attack him? Wrap their mouth? All of a sudden, Jake realised he had no idea what waits in the future for him. "How will I know which one is mine?" He asked, like it was a bunch of puppies waiting in a store.

"He will try to kill you..." Denahi replied.