Second Chance

chapter V | Demon hunt

A/n : the underlined lines in this are in English not in na'vi and it will be like that from this point on.

I woke up early that morning, I wanted to stop by the tree of souls before breakfast and before I had to go hunt for this demon. While I never contested the choices of the tsahik I did wonder why she accepted to bring another dreamwalker into our home. I understand why the olo'eyktan wanted to keep the warrior, to study him. But why not let the other die? My head was racing with doubts and questions as I rode my pa'li towards the sacred trees. I hopped down from my mount and connected myself to eywa. Closing my eyes for a moment I took a deep breath, a smile forming on my lips. When I reopened them, Sylwanin was standing in front of me. "I see you Tsu'tey." She greeted me with a soft smile. "You seem troubled, is everything alright?"

"I see you sylwanin, I am to save a dreamwalker today. It was ordered by the Tsahik." I explained to my dead lover with uncertainty. She had always understood me better than anybody, and she was to become Tsahik, maybe she will understand the reasoning of her mother better than me.

"Have you asked why?" Her soft voice was like music to my ears, I always loved to hear her sing, even when we were children.

"No, I would never question the ways of the Tsahik." No directly at least.

"Maybe you should, I'm sure she has a reason for saving this dreamwalker. But, as of now, you should go back to hometree and eat. If you are to go hunting you will need energy. Go" She smiled, that soft smile that always washed away my worries.

"Thank you, I'll see you after the hunt, I promise." And with that, I disconnected from the tree and got back onto my pa'li and rode away.

After breakfast, I was showing ka'ani and saeyla, my two trainees, how to prepare their mounts for a hunt while we waited for Takuk, ser'ak and Semali, the three last people who were to join us. Ser'ak was Semali's older sister and a young hunter who had just passed Iknimaya. Their parents would only allow Semali to go with us if his sister came along, and I thought this was a great time to bring Ser'ak on her first hunt. "Tsu'tey!" The youngest of the three screamed as he ran forward, jumping with excitement. "I see you, Tsu'tey. I can't wait to go on a real hunt with real hunters, it's going to be so great!"

"This is not a real hunt. This is stupid, hunting for a dreamwalker. But you wouldn't know the first thing about hunting, child." Takuk said. He had the tendency to think of himself as much better than everyone else which sometimes irritated me. He is a good hunter but this shouldn't give him the right to belittle others, especially not children.

"Are you saying the Tsahik is wrong for sending us Takuk?" I asked not even looking at him. I got on my pa'li. "Come on hunters, let's be home before dark." Takuk lowered his head, not answering my quip. He got on his own mount, quickly followed by the others. Semali was riding with his sister. We began our search near hometree, I led my troup around looking for any visual disturbances. Surely a dreamwalker wouldn't last a night alone in the forest, but if they did, they would leave marks of their passage. Through their time on our beloved planet I have noticed they often leave destruction around them. If we see marks of fire or blades or even what they call bullets we will know this demon is near. We passed many rivers, clearings and muddy areas but it didn't matter to me. I always loved the forest. It was my home and I could spend days exploring it even if I knew it better than my own heart. "Let's take a break and let the pa'li drink." I ordered as we came to a stop near a small lake. I dismounted and stretched.

"Tsu'tey, do you think we're going to find him?" Asked Saeyla. She was one of my two trainees. They had been doing good recently, it's with them I caught Jakesoolly the day prior.

"I don't know Saeyla, if it was me I would have let him die, but it is the will of the tsahik." And if it was the will of the tsahik then it was the will of Eywa, and if it was the will of Eywa then we will probably find him, but I will not tell her that.