Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{13}

A small breeze blew in the morning, waking Asim up.

When he opened his eyes slowly, he noticed that it was still early in the morning as many of the natives were still asleep. Even the ones that have been stationed to guard him were asleep. Now that the morning was setting in, Asim sat up straight and looked down at his still tied legs. He was tempted to reach out and take off the ropes that tied his legs together, but decided against it and chose to wait until the na'vi decided to let him go from them. And a good decision as he heard a growl from above him. Asim quickly looked up and found the thanator creature, Layontsin, watching over him as she laid on a strong branch, glaring at him with those green predatory eyes. "What? Afraid that I might escape? Be thankful that I chose not to and would like to wait" he said to her, tossing his head a bit to the side. He heard Layontsin move from where she was and in a quick motion land beside him as he turned his attention back to her, looking up at her towering figure.

Layontsin sat down beside him and started to speak in na'vi, sounding somewhat serious and in question. "Listen, I don't understand na'vi fluently. So be patient and wait for the other na'vi that knows English so that they may translate what each of us are saying" he said, crossing his arms and laying back on the tree trunk. Layontsin gave out what sounded like an annoyed snort and then moved one of its four arms and used a hand to point a clawed finger at Asim's side, speaking again in na'vi. "What exactly do you want from me? To tell me why I have been spared by the na'vi? Even I have trouble figuring that out. If you are so smart, go figure it out on your own" he said to the thanator creature, patience wearing off a bit. Then he noticed the scar cut on Layontsin's leg and then looked up at her. The thanator creature followed his eyesight and also looked at the wound that Asim had inflicted in their previos encounter.

"You...are telling me how much you are angry about what I did to you?" Asim asked, calming down a bit as he noticed Layontsin stare back. She spoke na'vi, this time it was less serious without the growl behind her voice. "Fine then. Even if it is your fault that you attacked me and tried to kill me, I still will apologize. I. Am. Sorry" he said, gesturing to himself, then the wound on Layontsin's leg, and then back at himself with one hand. This intrigued Layontsin as the quills on her head twitched back a bit and folded as it looked like she calmed down. Layontsin asked something, which was possibly referring to what he had said. "Yes, me, I am sorry for the injury. Now what was the word for sorry..." he said with a nod, placing a hand on his head to rack his mind on the na'vi word that could mean apology. "Um.... Ngai...txoa...?" Asim tried, starting to remember a few words other than the one insult that meant moron.

Layontsin just stared at him before she opened her mouth full of sharp teeth...and laughed.

Or at least it was close to a laugh, as it was muffled by her growls and snarls, though it seemed like it. Afterwards the na'vi near the two started to wake up thanks to the laughter of Layontsin. They asked Layontsin what was the cause of her laughter and she spoke, to which Asim asked what was the reason for all this. They said to him that the thanator creature had threatened him to kill him if he escaped, and that she hated him for who he was. Also, she thought that him speaking na'vi sounded like a small moron talking to her. "Well, tell her that I hate her the same way for hunting me down. And that she could bite me for all I care even when I said sorry for the wound" he said to the na'vi, who did their best to translate what Asim said to her. This got to her, and seemed to impress her as she moved back a little. And then she hissed at him, to with her Asim gave a mimicking hiss in return to her surprise. The other na'vi gave chuckles of amusement as the human and the thanator creature gave silent bickering to each other.

Soon however their little argument had to be cut off as it was now fully morning, and the time had come for Asim to be brought home. Before they did, they freed his hands from the vine wrappings so that he could eat something before the journey. To which Asim was thankful as he ate what they offered him. When he finished, the na'vi cut the vines securing his feet and brought fourth some new vines to wrap around his wrists, to which Asim hesitated. "Please, I know you are making sure I don't escape, but I won't. I promise" he told the na'vi that were guarding him, shaking his head to emphasize his wishes. The natives looked at each other and spoke for a moment before agreeing to the terms and later leading him to the outskirts of the camp. Layontsin and the hunters that would accompany him in the journey were the ones with Asim as later the clan leader came to them. "Good luck, and may you have a safe travel. Please, remember the promise" the clan leader said to him, carrying his bow while the other na'vi of the tribe came to see them depart. Asim gave a nod of acknowledgment to the clan leader, assuring him that he has heard and will do what he must. Afterwards the clan leader gave the hunters a signal, and they began to push Asim to begin walking to the forest with them. Asim walked with them with no problem, walking in the middle of them as they all went forwards.

Before they fully departed, two hunters went to different places before, to Asim's concern, brought along their thanators. Asim backed up as he saw the titanic predators emerge from the foliage, ready to run or dodge if one of them lunged at him. However the na'vi quickly connected with their beasts and prevented them from attacking him, much to Asim's relief. "Mawe, Asim. They will not hurt you" one of the hunters assured him. It didn't help as one of the feral thanators gave him a hungry look and growled. To make sure that they wouldn't try anything on him, especially eat him, he gave a small hiss to them. And surprisingly, the two of them backed away as he seemed more scarier than them. And it also surprised the na'vis that accompanied him, not expecting the reaction from their bonded animals. "What?" Asim asked as he saw the confused looks of the natives. "That was brave of you, little skyperson" one na'vi said with a chuckle as they patted Asim on the shoulder. With this, he felt a little praised by someone else other than his friends. And he had to admit that he liked it.

Then, after making sure everything was ready, the na'vi hunters began their journey with Asim as each talked with him.