Running from the past

The omaticayan

We ran across large root across a mirror-like pool at the base of a waterfall. I followed the woman as I climbed a sloped root-trunk, "What's your name?" I asked.

"My name is Neytiri," she said.

Just then, I heard two whooshing sounds and felt something wrap tightly around my legs and I fell off the root, falling into the foliage at the bottom. I ripped the rope thing off my legs and was about to run when several Na'vi riders thundered towards me on six-legged, gilled and armor skinned Direhorses.

The riders aimed arrows and spears at me and Jake as they approached. I turned to run, grabbing onto Jakes hand to take him with me, but more Na'vi seemingly came out of thin air, heavily armed. Oh, crap.

The woman, Neytiri dropped to the ground next to me and confronted the lead rider in a powerful voice.

"Calm, people, calm! Tsu'tey, what are you doing?" She hissed in their language.

The powerful looking na'vi, Tsu'tey dismounted off his Direhorse with grace and yelled back at her. "These demons are forbidden here!"

"You will not harm them! They are under my protection! There has been a sign! This is a matter for the Tsahik!" Neytiri growled.

Tsu'tey looked displeased, but backed off. "Bring them," he said.

Before I could protest, they grabbed me by my hands and my long braid, and started dragging me off to the biggest tree I'd ever seen. To my surprise, we actually went inside the tree. It was like a cathedral with the long spires and beauty.

The people were all around us, staring as we were led past them and they kept chatting and gently poking me and Jake as We were led to the center of the tree and three important-looking Na'vi. Two were old-looking and the third was the male from before and looked about Jakes age. Neytiri bowed slightly before she spoke in Na'vi.

"Father, I See you," she said.

The one I assumed was Neytiris father walked around me then Jake before turning back to his daughter. "These creatures, why do you bring them here?"

"I was going to kill them, but there was a sign from Eywa," said Neytiri.

" I have said that no Dreamwalker will come here. Their alien smell fills my nose." Her father said while giving us a slight glare.

"What did he say?" Jake asked Neytiri.

She glanced slightly back toward us, "My father is deciding wether or not to kill you." She said.

Great, he was deciding if he was going to kill us or not. Just great. Jake moved forward extending his hand out. "Nice to meet you-" Growling I grabbed his arm roughly as others moved toward us in anger.

"Silence!" shouted the intimidating female Na'vi, while the Na'vi around us grabbed Jake. They let me go when the older female, probably Neytiri's mother walked towards us.

"Stop!" she ordered. "I will look at these aliens."

"That is Mother, Mo'at." Neytiri said, softly. "She is Tsahik, the one who interprets the will of Eywa."

I wondered who 'Eywa' was, but I didn't ask. Mo'at walked around me. She fingered my braid and flipped my tail as she narrowed her eyes at me. She did the same to Jake. In perfect English, she said, "What are you called?"

"Jake Sully." Jake said.

"Akira Tachibana," I replied.

She took out a sharp thing and quickly swiped a bit of my blood. I didn't flinch or wince, having learned never to show pain to anyone. It was a sign of weakness in the eyes of many. Jake on the other hand did wince.