I see you, Tsu'tey

Chapter 9

Awa squinted her eyes in concentration as she observed the animal in front of her. It was peacefully grazing just a few meters in front of her, unaware of her presence and intention of killing it. She preferred it that way, she found no thrill in hunting an animal that was fleeing, she didn't enjoy hearing the terrified screams from them as they ran for their lives. No, she enjoyed the clean kill, as all Na'vi should. There was no honor in killing just for the sake for it and it always had to be done respectfully and finished with a prayer to Eywa.

The hexapede suddenly lifted its head to look at something through the bushes, its legs tensed as it got ready to run but she wasn't going to let it . This was her chance and if she waited any longer it might run off and then she'd have to track a different hexapede for dinner.

She pulled out an arrow from its confinement and placed it on the bow. Then when the arrow was positioned right she drew the bow and placed her aim at the animal she was hoping to kill. Awa inhaled deeply and then at the exhale she released the arrow and watched with a tense body as it flew towards its target.

It hit the animal right in the heart, making it let out a strangled sound of pain and then falling dead to the forest ground. The death was almost instantaneous and completely painless apart for the initial shock of being shot. A clean kill, Awa noted proudly of her work.

She jogged over to where the Yerik laid with long fast steps and then she knelt down by the animal and murmured the traditional prayer for it with a sad look on her face. The eyes that used to be full of life was now empty and cold. She grabbed a hold of the hind legs of it and stood up with a loud grunt. This was a very heavy one, she noted to herself.

"Khan!" She yelled and then whistled a short tune that she had taught her pa'li to respond to at any given time and place. She didn't really want to be loud in the forest but she had tracked this yerik for a very long time and she had left Khan a long distance away. A distance she knew wasn't safe or smart to drag this animal too.

It wasn't long until she heard the thundering hooves of her six legged friend and just as she turned around to where the sound was coming from the elephant sized animal emerged from the thick trees and bushes. He came up to her and pressed his small head against her in a greeting as he softly nickered at her.

Awa smiled brightly and stroked a hand down his long neck. "Hi buddy" She whispered and then laughed when he licked her face. "We've got to get this yerik back to the meeting place, what do you say, huh? We gonna make it in record time and beat Tsu'tey and Nì'itan?"

The direhorse neighed loudly in response and impatiently stomped his hooves, she was taking far too long to haul the heavy animal on his back and he really wanted to beat his biggest rival, aka Nì'itan. The meeting spot was back at the hometree, around the training area where they usually met up before and after going hunting.

Awa finally managed to lift the heavy yerik up on Khan's back with a tired sigh and an aching back. She placed her warm forehead on the cool body of her pa'li and it was only then she could hear the vibrations. She lifted her head and glared at the animal, he was laughing at her.

"Stop that or no treats for you!" She told the animal with a glare on her face, he dare laugh at her when he didn't even help her. Unbelievable.

                                                                                                     ...

She and Khan rushed back to the hometree with the wind slapping them as they soared past trees and bushes. They were going to win this and have all the bragging rights. Plus Tsu'tey would have to serve her the entire night, and boy would she take advantage of that.

They came to an abrupt stop when they reached the training grounds when a pa'li came rushing towards them uncontrollably. In the process of trying to avoid the hysterious animal she fell off Khan and headfirst down to the ground.

Neytiri watched helplessly as Jake rushed towards Awa and Khan, the first mentioned in such a panic that his pa'li was terrified and operating on pure instinct. She let out a strangled yell when Awa swerved to the side and in doing so she fell to the ground head first and the big yerik Khan was carrying followed her, making it sandwhich her with the ground when they finally met the ground. The older Na'vi rushed towards her friend with her tail swishing frantically in all directions and ear pressed directly onto her skull. She was beyond worried for her rather fragile friend.

"Awa? Awa?!" She cried when she reached her, Neytiri fell down on her knees as she tried to push the yerik off of her friend. It was crushing her and Neytiri wouldn't be surprised if the animal had broken several of Awa's bones and even caused her a concussion. Awa wasn't responding to her desperate cries at all, her eyes were closed and her body motionless.

Suddenly her panic escalated to a new level when she heard the sound of another rider approaching, one that could only be Tsu'tey. Then she heard the thud of Jake falling off his pa'i but that did nothing to ease her growing panic, this was going to turn so bad when Tsu'tey realised what had happened and Neytiri knew that she wouldn't be able to help Jake.

"Where is Awa?" Came said warrior's voice when he stopped just at the edge of the training grounds. He could see Khan but not Awa, Awa would never let Khan wander around here without her being close. Something must have happened to her. "Neytiri where is she?!"

Neytiri stood up on shaky legs and motioned weakly towards where her friend was lying on the ground. "It was an accident, he didn't mean it"