I see you, Tsu'tey

Chapter 26

Awa's legs shook with fervor, it felt like they were going to burst as she took slow steps across the destroyed ground where the powerful beast had plowed through just an hour ago. Her eyes were still wide with fear and bloodshot. That had been closer than she would have liked, way too close. Atxa was lucky to still be alive, to have survived the attack of a beast of that caliber and walk away with minor injuries.

Crimson red dripped down her arm in thick, red pearls and formed little rivers that clashed against the blue of her skin. It had nicked her when it grabbed Atxa, slicing its claws through her skin like one would butter. She hadn't even noticed it until the adrenaline cooled down and a pulsing ache began in her arm. She too had survived an attack by the fearsome palulukan, but not as Atxa had. Sure she had been the one to rescue him, but she was also the reason he had to be rescued.

She pressed her other hand against the pulsing wound and hissed at the sharp sting it let out when her dirty hand came into contact with the fresh wound. Tears welled up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Her mouth was dry and her body cold and shaking. Awa raised her head and catched the hard eyes of Tsu'tey.

"Tsu'tey" She whispered, her voice calling him to her but too tired to put any power behind her words. Awa stumbled towards him even though his eyes frowned down on her with that same hatred still swirling in his eyes. "I didn't mean to"

"Mean to do what, demon?" He asked with a deep scowl on his face that made him seem much older than he actually was. His posture was tense and knuckles clenched so tightly together they turned a very light blue. His brows were furrowed tightly and his shoulders squared and tense.

"Make Atxa get hurt" Awa answered with a lone tear falling from her eye and running down her cheek. Her voice shook and trembled with suppressed sorrow and sobbs. A hand came to rest above her heart where she clenched it into a fist.

"What did you do?" He snarled, his eyes unforgiving and angry. Tsu'tey took a step forward but then stopped himself from walking closer to her, the strain of the restraint showing on his face. "What.did.you.do?!"

The dreamwalker flinched backwards and a shaky sob came from her. "I don't know what happened. One second we're running from the palulukan and then, and then" She shook her head and tears starting rushing down her cheeks like waterfalls. "then I don't know what happened, I just felt this need to rush to her. I don't know why"

Tsu'tey hissed at her with his mouth slightly open, showing his elongated canines. "This is why bugs like you are not allowed here. All you do is hurt, all you do is kill, you are worthless. You will never be one of the people!"

Awa stumbled back as if the words hit her right in the face. Hurt soared through her body like fire, burning through each of her limbs and lighting it on fire. She choked up before she laid her hand over her mouth to muffle her cries. "I didn't mean to! I helped him! I killed the palulukan to save him!" She screamed at the Na'vi while slightly crouching down, her ears laid flat against her head, her tail stood ramstraight behind her and her face were screwed up in hurt.

"'I didn't mean to'" He mocked and then snarled at her before pushing the arm he held the bow in up in the air. He dropped it back down but his posture was anything but calm and relaxed. His jaw was clenched so tightly it almost looked like he was going to crack his teeth. "I do not care for your excuses! They are worthless. You did this! You.did.this!"

She shook her head with the heavy weight of her guilt weighing down her shoulders. "You don't think I know that? I'm aware that I did this, believe me I'm more than aware. But that doesn't change the fact that this wasn't what I meant to happen. I never wanted to get attacked by the palulukan, and I never wanted him to take the hurt for me!" Awa gestured wildly with her arms, as if trying to get her point across better, but Tsu'tey was having none of it.