I see you, Tsu'tey

Chapter 32

Awa exhaled and then let the arrow slip past her fingers and soar towards the big target that was hung up on one of the branches in the tree in front of her. The feathers ruffled slightly as the wind forced its way past it but didn't leave the path she had sent it on- going in a gently downwards curve that would hopefully hit bullseye. She snarled when the arrow yet again missed the target and instead going straight down into the ground in front of it, right next to all the other arrows that had taken the same direction. Awa stomped her foot and whined with her ears flattening against her head in both exhaustion and annoyance.

"Again" Atxa sighed and waved his hand.

She groaned but listened to her teacher, knowing better than to defy him even more than she already was, and pulled out another arrow from the quiver she had brought with her before loading the bow with it- her shoulders positioning and hands aiming for the target she kept missing. Awa shifted her stance slightly before letting the arrow free again and only after she could see the arrow a bit in front of her did she lower it, a habit Atxa was trying to take away given that it would be a big inconvinience for her to get up her bow between targets. The arrow, now with feathers in a light purple, flew towards the target and by miracle just at the edge of the round, wooden target that had seen better years and students.

"I did it! Atxa look! I did it!" She cheered and spun around in a small circle while pumping her hands in the air. Chants of 'I did it' filled the air all the while Atxa was still staring at her the same way he did before she managed to hit the target: with his eyebrows furrowed and lips pulled into a thin line.

Her teacher hopped off the branch and walked over to where she was still celebrating her mini victory. "Do it again. Hitting the edge isn't good enough, imagine if it was a raging palulukan; that hit would have been just touching its flank and doing no damage to the animal itself other than angering it. I've told you this before, never celebrate until you're out of danger."

"Sorry Atxa" Awa said while letting her hands plop down to her sides and a sheepish smile grow on her dirty face. "I finally hit it, though! I can't wait to tell Ngeha, she told me I couldn't do it" She smirked smugly and nodded as if proud of her accomplishment.

"Ngeha works in strange ways." His eyes glittered as he talking about his love. "I bet my hammock that she said that to motivate you into trying harder. She has this gift of knowing exactly what to say to motivate others. Challenges and people not believing in you seem to be yours"

"Maybe" She shot back, neither denying or confirming his statement. "I bet yours is praise and a little bit of-"

Atxa sputtered and placed a hand over his heart. "None of that, young one. Now shoot before we both grow too old to lift a finger" The Na'vi man staggered backwards dramatically before sobering up. "I have much to teach you and so little time. Shoot again"

Awa nodded with a grimace marring her beautiful face. "Sure thing, boss", she said before getting in the right position to shoot again, her eyes sharp and focused.

The dreamwalker shut her left eye, a thing she had seen many people in movies had done, and released the arrow on her third exhale, making it soar out of its hold, nicking her cheek and the string flicking her underarm. She beared through the pain, her eyes shutting and body wincing out of instinct to get away from said pain, until she heard the arrow had hit something, hopefully the target. Awa inhaled and then forced her heavy eyes open, squinting at the sight before her before a huge grin grew on her face that made her eyes crinkle and cheeks hurt.