Jake awoke to something. Beside him, Neytiri stirred restlessly, sitting up slowly, her eyes scanning the area around him. He was still not as in-tune with the land as she and the native Na'vi were, but even he could sense that something was amiss. She got up, gathering her bow and arrow as he followed suit. Both were quiet, something different from their usual morning rituals. Jake knew better to interrupt Neytiri when something bothered her, and they stalked off silently into the branches of the large tree they had been in, leaping from limb-to-limb as they traversed the forest.
He may be a bit clueless at times still, but Jake could notice right away what was so wrong; the forest was silent. At any point in time, there was usually something making a noise; not so at the moment. There simply didn't seem to be anything stirring either on the ground, or in the trees. Neytiri paused in front of him, and he realized they'd already traveled several kilometers from the new Hometree the Omaticaya had inhabited since they had banished the RDA and most of the humans. As they leaped to another tree and continued on their exploration, the subtle sounds of life returned. There was a droning of many wings, and Neytiri pointed out to him a shaded area in the canopy.
"Over here…" she said softly, leading him towards the area.
A small group of riti had converged and were buzzing around. It reminded Jake of Venezuela, the time that- They reached the area, and the small flying creatures darted away in surprise. Jake had a bad feeling, putting a cautionary hand on Neytiri's shoulder as she pushed aside the branches. With a shocked gasp she retreated a step, turning away from the sight before them. More out of curiosity than anything else, Jake continued to look.
Hanging upside down, with a bloody stump at the neck and utterly devoid of skin was a freshly-slaughtered carcass. The Na'vi hunted, and it was easy to see that this animal had been strung up like prey, skinned and cleaned. However, the surprising thing was that there seemed to be no meat taken from the animal. Then his eyes widened; for the creature before them was no prey animal. They were looking at the hunted carcass of a full-grown Palulukan.
"Who in the world…?" Jake asked rhetorically, his eyes scanning the area around him, trying to make sense of the scene before him.
Over here-over here…
The prey had come, as expected. One of the remarkable things about this new prey was their attachment to the local fauna. Unlike the humans that had been chased away, they were concerned with a creature's death as they were with one of their own. What's more, they proved a formidable foe against the humans, a longtime hunted species that had a surprising tenacity-for how many hunters had been defeated by them-too many to think of humans as a dishonorable prey. Even now, as they were observed moving through the forest, one could not help but appreciate their finely-crafted bodies. Strong and agile, capable of withstanding great physical challenges and adapted to their environment; truly they would make a worthy prey.
What happens next is expected, nothing of consequence. The female recoils, and that one action confirms his study of the creatures. The male is obviously different from the others, and a scan of his skeletal structure shows subtle differences between his bone development than the other males of the tribe.
Who in the world…? Who-in…world…?
The male looks around the surrounding treetops. High above in one of them his being observed, and for a moment, his eyes seem to focus in that direction. A curious behavior. Several prey over the years have alerted to the presence of their hunter. The camouflage they utilize isn't fool-proof, but most prey are unable to differentiate the subtle change in light as it is bent around the Yautja form. His eyes stay locked for a moment before returning to look at the carcass. Satisfied that the ruse has worked, he moves on from his observation post, leaping to a nearby limb to observe at a greater distance. A rustling sound far below catches his attention, and he turns away from the mated pair to see what new quarry can be found. Leaping down to a lower branch, the Yautja swings low as a group of hunters pass underneath.
These are the ones he is interested in. most of the society is made up of artisans and other unattractive occupations. These hunters are another matter, in part reminiscent of the ancient Yautja. Taking a perch on another branch, he looks on as they prepare for the hunt. Their arrows, though laughably primitive, are dipped in a toxin that is better avoided if possible. They are making almost no noise, even as they ride their large hexapodal "horses." One of them, riding in the center, directs the other two to fan out. Moving into the lower canopy, the Yautja monitors as the hunt leader is left alone.
Wokan had become a hunter two years ago, and had been one of the first to rally behind Tsu-tey during the attack on the Hometree. Now he was glad that the humans had been exiled, and that their way of life could continue. It was a good day for a hunt, and his friends Mawey and Ateyo were just as eager for the hunt as he was. They had gone to flank their prey to flush it out and he was waiting patiently for their signal. He had just prepared his bow and didn't notice the invisible lariat that slipped around his neck, and he had no warning as he was suddenly pulled up. His Pa'li snorted in surprise as Tsaheylu was broken, and his bow and arrows fell at the creature's feet. It was startled again as the prey darted from the foliage, Mawey and Ateyo trailing behind. Their gallop stopped as they saw the lone Pa'li, looking confused as they looked around the still leaves and plants. Aside from the discarded belongings, they couldn't find a trace of him.