First of all, I'd like to apologize for my poor English. As it isn't my native language, please be tolerant. I hope you would enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoy writing it. If you like it, please review.

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I was so excited when dr Augustine took Norm and me to the jungle for a first time. Trudy took us in her Samson. Even though she's not a scientist she is fun to hang out with, especially when you are fed up of scientist talk. She stayed in the Samson, and we went to the jungle. I saw the jungle before but it still amazed me. While training on Earth I only saw some photos, which can't really be compared to the real thing. On my home planet there were no forest left. Any plants that survived were growing in greenhouses used as a source of food. Very expensive food I might add. And even here, till now, I only trained in Hell's Gate, how to control my avatar, so I've seen jungle only with my human eyes.

I managed to control my avatar quite quickly, especially in comparison to Norm, who still is a little clumsy. But well, he's clumsy even as human. When I first connected to the avatar I felt great. So natural, yet so overwhelmed. All the senses were so sharp I couldn't focus. Suddenly I could see brighter and sharper, smell and distinguish different scents of things and people, I could hear from farther. I was also stronger and more gracious. Getting used to having a tail took a while, though. It's funny, how natural it seems to me after some time. Now, when I disconnect from my avatar I'm sometimes loosing balans without my tail in human body.

And then again, all of that were behind Hell's Gate. I got used to being in avatar, but in jungle all of it rushed back to me. While walking after dr Augustine and Norm I couldn't focus on what they were saying. I looked around and listened to the smallest voices that surrounded me.

'I think they're watching us even now' I heard dr Agustine answer to Norm's question. I listened more carefully and for a moment thought that I hear someone, some Na'vi, somewhere near. I wished I could smell them, but as unexperienced as I was now, I wouldn't recognise them anyway.

'Look at this' dr Augustine said to me and I tried to focus on what she was doing. I was a scientist after all, that's why I was here, I tried to told myself. Woman in her avatar was now taking some samples from a root. Okay, maybe not axactly why I am here. I wasn't actually a biologist, but I needed to have field training in that domein too. I am anthropologist. What I really wanted to do was studying Na'vi. Their culture. Then dr Augustine asked me to show her how I do it. I barely focused on the task, but gave her full syringe. She brought her attention to Norm. As he had some problems with taking the sample, I used the opportunity and wandered off. I know it was really stupid, to got lost in thoughts wandering through a jungle, but I couldn't help myself. I found huge bright-orange plant, that I knew will shut if I touch it. I came closer, but carefully not to touch it, and smelled the plant. It had very sweet scent. It was mixed with something else, something sweaty and saulty. I approached a little more, and suddenly plant started to shut. I strightened right away. Behind the plant stood very big and very pissed off creature. I knew that I could't run, but I felt weak in the knees. It made some awful noise and show its ruff to scare me. Despite the fear I took a step forward and snarled as load as I could. It made some more noise but then backed away. I felt relief but then I heard something behind me.

'It's tanathor!' dr Augustine screamd from my left. She and Norman came as soon as they heard my snarl. It's funny, cause I smelled them before I acknowledged their presence. I already could recognise them by their smell. I turned around and saw what was there. For a milisecond I panicked, but then my legs moved on their own. I run as fast as I could, not looking behind my back. I almost felt the tanathor breath on my neck, while I was ziggzagging through a jungle. At some point I thought I was dead. But then I saw some hope. The waterfall was right in front of me. I didn't think, didn't wonder what would happen after I do what I was going to, I just jumped. Moment later I were surrounded by cold water.

With some difficulty I reached surface and then swam to the bank. As I climbed to the ground I saw angry tanator growling loudly from above.

I was saved... But I realised soon, that I was also alone, in the middle of the jungle. I might have been saved but I was also screwed.

I was soaked, so I took of my shirt, which I had open for all the time anyway, and stayed only in my green knitted bra-like top and shorts. If not for them and shoes I would look almost like a native Na'vi girl, cause I had even my hair done like one of then, in lots of thin braids, with feathers mingled in them. I laughed mentally thinking that a real Na'vi wouldn't probably think so at all. I walked through a jungle for a while, trying to figure out where I was. I started panicking. Night was coming quickly and I didn't know what to do after sunset. I was only a scientist! I knew they couldn't seek me at night so I had to survive to dawn. I didn't have a clue how, though. I tried hard to focus. All noise around me distracted me. I tried to calm down. Try to determine if you are in danger now I told myself. I didn't hear anything disturbing so I calmed a little. I smelled my surroundings. I didn't detect anything. I tried to trust my senses. I have some Na'vi DNA in me also, so maybe some of their instincts too...

For now I seemed to be safe, but I had to decide what to do. Focus! If I were a Na'vi, what would I do? I would know the forest, know all the dangers... I would be hunter. What hunters do? They're quiet, try not to bring attention to themselves. But they also have some weapons. I had none. But maybe I can hide. Where I will be safe? I looked around. It was getting dark. I should hurry. There were a lot of trees. I knew that most of the animals didn't climb on trees, so I should be quite safe on one. Climbing was tricky but not impossible. Maybe I wasn't strong for a Na'vi, but I was quite small and nimble. I managed to get rather high. I settled in a wide branch and tried to sit quietly. For a while I was surrounded by darkness. But then I saw faint light of bioluminiscence. I was in awe. I admired my surroundings and for a moment I forgot how vulnerable I was. Then, suddenly I heard something. Not anything load, like noise maked by animals. Some faint sound, but very familiar. Sound of pulling bowstring. I froze, and turned my head very slowly. My ears flattened as I saw a male Na'vi, pointing his arrow at me. Arrow with neurotoxine that could stop my heart in a minute. I shivered, my heart started to bump really loudly. So load that he must have heard it.

He seemed to be perfect still. Like a marble statue. From what I could see, he was very tall, even for a Na'vi. Has broad shoulders, and a lot of muscles. His face was very handsome even with his hard expression. What is he doing? I thought. Is he deciding if he should kill me? When I turned first, I saw some sort of surprise on his face. Like he didn't expect me spotting him.

Then from above, some big seed floated to him, and stopped on his arrow. I've never seen such big seed. It was bright and beautiful. I saw him blink and then he withdraw an arrow. I gasped and moved a little. It wasn't good idea. I slipped and before I realised I fell of the tree.

I rolled on the ground and tried to stand immediately, because I heard some snarling around me. Next second I was attacked by some dog-like creatures. I managed to dodge one of them but there were a lot of them, everywhere. I snarled at them as load as I could, almost instinctively, hoping that maybe it'll scare them of. It didn't, not much anyway. One of them jumped at me and knocked me down. I realised after a moment that it didn't bite me. It fell of off me with an arrow in its flesh. I stood up and saw that Na'vi from the tree fighting with the rest of them. He slashed one, and kicked the other. Some of them he hit with his bow, snarling all the time. His snarls were a lot more intimidating that mines and in the end he scared all the creatures off. Then he looked around, not acknowledging me at all, and kneeled in front of one of the 'dogs' to end its life. Doing it he talked in Navi. He was apologising for their deaths...

When he finished, he standed up and turned to leave. I looked after him, and then run.

'Hey, wait, where are you going?' I followed him for a moment. 'Please, don't leave me behind. Take me with you!'

He didn't respond. I run faster and grabed his arm. I didn't expect what he did next. He hit mi hard with his bow, sending me flying to the ground.

'Go away!' he barked. 'I should have killed you!'

'Then why didn't you?' I asked, bewildered. He had spoken in perfect English 'Why didn't you let those animals kill me?' I added in navi. He looked at me, not really that surprised, as I expected.

'You're a woman. I don't kill women' he paused. He seemed to be considering something.'You are different than other Dreamwalkers. You don't make that much noise as they. You've heard me. No Dreamwalkers were able to hear me before. But you are like child, you don't know what to do!'

He turned back again and started walking.

'Then teach me!' I called after him.

'You cannot be teached what you don't see' He said as I cought up with him once more.

'Then teach me to see!'

That conversation was going nowhere and I started to fear that soon he'll lost me and I will be alone again. Then I realised that we came near some big, very big, tree. We were now on one of its enormous roots. He stopped abruptly and turned to me.

'You can't be here!' he barked at me, showing his fangs, that were a lot bigger than human's, a lot more intimidating. I had trouble not to retreat. 'Go back!'

'Please' I said in navi. 'I need your help!'

'No!' he repeated. 'Go back!'

I felt tears gathering in my eyes and was about to start crying when I spotted something bright above us. It was this big seed. Atokirina, I remembered how it was called. There were a lot of them. I rised my hands trying to catch it. It landed on my hands. The other ones started to land on my shoulders and chest. In a moment I was almost covered in them. I looked at male Na'vi. He seemed to be surprised even more than I was. Then, suddenly, all of the seeds rose a little and flew away.

'What was that?' I wandered silently to myself. Then I heard Na'vi saying something.

'Come!' he repeated. 'Come!'

He led me through bunches of plants which started to shine when I touched them. I couldn't help myself not to touch some of them purposedly, just for fun. Na'vi didn't let me drag on, he hurried me every once in a while. We were practically running all the time and I started to feel tired, but it was pleasant tiredness. I've never run this much in my avatar body before. Of course I've been training on the fields inside Hell's Gates, but it was nothing in comparison to running through an actual jungle. Where ground wasn't flat and hard, where plants and roots were everywhere.

'What's your name?' I asked in Navi at some point. We were getting close to the tree, and I realised I didn't even know who I'm with right now. Some of Na'vi were known to me, I learnt about them in my training, so maybe I heard about him? I couldn't find out, because right after I asked I was hit with bolas, and fell to the ground. Tired and feeling safe in his presence, despite his apparent hostility, I stopped scaning my surrounding carefully anough and didn't see it coming.

Immediately I untied my legs and stood up, only to saw being surrounded by many Na'vi warriors. Some of them on horse-like animals, some on foot, but every single one pointing theirs bows at me. I gulped, rising my hands in gesture of peace and surrending.

'Don't shoot' I pleaded in Navi. They only made some warrior noises.

'Stop!' my Na'vi, sort-of, friend shouted.

'What are you doing?' asked him one of warriors. 'Why haven't you killed this Dreamwalker? She should not be here!'

'I wanted to kill her' replied calmly male. My heart almost stopped. 'But I saw a sign from Eywa'

The other snorted. 'You saw a sign from Eywa. It's your betrothed who is to become Tsahik, not you!'

'Nonetheless, I saw a sign. My mother of mate-to-be, recent Tsahik, should see her before we kill her'

I felt stung in my heart. He has betrothed mate... Stop! I reprimanded myself. It's not time for that kind of thoughts! I shouldn't ever have that kind of thoughts! I am human, even if in avatar body now. He wouldn't ever considered me as mate material, and even if he somehow did, I couldn't let that happen!

'Fine' agreed other warrior. He nod to some of the men, and they grabed me violently by my queue and with a knife near my neck, they practically dragged me to the tree.

When we were passing through a crowd, after getting to the tree, every Na'vi were looking at me with surprise and anger, some with curiosity. I was never a shy person, but all those stares were making me want to hide. I felt so alien and out of place right now. I noticed that I was very short for a Na'vi, and had bigger breast than most of them. I would loughed at such though not being in my situation.

We stopped in some sort of chamber inside the huge tree, near the spiral structure in the mieddle, which looked like it were stairs. Everywhere were gathered Na'vi. Among them stood very tall, intimidating looking man, in different than most clothing, or rather jewelery, from the lack of the forementioned.

'Oloeyktan' said male Na'vi I first met. I looked from him to his the other. He was leader of Omaticaya?!

'Ja'ki. Why did you bring that Dreamwalker woman here?! They're not to come here, was my orders!' He said, and grimaced.

'I know, Eytukan. But I saw a sign from Eywa and thought that Tsahik must see her'

'A sign from Eywa?' said some female Na'vi, who stood by Eytukan side. 'Eywa do not give signs for Dreamwalkers!'

I noticed she was really young and beautiful.

'Let Tsahik decide about that, doughter' said leader. So this was my Na'vi mate-to-be... Crap! He is not MY Na'vi! Shut up, brain!

'What is going on here' We all heard voice from above. From the spiral structure were coming tall woman, dressed in some sort of shawl, with hair tied up and a lot of perles.

'Dreamwalker' she turned to me. 'What are you called?'

'Jane' I speaked for the first time here. 'Jane Sully'

The woman pull out some sort of pin from a sheath attached to her necklace and jabbed me all of sudden. I cried surprised. She then licked the blood from the pin. For a moment it looked like she was testing its taste or something, and then she spoke to me again.

'Why are you here, Janesully?'

'I'm here to learn' I answered immediately without a thought. I knew she meant what I was doing here, right now, not in general, but the answer was practically the same, I realised.

'We tried to teach other Skypeople. It is hard tu fill the cup that already is full'

'My cup is not full' I tried to convince her. 'And even if it turns out that it is, you can always kill me then.'

'She is not like the other Dreamwalkers, Mo'at.' said Na'vi that brought me here. 'She knows how to listen, I saw it. She can learn.'

'Alright, Ja'ki' decided Tsahik. 'If you're so sure, you will teach her of our ways'

My heart jumped. I was going to be tought Na'vi ways, by Ja'ki?! That would be great! I was so excited already. That was something I always dreamed about. To be able to become like real Na'vi, look at them from the inside, not only study from the distance!

Ja'ki made displeased noise. He apparently didn't agree with me.

'Learn well Janesully' she told me and then went away. Na'vi stared at me for a little more and then started to scatter.

'Neytiri?' asked Ja'ki. 'Could you help her dress properly?'

She snorted.'If you insist'

She turned to me. 'Come'.

Neytiri led me up, to some sort of alcove, high on the tree. There she gave me loincloth and told to take off my shorts and shoes. I did that quickly, not wanting to anger her more. She kindly showed me how to put the loincloth on. I was surprised she let me keep my knitted top, but I guessed it looked like one of theirs pendants they covered breast with, so she didn't bother. When I was dressed she led me back to Ja'ki. I was surprised that that outfit was actually rather comfortable. I could at last swing my tail freely now!

'Come' said Ja'ki only, when he saw me. We went down, to some sort of huge chamber, were most Na'vi were sitting. I t was some sort of gathering. We went through crowd and sit near the middle of the place. Passing by, I naerly step of someones tail, but fortunately I stopped myself in last second. We sat and only then they seemed to stop staring.

'Hi' I said shyly to a person sitting next to me. He was tall, intimidating looking Na'vi, with deep frown, that looked like were never gone from his face. I knew I should greet him in proper way, in Navi, but then everything was so overwhelming I forgot myself. He didn't respond, just looked away, annoyed.

Then, ceremony started. It was some sort of storytelling. Some older Na'vi were telling about history of Na'vi. Although I knew there have to be elder Na'vi, I was actually surprised when I saw them. I quickly forgot that, and everything else, when I started to listen and lost myself in their voices.

After storytelling Ja'ki led me to a meal, and then, high to sleeping place. He showed me were I can sleep and hopped to his own hammock, made of leaves or some part of tree it was. I tried to mimick him and nearly fell into abyss. Clumsily I managed to settle in the hammock in the end, and I was quickly asleep. Kind of.