I opened my eyes to find my blurry vision filled with a beautiful patterned blue face. It was my mate, Neytiri.
"Jake?" she said
"I see you," I replied softly.
Without a word I slowly stood up and embraced her. We kissed and the assembled Omaticaya people applauded.
It was a new beginning.
The humans had gone back to their dying world. Leaving behind them a wake of destruction. Home Tree had been destroyed and the People were devastated. There had been a great number of Na'vi lost in the battle against the sky people, and the Chief was dead.
There was work that needed to be done, but we wouldn't have to do it alone. The clans that still hadn't left for their homes would help us rebuild our village, and most importantly, Home Tree.
When an Omaticaya chief dies before he is able to pass on his duties, a new one is decided by a popular vote. A vote was held simply by speaking the name of a candidate then counting the number of hands in the air. I wasn't actually even there at the voting, which I kinda regret, because I returned from the destruction caused when the marines had destroyed Home Tree, to be greeted by a thousand voices murmuring, "Turuk Mak Tao," I was very confused.
Mo'at was standing under the sacred tree beckoning me to come to the "stage"
"you have been voted chief of the Omaticaya clan. Will you accept this honor"
"I'd love to, but wouldn't Tsu'tey be better?" I didn't know the first thing about leadership.
"Tsu'tey was killed in the battle," Neytiri said solemnly, "he went bravely taking many sky people with him to Eywa." she announced, "you were able to bring all the western clans together to fight the great evil that descended upon our land. that hasn't been done for over a hundred years".
"I'll do it" I said.
And with that the sun slipped below the horizon and today's work was done.
There were many living hammocks at the Tree of Souls. Eywa provided for her children. Neytiri and I were curled together comfortably, and as the edges of our hammock curled over us, I fell asleep to the soft glow of the beautiful Pandoran forest and the sounds of my lover's soft breathing.
***************the next morning*******************************************
I woke suddenly because someone was shaking me violently, trying to get me out of the most peaceful sleep I'd had in years. My eyes snapped open and sure enough, my beautiful blue wife/mate was shaking me awake, grinning, and yelling, "Jake, wake up!".
I sat up and embraced her, faintly realizing this was the first time I had woken up in my Na'vi form that didn't follow being stuck in a mechanical coffin.
"Come on, lets go fly!" she said excitedly