A/N: This is my first foray into writing an Avatar Fanfiction... It's really just a bit of fluff but plot bunnies can be relentless... even the fluffy ones and this one begged to be written. This is totally unbeta'ed but I did run it thru spellcheck... All Na'vi translations will be included at the bottom...
Neytiri woke up and climbed out of her hammock with practiced ease and gracefulness. She was about to head down to first meal, but then remembered the events from the night before. She was now in charge of teaching the skxawng. She moved along the branch to stand above Jake's hammock, and then kneeled down on the balls of her feet.
"Jhakesully! Wake up. It is time to eat. Come." She ordered. Neytiri waited for him to acknowledge her, but frowned when he did not move or make a sound. "Skxawng!" Neytiri sighed in frustration.
Back at Hell's Gate, Grace was having similar difficulties with Jake. "Come on Marine! Up and at 'em."
Jake groaned tiredly. "I didn't even have to get up this early in basic!" he complained.
"Whiner. Come on Marine. You need to eat, learn some names, then get back to your avatar to start your training with Neytiri. You're late."
Jake groaned again, but sat up anyways. He maneuvered himself onto his wheelchair, and then dutifully followed Grace.
Neytiri sighed exasperatedly, and then dropped down to Jake's hammock. She rolled him onto his back and shook his shoulders.
"Jhake! If you do not wake up I will leave you here to figure out how to get out of the hammock alone… I am not missing first meal because you refuse to wake up." Neytiri threatened to no avail.
"skxawng! I am leaving. You find your own way to first meal." Neytiri pulled herself out of Jake's hammock and back onto the branch, and then headed to first meal.
Grace was showing Jake pictures of important clan members again as they made their way to the link room. "Okay, let's run through them again."
"Mo'at. Dragon lady." Jake responds after looking at the first picture. Grace moves to the next photo and shows it to Jake.
"Eytu-can."
"Eytukan. He's the clan leader, but she's the spiritual leader. Like a shaman." Grace explains, and then shows the next picture as they reach the link.
"T'su'tey."
"Tsu'tey." Grace corrects, as Jake shifts himself up onto the link bed.
"Tsu'tey." Jake repeats.
"He'll be the next clan leader." Grace says as she flips to the next picture. Jake takes the pad from her, looking at the photo.
"Neytiri."
"She'll be the next Tsahik. They become a mated pair."
"So, who's this 'Eywa'?"
"Who's Eywa? Only their deity! Their goddess, maker of all living things. Everything they know. You'd know this if you'd had any training whatsoever!" Norm exclaimed.
"Who's got a date with the chief's daughter?" Jake smirks, showing off the picture of Neytiri to Norm.
"Knock it off. Jesus, it's like kindergarten around here." Grace scolds as Jake lies down and pulls the bio-sensor over his chest. "Neytiri was my best student. She and her sister Sylwanin. Just amazing girls."
"I didn't meet the sister." Jake said as Grace inputs the required commands into the control panel.
"No, she's dead." Grace admits quietly, "Okay, let's go… Village life starts early, and you're late."
"Link is ready." Max called out.
"Don't do anything unusually stupid." Grace smirks.
Jake opens his eyes and sits up. "Whoa…" Jake says startled as the hammock sways with is sudden movement. He looks over to Neytiri's hammock and sees that she's no longer there.
"Great… now I get to figure out how to get out of this thing and not die trying…" Jake cautiously stood up, the hammock swaying unsteadily under his feet, and then jumps a little to grab ahold of the branch he used to swing down the night before. He uses his upper body strength to pull himself up to the thicker branch. Once he is steady on his feet, he walks down the spiral path to the forest floor.
He looks around and notices everybody is already attending to their daily tasks. A group of young girls sit together and weave while they sing. Two men are cleaning the fish they have caught. A young mother pounds seeds into meal, while nursing her infant. A large group of children chase each other and climb like monkeys.
One of the little girls runs up to Jake and stares at him. Jake grins at her, trying to be friendly. The girl shrieks with laughter as she runs back to her friends. Jake chuckles to himself and smiles as he goes looking for something to eat since it seems he missed the morning meal. He picks up a piece of purple fruit taking a bite as he exits Hometree, looking for Neytiri.
A/N: Irayo for reading. as promised, Na'vi translations:
skxawng = Moron/Idiot
Eywa = Na'vi deity
Irayo = thank-you
As Always, Take What You Can, Give Nothing Back!
Vampire Solidarity, Rah, Rah,Rah! (and all that)
Eywa Ngahu (Eywa be with you)
Mrs. Capt. Jack Sparrows