I ran as fast as I could. I've never felt like that around someone. And with an alien…

I was in deep thought as I ran back to Hometree.

How much does he know about us? Does he accept us? Does he think we're aliens, like we think they are? So many questions filled my head.

It was dark by the time I returned home. And when I did, something was happening. People were shouting and yelling. I couldn't see anything through all the chaos. I climbed up the side of one of the many branches connecting Hometree.

And to my surprise, the alien called 'marine' was there. He was with Neytiri. After finding out a little about him Mo'at decided he should learn the ways of our kind and that Neytiri has the responsibility of showing him. He was sure to be in for a world of awakening tomorrow.

XXOoOoOXx

"Come, come. Run faster." I said running in a full sprint, smiling brightly.

"Wait, you're running too fast!" Norm was running behind me.

He was dressed in our native clothing, his hair braided with beads and feathers adorned throughout it.

"You must run faster to become stronger. To become a warrior you must be fast, strong, and pure." I smiled warmly at him.

I stopped so he could catch his breath.

"Warrior training is harder than it looks." Norm said breathing heavily.

I put my hand to his chest. "Maybe… But you have strong heart. Strong will. And after you have become a warrior, you should have no troubles." I say with a sad smile. "…Like finding a woman." I take my hand away.

"Your right. I think there's this one girl that would suit me just fine." He said smiling wide.

"Oh. I see. So you've already chosen. Well you- " I'm cut off by Norm's lips on mine. He breaks away and looks directly into my eyes and into my soul.

"I have chosen. And it's you, Neytikai." He says pulling me closer.

xXOoOoXx

I awake the next morning with last night's dream still in my mind.

"How could that ever work." I say to no one in particular. I sighed my mouth twitching a little at the possibility of him becoming one of the People.

I would watch the humiliating training of 'marine', but after some thought I decided to venture back into the forest. Today was different from previous days. I had a strange feeling come over me. I felt like smiling all the time, like I could run for miles. I felt like yelling so loud that my voice would claim this land as my own.

I ran branch by branch, until I came upon something interesting.

"Alright kiddies, be careful where you step and don't touch anything. You never know what might eat you in these woods." It was Grace again. She had brought more people along with her.

"Now most of you in the group have been through the rookie training, so help anyone that needs help. People with equipment follow me." Grace said as they set up a small camp. Just then I spotted the one who invaded my dreams last night.

I jumped down from my hiding spot and was quickly noticed.

"Uhh… Ahh … Doc!" One of the aliens pointed at me and soon everyone was surrounding me.

"Relax, 'ya big babies. This is Neytikai. She's one of the natives, don't worry." Grace walked over to me.

"I see you." She said in Na'vi.

I smiled a toothy grin. "I see you, Grace." I looked around at the unfamiliar faces examining me. I looked around and spotted Norm in the back.

"CHEEK! ~" I sang as I ran over to him.

I brushed my cheek against his in a friendly manner. He blushed as everyone stared at us. "Uhh hey, Neytikai." He said smiling at me.

"How is cheek?" I asked touching his face. The wound was already improving.

"Better." He said smiling shyly.

"Alright everyone back to work." She shooed everyone away. "You know Norm, Neytikai?" Grace asked with her hands on her hips.

"Yes. I make him better." I said once more touching the scabbing wound.

"I see. Well what's with this cheek thing?" She asked smiling, amusement obviously crossing her features.

"I had a run-in with her yesterday. She scared me and I cut my cheek." He said looking at the ground.

Grace laughed. "You have to be careful with Neytikai. She likes to surprise people."

"Uhh y-yeah." He said still looking at the ground.

"Well I've got work to do. You're welcome to stay Neytikai." She said in Na'vi.

"So what you do?" I asked looking at the weird looking technology around us.

"Uhh I'm working on some samples we got yesterday…" He kept blabbering on and on all the while looking at the ground.

I lowered my head and turned upside down so I could see his face. "What is on ground?" I asked looking down. It seemed to be very interesting.

"Oh nothing…." He started scratching around the gash on his cheek.

"No do not touch. You make worse." I said pulling his hand away. "Here." I gently ran my fingers over the scabbing wound, with a soothing touch. I smiled sweetly at him and kissed the wound. I looked back up to see amber eyes staring back at me.

"People are starting to stare, Neytikai…" Norm said in a whisper.

Ignoring his embarrassment, I pulled on his hand. "Come, come. I want to show something." I said tugging him.

"Really it's okay. I have work to do and…" He said resisting.

"Just go, Norm. I don't see you being a lady's man. So why don't you take the chance and run away with the girl?" Grace laughed while looking into her microscope.

He blushed at this. "I guess I could…" He said hesitantly.

"Come." I said laughing a little while tugging on his arm once more.

He finally gave in and followed me.

We came into a clearing with flowers and multi colored plants. I pushed Norm on a rock and skipped happily to a nearby bush and started to pick the flowers that grew there. I returned to Norm with a smile still plastered on my face. I sat in front of him and began to weave the medium-sized flowers together.

"How bad does hurt, now?" I asked pointing to my own cheek.

"Not so bad as it did yesterday." He said placing his hand on the gash.

"Good. My kiss worked?" I asked smiling wide.

He blushed. "Uhh yeah it did actually."

He opened his eyes slowly. "Thanks again…" He said smiling. He brought his hand up to scratch the back of his neck nervously. I dropped my creation I was working on and grabbed his arm and took his hand in mine. I was intrigued on how it looked.

"You have extra finger." I said placing my hand against his.

"Well I wasn't made like you." Norm said more to himself than to me.

I was mesmerized. I've never been so close to an alien like this outside of battle.

"You are very different." I said looking at his golden eyes.

He stood up and sat on the ground next to me. "We're not that different. We both have arms and legs." He said.

"And hands." I said taking his again. "Feet too." I smiled looking at my feet.

"We both have amber eyes and black hair." He said laughing.

I looked at him for a moment. I took my hand away from his and placed it on his chest. "And heart…" I said taking his hand and placing it on my own.

His face fell for a moment, blushing, but quickly smiled. "Yeah and a heart."

I took my hand away, picking up my weaving once more. My attention span was decreasing by the minute, though. He watched as my small fingers looped the flowers together.

"You're an amazing weaver." He said in Na'vi.

I looked at his calm facial features as he watched. He wasn't toned so much in the face as other Na'vi men, but I didn't mind. I think he's rather handsome. I looked down to his clothing, which was very strange to say the least. I then looked down at my very exposed self and then back to his hidden self. I only wore my traditional necklace that covered my upper body and my loincloth that covered my lower half, while he wore much more cloth than I did. I wonder if he ever gets hot with all that on.

The clearing of someone's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see Norm's amber eyes focusing on a nearby tree. I laughed inwardly. He was being self-conscious about me looking at him. These aliens were very modest. Right before I was about to get back to my weaving I caught a glimpse of something shining. I looked over to Norm and looked at the shining plates that were hanging around his neck. I reached for them and to my surprise when I moved them, the light got brighter.

"What do you call this?" I asked in Na'vi.

"Oh theses are my identification tags." He said looking down.

"Strange. You need to wear this so you know who you are?" I asked in Na'vi.

He laughed at this. "It's so other people know who I am." He said embarrassment fading.

"May I see them?" I asked in Na'vi.

"Sure, I don't see why not." He said as he took them off his neck and handed them to me.

"They shine." I said smiling. I placed them around my neck, just like they were previously on Norm's. They were cold on my chest and made goose bumps on my arms.

Norm gave a small chuckle. "You really like them don't you?" He said sitting back against the rock.

"Very much." I said clenching them in my hand.

I looked at the indention on the plates. "What is this a symbol of?" I asked looking at the weird symbols.

"Oh that's my name." He said nodding his head.

"Name?" I looked at the plates curiously. I smiled knowing I had something that was close to the alien.

I picked up my flowers and put the final touches on my creation.

"You know, I've never been this close with a Native. Especially with a… female." He said turning his head, trying to hide the ever so present blush on his face.

"Then… you are scared…of me?" I asked looking at him worriedly.

"No! Not at all… It's just nice to know that the Natives are so… wonderful." He said smiling to himself.

My tail swished happily behind me at his answer. "You are very kind, my cheek." I said looking up at him.

He chuckled lightly. "Is that my nickname now?" He asked in Na'vi.

"Yes." I said lacing the last flower together with the others.

Just then movement in the bushes alarmed me. I grabbed my bow and hissed in that direction.

"Whoa, hey it's just me, Neytikai." Grace said putting her hands up as she walked from the bushes.

I lowered my bow and placed it at my back.

"I came to get Norm. We have to head back now." She said in Na'vi.

I looked up at Norm and then back to the floor and saw my hard work just lying there. I bent down and grabbed it.

"For you, my cheek." I said placing the flower bracelet in his hands.

"Thanks. It means a lot to mean." He said smiling at me.

"You come back tomorrow?" I asked searching for the answer in his amber eyes.

He looked at Grace and she nodded. He looked at me and placed the bracelet around his wrist.

"Promise." He said bringing his fingers to his forehead in a respectful gesture. He started to walk away with Grace when I noticed I still had his identification tags.

"My cheek! Your tags!" I yelled.

"Keep 'um!" He yelled back.

I smiled and brushed my fingers over the smooth surface. "Goodbye, my cheek." I whispered to myself.