Okay, another chapter. I am warning you now, I just got back to school today, and I'm going to be very busy. I can't make promises to constantly reliable updates, but I will find time. Bear with me...
Jake couldn't help but let his jaw fall open slightly. Tsteu's hard stare met his, and he struggled to hide a smirk at Jake's expression. Badly surprised, Jake closed his mouth and clenched his jaw. Is this part of the test? He asked himself as he came to stand on the other side of Mo'at. He couldn't help but steal glances at his best friend, who was avoiding his eyes.
Jake decided to focus his energy into deciphering Mo'at's speech. "… these two will face each other in a duel, and the victor will then be tested by Eywa. A faithful warrior of the Omatikaya, Tsteu is the rightful olo'eyktan. But his challenger is just as great." A cheer erupted from a small group of young Na'vi, ones who still had yet to pass into adulthood. They were quickly chastised to silence by the surrounding adults. They had yelled "Toruk Makto" in unison. "He united The People against a common enemy, and saved us." Mo'at said no more of Jake.
She stepped away from the raised roots of the Tree of Souls and walked swiftly down the aisle way made by the spectators. Tsteu began to follow silently, and Jake followed him. They walked side by side a few feet behind the Tsahik.
Jake hadn't noticed before, but there was a circle drawn into the ground beyond the crowd. Jake and Tsteu stood on opposite sides, toes just beyond the line, staring each other down. Jake's tail twitched—a sign of his agitation. He was certain that it was a trick.
"You may enter the circle," Mo'at gave them the permission.
One corner of Tsteu's mouth curled up in a smirk, showing one threatening canine. He stepped into the boundary of the circle. Jake did the same, clenching and unclenching his fists.
The two warriors circled each other. Jake narrowed his eyes, looking his opponent over. He tried as hard as he could to block his emotions away, but the betrayal he felt by Tsteu was cutting deep. Jake could no longer glare at his former friend. He had thought he had found someone he could trust.
Tsteu was standing in a defensive crouch, his lip curling back to show his gleaming teeth. He ignored the confusion in Jake's eyes and lunged.
Jake was surprised by the sudden attack, and landed roughly on his back in the dirt. He slid about a foot with Tsteu keeling on his chest. Rage replaced sadness and betrayal. He narrowed his eyes and bared his own set of sharpened canines. He shoved his palms into Tsteu's chest, hard enough for him to stagger back for a couple of seconds. Jake used those couple of seconds the escape from underneath him.
He jumped to his feet, staying poised to brace himself for another attack. Tsteu stood up as well and faced Jake. "Impressive," he said, grinning wickedly.
"What did she mean by 'rightful olo'eyktan?" Jake asked him, ignoring the sarcastic complement.
"Jake," Tsteu began, seeming genuinely surprised by what he was asking, "Tsu'tey was my older brother."
Jake stared at him incredulously, his eyes growing wide with surprise. "What?" He asked, hoping for clarification. He didn't receive any, only more circling to keep his front facing his silent opponent.
They didn't say anything more, only glared, watching for signs of another attack. Jake circled, slowly working his way towards Tsteu. They were only about a foot away from each other in the center of the circle when Jake finally lashed out.
He sent a wild jab towards Tsteu's cheek as a diversion. Thinking that is was the actual attack, Tsteu blocked it. But then Jake advanced on him, throwing a punch into his former friend's stomach. Tsteu staggered back, but Jake followed. He grabbed Tsteu's arm and flipped the thinner Na'vi through the air, landing him on his back on the packed dirt. The wind was knocked from him and he gasped. Jake sat on his chest, holding his arms down by the wrists. His ears were flat and he hissed at his defeated opponent.
When Tsteu found his breath once more, he whispered so only Jake could hear, "Congratulations, Brother." His expression was no longer cold and harsh, as it had been, but returned to the way Jake was used to seeing him. Then he raised his voice and spoke in Na'vi, "I surrender, Toruk Makto."
It was then that Jake realized that not only was Tsteu an excellent hunter, but also an excellent actor. The cold-heartedness had been a show, most likely to throw Jake off. It had worked. Jake felt like an imbecile for thinking that Tsteu would ever act like that.
Jake climbed off of Tsteu's chest as the assembled crowd erupted into cheers. He stood up, confused, and faced the Omatikaya. Neytiri stood at the front. She was only slightly smiling, but her eyes were filled with pride. He grinned back at her idiotically, not sure what to make of the whole event. This made her begin to laugh, and it was the only thing he heard through the clamor of the rest of the tribe.
Tsteu was now standing next to him, brushing the dirt off himself. "I let you win," he told Jake out of the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah, right…" Jake acquiesced jokingly. Out of all their mock fights and wrestling matches in the past, Tsteu had only won once, and that was the day that Pey'ral had been present.
Tsteu laughed under his breath and grabbed Jake's wrist. He lifted Jake's arm, to present him as the winner. More shouts of Toruk Makto filled their ears. The group of young Na'vi that had interrupted in the beginning were punching the air and shouting—it was obvious to Jake that he had a lot of young followers.
Mo'at stepped forward and stood in front of them. A hush fell over the Omatikaya. All eyes were glued to the Tsahik's ominous presence. "You fought well, Tsteu." She acknowledged. Tsteu nodded once, and exited the center of the circle. Coincidentally, he ended up standing next to Pey'ral, who looked at him sheepishly out of the corner of her eye. He was trying not to look nervous.
Jake tore his eyes away from his nervous, love-struck friend and returned his attention to Mo'at. "I am confused," he told her, knowing that she would understand why.
"Ask Neytiri to explain, she will tell you why you had to fight Tsteu." Mo'at whispered to him.
She took his face in her slender hands and closed her eyes, drifting away to deep thought. She muttered something incoherent and her eyes snapped open. She stared at Jake for moment, who met her intense stare without wavering. "You do have a strong heart," she began, the hint of a motherly smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, "and will be a strong leader. But do not think it will be easy. I foresee hardship side by side with victory and prosperity. You will have to find out how to handle each."
She let go of Jake and raised her arms, speaking to the whole clan. "Eywa has deemed this man worthy of leadership."
Another round of applause for Jake. He knew that his test was drawing to a close, and tonight would be more celebrations in his honor. He wasn't excited, for it marked the beginning of his unbroken leadership of the Omatikaya. But he plastered a modest smile on his face, not meeting the eyes of his people.
Once again, the festivities lasted late into the night. Jake's memories were a jumble of laughing, socializing, dancing and singing. But the only constant within all the memories was Neytiri. They stayed close to each other the entire night. Jake never let her get an arm's length away before he would pull her back, and she didn't seem to mind.
And once again, the two of them stole away from Jake's own party to be by themselves. They retreated into the glowing jungle. Jake enjoyed his private time with her more than celebrations in his honor. There had been too many of those for his taste. Neytiri seemed her enjoy herself, but she only opened up to him when they were alone.
They found an empty patch of ground by a small, clear pond. The bed beneath the water radiated a pale blue light that rippled and reflected against the canopy and trunks of the trees, turning everything a shade of cerulean that wasn't unlike Neytiri's complexion. He smiled to himself, wondering how he had won her.
She was gazing into the crystal clear pond, the light dancing on her bare skin. Jake's breath caught in his throat. He didn't know why it was still daunting for him to approach her; she knew him better than anyone ever had.
As if sensing his apprehension, she turned her head to look at him. She laughed at his expression and grabbed his hand to pull him forward. She stared into his eyes for a long moment, before grinning and asking, "So, Olo'eyktan, do you feel any different?"
It took him a moment to realize what she was referring to. "Not really. It will probably hit me tomorrow, when I actually have to do something about it." He grimaced. The idea still hadn't appealed to him yet.
"Like I told you before, I will help you." Neytiri reassured him, kissing him lightly. She broke away, leaving Jake pouting. She giggled, and kissed him again. This time, he didn't let her break away, wrapping his arms possessively around her. She leaned into his chest, playing with his long braided hair.
Jake picked her up, and she instinctively locked her legs around his waist. He set her down on the soft ground next to the pond. He broke away from her lips and trailed kisses down her jaw and onto her neck. Then he worked his way back up to her mouth.
Abruptly, Neytiri rolled them over, so she was straddling him. She ran her hands slowly up his chest, until she was gripping his shoulders. "Many of The People presented you with gifts when you became olo'eyktan," she told him. She trailed kisses up his jaw. "But now I want to give something to you," She whispered seductively in his ear.
Alright, sorry if any of you were expecting love in detail. I don't do that. You can use your imaginations, lord knows it will come up something better than I could write down. I can't guarantee when the next chapter will be up. I still have to find time to finish it, edit it, and post it, which will be a stretch. Okay.... I am now prepared for the review onslaught. Let it begin! :P
