7. You have to

The return to the village had some commotion waiting for the three people.

Jake was standing with a radio in his hand, talking with Neytiri and Virid'ian. Tawtewng was talking to a few warriors.

"What happened?" Puvomun asked someone, but before the man could answer, Jake already called the teacher over.

"We have some kind of situation at the camp, ma Puvomun," the clan leader said. "Neytiri, Tawtewng and I are going there to see what's the matter. I will leave things in your hands. Together with Mo'at, Nusumea Tirea and Amaya you will make things work, right?"

Puvomun nodded, assuming he understood the strange way of expressing that Jake still maintained. "You go there and we stay here."

"Exactly. I knew you'd understand," Jake grinned. "I just spoke to Norm. They has found something strange concerning the avatar bodies that are missing. The ayuniltrrr... you know."

Puvomun knew. One of the hard words to pronounce. "We will be fine, Jake. Go and fly well."

Jake paced off, calling out some last bits of information to whoever wanted to hear them, and then the three ran off towards the tree, going up to where the ikrans lived.

Soon they saw the three riders fly, Neytiri's ikran clearly distinguishable by its colourful markings.

"I see you have found the lost woman?" Nusumea's voice dragged Puvomun's attention back to current affairs.

"We did. Amaya found her," Puvomun replied. "And we have to tell you something. And ask you. And Mo'at too."

The healer-hunter just nodded and walked them to Mo'at, where they told what they had seen.

"So you found three ikrans? In the forest?"

"Yes. And they are hurt. One is hurt badly," Amhul elaborated somewhat. "I am trying to help them, but..."

Mo'at looked at Amhul sternly. "We will have to talk about this. You teachers go. We will call you."

Amaya's face was all wonder and confusion as the teacher singers were sent off and she was to remain with Mo'at and Nusumea, to decide on what to do.

"What will they say?" Amhul asked her mate.

"I don't know, Amhul. We have to wait."

"I hope you understand, ma yawne," she said, taking his hand. "I just want to help these poor animals."

"You have a good heart, Amhul, but some things are not for us to decide. They are for Eywa."

Amhul nodded.

"Puvomun!"

The teacher looked to the source of the yell. It came from Lolet who came running.

"Puvomun, do you know what a 'pxar' is?" she asked.

"What?"

"A pxar," Lolet was certain. "Jake told me to make kava so the pxar was ready. Rakan is already making jugs, but we don't know what a pxar is."

Puvomun thought for a moment. "It is probably one of these Inglisi words he uses. Pxar. Par, perhaps?"

"Yes, that was it. Par." Lolet beamed as she recognised the word.

"It must be something Sky people use to drink," Amhul tried to help. "Maybe he means the cups."

Lolet frowned. "I don't think so. I'll go around and ask a few more people who talked with Jake a lot. Maybe they know. And otherwise I just wait until he comes back and ask him what it is."

The teacher singers agreed that was a smart thing to do.

"Did Rakan mention any stones for his kava?" Amhul grinned.

Lolet laughed out loud. "No, he has not! I don't think I will remind him of that either, he's working so hard now. I don't want him to stop. I'll go and ask the others now. Hayalovay!"

"Kìyevame, Lolet," the teachers said. About then they were called by Mo'at.

"We have talked about this," said the Tsahik. "It is difficult as this has not happened before, but we have decided."

Nusumea Tirea and Amaya nodded, silently. They clearly wanted to leave the talking to Mo'at, something that did not make Puvomun feel very good. He felt Amhul's hand tremble a bit, as it rested on his arm.

"You will go to the ayikran," Mo'at said, "and then you will make tsaheylu with the two that are still well."

A shock ran through Puvomun. He knew that Amhul was as surprised as he was, as she squeezed his arm.

"You will end the life of the ikran that is suffering. It has no chance to live, from what Amaya says, so it is better to make it join Eywa than to prolongue its misery."

"But why do we make tsaheylu with the other two?" Amhul asked. "We are teachers and singers, not hunters or warriors."

"That is why," Nusumea answered her question. "The hunters and warriors go up Iknimaya and claim their ikran from there. You are not meant to go there, so you are the perfect solution."

"Your life force will help your ikran to live. You will be able to motivate it," Amaya added. "If you don't do this, we will have to end their lives as well. Without that they can't heal."

"You can decide," said Mo'at, "but you have to decide soon. And then do what you decide. Now go. You have time to think while you are on your way." She waved her hand, as if she was shooing them away. "Amaya and Nusumea will go with you."

The teachers walked off, more confused than they thought they could have been. But nothing could have prepared them for this outcome.

"Are you well?" Nusumea asked as he and Amaya joined them. "Are you ready to go now?"

They were. They had to, for the Tsahik had said this had to happen.

As they were travelling, the route over the high branches, the teachers were left to their own thoughts.

"Are we going to do it? Make tsaheylu?" Amhul asked.

"I think we should," said Puvomun. "You always wanted to fly, ma Amhul. Now you and I both have a chance."

"But maybe the ikrans won't survive," Amhul said, feeling very troubled and sounding miserable.

"I know. But hunters also lose ikrans, so when we take one step, we are destined to take the other as well. I think the two animals have a good chance of living. Otherwise Mo'at and Amaya would not have given us this option."

"You are right."

Soon they crossed the tree bridge and reached the spot where the ikrans still were. The one that lay on the ground barely moved when the people entered the small clearing, the other two had not changed much, it seemed.

Amaya took her knife and held it out. "One of you has to do it," she said, her voice calm.

Amhul stared at the knife as if it was a arachnoid ready to strike at her.

Puvomun then took the knife from Amaya's hand and started to walk to the lying ikran, but the most active one prevented him from coming close enough. "I need your help, ma Amhul," he softly said.

Amhul nodded and went to calm down the two ikrans, taking their attention away from Puvomun who then kneeled with the near dead one. Nusumea Tirea sat down with the teacher and showed him where he'd have to strike to make the death fast and painless.

The animal tried to move and shrieked in pain as it did so.

"Now. You have to," said the healer-hunter.

Puvomun placed the knife and pushed as hard as he could. "Tam tam, ma tsmuk," he said, "your pain is over now."

The ikran shuddered a last time, then fell silent and limp.

"Your soul will join Eywa now," Puvomun whispered, "before we had time to become friends, before you lived a full life. It is the way. Eywa ngahu, ma ikran." As he pulled the knife back, his hand shook. He was indeed a teacher and singer, not a hunter.

"You did well, ma tsmukan," said Nusumea as he took over the knife. "You took a life. Now go and give a life."

The teacher-singer got up and nodded. He walked around the two ikrans who were now silent, as if the passing of their brother or sister had affected them. Amhul had her hands on both heads and looked at him. There were tears on her cheeks but she smiled bravely.

As she let go of one of the ikrans, it slowly turned its head and looked at Puvomun who was slowly walking towards it.

"Mawey," he said, holding up a hand, "easy, calm now, it's going to be alright." In one hand he already held his queue, just to be prepared. It was all he could do, but it was not enough. Despite being weak, the ikran made a jump towards the teacher, launching a feeble attack. Puvomun jumped back, but as Amaya and Nusumea shouted, he dashed forward, barely evading the snapping jaws.

He threw his arms around the neck of the animal which then lifted him off the ground. Somehow he got hold of one of the extensions he'd have to make contact with, and he chanced to let go one arm to regain possession of his queue. After a few tries and bounces, he succeeded.

Puvomun noticed that the ikran was getting weaker, its reactions slower. "Calm down, you," he muttered, "I am here to make you better, not to let yourself kill you." With effort he worked the end of his tswin up and forced it into the extension at the head of the ikran. And then the pain hit him.

The teacher knew he screamed, as the feelings of the ikran and his own flowed together. He felt where the wounds were, what was wrong with the animal and how it hated to be this way, bound to the ground. Puvomun fought the feelings, holding on to the animal, telling it in words and feelings that it was going to be well, that nobody would come to harm it anymore and - suddenly there was a peaceful, blissful sensation. The ikran stopped its resistance and stood silent, allowing Puvomun to touch it, stroke its neck and talk to it.

"Srane, srane," the teacher said. "You and I are friends now."

When he felt it was safe, he looked around the animal's head and saw Amhul, whose queue was connected to the ikran she was holding. For some reason, it had not resisted at all, it seemed. Amhul's head rested against that of the animal, her eyes were closed and she was speaking soundless words...


Na'vi - English.

Atokirina - seeds of the Sacred Tree

Ayewan - young ones

Ayfo lu tstunwi - They are kind

Ayfo makto nìwin - They ride too fast

Ayikran - plural of ikran

Aynivi - plural of nivi

Ayoeyä atxkxe - our land

Aysa'nok - mothers

Aysaronyu - plural of taronyu (also 'saronyu')

Aysawtute/sawtute - Sky people, the humans

Aysko / sko - bows

Ayuniltìranyu - plural of uniltìranyu, dreamwalkers

'Eveng - a child

Eveng - children

'Ewantu - young one

'Ewll - plant

'Eylan - friend

Eylan - plural of 'eylan

Eywa - the Goddess, nature, Gaia

Eywa ayoehu - Eywa be with us

Eywa ngahu - Eywa be with you

Fa'li/ayfa'li - plural of pa'li - horses

Fngap - metal

Fngapä ta'leng - metal skin, AMP suits

Hetuwong - plural of ketuwong - aliens

Heyn - to sit

Hì'i - small

Ikran - mountain banshee

Ikran makto - ikran rider

Irayo - thank you

'Ite - daughter

Kaltxì - hello

Karyu - teacher

Kava - alcoholic drink

Ke nìltsan - not well

Kefyak? - right?

Kehe - no

Kelutral - Hometree, where the Na'vi clan lives

Kelku lefngap - house of metal

Ketuwong - alien

Kìyevame - May we see each other again

Kxam - middle

Kxawm - maybe, perhaps

Kxetse - tail

Lu - is, to be

Ma yawne - (my) love

Makto zong - travel safely

Mawey - calm down

Mesawtute - two Sky people

Mllte - to agree

Nantang - six-legged direwolf

Nga - you

Nga yawne lu oer - You are my beloved

Nìltsan - well

Nìprrte - you're welcome

Ngeyä - your (ngeyä sa'nok - your mother)

Nivi - hammock

Numeyu - Student

Oe 'efu pa'li - I feel the horse

Oe irayo si Eywaru - My thanks to Eywa

Oe ke lu - I am not

Oel omum - I know

Oeyä koaka 'eylan - my old friend

Olo'eyktan - clan leader

Pa'li - six-legged direhorse

Palulukan - giant six-legged feline predator

Po lu - he is

Pxasìk - very bad curse-word

Rewon lefpom - good morning (lit. morning good)

Riti - stingbat

Rolyu - singer

'Rrta - Earth

Sa'nok - mother

Saronyu - hunters

Sempul - father

Set - now

Sì - and (used in listing things)

Sìltsan - good

Skxawng - moron, idiot

Sran, srane - yes

Srung - help (n)

Srung si - to help

Swizaw - arrow

Tam - Good, okay

Taronyu - hunter

Tawtute - Sky person, one human

Tokx - body

Tsa'u lu sìltsan - that is good

Tsaheylu - a mental bond, made by tendrils in a Na'vi braid to other living organisms on Pandora

Tsahik - spiritual leader, shaman

Tsamsiyu - warrior

Tsko - bow

Tsmuk - sibling

Tsmukan - brother

Tsmuke - sister

Tswin - queue, braid

Tokx - body

Txon lefpom - good night (lit. night good)

Ulte - and (used to combine sentences)

Uniltìrantokx - Avatar (dreamwalker) body

Uniltìranyu - Dreamwalker, a human in an Avatar body

Utral Aymokriyä - the Tree of Voices

Vitra - soul

Vitrautral - the Tree of Souls

Yerik - six-legged kind of deer