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Disclaimers in Part 1.Flight Part Seven
I coughed and licked my lips nervously. Could I actually talk now or was it just a one-time thing. I took a deep breath and tried to pronounce something else. After running over the ABC's song I was feeling quite giddy and childish.
My voice had returned!
I suppose it made sense, considering that my Avatar body was scientifically engineered with the best of both the human and Na'vi traits. There really wasn't any logical reason for me not being able to speak once I was transferred into the new body...
I had freed my little friend and thus the jelly had somehow unlocked the mental block in my mind that had stopped me from speaking. I've never missed my ability to talk before; it just wasn't something I'd put on my priority list. But being able to articulate anything after being mute for so long meant that my voice was proving to be severely distracting; I almost ignored the creature perched on the tree.
Almost being the critical word.
"What do you want!?" I growled as my hand once again tightened around my survival blade's handle. One thing I had learned in this forest was everything was out to harm me.
Same as Earth.
I felt my tail nervously sway, accidentally touching a piece of foliage. In an instant the plant started glowing. Following the first plant all the surrounding vegetation began to shimmer as well. The light was enough to envelope the native in the tree, casting an outline on the Na'vi's poised arrow.
Well at least it wasn't a pterodactyl.
I wasn't sure what this Na'vi wanted but the arrow in her hands was anything but reassuring. "Are you kidding me!?" I instinctively flexed my arm back preparing to throw my knife if necessary. "Put that down!"
"Atokirina ftxey nga?" The women's eyebrows burrowed together in confusion.
"I don't know what the hell you're saying!!!" I thought fast. There was no way in hell I could throw a weapon faster than an arrow shot at close range. Also this was one of those creatures that Colonel had informed me about. He had specifically told me to engage and kill any of the savages I met. Said he would've done it. So of course I was expected to follow in his example.
Grace on the other hand strived to teach and commune with these humanoid creatures. The scientist tried to explain the community and the Na'vi way of life to me. Asking me to embrace their society instead of despising something Smiles couldn't understand.
Grace has gotten me back on my feet thus far, why risk everything to uphold the Colonel's bigotry.
"Let's both just lower our weapons, 'kay?" I slowly lowered my arm and sheathed my weapon, I knew there are worse dangers in this forest than an actual communicative being. "Trying to show some good faith here, please lower your bow." I opened my hands, palms up to show passivity.
"Atokirina ftxey nga, n ketuwong." The woman in the tree lowered her bow.
I was hoping it was a good sign that the Pandorean native wasn't aiming the arrow at my face at point blank range, I decided to motion for the Na'vi to come down from her vantage point.
"Look I don't know if you understand this or not but I need to get back to camp. And I'm guessing you will know how to survive the night."
"Atokirina ftxey nga, n ketuwong!"
Sighing, I pointed at myself then walked two fingers across the palm of my free hand. The Na'vi stared at me with her big amber eyes. "Am I getting through to you at all?"
She stared.
Christ I suck at charades. Why didn't I join in on bloody game nights at my foster homes?! I could've sworn that one of those homes had a gold trophy for the game and I had hidden it.
Karma's a bitch.
"Well in any case I'm trying to mimic a person moving." I chewed on the inside of my cheek.
I steepled my finger tips into a rooftop like shape. "I need to walk back to my camp." I shook my head and felt my tail swishing to show my frustration.
"The Atokirina chose you!" She exclaimed with accented but lyrical English. "An alien, a dreamwalker."
"What do you mean it 'chose' me?" Oh for the love of god. After I acted like a… "You know English?!"
The Princess gracefully dropped down from the tree and walked lithely towards me, "Why did you take the Atokirina?"
I blushed; I had never seen a genuine Na'vi up close before. Nine years ago I recall seeing them from a distance but never at this proximity. The Na'vi in front of me was unbelievably stunning. The shorter woman's golden eyes were much larger than my own and her ears more catlike. The glistening flecks distributed so casually throughout her azure body, her natural body glitter, temporally mesmerized me. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders and onto her willowy body, her structure more flexible. Her slender frame made her seem delicate.
"Why?" The beauty repeated.
I gulped, man why was she acting all put out by this or was she disappointed… Crap did I break their god's law by touching the jelly…wait… she called it an Atokirina? "I found it, the Atokirina at the camp, I couldn't just leave it there!"
What could I say if I really did touch something that was deemed forbidden on this moon? Honesty seemed like the best policy at the moment.
"Name?" the woman said. Was that relief in her voice?
I found myself grinning a little. It wasn't the first time I've had one-worded conversations with strangers. Of course I was more used to conversing with strangers who were a whole lot more drunk and a hell a lot less intimidating. But I guess the Avatars that have gone astray can't be choosers. The Colonel did say to familiarize myself with the scientific underbelly. What could be more important than establishing a connection with the Na'vi. The indigenous life form that Grace had spent the past nine years studiously researching.
"Trudy Chacon," One worded Q&A made me think of potential parents at the orphanage's interviews. Not my best memories. "May I know your name?"
"Neytiri Dis'kahan A'itey, from the Omaticayan People."
"I think that is the longest sentence you've said to me." I grinned again. Alright, I'm making progress. "Mind if I just call you Neytiri?"
Neytiri blinked, her pretty face lit up in indecision.
I found myself having a hard time controlling my hands. All they wanted to do was reach over and trace the patterns on the stranger's face. Neytiri had such an open expression; it was unlike anything I had seen on Earth. I would also admit to having a delusional need to run my fingers over the woman's ears.
"Can you help me?"
The lissom Princess took a moment to think as she slipped her bow onto her back. "Come, Eywa has given sign."
We've been traveling for a bit now. Silence was normal for me so I didn't find anything awkward about trailing after the quiet and strangely elegant Na'vi.
"I watched you." Neytiri said offhandedly as she jumped onto a ledge of lean branches.
"Ummm, okay." I didn't know what else to say. How the hell are you suppose to reply when someone just randomly tells you they've been stalking you? "Thanks?"
"You sacrificed yourself for Grace." She said, this time straightening up, her eyes signalling that she wanted my presence on the branch as well. "That was brave of you."
"I guess," bending down to take off my boots and socks, I shrugged. "You know Grace?"
At first I was worried about having to bridge the gap between these savages. I wasn't so sure how to have normal conversations anymore. Since I've woken up I've only typed in one-worded answers to most people's questions and had taken the role of a listener instead of a speaker. And if need be I replied the Colonel's inquisitions with short sentences as well. But this native was nothing like my memory. She wasn't anything like the wild blue giants that shot arrows at our bulldozers, she did not ramble in their native language. She did not shout angry phrases at our intrusion. Neytiri was different; she seemed calm and still, untainted by anything we've brought onto their world. She was beginning to be easier to talk to then my Hell Gate brothers in arms.
"Grace was kind," Neytiri sighed as I took my time at the bottom of the ledge. "She taught our 'eveng how to speak English, she taught me."
She watched me curiously as I tied the laces of my boots onto my belt. Then making a running start I followed her up, the branch didn't even creak under our weight. "Even?"
"'Eveng, it means Children."
"Oh."
We stayed in amiable silence until we reached an opening leading to a bunch of interwoven branches that stretched forward and made a long bridge over a chasm. Good thing Norm wasn't here, or he would have peed his pants. The natural bridge branched over a dizzying altitude; thank god flying cured my fear of heights long ago.
Neytiri promptly saunterd onto the bridge.
I think I surprised her when I walked swiftly and continued on ahead. For some unexplainable reason I wanted to prove myself to Neytiri.
"Are you coming or not." I asked as I flashed a toothy smile at her. I felt unbalanced, felt like I have to please her. Felt like I've already known her for a while. Like I've know Grace and Max but more… she felt closer. I blushed at my thoughts.
Neytiri tilted her head and smirked. She strolled calmly after me as I tried to encourage her into a sprint. It's been a long time since I've wanted someone's approval of me
Whoa, stop that thought! I had to report everything I've seen today to Colonel Quaritch. He did give me a mission. Well at least he can't yell at me for being late when I'm all the way out here.
I stopped a step from the end of the bridge. I could've sworn I heard something snarl in the clearing in front of us. I turned my head to see if Neytiri had stopped as well but I found myself face to face with her arrow.
"Ne Kllte!" Neytiri hissed and after seeing my confused glance she translated. "Get down!"
Wide eyed I dropped into a crouch and pulled out my knife. Staring into the darkness, wondering what she had seen. The wood around us was now deadly silent.
After a ferocious amount of rustling six diminutive jaguar-looking things tumbled out of the thick forestry. They seemed nervous and kept hissing at the wilder regions of their home. They were almost cute, in a vicious kind of way with their mouths splitting open to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth. Their skin's colouring a kind of metal gun black, sleek with sweat and shiny due to the moon. After some time they calmed down enough to look at our direction.
I was tempted to go and pet them but the Colonel's ripped face flashed before my eyes. This moon was not, is not safe. No matter how damn adorable the jaguars looked while romping with one another.
"Neytiri," I whispered. "Can we get around them?"
"You need not worry of them." She replied mysteriously.
I didn't dare let my eyes drift from the clearing in front of us. A great amount of snarling was heard as enormous fiend slithered out of the thick forestry and towards the cubs. It was easily bigger then my Samson. Its grey body was aerodynamically designed. Starting at its reptilian like head. Two long antennae protruded out behind its silted eyes. The creature had a serious under bite, its jaws stuck out with teeth protruding at random intervals. It had a heavily plated frontal and dorsal body armour. The thick concrete coloured plates slimmed as it reached the monsters vibrant fan of a tail. The tail spread out to the width of my Scorpion's blades. Its tail was luminescent and frequently displaying a variety of colours. Its anterior arms were thick while its four back legs were short and tightly attached to the side of its body. Its paws were unlike any appendages I've ever seen. The claws ripped at the ground as they helped manoeuvre the giant towards the helpless cubs.
Neytiri was staying still, so apparently the distance we were at made us safe.
Or she's trying to kill me.
Damn it, those six are fucked.
Flight or Fight.
Flight or Fight.
Ne Kllte! Literally means get down to the ground.
I don't want to translate everything Neytiri says because it will take away from the fact that this is first person. Trudy has no clue what is going on and well if the reader did its kinda like cheating. And if you read carefully Neytiri translates that exact line into English.