36. More of the plan
The forest clan was relieved to hear about the children. Txep'rea, the clan leader, thanked Puvomun for what he had done, and the the teacher hurried back home.
Puvomun quickly descended the high circular branches inside Kelutral. Once on the forest floor he was almost attacked by Amhul, who had been waiting for him. She was relieved and the nerves that had been going through her finally unwound as he held her.
he looked for Jake, but the clan leader was not there. He asked Amaya and Nusumea Tirea, but they had no idea where Jake was. Nor Neytiri for that matter.
"I assume they left," said Amaya, "but they did not tell us where they went. Nor when."
That was uncommon. Even Jake would inform at least someone before running off.
Puvomun found his answer from Mo'at, who told him that Jake and Neytiri had flown to the aysawtute base after another talk with Norm Spellman.
"If you have something important to tell him, you can go there," Mo'at suggested, "but that is up to you."
Puvomun thanked her and went back to Nusumea Tirea, who was working on some bracelets, while Amhul sat with him, looking and trying to make a new song. He talked to both of them, wondering what he should do now.
Nusumea said it would be best to find Jake as soon as possible. "If he has gone to the base, it is for his... plan." The healer hunter also seemed to have his doubts about it all. "And this is part of the plan."
"It is." Puvomun considered the options. "Do you want to go with me?"
Both others nodded. Nusumea said he would like very much to go along, to fly with his friends, and Amhul did not have to say a word, except that she told him to eat first.
After that, Amhul had already notified Mo'at and Amaya that they were leaving, the three went to their ikrans and soon they were in flight, setting course for the base once more.
Puvomun spoke about the events in the camp of the Dreamwalkers some more, answered questions that his friend and his mate had. They both were shocked about the way that the children and also the scientist Mendelson were treated, and Nusumea stressed that it was not just good but very important that they were going to tell Jake about this.
As they were on their way, Amhul looked out if they would see the medusa again, but the animal had sailed on apparently.
As they were on what looked like an important mission, Puvomun decided they would go to the base directly, instead of leaving the ikrans in the forest. Amhul and Nusumea Tirea agreed with that.
From a distance they already saw that Jake and Neytiri had done that as well. After touching down, the three went towards the large grey buildings.
There was a lot of activity on one side of a huge building. Puvomun pointed it out to the others. "The aysawtute have not been so busy lately."
"Indeed. I wonder what they are doing," Amhul said.
Jake and Neytiri were talking with the small, real Norm Spellman and all three looked up in surprise when the teachers and the healer hunter arrived.
"This must be good," Jake said, "when you come with a committee."
Puvomun ignored the remark and explained what had been going on during his visit to the camp of the Dreamwalkers. He also told about what Mendelson had said, that there were problems between the Dreamwalkers, Louis on one side and Baker and Mankx on the other.
"Very good observation," Jake nodded, "we may be able to use this. So the radio is there. Now we have to wait for their next move."
"Not entirely," Norm said, "you should tell them about what we are doing."
Before Jake had a chance to start talking, Norm continued: "When I was talking to Amhul and Puvomun, some days ago, she mentioned that we had to try and build an easier place to live, do you remember? Well, I talked about that here and after being declared entirely insane a few times, some of the people here started thinking and then they came up with some options that we're trying out now. Come, look."
The man was obviously rather excited about it, as he was almost running ahead. The three messengers followed him closely, curious to see what Norm was so thrilled about. He took them around the large building where Puvomun had already noticed the activity.
"We, well, they are putting up a new, separate building," Norm said as he pointed at the collection of metal sheets and wooden beams and wires. "They are working on adjusting solar panels so they work better with the sunlight here, they are moving a few parts of the life support systems over to get that to work there, and then we'll see if it is a place to live in."
Puvomun had the strong impression that he caught the most important bits from this load of words. They were building a house away from the buildings and they would try to live in that.
Amhul appreciated that very much. After all it had been her suggestion.
"We hope that it is ready and working soon," Norm carried on, "as we may need it for part of the, uhm, plan." The look that Norm sent to Jake did not show much confidence yet.
Puvomun and Amhul wondered about that statement. Obviously Jake had devised another few things that suddenly became part of the plan. Nusumea Tirea also looked slightly surprised.
"We'll see how it comes together," Jake said. "I will ask a few people from Kelutral to come here and help you put up the building. We're a bit taller, that might help."
"Yeah, that's good," Norm agreed, "we have some avatar drivers here that would be able to help as well."
The talk drifted off to all kinds of things Jake understood. Amhul and Puvomun slowly walked off, Nusumea not far behind them. Even Neytiri joined them after a while.
"They are talking Sky people things," she muttered, "and there are more pressing things we have to think of."
Jake noticed that the others had left though, and soon enough he was with his people again. "Things will work out here," he said. "Puvomun, thank you for going to these people. I had forgotten that."
"It is good, ma Olo'eytkan," Puvomun simply said. "It needed to be done."
"True. But still. We should go back now. There's some stuff I have to take care of."
"Jake?"
"Puvomun?"
"Maybe we should send other people to watch the ayuntilìranyu. Miktan and Lolet have been there for a long time already."
"Yeah, we should indeed."
After telling Norm that they were leaving, they went to their ikrans and started their journey home. As they were on their way, Nusumea suddenly stated that he needed Amhul and Puvomun to come with him.
Jake and Neytiri were a bit surprised by that. Amhul and Puvomun were more than just a bit surprised.
"Sure, just don't get into trouble," the clan leader said. "Go if you have to, but don't stay away too long, I don't know when I will need you people again."
The small group split up. The teachers followed Nusumea Tirea, who made Rìk turn sharply away from their previous route. As the teachers asked why he did this he simply told them that they would see once they had arrived.
Their journey ended in a part of the forest where neither teacher had ever been. It was a place where not many people went, as there was nothing of interest, so why Nusumea took them there was quite the riddle.
To their surprise they came to a field where many small plants grew, plants that they knew of but had never seen in such abundance. And to make the surprise even larger, Amaya came walking along to them.
"Ah," Nusumea said with a smile. "You are already here."
"Srane. I have been waiting for you as you asked," the young woman said. "And I am curious why we are here."
"So are we," Puvomun pitched in, "we asked him and he did not say much."
"I will, soon," the healer hunter said with a calm smile. "Come with me." He led the three people through the field with plants, occasionally picking up something or other. In a certain spot he sat down and invited the others to do so as well.
"I took you here to tell you a few things about these plants," Nusumea said as he held up a few leaves. "They are not good to use in food, so nobody comes near them." He crushed one of the leaves and held out his hand. "And if you smell them..."
They all took a whiff in turn and made a face. The scent from the leaf was awful, and Amaya voiced her opinion about that so loudly that the teachers had to laugh. But they agreed, it was quite bad.
Nusumea let Amaya rant about the smell. When she was done, he said: "The trick is that when you put these leaves in boiling water, they make the water a very strong sleep medicin. And the smell of the leaves will not be in the water."
"You could have told us that without making us smell that," Amaya growled.
"Srane, I could have. But then you would have this problem..." Nusumea held up two more leaves. "Which one is the sleep medicin?"
Puvomun stared at the two leaves. They were identical. Well, almost. Or exactly?
"Uhm..." Amaya started to point to Nusumea's left hand. Then she changed her mind. And then she dropped her hand. "Both are?"
Nusumea looked at the teachers. "Do you know?"
Neither of them had an idea.
"That is why I broke the leaf. Then you can smell." He broke another leaf and let them smell that. It smelled sweet. "This one will just make the water taste sweet. For obvious reasons. Just remember the shape of these leaves."
Nusumea handed all of them a leaf.
"If you see it, you can be quite certain that both plants are together, the sweet one and the sleeper. You just need to smell which leaf you have."
"But do you fall asleep when you smell this foul one often?" Amhul asked.
"Kehe. No. You will just begin to hate the smell even more," the healer hunter grinned. "This is what I wanted you to know. I don't know why, but this knowledge might come in handy at times. The more since we are facing this strange situation now."
"Thank you, brother," said the teacher as he got up. "I hope we will not need this, but as you say, it is good to know."
Then Amaya asked: "Nusumea... can you tell these leaves apart without breaking them?"
"Srane. Why?"
"Because you broke the stinky one without hesitating. How did you know?"
"The leaves tell me," he said.
Amaya and also the teachers looked at Nusumea, and Amaya just was able to say: "Oh..."
Puvomun wondered about something. "Do you think Kilvan would be strong enough to carry me and Amaya home?"
Nusumea said that the ikran would certainly be strong enough. "But of course Amaya would have to want to fly with you, ma tsmukan."
"Could I really?" Amaya asked, her eyes big and her face wishing.
"You can. Come with us, and you will fly, the way I'awn and Txonway let us fly," Puvomun said.
Na'vi - English.
'Angtsìk - hammerhead
Atokirina - seeds of the Sacred Tree
At'sha - "Archer" (name of the man, chapter 14)
Ayewan - young ones
Ayfkio - many tetrapteron, four-winged flying animals
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
Fkio - tetrapteron, 4-winged animal
Fngap - metal
Fngapä ta'leng - metal skin, AMP suits
Hayalovay - See you!
Henten - fan lizards
Hetuwong - plural of ketuwong - aliens
Heyn - to sit
Hì'i - small
Hì'pa'li - small horses
Ikran - mountain banshee
Ikran makto - ikran rider
Ikranay - forest banshee
Irayo - thank you
'Ite - daughter
Kaltxì - hello
Karyu - teacher
Kava - alcoholic drink
Kämakto - go ride
Ke nìltsan - not well
Kefyak? - right?
Kehe - no
Kelutral - Hometree, where the Na'vi clan lives
Kelku lefngap - house of metal
Kenten - fan lizard
Ketuwong - alien
Kìyevame - May we see each other again
Koaka karyu - old teacher
Kxam - middle
Kxawm - maybe, perhaps
Kxetse - tail
Kxi'txah - Na'vi phonetics for guitar
Lonataya - Medusa, large floating animal with deadly tentacles
Lu - is, to be
Ma yawne - (my) love
Makto zong - travel safely
Mawey - calm down
Mesawtute - two Sky people
Meharyu - two teachers
Meveng - two children
Mllte - to agree
Nantang - six-legged direwolf
Nga - you
Nga yawne lu oer - You are my beloved
Ngeyä - your (ngeyä sa'nok - your mother)
Nìltsan - well
Nìprrte - you're welcome
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
Oe tsleram - I understand
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
Pxora'pam - explosion
Rewon lefpom - good morning (lit. morning good)
Riti - stingbat
Rolyu - singer
Rolun - Na'vi equivalent of "Eureka", I got it!
'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
Syaksyuk - Prolemuris
Syuve - food
Tam - Good, okay
Taronyu - hunter
Taw - sky
Tawsìp - Airship, flying machine
Tawtute - Sky person, one human
Teylu akerusey - larvae of death
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)
Txonam - last evening
Txumtsä'wll - poison squirting plant
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
Yawne - loved one
Yerik - six-legged kind of deer