Mo'at's heart sang with joy when she saw her daughter coming down to first meal the next morning. The young woman walked much more slowly and carefully than usual, as if she wasn't quite sure of her footing. A hand held over her lower abdomen was ample explanation to the elder.
When Neytiri looked up and saw the beaming smile on her mother's face she realized that Mo'at knew exactly what had happened. Parent and child shared a joyful embrace.
"You must take today to be alone with your child," the Tsahik insisted. "There is only one day in a woman's entire lifetime when she feels her first child begin moving within, and this is that day for you. It will not be the same ever again. Today you truly begin your relationship with my grandchild. You will learn when it sleeps, and when it is active." There was a twinkle in the grandmother-to-be's eyes. "You will also learn what foods you eat please your child and which do not."
They all sat down to eat and converse. When they were done Jake and Mo'at went off to the hunters' meeting and Neytiri decided to spend the morning by the river.
When the alert signaling Pa'kan's return had gone up, the Na'vi at the stoneworkers' area had pulled Robinson along with them, so he'd seen the bloodied hunter arrive and get hustled off to the healers. The hubbub surrounding the boy was obvious, even with his limited command of the language. He'd managed to gather that the young man's injuries were caused by a banshee, that he had gone to Ikinmaya against the will of the Olo'eyktan and Tsahik, and that he would be a long time in recovering. He'd decided it best to wait for the furor to die down completely before taking any action, but today he was on his way to see the boy.
I can use a rebel, the geologist thought to himself. If the boy is willing to disobey Sully in the matter of his banshee, he might be persuaded in other areas – like the restriction keeping me out of the damn field. Why won't those idiots see that I can't do my work properly without going where the rock formations are? By the time they hack off a specimen – badly, might I add – and bring it back here, most of the information I could have gotten from it is gone! He refocused on his immediate target. Pity the kid didn't get his banshee, it'd be damned useful if he could fly me around! I'll have to encourage him to try again, carefully of course. First I need to convince him that he can trust me, that I'm on his side, that I'm his friend.
The scientist peered cautiously into the infirmary area. Good, no one is around. The young man was lying on his stomach a short distance away. He was awake; when Dave approached, Pa'kan asked "Who is there?" in a drugged-sounding voice.
"Oel ngati kameie, it is Dave, the stoneworker dreamwalker," he answered as he walked around to where the Na'vi could see him easily. "I saw the ikran macto bring you in. I am sad that you were wounded so badly. I wish I had done more to help you." He sat down cross-legged before the hunter so that they could speak comfortably.
Pa'kan's thoughts were muddied and sluggish, At least someone is sympathetic to me, even if it is a dreamwalker! "Irayo Dave, I am grateful for your concern."
"I hope you will be well soon?" the human did his best to make the question sound hopeful. Act concerned.
The hunter grimaced, "Alai tells me that it will be a long time before I can hunt again."
Dave's ears and expression drooped in an apt imitation of dejection. "I am sad to hear that. I should have gone with you, to help you. I am sorry." He laid it on thick, and it had the desired effect.
"Do not blame yourself Dave, there is nothing you could have done," the youngster consoled him.
The scientist kept a dejected expression on his face. "Perhaps having some company from time to time would help pass the time and ease your pain. May I visit you again? I am often at the dreamwalkers' camp, but I would like to visit you when I am at New Hometree."
The boy was grateful for the offer. "Irayo Dave, I would like that very much, if it would not get you into trouble with Norm'an or the Olo'eyktan."
"I am sure that Norman will not object," Robinson said with satisfaction. "I am supposed to learn to speak Na'vi better, and visiting you will certainly help me do that."
"That is good. Alai does not want me to move very much. She says the wounds in my back are deep and she wants me to stay as still as I can while they heal. The healers give me medicine for the pain, but they have other duties and cannot stay with me all the time. I sleep much, but it is very boring to be awake and have no one to talk to."
A situation I'll be glad to take advantage of, Robinson thought with satisfaction. "I would be happy to come speak with you whenever you wish."
The hunter looked at the dreamwalker with eyes that were just a bit unfocused. "So what would you like to talk about?" he inquired.
The geologist leaned back with a contented smile. "Eywa's land is most beautiful. I see many wonderful things about it. The clay in the river, the yellow and blue arrowhead-stones. Do you have any stories about the land that you could tell me?"
Pa'kan realized Of course, Dave is a dreamwalker. He did not grow up here with the Singers telling him the stories of the world. He was glad to have something to do that would repay the dreamwalker's kindness. "The Na'vi grow up learning many songs about our world. My singing voice is no good, but I would be happy to speak the stories for you. It would be a small thing to repay your thoughtfulness to me."
Robinson nodded in satisfaction. "That would help me learn to speak Na'vi much better indeed. You could tell me as many stories as you want, and sleep when you grow tired. I would be very grateful." And maybe, just maybe, I'll get some useful clues about the geology of this place!
The scientist listened with rapt attention as the hunter began telling the tales.
