Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eight of "Take My Breath Away." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has a little bit of Tsu'tey/Sylwanin. More Omaticaya will be introduced in the next one, including Eytukan and Mo'at. Stay tuned for chapter nine.

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Chapter 8: Such Calmness

Sylwanin bounced the basketball as she ran toward the right hoop with Isis on her tail. Olei kept her eye on Neytiri while racing after the duo. Sylwanin laughed in much delight. She picked up her pace. Isis got in front of her. Sylwanin positioned her hands for a shot, only to be blocked by her raising her arms above her head. She headed for the left. She was blocked by her sister-in-law's arm. She went right, getting the same result. She heard a whistle and looked toward Neytiri, who waved her hands in the air.

"Over here, sis!" Neytiri called.

"All right," Sylwanin responded with chuckle. "Catch the bomb!"

Sylwanin heaved the basketball at her sister. She smiled at her catching it easily. Neytiri started to bounce it, her breathing soft and steady. She began to go toward the hoop. Olei increased her stride in which she got in her way. Neytiri attempted to go left, only for her to be blocked by her arm. She went for the right, but she was stopped by her. She bounced the basketball through Olei's legs. She ran behind her and got it. She resumed her run for the hoop with Isis and Olei on her tail.

Neytiri reached the hoop and performed a lay-up shot. Olei jumped and stuck out her hand to block it, but she barely missed it. The basketball went through the hoop. It bounced three times before it rolled next to a bush. Neytiri hopped up and down with joy. Sylwanin rushed toward her to give her a big hug. Neytiri responded by giving her a bigger one. They let go of each other.

"Yet another great shot, sis!" Sylwanin yelled in great happiness.

"Thanks," Neytiri replied and punched her sister in the shoulder lightly. "You weren't bad at all."

"Isis and Olei made good efforts to block us," Sylwanin said as Isis and Olei walked up to them.

"They were close but no cigar," Neytiri commented and giggled to herself.

"We would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you pesky sisters!" Isis growled playfully.

"Yeah!" Olei said and blew a raspberry.

"You should've gotten away with it," a male voice said with a soft chuckle.

"Then again, who says it would've worked?" a second male voice agreed and spoke gibberish.

Sylwanin, Neytiri, Isis, and Olei spun around to see Tsu'tey and Akshan standing a short distance away from them. The men walked toward the women. They stopped before them.

"How long have you two been standing there?" Sylwanin asked, raising an eye ridge.

"Long enough to hear you two talk about the shot that Neytiri just made," Tsu'tey said, smiling warmly. "Maybe one of you should be the basketball next. I think you would make the perfect one, Sylwanin."

Sylwanin went to him. "That's what you think."

Tsu'tey chuckled. "I love thinking, especially when it is about you."

Sylwanin growled playfully and kissed her mate. He wrapped his arms around her as the kiss became passionate. Their tongues wrestled for control. They slid their hands up and down their bodies. They broke apart, gasping for air. A wolf whistle sounded, as did a second and third one. They looked at Akshan, Neytiri, Isis, and Olei, whom had come together.

"I swear, you two can't keep your hands off each other," Akshan teased.

"Or your lips," Isis added with a giggle.

Tsu'tey looked at the group along with Sylwanin. "All of you will be doing what we do once you find your mates."

"Whenever that will be," Sylwanin added.

"Anyway, how was the hunting lesson with Akshan, Tsu'tey?" Olei wondered with much curiosity.

"He did very well," Tsu'tey admitted warmly as he and Sylwanin let go of each other. "We did some exercises. Among them were running and climbing trees. He stalked a yerik nicely."

"Unfortunately, a palulukan's distance roar scared it off while I was stalking it," Akshan commented and with a shrug.

"The bright side is that it wasn't after us," Tsu'tey responded.

"Mm-hmm," Akshan agreed.

Neytiri held up a finger. "Even a young palulukan is dangerous. We must never underestimate anyone or anything."

Tsu'tey nodded in agreement. Though he was the best warrior in the entire clan, he was aware that someone would eventually best him in a fight. He hoped it wouldn't be for a while. When it happened, he wondered if his opponent would be honorable like he was.

"Akshan and I went to see kids when we first got home. We found that Kipling was causing trouble for them. He had Hufwe's book of mythical Earth creatures when he ran right into me. I got it after he dropped it. He dismissed our warnings about kidding around all the time as usual," Tsu'tey explained.

"Damn. What's new?" Sylwanin said with a roll of her eyes.

"If you ask me, I think Grace should make Kipling stand in the corner all day, except for when he has to go to the bathroom and eat lunch. It just might straighten him out," Isis suggested.

"How about he is grounded from attending school for a week or so instead? That would be better," Olei commented and cleared her throat.

"I think making him tend to the pa'li would work wonders on him," Neytiri pointed out.

"I don't know if any idea will work," Akshan admitted honestly. "He's been a prankster since he was very young."

"But his parents didn't play around constantly. He is likely one of those people who can't help it," Neytiri said, giving a shrug.

"Probably," Tsu'tey agreed. "Anyway, I did give Hufwe his book back. Nova and Mawey were very happy to see us, especially me. Atan said they had been listening to her and Hufwe's lesson on mythical Earth creatures."

"That's great," Sylwanin said in much happiness. She inhaled deeply before letting out a long exhale. "I am so glad our children are just as eager to learn about human culture as we were."

"I remember when John and Grace first arrived. I was very hostile toward them. They didn't understand my behavior until sa'nok explained I was just that way toward strangers, regardless of the species. Once I got to know them, I warmed up to them," Tsu'tey explained.

"You've done both with most humans you've met," Sylwanin said, sighing softly. "Newcomers have wolf-whistled at me when I came to greet them on sempu's request. Selfridge would tell them to cut it out because I was mated. In fact, every administrator has done that ever since sempu began sending Omaticaya to greet newcomers." She rubbed her chin.

"With the exception of Julie. She banned contact between humans and Na'vi during her time here. She didn't want the two species to have any contact with each other as she considered it unnatural. Grace couldn't run the school, so she and the other dreamwalkers studied us in secret. Julie ran the colony for two years before she was found to have been sexually harassing men. She was arrested and put on a shuttle back to Earth. Quaritch took over as administrator until Selfridge got there. He reinstated allowed contact between the species," Akshan explained and licked his lips. "It goes to show that not every human we meet will be nice to us."

Tsu'tey, Sylwanin, Neytiri, Isis, and Olei nodded in agreement. They were grateful to Quaritch for allowing their people to interact with humans again. Though they were aware he wasn't a fan of them, they respected his determination to keep the peace between both sides. They knew it wasn't an easy job for him because some were eager to break the rules. They considered following the rules to be very important. Of course, exceptions could be made at times.

"It is funny Julie referred to us as uncivilized due to our primitive culture when she was acting that way. She really thought her fancy clothes made her civilized," Neytiri mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"We know that isn't true, especially Grace. We were taught that what we wore didn't make us civilized. It was all in the attitude. If we treat someone as inferior due to them being different, we are being uncivilized," Sylwanin explained sternly.

Akshan cleared his throat. "Some clans do act savage. They have forced resident clans off their lands and claimed them as their own. If they resisted, they brutally slaughtered them."

"We wish it weren't so," Olei said with a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, it is real."

"I have a feeling that Keye'txon's disdain for humans will only grow stronger as time goes on," Sylwanin mumbled in uncertainty.

"I do too. I may not be the future tsahik, but that doesn't mean I can't get feelings myself," Neytiri said, coming to her sister's side.

Sylwanin nodded at her as they faced each other. "I know. If something ever happens to me, will you take my place as the future tsahik? Will you help Tsu'tey take care of our children? It may be tradition the olo'eytkan and the tsahik are to be a mated pair, but I believe our parents won't ask you two to mate. You two can still fulfill duties without being a mated pair."

Neytiri twitched her ears. "Of course, sis. I will fulfill your duties as tsahik and help Tsu'tey care for your children."

Sylwanin choked back a sob and hugged her sister. Neytiri responded by giving her a bigger hug. They stayed this way for thirty seconds before letting go of each other.

"Thank you, sis," Sylwanin whispered gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

"You are welcome. What are sisters for?" Neytiri replied sweetly.

"Other than annoying their brothers?" Akshan teased.

"Mates can annoy each other too," Tsu'tey commented with a smirk.

"You boys annoy us more than we girls annoy you," Isis said as she pointed her finger at the men.

"Don't think we are giving Hufwe a free pass. He annoys us too," Olei added seriously.

"We are not giving Atan a free pass either. She can be annoying," Akshan said with a sharp nod.

"No kid should get a free pass on bad behavior," Neytiri said in a blunt voice. "Unfortunately, the youngest children are often allowed to get away with misbehavior. The oldest children are blamed for it."

"It sucks, but it is what it is," Akshan said while clasping his hands together. He ran his tongue all over the inside of his mouth. "Our parents rarely let the youngest kids in our families get away with misbehavior."

"That's right," Tsu'tey said with a smile. "Sylwanin and I have no intention of giving Mawey free passes for bad behavior."

"Great," Neytiri said warmly. She began talking about the time Tsu'tey scared Grace silly by roaring as if he were a thanator.