Jake chases after Neytiri across the branches of the forest, not having to look down as much as he used to. He keeps his teacher in his sights as she sprints easily across the twisting branches.
...
My feet are getting tougher. I can run farther every day.
...
Neytiri leaps and grabs hold of an overhanging branch with one arm. Using her momentum, she flings herself forward, crossing the gap and landing on the next tree. She glances backward to watch Jake as he mimics her movements. He lands in a crouch, grinning at his accomplishment. But there is no time to give praise as his teacher sprints off again once his feet touch the bark.
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I have to trust my body to know what to do.
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Jake sits once more on a direhorse. This time he manages to stay on as the beast canters forward. Tsu'tey and Etta watch nearby, the ladder grinning as Jake finally managed to make it a few feet.
"Yea, look at that!" he cheers, shooting a wide grin at his companion. However, his moment was short lived as he lost his train of thought and the direhorse stopped abruptly, throwing him into the mud.
"Aw, crap."
Etta threw herself forward on the horse, laughing hard at his misfortune. Jake scowled at her and picked up a ball of mud, launching it her direction. Since her eyes were closed as she laughed, Etta was unable to see it coming. The mud ball caught her in the face, causing her to fall backwards of her mount.
"Jake!" she shrieked, lifting herself up from the mud wallow she had found herself in. Tsu'tey, Jake, and Neytiri laughed at the scene. Etta joined after shooting each of them a small glare.
...
Everyday it's reading the trails, the tracks at the water-hole, the tiniest scents and sounds.
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Jake watches with interest as he and Neytiri come upon a small family of viperwolves. The mother gently licks her pups as they play. He frowned thoughtfully at the peaceful little family. This was much different than his first interaction with the animals.
...
...
Later that night Jake drags Etta with him as he tracks the path that Neytiri had showed him. Taking a couple wrong turns at first, he finally shows her the den. Her eyes widen in wonder as the little puppies creep out one by one, their mother following. Jake turned his face to watch Etta's reacting, please he had been right about her wanting to see it. A small pup sniffs along the ground, picking up a scent. The avatars watch as the small creature shuffles over to where they were watching from behind a small slope. Etta stays perfectly still as the put hesitantly leans it's head closer to her out of curiosity. She lifts up her hand slowly, allowing the viperwolf to come to her. It sniffed her fingers for a few seconds before letting its little tongue out to lick them. A mere second after it's tongue made contact the pup yipped and dashed back to its mother.
...
...
Neytiri's always going on about the flow of energy, the spirits of the animals and what not….I just hope this tree hugger shit isn't on the final." Jake stares into the camera, frowning at his new reflection. His face is unshaven, cheeks hollower than before, and much paler from being stuck in the shack all the time.
"This isn't just about eye-hand coordination out there, you know. You need to listen to what she says. Try to see the forest through her eyes." Grace pipes up from behind him, staring down at a microscope slide. Jake frowns and turns to look back at the woman.
"Excuse me, this is my video log here." He scolds. Etta snickers from the other side of the shack.
"Well how are you going to know when you say dumb stuff if we don't tell you. Grace is right. This 'tree hugger shit' is a very important part of being Omiticaya." She pointed out. Jake narrowed his eyes at her, however he paused when he looked over her equally gaunt form. It was so easy to get sucked into their lives as the avatars, and both were quickly falling prey to forgetting to take care of their human bodies.
"Just let me say my piece in private. This is my log, not yours. And go eat a burrito or something." He insisted, trying to keep his tone light. However, he was concerned with how much weight she was losing. Etta's stomach growled on cue, forcing her to realize that he was right. She hopped off the counter, making her way into the kitchen.
"And make one for him too!" Grace insisted, shooting the marine a pointed glance. Jake chuckled before turning back to the camera.
...
...
Once more Jake and Neytiri go sprinting across the tree-tops. Neytiri reaches the end of the branch and without hesitation she takes a leap down towards the floor below. Jake skids to a stop, staring down wide-eyed at the drop. The full height was obscured by large leaves below. He watches as she uses the leaves to slow her fall, nimbly twisting and turning so that she slides down the length of each one before dropping the last foot to the ground. Jake laughs nervously, his adrenaline already running on high.
"You gotta be kidding me." He mumbled, taking a few steps backwards. Slinging his bow across his chest he let out a final huff of air.
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With Neytiri it's learn fast or die.
...
Jake leaps off the edge with a battle cry. Instead of hitting the leaves, he launches himself into a set of thick vines. Neytiri watches in mild amusement as the man is thrown around through the dense brush, the vines offering no cushion to his fall. His bow flops to the ground next to his teacher as he hits another tangle of vines. His descent is finally slowed when he lands on a house sized mushroom before rolling off it and across the forest floor. Jake pops up, brushing off the vines and stumbling as he attempts to right himself. Giving Neytiri a nod he reaches for his bow and walks onward.
...
I think Etta is getting the same training regime. But she's taking it all in stride. Personally, I think she thrives when people doubt her abilities. She's too stubborn to let it lie.
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Etta dodges a punch that Tsu'tey threw at her face, jerking her head to the right. Pulling up a forearm, she pushes his arm away. As he is pushed aside, Etta uses her forward momentum to swing her opposite leg around towards his head. The man leaned all the way backwards to avoid the hit. Her eyes widened as she felt his tail wrap around her remaining leg and yanked harshly, causing her body to hit the ground with a hard 'thud'. Etta screwed her eyes shut as her head pounded from the impact.
"You still think too much. You are too stiff in your movements. Listen to your body, let your instincts take the lead. No mercy, use every advantage." Tsu'tey scolded from above her. As he took a step closer to her Etta let out a loud cry and launched her body at the man. The warrior's eyes widened at the suddenness of her movement. Tsu'tey let out a grunt as Etta tackled him full force. Once his back hit the ground he lifted his feet and flung the woman over his head, quickly spinning around to face her. Etta managed to land in a crouch, panting as she faced her instructor. Tsu'tey nodded his head briefly.
"Better. Again."
...
...
Etta and I talked Mo'at into letting Grace into the village. It's the first time since the school was shut down. Now Grace even makes me coffee before link every morning. It's much better than what Etta makes. Man her coffee sucks, but it was better than nothing.
Grace beams as she kneels down to embrace the children she knew from before. Even new children gather around to examine her clothing and hair accessories.
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There are some days when Tsu'tey and Neytiri have village business to take care of and they leave Etta and I to our own devices. I like these days when I don't have someone breathing down my neck. We can just mingle with the Omiticaya and get a feel for how we were going to fit in here. Despite her odd eyes, Etta has been very popular with the people...especially the other warriors.
...
"Alright so what's on the agenda for today?" Etta inquired as she and Jake strolled down the spiral staircase towards the base of Home Tree. Jake shrugged.
"Do you have any projects that need finishing?"
"Nah, I finished them for now. Besides I don't want you breaking things with your uncultured Marine hands." She quipped deviously.
"Excuse you! I have very gifted hands." He retorted, his voice lowering in obvious innuendo. Etta blinked in surprise before grinning up at him.
"Do I just have to take your word for it? How do I know if you've ever handled real equipment?" she asked, her eyes locking onto his. Jake swallowed, his eyes flickering over her form quickly.
"Hey JakeSully, EttaCade!" A voice called, breaking the duo out of their trance. Both avatars turned their head towards the voice. One of the warriors that followed in Tsu'teys usual hunting party, Anturo, approached them. Jake frowned as he noticed the male's eyes lingered longer on Etta.
"Anturo, I See you. What do you need?" She greeted, turning to face him fully.
"Many are going to the lake to swim while the leaders have their meeting. Nothing much will get done until they are finished. Would you like to join?"
"Sounds fun." Jake answered. Anturo nodded uncomfortably. Jerking his head in the right direction, he led the way towards the nearby lake. When they arrived Jake and Etta gawked at the crystal clear waters that revealed bioluminescent patters along the bottom of the lake.
"It's beautiful." She whispered, stepping closer to feel the water in her hands. Jake nodded in agreement. It was unlike anything he had ever seen in his life.
"The bravest of us like to jump off the cliffs into the water. Are you willing to prove yourself as fearless?" Anturo questioned teasingly, leaning over Etta's shoulder. She turned her head and her silver eyes flashed with intrigue at the challenge.
"Child's play." she grinned confidently. Anturo barked out a laugh placed a hand on her back to lead her in the right direction. Jake growled at the man. But to his surprise, Etta didn't hesitate to reach back and grab his arm.
"Don't think I'm doing this alone. Unless you're scared." Jake grinned broadly, taking the extra step to walk along side her. Anturo's ears flattened in annoyance but Jake paid no attention, confident that Etta's attention was solely on him.
"Hell, no." he assured her.
...
Other times we work on language and the skills we are being taught by our respective teachers. She's determined to get me to See like the people do.
...
Etta sits cross legged with her eyes closed. Only her ears twitch as she listens to the sounds around her. Jake frowns as he stares at her in confusion.
"Close your eyes Jake." She scolds, knowing he wasn't. Jake rolled his eyes in annoyance before he followed her command.
"When you hear nothing, you will hear everything. When you see nothing, you will See everything." Etta recites. Jake popped an eye open.
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Sometimes I have no idea what she's talking about. I think she's been eating some funny mushrooms when I'm not looking.
...
...
Etta walks around the small shack, wiping her eyes tiredly as she wonders around.
"Jake?" she calls quietly. He had been the last one to submit a video log, but he had never made it back to bed. His absence had awoken her and she went looking for him in the small space. When Etta received no answer she walked over towards where she knew the camera set up was. The sound of soft breathing caught her attention.
"Jake?" she asked again. Etta approached a sleeping Jake, who was using his hand to prop his head up. She gingerly reached out and felt his shoulders. Wrapping her arms around him she gently pulled him away from the counter so he wouldn't slam his face down in exhaustion.
"Come on, sleepyhead." Etta yawned with a small grin. She carefully maneuvered Jake backwards in his chair through the shack before she made it back to their bunk. Realizing he was still dead to the world, Etta frowned. Deciding to let him sleep on she walked around to the front of his chair and reached for the buckle on his lap. Pulling his upper body away from the chair she manhandled him into the bunk, dropping him a bit rougher than she would have liked. He was heavier than she thought. Taking in a deep breath she shifted his head into a more comfortable position before reaching for his feet. Etta hesitated, knowing he was sensitive about them. Pushing her thoughts aside she leaned down and lifted up the significantly smaller legs and set them gently along the rest of the bunk. Finally she pushed his chair just out of the way, where he usually kept it. Etta usually slept closer to the wall so she would need to crawl over the prone man to get there. As silent as she could she lifted her leg to straddle his waist before leaning up and over. Her movements paused as she knelt on all fours over the man. Etta could feel his soft breaths wafting over her face. A soft smile pulled across her lips as she slowly reached up to press her fingers along his scruffy jawline. It was the first time she was getting an idea of what his human face looked like. However, once she ran a finger along the sharp edge of his jaw, she pulled back. It wasn't right to touch him like that and in her own way 'oogle' him while he was asleep. Perhaps if she managed to pull up the courage to, she could ask for his permission to 'see him'. Etta grinned thoughtfully while managing to sling herself to the other side of his body. Once she landed Jake shifted so his shoulders were tilted towards her, still sound asleep.
...
...
Jake once again pulls back the string of his bow, Neytiri correcting his stance much gentler than at the beginning. The sound of shouting catches his attention and he glances over Netytiri's shoulder. Etta and Tsu'tey are in a similar position, except the duo are scowling at one another. Jakes smirks in amusement as he listens to Etta debate about the proper angle to hold her bow, Tsu'tey insisting that his way is right. A set of golden eyes blocked his vision, startling him back into focus. Neytiri rose a knowing brow, smiling teasingly at the man. Jake took a step back and cleared his throat, going back to his training. Neytiri turned her head and looked over at the other pair. Her grin softened as she watched Etta jerk her head away from where she had been staring at them. Tsu'tey mumbled something lowly when he noticed as well, barking out a laugh as his student scowled at him.
...
...
That night Etta and Jake got done with their training earlier than usual. Taking the opportunity offered, the two went off into the forest. Etta had wanted to explore just how much other than the plants were bioluminescent. Travelling at night was the best way to investigate that. Using their new tracking skills Jake and Etta slowly walked through the forest, keeping an eye out for creatures. Silver eyes lit up with interest as she spotted a small lizard on a leaf in front of them. She held her hand against Jake's chest to halt his movements. Jake glanced down at the appendage before looking to where her gaze was locked. He hoped she couldn't feel how fast his heart was beating in his chest. After spending every hour of every day with the woman, his feelings had begun to morph. Jake had liked and respected the Etta from the get go but now, watching her grow more comfortable around him and the natives, he had been feeling even more for her. He couldn't stop watching her. It wasn't even that he was watching for anything specific. He just liked watching her live life. Etta was such a complex creature, something he was now understanding. She was addictive to him. Even now, Jake was content to watch her approach the small purple lizard with childlike wonder. He grinned fondly when she reached out to poke it. The lizard chirped in surprise before unfurling a glowing disk from its back which stretched out along the length of its body. The skin disk whirled around in circles, lifting the reptile up and away from the leaf while flashing bright neon purple light.
"No way." Etta gasped with a grin, quickly tilting her head around the small creature as she followed its movements. Jake watched as her eyes got that glassy look as she focused in on all the mechanisms and aspects of the lizard. He knew that her mind was going 100 miles an hour, letting equations and other science stuff shoot across her brain. While he didn't understand any of it, Etta was brilliant and could easily configure something from this little bit of inspiration.
"Can we find some more?" Her question brought him out of his daze. Etta blushed slightly as she realized Jake had zoned out, staring at her. His eyes softened as he came back to the present, startling her slightly. It was different than usual.
"Why? Didn't you get a good enough look scaring away that poor creature?" Jake teased with a grin. Etta scoffed.
"It was fine. But I would like a few more looks? Plus, they're cool to watch." She countered, already walking further in. Jake shook his head and followed after her. Slinking quietly further into the forest, Etta spotted a small gathering.
"Your turn." She nudged him with a grin. Jake shook his head.
"What if they bite me or something?" he inquired. Etta deadpanned.
"Seriously? A small bity lizard freaks you out?" Jake's head reared back in offense.
"They do not freak me out. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't part of some scheme to get rid of me." She snorted out a laugh, watching as Jake began to walk closer to the lizards.
"If I was going to get rid of you, I would be a lot more creative than death by cute glowing lizard." Jake grinned back at her before reaching out his hand towards the branch. Like he had expected, the numerous creatures squeaked in surprise before lifting into the air. Etta stepped forward and stood under them with a grin as he eyes followed their movements. The two stood in silence as the lizards whirled away.
"I guess we should get back. Tsu'tey will throw a hissy fit if I'm late for dinner." She suggested, breaking the comfortable silence. Jake nodded and began walking back to Home Tree.
"I don't know how you put up with him." he muttered thoughtfully, glancing down at her. Etta shrugged.
"He's really not that bad once you get through the sourpuss exterior." His eyes widened incredulously.
"You're defending him now? I thought you two fought all the time." Jake watched curiously as a fond grin slipped across Etta's face.
"It's more of a love-hate relationship. It's kinda nice." She admitted. He frowned, not understanding. With the lack of response she glanced up at him.
"He reminds me of my older brother." Jake paused their walk, reaching out to grab her arm. They were within sight of Home Tree and he wasn't ready for their conversation to end just yet.
"You have a brother?" Etta nodded, her eyes glancing down sadly.
"I had a brother. He passed a few years ago."
"I'm sorry." Jake muttered, unsure of what else he could really say. He understood what it felt like to lose a sibling. Nothing anyone said made things better, but sometimes the sentiment was nice to hear.
"It's alright. I've made my peace with it." She whispered with a sad smile.
"And Tsu'tey reminds you of him?"
"They both have that grumpy exterior with a soft underbelly. As long as I could remember Gabe would raz me and critique me in everything I did. It took me years to figure out that it was his way of looking out for me. When I followed him to the army it only got worse, but I didn't mind by then. I could dish it back just as much, speaking his language. He cared so much that he only wanted me to be the best and wanted the best for me. It wasn't an orthodox form of affection, but it was affection all the same. Tsu'tey does the same thing. He acts like I can do nothing right, but I can tell by his soft moments that he cares." She explained, her eyes gazing off distractedly while a smirk settled on her face. Jake frowned thoughtfully.
"That's messed up." He blurted. His response caused Etta to bark out an abrupt laugh at his honesty.
"Yea I know. But I don't like things easy, it's just not how I was raised. I like a good challenge." She told him, her eyes connecting with his. Jake's breath caught, contemplating if there was a double meaning in there for him.
"I know what you mean." He whispered with a nod, his eyes never straying from her own. Etta's ear twitched as she heard the sound of her name being called by a very irritated mentor. She snickered, reaching out and grabbing Jake's hand.
"The task-master calls. We better head back before he loses his shit." Jake chuckled along with her, jogging so that they could head back side by side.
...
...
I'm trying to understand this…deep connection that people have with the forest. She talks about this network of energy that flows through all living things. She says our live is only borrowed, and one day you have to give it back.
...
The village stands around a gravesite. The corpse below sat curled in a fetal position beneath the tree, surrounded by yellow flowers. Jake and Etta watch from the sidelines, as they were not yet one of the people. Moat leads in a prayer, holding her hand out with her palm up. Etta nudges his shoulder, nodding over to where some Atokirina, the little dandelion looking sprites, floated towards the family and village leaders. Each one held out their hands reverently, receiving each spirit that floated their direction. Lifting up a prayer of thanks and remembrance they lean down and let the spirits float into the grave with the fallen member. Jake and Etta remain silent, taking in everything that was said and done. While Etta smiled serenely, lapping it all up, Jake remained a little more skeptical. He struggled with the idea of all the interconnection. He still didn't get it. Etta would try to explain it, but eventually admitted that it was up to him to come to understand it. That something was keeping him from embracing the Omiticaya lifestyle. He would never have an answer for her as to what it would be. However, he knew the truth and it was starting to fester in his heart. The longer he spent with her and the rest of the tribe, the less he wanted all of it to end.