AU Notes: The time-line will be hard to follow if you look at the one established in the movie/movie notes, so I would advice you to just go with the flow.

I am also establishing that during 'child/teenage' phase the na'vi grow super fast, and it slows down to an almost human rate when they reach majority (18y). Also the ages in this story might differ slightly to adjust for certain events to have taken place.

PS: I made everyone like 2 years older as originally Neytiri could have mated and have a baby at 16y as she was 16 when she passed her tests.

Also question to all of you: should everyone have an ikran or only the hunters/warriors?

Chapter 1: Who is Amarali?

"Let's run through them again," Grace said, shoving holo-pad in front of his face for what seemed to be the hundredth time since he arrived on Pandora. Since he got accepted by the Na'vi, Grace had increased his studies, she probably hoped he was not making anymore of a fool of himself then what she thought.

Jake rolled his eyes, but nodded anyway. He grabbed for the pad, but Grace held it out of reach, only bringing it back down when he lowered his hand. She thrust it back in front of him, flicking her fingers across the screen and bringing up the image of stern faced Na'vi.

Neytiri's mother frowned at him from the picture, looking as ill humoured and grumpy as ever. What was her name again? She was the shaman or something, yeah?

"Mo'at. The dragon lady."

Grace swiped across the holo-pad, which now showed the next image. Jake felt like he was Grace was constantly judging him, they had been going over these images regularly the past two days so she was greatly annoyed that he did not know them by heart by now. No pressure at all. He glanced at the picture, recognizing it immediately.

"Atucan," Jake said after a moment's hesitation. He doubted Grace would accept 'chief guy' as an answer. She'd probably skin him alive for even thinking it.

" Eytukan . He's the clan leader, but she's the spiritual leader. Like a shaman."

"Okay, okay. I got it."

Grace scowled, flicking her cigarette and breathing out irritated whips of smoke.

"Well, you won't have it if you call him that to his face. Names are important, especially to the Omaticaya. Mess it up and half the clan won't talk to you."

"And the other half?" He asked, more to piss her off than because of any real interest. Grace was one tough piece of work but as long as you didn't fuck around and mess up her science she wouldn't to more than chew you out a little. Usually.

Grace just looked at him. Probably wondering why she was stuck with such an idiot. She was still convinced that it was a mare accident that he got access to the clan.

"You don't want to know what the other half of the clan would do. You haven't got many friends there, Marine." She said bluntly. Grace took another drag of her cigarette.

"Now enough with the dumb questions. Let's get on with it."

Jake rolled his eyes. He rolled to a stop beside the pod, beginning the complicated process of hauling himself. Grace moved to offer him a hand but he waved her off, receiving a holo-pad shoved in his face in response. Jake glanced at it, grabbing the material of his trousers and hauling his legs up into the pod.

That one was easy, for some reason this guy had decided he would have preferred Jake dead rather then alive. While he would never say it, this guy did scare him an awful lot.

"Tsu'tey."

"Tsu 'tey" Grace corrected, scowling.

"Tsu 'tey" Jake parroted obediently.

"He'll be the next clan leader." Grace said, swiping to the next picture.

Neytiri. She looked younger then he remembered her. He grabbed the holo-pad, having a closer look. She looked a lot better here, for some reason she was actually giving her rare smiles. He personally had only seen her smile once or twice since he met her.

He couldn't help but smile a little while saying: "Neytiri."

Grace made an affirming noise. "She would have become the next Tsahik after Moat and be mated to Tsu'tey after Sylwanin died, if it hasn't been for Amarali."

"Who?" Jake said, pacing his legs into the right position. Every time he came back his body felt even more restricting. Being able to walk again for a short period each time only increased his unease at not being able to use them when he got back. Which was the reason that he could not wait to get back to the village and back inside his avatar. With his avatar he could run, walk, move and even just something as simple as stand again without people having to help him.

Norm leaned on the end of the pod, probably just wanting to see Jake suffer for a bit. Norm was still holding a grudge that it was the untrained Jake that had gotten accepted into the village and was being trained by the Na'vi, while he who had been studying almost 4 years for this was stuck doing science experiments and helping Jake gain the knowledge that he should have already had.

"Amarali te Tsurhor Neyve'ite, she came from the Anurai Clan, spirit of a thanator. She is training to be Tsahik and has mated to Tsu'tey. You'd know this if you'd had any training."

"Who's got a date with the chief daughter?" Jake smirked, enjoying the scowl he got from Norm.

"Anyway how did that happen? I thought Neytiri as daughter of the clan leaders would take over?" asked Jake, turning to Grace to receive an answer, completely ignoring Norm.

Grace just looked at him with an intensity that cleary showed him how unimpressed she was with him. She does have a point that he came here not knowing very much, and he wasn't a prodigy or genius like his brother. How was he supposed to know all this when they literally put him in a couple of days on a plane to Pandora, knowing basically nothing besides that he would replace his brother in a science experiment.

He had only been learning from the Omaticaya for a couple of weeks. Most of this time was spend with Neytiri trying to cramp as much of their language and clans history down his throat in an effort to get him up to standard. This did not leave him much time to chit-chat about the clan or actually speak with clan members, even though he doubted that there would be many or even any Na'vi willing to talk to him. Most of the clan was apprehensive of him being in the clan, and others like Tsu'tey were even outright hostile to his presence.

"So?" Jake prompted, undeterred.

Grace fiddled with the pod controls, prepping it for activation. She rolled her eyes and sucked on her cigarette, exasperated. "Ask yourself." Grace said, "Now lets go, village life starts early."

He took the hint and settled into a semi-comfortable position being ready to transfer to his avatar body. He let her bring down the monitor frame, including all the cables and flickering lights. With a push of a button the lights starting flashing, the frame making a gentle noise as the monitor frame started monitoring his body and his lively functions.

Glancing over to make sure everything was ok and in place, Grace tapped the pod console to pull up the activation sequence.

Just before the lid came down Grace paused, hand slapping down on the side of the pod.

"Don't do anything unusually stupid." She ordered. He could see the treat hanging if he messed up the only chance they had had in a long time to get back favour with the clan.

Grace closed the lid, enclosing him in a world of green foam while Grace finished the activation of his pod. Closing his eyes and clearing his head, he could feel his mind spinning out of his body, through the mind link, and into his avatar.

Please let me know if you like this story and if I need to continue. I have a story planned already of Tsu'tey and Amarali till Jake arrives, but will only write it if there is any interest.

Also question to all of you: should everyone have an ikran or only the hunters/warriors?