AN:Sorry for the late update, I've been busy with school. Hope you enjoyed the extra long chapter!
A few days had passed from Awa's confrontation with Jake about him being a spy, that ended with a mutual kind of truce. Of course Awa thought his reasons and excuses were total poppycock, but she couldn't tell him that in fear that he'd either turn defensive because of it or that their small truce would fall apart. No, it was better if the dreamwalker thought she bought his reasons and was none the wiser about her real motives behind it. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened during the passed time, life had more or less gone back to normal after the drama. She did her chores, hunted, spent times with her friends, socialized with her clan, and of course spent some much needed quality time with Tsu'tey, who wasn't very happy about the friendship his mate had begun forming with the dreamwalker. He would rather she stay away from humans, the people that hurt her, and until Jake proved himself different from them Tsu'tey didn't want Awa near him.
Awa had also been avoiding Ngeha, or at least as best as she could when the older Na'vi popped up everywhere Awa went. She was upset that her best friend didn't believe her, not to mention that Awa was right about it, and that she'd rather wait for Jake to do something before they make a move. Awa needed time to think, and space, but Ngeha didn't want to give her any, she seemed ademnant not to let Awa distance herself.
"Awa!" She heard an authoritative voice call out, the voice strong, loud and confident. It was a voice she recognized immediately, it was instinct to react to it and respond. She turned around and was faced with the stern face of Mo'at, the Tsahìk. The tsahìk was carrying a basket of one of Awa's favorite fruits, no matter how many times they told her she never remembered the name of it. All she knew was that it was delicious and grew far away from the hometree in a swamp like area that was notorious for its poisonous mushrooms and lurking beasts.
"Yes, Tsahìk?" She asked with a respectful bow that showed just the right amount of neck to be considered respectful but not low enough so that she'd seem submissive. Her tone was respectful but still friendly and familiar. Despite their friendly relationship respect was always needed and Mo'at was the leader of the clan after all.
"My daughter is going on a hunt today and has asked for you to take over Jake Sully's training for today" The matriarch of the clan informed Awa with a slight grin when the older Na'vi saw the look on Awa's face, it was as if someone had kicked Khan, bound him and then threw him in the ocean.
"Neytiri wants me to train Jake?" Awa repeated with an expression of shock on her face. This wasn't at all how she wanted to spend her day, not now, not ever. "But-"
"I said what I said. Now go" Mo'at commanded, her eyes stern and demanding that she do as she said. The matriarch tilted her head slightly, angled her body just the right angle and narrowed her eyes into slits as she stared at Awa, who shrunk back with eyes directed to the ground.
Awa had never been outright disrespectful of Mo'at but she had been defiant at times, often disagreeing with some decision the leaders made, still a certain amount of respect was required. The former dreamwalker's position in the clan was high and secure so she had a bit of a say but she tried not to be too vocal, partly because she's never been too opinionated or confrontational, and she most of the time didn't care enough in the end.
Awa sighed and closed her eyes briefly when she contemplated her choices, or rather choice. She didn't want to train Jake for the day, not even if they ended their last conversation on friendly terms. She hadn't forgiven him for anything so it would probably be very awkward and uncomfortable. That and she couldn't trust herself to be a good trainer too him, but Neytiri and Mo'at trusted that she'd be able to do this.
"Fine, I'll do it. Where is he?" Awa resisted the urge to whine but there was still a whining undertone in her voice. She shifted slightly and placed a hand on her hip to try and win back some of the composure she lost.
"I believe he's still sleeping." The Tsahìk answered with a slight frown twisting her face and her normally half-grinning lips pulled into a thin line. She had never been fond of lazy people, also Mo'at didn't understand why a human who she had so graciously let into her clan didn't do everything to prove himself, like Awa had done. "He's very lazy"
"In the human world they don't wake up this early. Did Neytiri tell you what she wanted me to teach him?" Awa subconsciously excused his behavior, though Jake was without a doubt lazy. She shuffled her feet slightly and a small blush fought its way up her neck when she realised what she had done. Tsu'tey's words about her still having a bit of fondness or weakness for her previous race. No, she protested in her mind and shoved the words away, she hated them. It was only Grace and Trudy that were the exceptions, though Jake was growing on her. Her human weaknesses.
The older Na'vi gave her a knowing smirk that showed her pearly white teeth, it was almost a predatory like smirk. Like she knew something Awa didn't." No"
"No?" She asked confused. "She expects me to just magically figure out an entire training on the spot? I've never trained anyone before" Awa stated and crossed her arms in front of her chest with a slight pout on her lips. Not only did she have to train him but she also had to think up a new program. Damn you Neytiri, she cursed in her head, damn you.
"I'm confident that you'll do what's right." Mo'at reassured Awa with a nod of her head and comforting, warm hand on the other Na'vi's arm and a motherly smile that Awa faintly returned, though where Mo'at's were strong and bright, Awa's was weak and confused.
"I'll uh figure something out" Awa sighed and rubbed a hand down her fatigued face.
"Until next time, young hunter" The Tsahìk responded before walking away with the normal, confident swish she always had in her step. Awa had always admired the strong woman, the confidence in her steps and voice, the way she carried herself, and her connection to Eywa and Pandora. She envied her, and all the other Na'vi, though the envy had faded a lot since she was finally one of the people but it was still there. Awa still felt like an outsider at times.
"Bye?" Awa whispered stunned at how Mo'at had just left without waiting for a response. She shook her head slightly and giggled, the woman was full of surprises and Awa had no doubt that she'd always find a way to surprise her.
...
"Get up!" Awa ordered and shook the hammock Jake Sully was still sleeping in. His motionless body laid turned over on his side, facing Neytiri's hammock. She grinned a little at that, looks like someone's got a itty bitty crush on the daughter of the leaders. Too bad she's betrothed-. Her small smile fell at that, memories of that day washing over her in tearful, mind numbing, horrifying waves. Her heart ached when she thought about him and all the memories the two had.
She shook her head, trying to get rid of the memories that seemed to crawl up on her every once in a while. The anniversary was soon. She read somewhere that if you force a smile on your face it will fool your mind that you're happy. Seeing Jake brought back so many memories of him, memories of a time she could never go back to.
She forced the smile on her lips, the fake stretching of her lips felt uncomfortable but as the seconds ticked by the smile felt more and more genuine. The bad memories slowly ebbed away as the tide of positivity rolled in, she was alive and well. She had survived, she's a survivor.
"Jake! Get up!" She called again and shook his hammock so hard it begun swinging slightly but he didn't shift or anything.
"Awa... Aren't you forgetting something" The deep husky voice she loved asked behind her with humor coating his words. "He's a dreamwalker"
Awa sputtered like a fish at land, her mouth opening and closing without a sound coming out. Her heart raced in a mixture of a reaction to his voice and him scaring her. "I-I-I knew that!"
"Of course" Tsu'tey told her and leaned down to press a greeting kiss on her cheek. "I see you"
She grumbled under her breath but turned her head around and placed a soft hand on his soft cheek that her mate leaned into. "I see you"
"I heard from Atxa that you're his teacher for the day" He wrapped his strong, lean arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, their tails entwining and their legs hanging off the edge of the ledge. He rested his head on her shoulder and she leaned her head against his and sighed.
"Yeah. Tsahìk told me earlier. Neytiri didn't tell her what I'm supposed to do, though. I don't know what to do, I've never trained anyone before, much less a dreamwalker" Awa complained lightly and picked up one of his hands that rested on her thigh, she traced the lines with a tender, feather light touch.
He hummed, the sound vibrating from his throat and through her body. She turned her head slightly and saw that he had closed his eyes. "You'll figure something out, you're good at that."
"I don't know about that, I don't do well with stress." She chuckled slightly and entwined their hands. "Are you already tired?"
"I wouldn't be tired if I got any sleep yesterday" He cheekily responded and opened one eye to watch her reaction to her words.
"Tsu'tey" She whined in embareesement at his words. "That's not-" Awa whispered harshly after making sure no other Na'vi were near them, and gently pushed his head which plopped right back on her shoulder after she let go.
"That's not what? I only meant that you kept me up all night exploring the forest." He grinned with a little teeth, but his eyes were still closed. "You have a dirty mind"
"I'll get you for that later" She promised him with a warning finger that he couldn't see but he knew her well enough to know it was there.
"Whatever you say" He shot back with a slight curl of his lip before he yawned. "You should have gone easy on me, I won't make it through the day without a nap"
"Then go take a nap" Awa deadpanned and shoved him slightly but kept their hands together, showing that she was kidding. "No one's stopping you"
At that he opened his eyes a sliver, brought their hands up and threw a pointed look at her before closing his eyes again. "I don't want to nap alone"
"Well I can't nap with you now, I have to see when Jake decides to stop being a lazy asshole and actually show up" Awa muttered bitterly, if it wasn't bad enough that she had to train him she now had to refuse a offer to nap with Tsu'tey.
"Awa?" A tired and confused voice asked her and she looked down on the hammock to see Jake slowly waking up.
"I'll see you later, I love you" Tsu'tey unwrapped himself and stood up, but not before pressing a deep kiss to her lips which she returned eagerly.
"I love you too" She responded, still a little bit dazed after the heavy kiss. Tsu'tey stroked a hand down her braids before walking away from Awa and a now half-awake Jake. He didn't want Jake to see that side of him that he only allowed her to see, and he didn't want to be around the dreamwalker more than he had to.
"Where's Neytiri?" Jake asked once he sat up and rubbed his tired eyes.
"She's away hunting, I'm your teacher for today" Awa stated while standing up with cold, hard eyes. "How long have you gotten in your hunting?"
He rubbed his eyes again and made his way to the ledge she was standing on before he saw it fit to answer her. "She was teaching me how to shoot with a bow"
Awa hummed and thought for a few seconds. She could take him out to the target practise area and continue what Neytiri had started or she could take him into the woods and practise his shooting there. On one hand if they did it near hometree it would be a lot safer and probably easier for Jake, not to mention that she could run off and leave him if it got too much, but on the other hand it would be better practise if he did it in the woods, plus he would get some more physical training and challenges. "Then that's what we're going to do today too. Where's your bow?"
"I don't know, she took it when we were done. Said something about me being a skxawng " He replied and rubbed his neck with one hand and scratched his stomach with the other. He wasn't in control of his body yet, Awa noted as she watched him accidentally hit himself several times with both his tail and movements that just weren't right.
"I understand her." Awa remarked dryly with an unimpressed look on her face. She understood that he was new to this body and all but it was still surprising that he still wasn't in good control of himself, even more so that Neytiri hadn't done anything about it. Maybe she liked seeing him hit himself.
"So, where are we going to shoot?" Jake asked enthusiastically, his body practically vibrating in anticipation of being able to practice again.
...
That somewhere happened to be one of Awa's least favorite places in the forest, not because of a certain memory attached to the place but just because she hadn't connected with that spot as much as she had the others. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the forest with various shades of green and other colors that painted a surreal picture. No matter how many times she saw the nature on Pandora she would be as much in awe as she was the first time.
"Now show me what Neytiri taught you" Awa demanded as she straightened her back and marched up to where Jake was standing with his training bow limply held in his hand as he stared at the large target she had hung in one of the surrounding trees.
She could hear his deep inhale and exhale as he drew the bow and she had to stop herself from snorting at how wrong he was doing it but she reminded herself how bad she was at it in the beginning too. How she had blisters constantly on her hands, and how she didn't have enough arm strength in the beginning to even draw the bow properly.
Awa walked closer to him and gently tapped his leg to make him take a little bit wider stance and properly align his feet. He did as she directed him without thinking which made her gently smack him on his leg. "Pay attention!" If he wasn't willing to learn then why was he there?
Jake nodded and relaxed his stance slightly. She tapped his stomach gently and he nodded at her and tensed his stomach. "Remember that you can either pull back the string, or anchor point, to the corner of your mouth, your chin or cheek. I suggest you pick one and stick to it, personally I prefer to draw it to my mouth." Until this moment she never realised what Atxa meant with the whole formal and serious attitude needed for training. Bless his heart.
Jake drew his bow up to his cheek, he didn't seem to have stron enough arms to do it smoothly yet either. He needs to improve that, she noted and promised herself to tell Neytiri this. She could see his muscles shake slightly and she shook her head slightly before getting her head out of the clouds. "Relax your hold on the bow" She gently reminded when she saw his knuckles begin to pale and he slightly relaxed his grip with a doubtful look on his face. "You need to trust me"
Awa needed to speed this up, holding the bow drawn for a longer time wouldn't help him in any way, it would only tire him out and possibly frustrate him. "Aim" She commanded and she saw him slightly shift where he was pointing but she could see that he would miss big time but she chose not to say anything. He would learn eventually.
"Keep your body in the same stance as you did before shooting" Awa told him and then told him to release the arrow which he did sloppily and it did a nose dive and landed limply in the ground just a meter or two in front of them.
"Do it again"
Jake picked up his arrow and went back to his place and placed the arrow in its place and drew the bow again, being mindful of keeping his core tenses, pulling with his back muscles and keeping the correct stance. Awa watched him more carefully this time, his technique was better than the previous time but still not near good enough to make a good shot. "Aim"
Jake aimed with his right eye, directing his bow so that it pointed to his target that was hanging here, taunting him.
"Shoot" Awa said and placed her hands on her hips, her voice just as strong and calm as the first time she told him to shoot.
He missed again but actually missed in the right direction this time. The arrow still laid a meter or two in front of them but was pointed in the direction of the target, so she considered that some improvement. With time he would learn.