Chapter 10

Jake had followed the fast predator before jumping on its back to avoid falling behind. It hadn't reacted in any way other than to growl in acknowledgment and run even faster.

Suddenly slowing down the palulukan sniffed the air before crushing down, telling Jake to get off his back. Jake looked around the corner they had come to and froze.

There was his mate, lying on his back.

Motionless.

Motionless while the damned No'tak lay between his legs. Biting his throat harshly, kissing him forcefully, running his hands up and down the soft skin brutally. Jake gasped for air when the other lifted himself off of his mate, raising Tsu'tey's hips, preparing to enter him.

He saw his mate growing tense and heard the faint echo of his name. Tsu'tey was calling for him…

A howl made Jake flinch as the palulukan ran forward, staying in the shadows. A whisper in his mind told Jake to prepare himself, all the while asking himself why he listened to the voices in his head. But as soon as No'tak released his mate and turned to the palulukan Jake knew the time was right and he jumped forward, tackling the monster that had not only hurt his mate now, but in the past as well.

No'tak felt himself thrown to the floor but quickly jumped up again. Turning around he could see the damned Na'vi that had stolen his mate away.

"You! What are you doing here? You just interrupted the claiming of my mate!" No'tak sneered.

Hate flashed in Jake's eyes as he thought of the Na'vi touching his mate, forcing himself on him and hurting him. "Tsu'tey chose me! He doesn't belong to you!" With that Jake jumped forward again.

The flash of a knife made Jake jump back as No'tak had finally been able to pull his knife from the sheath. The Na'vi grinned at the look Jake threw him before slowly inching toward the still form of Tsu'tey.

Not able to stand the thought of Tsu'tey being hurt anymore, Jake gave his battle cry and rushed forward. Knocking No'tak's head back with the uppercut he landed Jake used all the marine training he had received and drove him further back from Tsu'tey.

What he didn't expect was the hate in No'tak's eyes turning to insanity, "I will not allow you to have him…If I cannot have him, no one will!"

Despite the blows that had hurt him, No'tak continued to fight like a madman. Knife cutting the air in front of Jake until he got lucky and managed to cut Jake's left lower arm.

Hissing Jake clamped his hand over the cut and jumped back when No'tak, elated by the cut he made, rushed him again and again.

Tsu'tey lay still. He had registered the fact that No'tak had stopped hurting him, the fact that the howling had somehow turned into battle noise.

Opening his eyes Tsu'tey looked into the face above him. His limbs froze in absolute terror when he recognized the one leaning over him, 'Palulukan.'

The predator didn't move a muscle, just loomed aver him. When nothing happened Tsu'tey relaxed, 'This seems just like the last battle against the demons, where Eywa helped us and united all beings to help us.'

A sharp cry to his left alerted him to the fact that he had not imagined the battle taking place next to him. Slowly rolling on his side, unknowingly turning his back to the palulukan, his heart stopped beating when he saw Jake holding his bleeding arm with No'tak standing in front if him grinning insanely.

'JAKE!' Tsu'tey felt the breath rush out of him when he tried to roll himself unto his knees to stand up but found himself pinned by a paw on his back. He froze, but the claws he felt did nothing more than pin him down, not cutting him open, and not hurting him. Turning his head to the predator Tsu'tey saw the eyes following the battle, "I have to help him! Please, let me go…"

*I cannot do that, Tsu'tey. They battle for you and Jake would hate for you to be hurt.*

Trembling in fright Tsu'tey looked around as the voice rung in his head, "Neytiri?"

*Yes, my friend. It is Neytiri. I am sorry you had to go through this again, but I promise you that it will be over soon. Have faith in your mate, Tsu'tey. Eywa is doing things she would never do for anyone else. Eywa wants to guarantee the future of all Na'vi and Jake is simply the beginning.*

Relief almost made Tsu'tey faint, "Eywa is with us?"

*Always, Tsu'tey. Have faith in Jake Sully and in yourself.*

Tension leaving his body Tsu'tey saw Jake growl and jump back. Just as he relaxed the Palulukan took away his paw and urged him forward.

Standing up Tsu'tey swayed, but before he could fall he was caught on a broad back. Startled he took notice that he was leaning over the palulukan's back. With a growl that sounded more like a pleased rumble Tsu'tey was urged to fully straddle the predator.

Without further hesitation the predator jumped forward, knocking the still gloating No'tak down before nudging Jake to climb on his back.

The great predator ran as fast as it could to the entrance of the cave with an enraged Na'vi following not far behind.

Jake barely registered the way they were heading. Just as he had sat down he saw his mate's form lying in front of him, limply lying against the throat of the palulukan.

He grabbed his mate and slowly pulled him back against his chest. Searching for injuries he let out a startled gasp when he found bite mark all over his mate's body. He could smell the semen on him, coating his lower body. The left eye was swollen and his lower lip was bleeding.

Every injury he discovered made Jake want to turn around and kick the bastard's ass. But Eywa had planned something, he was sure that the palulukan wouldn't have intervened otherwise.

Sunlight blinded him when they left the cave. Blinking he saw that all Na'vi standing were Omaticaya, while the rest of No'tak's tribe sat bound on the ground, being guarded by nantangs.

When the palulukan came to a stop Jake jumped from its back and carefully took hold of Tsu'tey.

The warrior of the Omaticaya gasped when they saw their leader's injuries. Kel'ris rushed forward and took stock of the injuries. "Set him down, Jake. I will treat him to my beat knowledge!" Kel'ris took the bag another warrior passed to him and went to work.

Jake looked at them with empty eyes before whirling around when the nantangs and the palulukan began growling.

There outside the cave stood No'tak. Breathing hard and eyes flashing in hate the Na'vi rushed at Kel'ris.

"Take your hand off my mate!"

Before No'tak could reach them Jake jumped him.

Leaving his hate for this Na'vi behind he had let his love for Tsu'tey guide him.

His unborn baby… Jake felt love and trust grow within him, from his baby, from his mate. The faith the other Omaticaya had in him… It grew and blossomed under Eywa's gentle coaxing. It encompassed his very being, making him faster and stronger.

Jake Sully, former human and current Toruk Makto, mate of the clan leader of the Omaticaya Tsu'tey, felt himself become one with Eywa. He saw the way everything around him fit together, how the trees were enrooted within the network that was Pandora, how the nantangs, the palulukan and the toruk had a part in the picture, the role they played.

And when he looked at No'tak he saw the hate for him and obsession with Tsu'tey surround him like a dark cloud.

Standing still Jake felt himself fall into some kind of trance. His body reacted instinctively when No'tak rushed at him again, screaming insults. At first Jake only avoided the blows and cuts No'tak made but after a while he stopped avoiding and started attacking.

The others only saw a blur of motion when Jake finally took revenge for his mate's pain and humiliation. One move forward, one hit to No'tak's arms was enough to let the insane Na'vi howl in pain. The broken arm dangling uselessly to the ground No'tak had let go of his knife.

Before he could react a sharp pain made No'Tak look down.

There in the center of his chest, right in his heart, was his very own dagger. The pain blinded him and No'tak sank down to his knees.

The last thing he saw before his eyes glazed over in death was Jake running to his mate and cradling him against his chest, 'Mine…'

tbc