The next day proved quite eventful. Eyrina spent the morning pretty much following Trudy as she made her rounds of the place and talking with her about flying. The afternoon saw her return to the link room where she found that the avatars had already been removed from their tanks and the others were waiting for her.
"All you have to do is relax and let your mind go blank." Max instructed as she hopped into the link chamber.
"Yeah I got it." She said. The door was closed and she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was in her avatar body. Blinking furiously at the bright lights, she sat up slowly. Two scientists were on either side of her asking her questions about how she felt and if she could move. She smiled and did as instructed. Norm was laughing as he went through their little exercise with his fingers. Jake, however proved to be a different story as within minutes, he was up and walking and eventually tore off his leads and ran out of the room. Norm quickly rose to follow him, leaving a laughing Eyrina still sitting on the gurney. A few minutes later, Grace retrieved her to properly dress her avatar and the rest of the day was spent on the obstacle course and getting used to their avatar bodies. By the end of the day, both of Eyrina's bodies were exhausted, but she couldn't wait for tomorrow. They would be heading out into the field.
"Whoo!" Jake and Eyrina screamed above the swirling turbines of the scorpion as Trudy went into a steep dive over the side of the waterfall. "This is amazing!"
"I should take you flying more often." said Trudy. "Show you how its really done."
"Is that a challenge?"
"You bet your ass it is." The pilot winked at her before steering the scorpion down into the forest. She expertly removed the plane down into the trees. Eyrina and Jake hopped out and Jake pulled out his gun. She had opted for a knife instead of a firearm. Grace and Norm, after being reminded to get his pack, headed off into the forest for samples and Eyrina and Jake followed.
Eyrina was fascinated by the plantlife and multitude of animals that crossed their paths, despite having researched it almost her entire life. She laughed as Jake went around touching tall helicoradian flowers that shrunk at his touch. Suddenly, all of them started shrinking at once and a juvenile Titanothere was revealed. It roared and scraped the ground and began throwing its hammerhead from side to side.
"Oh shit." She heard Grace say. "Jake do not shoot. You'll piss him off."
"What am I supposed to do, dance with it?!' Jake asked.
"Hold your ground." said Eyrina. "Don't run."
The Titanothere roared again and charged. Jake hissed and did the same. The creature stopped just short and roared, spreading the feather like appendages on its head before running back to the herd. Jake jeered at it before turning around to find a Thanator stalking him.
"Oh shit."
"Run Jake!" Eyrina yelled. He took off at once into the undergrowth with the Thanator barreling after him. She turned to Grace. "We have to help him."
"I'm calling Trudy and Wainfleet now." replied the doctor.
"Jake!" Eyrina yelled, taking off after him. She heard gunshots in the distance and found Jake being shaken by the Thanator who had its jaws wrapped around his pack. He managed to undo the straps and slide free but the beast immediately picked up on his escape. Without hesitation, she ran forward and leaped onto the Thanator's back, wrapping her arms around its neck. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jake disappear over the edge of a cliff, still convinced the Thanator was after him. The writhing creature beneath her began running, trying to shake its head and dislodge her as it did so. Her body was flung in all directions but she managed to hold on by squeezing tighter, but that only seemed to drive the Thanator into a frenzy. It sprinted for what seemed like forever, only to suddenly stop and turn in onto itself, twisting and turning to reach her with its teeth. Her strength failed her and she was forced to let go.
The Thanator dove toward her with bared teeth as soon as she slammed into the ground. Eyrina didn't want to kill it, she didn't even think she could, but she sure as hell was not about to die today. She drew her knife and rammed it into the creature's mouth as it leaped toward her. She drew her hand back before it could bite it off. Suddenly, two arrows pierced the Thanator's side and it let out an ear splitting roar. Pain filled eyes narrowed at her as it took a step back, an arrow appearing in the ground seconds later. With a departing look that said I'll be back to kill you, it left.
The bushes rustled and out stepped a na'vi woman, decorated in gold and yellow war paint with an ikran's claw mounted on her head. Eyrina raised her weapon for a fight.
"Peace." She said in navi. "I have never known one with a heart so strong as to stand alone against a thanator. I am not sure if that was bravery or stupidity."
"Probably stupidity." She said.
"What are you called?"
"Eyrina. I'm with the avatar program."
The woman tilted her head in confusion. "Avatar program?"
Eyrina returned the confused expression until she noticed how dark it was and how thin the forest had become. She must have ridden the thanator for a long time. "Where am I?"
"The eastern sea." She gestured to the path behind her. Eyrina turned and walked forward, the trees began to thin even more and the soft grass gave way to stone and the sound of crashing waves reached her ears. She realized that the Avatar program must not extend this far into Pandora and that these people wouldn't know about the humans on the other side of the forest. She stopped and looked at the woman who'd saved her from the thanator.
"Are you Tsahik?"
"Yes and no. I have no mate so I am Tsahik as well as Eytukan. I am Mi'niri."
Eyrina smirked. "Temper?"
Mi'niri scowled but it was almost playful. "What are you?"
"You'll never guess."
Mi'niri brought Eyrina back to her tribe, a great tree that rested on the top of a cliff, extending out over the water, where she told the people about the skypeople and how they'd come from their dying planet in search of special Na'vi didn't believe her at first, but after some persuasion, they finally did and after more begging, they allowed her to leave the avatar here for the night. She spent half the night talking with them and telling them about the skypeople. Mi'niri even let her stay in her tent. There were dozens of them set up beneath the tree itself but hers was far more extravagant than the others, signifying her status. After battling a thanator and getting lost on the other side of the world, Eyrina was more than ready for a night of sleep.
"Eyrina!" Grace's voice brought the colombian woman back into the present. A flashlight was shined directly into her eyes and she immediately pushed the hands away.
"I'm up. I'm awake." She sat up, groaning as her tired body was forced to move and rubbed at her eyes.
"Is the avatar safe?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, but it's, uh, a little far away."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Do you know anything about the ikran tribes near the eastern sea? Well, that's where it is." She swung her legs out of the pod and stood up, testing her weakened limbs. "I am starving!"
"Wait, they let you into their tribe?" Grace demanded. "I need a cigarette. Max! Now I have two idiots inside na'vi clans. Neither one of you better not mess this up or I'll kick both of your asses!"
Eyrina and Jake exchanged comical grins as the redhead continued to rant.
"Eyrina, I want a full report about them." The redhead took two long draughts of the cig and sighed. "Much better." She looked at them. "Get to bed early."
"Yes, Mom." said Eyrina, much to the doctor's annoyance. She managed to stumble back to her room before the boys and was surprised to find Trudy waiting for her.
"Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." said the pilot.
"Oh, I'm fine. Thanks for checking."
"No problem." Trudy smiled. "You know where to find me if you need anything right?"
"Yeah." Eyrina smiled shyly as Trudy passed her, lightly touching her shoulder, making the other woman jump at the physical contact. She smiled to herself and laid down on her cot. Her smile remained there as she slept.