I did not go to training the next day or the day before that. In fact I stayed away from Tsu'tey all together as I brought back my anger and cooled it down. I went to a large lake, sighing as I dipped into the cool waters and allowed it to soothe my mind enough for me to think.
In the end I did not want to think as all I could think about was Tsu'tey so I cleared my mind and just relaxed into the water, washing my body until I felt cleansed. Listening I heard the beating of a ikran's wing so I turned, smiling when I saw Neytiri and a strange male I did not know land not too far away. I pulled myself out of the water, my clothes dripping wet as I beamed. "Brother, sister, I see you."
"I see you." They answered and I nodded to the male then looked to Neytiri, asking silently for an introduction.
"Anahera, this is Norm, Normspellman. He is a close friend to Jake." I nodded to him again then touched my shoulder in the greeting of my people.
"Hey." I blinked at him, confused at the word. What did it mean? "Oh, sorry, it means hello but it's just a shortened version."
"Oh I understand." I nodded then gave a little wave, mimicking what he had done. "Hey?" He gave me a lopsided grin. He did not have braids in his hair though he did carry a warrior's bow. He had tied the smooth, flat locks into a ponytail. He was a little skinny also, not really a muscular warrior like the others you see but he seemed really intelligent as his dark blue eyes took me in with a curious look.
"What brings you two here?" I asked in a heavily accented voice. I was still learning but I loved languages and found it easy to pick them up.
"Jake wants all young hunters and under aged Na'vi back at Hometree where its safe." Norm said. "Nothing to worry about, there's just been some rumours going around about a monster in the woods." Neytiri shot him a look as my eyes widened.
"Not very subtle, are you Norm?" She sighed then rolled her eyes. "You Sky people are all morons." I approached her, glancing around nervously.
"Monster? Metal monster?" She shook her head so I sighed and relaxed. It was alright then. I did not care about creatures of the night.
"Norm means a palulukan, Anahera, there has been one sighted many times too close to our home region. The more experienced warriors and hunters are going to chase it out to protect the young and nurseries."
"Let me go with you, sister, I am good at fighting palulukan." Neytiri thought for a moment and was about to agree when Norm spoke.
"Jake said specifically that anyone who had not taken their tests were to go inside. Including you, sorry." My shoulders sagged and I looked between them for a moment.
"Promise me you will stay safe?" I said to Neytiri with worry.
"Do not be afraid, I will be tracking from the skies." This made me relax a little.
"I will run all the way home. I promise." I informed them and they both touched one of my shoulders in farewell before mounting their ikran. "May the wind carry you strong and well." I called as they lifted up.
"I see you, sister." Neytiri smiled, waving goodbye before taking off into the quickly darkening sky. Picking up my bow and arrows I raced all the way back to Hometree like I promised I would. We were not that far away when I heard a young child crying and calling for their mother.
Leaping through the bushes the child cried out but I hushed her gently. "Be calm, little one, I did not mean to frighten you. Come with me and I shall carry you home." The child nodded, instantly recognising me and held out her arms so I picked her up, smiling as I touched my nose to hers in greeting.
When I heard a low raspy breath I froze and turned my head towards the sound. A log snapped under the heavy weight of a predator and I instantly recognise the low, hissing growl. Without a second thought I dashed up a tree, telling the little girl to keep silent as I hid us among the branches.
The palulukan prowled into view, pushing leaves and plants out of its way as it stopped and sniffed the air. Holding the girl close I listened to her soft whimper and pressed my lips to her head, trying to keep her calm as I held onto her tightly.
The large tail suddenly whipped out and smashed against our tree and before I could clamp my hand over the young one's mouth, she screamed. Slowly the palulukan turned and lifted its great head, the quills quivering as it hissed at us. The girl in my arms began to cry then screamed again as the palulukan began to swipe at the tree, raking its claws into the bark to try and climb up to reach us.
With every powerful bound it got steadily closer and closer, falling to the ground only to leap up again. "Stay here and hang on tight." I commanded, shifting the girl and wound her arms around the tree. "I will come back for you." She sobbed, terrified as I turned and hissed at the palulukan. Drawing back an arrow I let it loose, drawing back another as the predator turned his head, shielding his face but the moment it looked back, another had already been fired and I watched as it buried into his eye.
It screamed in pain, dropping down as it whipped his head back and forth, snarling and snapping before finally turning to glare at me with his one good eye, the other sticky with dark blood. He leaped at me and I had to jump, realising that he would reach me.
A claw raked into my side and I screamed in pain, feeling three long gashes open up and hot blood poured from me as I landed in another tree, yelping and moaning as my side stung but I turned, looking to palulukan who was now focused on the girl. I yelled in outrage, springing onto the palulukan as it leaped up towards the screaming girl.
I slammed into its side and instantly clung on, crawling to sit firmly on its back before taking my knife and slashing it across one of the quills. Another loud scream that threatened to burst my eardrum as I was tossed and thrown about in my place, the angry and agony filled palulukan trying desperately to shake me off.
Struggling to keep a grip as my thigh became sticky with blood I leaned forwards, rippling my body with his movements as best I could before finally, I was thrown. The tail swung about and caught me perfectly, slamming me into a tree which made me cry out in pain again as the palulukan growled at me, snarling in rage as it began to slink at me.
Trembling I gasped for air, my head and body throbbing from the hit it had taken. The girl whimpered, watching as I shuffled backwards on my hands, my back pressing into a tree as the palulukan breathed its foul breath across my face and chest.
Closing my eyes I turned my face away, tensing as I sensed the predator lift a great claw. Choosing this moment to act, I sprung. With all the force I could muster I gripped my blade tightly in my hand and wrapped my body to its neck, digging the blade deep into the jugular vein as a painful squeal left its hideous face.
It rolled onto its side, wriggling as it bled to death and I longed for a faster way to put it out of his misery but there was nothing I could do. As it began to go still I knelt down beside its head and rested a hand on his face, breathing deeply. "Rest, my brother. Go to Eywa with my blessing and forgiveness. You were a great hunter and I am honoured to have fought with you." Stroking its face the palulukan began to purr, blinking as its tail wrapped around me, as if forgetting that I was the one to have cut the string of his life force.
As his last shuddering breath left him I shuddered also, feeling his spirit leave his body. "Great Mother, protector of the forest and creatures, forgive me for this offence." Suddenly I heard Na'vi racing through the trees and the young girl in the tree cried out to them, still gripping on tightly. I stood, breathing a sigh of relief as I look to the sky and saw Neytiri circling overhead.
"Anahera!" Jake called as he landed and stared at me. "What happened?"
"I…" Gasping for air I gestured to the girl in the trees. "Tried to protect her." Stumbling as I tried to walk forwards Jake caught me as I fell, shivering. Neytiri landed beside his ikran and ran to me, looking over my wounds.
"You promised to run home!" She hissed in fury but her eyes were wide with fear.
"She was lost. I was going to take her home." I mumbled then gripped her hand. "Please don't be angry with me."
"Oh sister…" She whispered, kissing my brow before grabbing some nearby flat vines. She cut a long strip off then pulled it back to me, telling Jake to lift my body so that my wounds could be wrapped.
"Will she be alright? It's all my fault! She was protecting me! Please don't punish her Olo'eyktan."
"She will not be punished." He promised her as one of the female hunters picked up the sobbing child and tried to comfort her. My vision began to fade, first going fuzzy like I was squinting through mist but I heard the tremor of pa'li as they raced for us.
Tsu'tey's voice filled my ears and I groaned softly. This was not going to be good. Thankfully I was saved from facing his wrath as I passed out from blood loss.