Disclaimer: "Avatar" is not mine. I have made every attempt to remain true to the world Cameron has created. Thank you for your continued reviews and favs, I am very happy you're enjoying my story so far! -Fallon.
A thousand particles of light flooded his eyes. His entire world felt like it was under water, sound and light blurring together as his senses returned. As he neared the surface of the water, the sounds became more and more clear and he became more aware of his body. Tsu'tey groaned as the dull, aching pain returned to his body. His eyes opened slowly as the light bloomed around him. As his tired eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Neytiri and the healer, Swireya looking down on him. He looked around him and realized the water he had felt consuming him was nowhere to be found.
"Tsu'tey do not try to move; you have been badly wounded. Do you remember what happened?" Neytiri spoke from her spot beside him.
Tsu'tey cleared his throat but still his voice remained a whisper. "I remember...how long have I been here?"
"Three full days, you have to take it easy for a few more before you're as good as before." Swireya spoke calmly as she cleaned the wounds on his chest.
The dream had felt like it had taken only minutes but in truth, his body had been asleep for much longer. "Where is Ma'tirea?" Neytiri looked at him strangely, having heard him finally say her name before smiling. "Her wound had reopened but she is fine. She has visited you every day." He stared at the canopy of large leaves above and thought about the strange dream world and dream-Ma'tirea embracing him...
Swireya tightened the wrappings around his shoulder. "You are lucky the girl dragged you here warrior, the nantang attack could have killed you." Tsu'tey nodded to the stern healer and winced as she applied a warm paste to his chest that burned on contact.
"I have younglings to train-"
Neytiri cut him off. "I'm taking care of it brother. Swireya I must meet with them now, I will send Ma'tirea back with more roots and flowers you need." She bid farewell to them both and swiftly left the healing hut. "Your wounds have depleted my supply of healing plants."
"I am sorry for the inconvenience Swireya."
She tightened the wrappings over his chest and he winced as the pain flared. Finishing her work she left him alone in the canopy of leaves, huffing in frustration as she left. Tsu'tey inhaled sharply and forced himself upwards, the gashes over his body tightening as his muscles shifted. He shifted his legs over the edge of the hammock and forced the air from his lungs as the pain faded for the time being.
Staring at the grass under his feet, he heard the huge leaves shift as someone entered the hut. "Tsu'tey?"
He looked up and saw Ma'tirea. Smiling sadly she sat a basket full of the plants Swireya needed down before approaching his hammock. "We're even now."
"How so?" She said, watching him curiously.
"I saved you and you saved me...we're even."
Ma'tirea laughed softly. "I was not aware we were keeping track teacher."
"Thank you...for dragging me to hometree."
She nodded, brushing a strand of her fly away hair behind her ear. "Will I be ready for my ikran soon?"
He sighed and hung his head. "You must kill your yerik first, but your skill with the bow must be sharpened before that can happen...then you will have your ikran, be one of the people." He turned to look at her and found her face unreadable. "Is that not what you want?"
Ma'tirea exhaled deeply, cursing herself when she felt her lip tremble. What was she going to say...Keye'txon wanted her and Tsu'tey showed little interest. She tried to have faith that Eywa would prevent a match with Keye'txon but she was afraid. She knew what she would say to Keye'txon should he ask her to be his mate but that meant waiting for the one she cared for to ask and she wasn't sure how long that wait would be. She wanted to have her own ikran, to be one of the people but that also meant Keye'txon was able to ask her...
"That is what I want..."
She was not telling him everything and he knew that for sure. "What of Keye'txon? Has he been leaving you alone?"
"Rina'rey says he wants to ask me..." Her voice trailed off but he knew what it was the amber-eyed male wanted to ask her. He swallowed hard and the air suddenly felt very thick in his throat. "If that is not what you want-"
Eyes narrowed, she looked at him and was suddenly angry he would think for a second that she did want Keye'txon. "I do not want him!"
Tsu'tey looked at her in silence for a moment, noticing her fists were clenched and her lips were trembling. "I did not mean to suggest you did...you can choose not to accept should he ask."
She nodded and turned away from him to steady her trembling lip. Standing, she headed to leave. "Please, Ma'tirea I am sorry...whatever you choose-"
"I am going to the archery range, would you like to come?" Her voice was abrupt and cold as she cut him off and tried to conceal her emotions.
He said nothing, but stood and weakly followed her out of the hut. She walked slowly so he could keep pace with her. They approached the range and he handed her a bow, leaning against a large fallen tree. "If you're in too much pain we can start the lesson at another time..."
"Worry about making the shot not about me."
Drawing back the bow string she thought about what he said. If he did not ask her, could she be able to walk away? "Focus!" His voice brought her back to reality and she shook off her worries, trying to focus wholly on the moment before her. Inhaling sharply, she let the arrow fly. "Not bad Ma'tirea; your elbow is too high, try again!"
She took another arrow and drew the bow again, making sure to correct her elbow height. Tsu'tey frowned from his spot beside her and pulled himself from his seat. His movements were slow and deliberate as he approached her and forced her elbow down. He stood behind her and looked down her arm, down the length of the arrow. "You shouldn't move if you don't have to..." She whispered, feeling his breath on her shoulder.
"And you should hit the target Ma'tirea."
She growled at his continued stubbornness. "Here I thought you were going to be nice to me." She smirked, eyes still fixed on the target.
He tore his gaze from the arrow to her face. "I want you to excel Ma'tirea and be able to take care of yourself...if you think I'm cold for that then so be it."
His breath was warm against her face and she smiled despite her desire to be angry. If that was his reasoning then it all made sense. The muscles in her arm tensed and she put all of her strength into her core, releasing the arrow and smiling as it hit the center of the target. Her tail swayed back and forth as she looked at her shot. Happily, she turned back to Tsu'tey who was also smiling.
"Again Ma'tirea." His smile remained as he handed her another arrow.
For the next four days they spent hours perfecting her skills with the bow until Ma'tirea was sure she could do it with her eyes closed. Tsu'tey was walking easier everyday and was finally able to draw his bow without pain. She greeted him at the base of hometree, ready for another day of exhausting practise.
She followed him in silence until they passed the archery range. "Where are we going?"
He turned abruptly and laughed slightly when she continued and walked right into him. "In order to kill your yerik, you must be able to track and sneak up on your prey."
"You want me to track one today?"
He shook his head. "No you will track and find me." He ran into the jungle and she followed, immediately loosing him as he passed into the trees. Ma'tirea sighed and jumped into the trees. Crawling along the limbs silently, she screened the area around her for any sign of her teacher. Her stomach rubbed against the bark but she said nothing, even when she felt blood being drawn. Ears twitching, she strained to hear any sound that hinted which direction he had headed in.
As silently as she could, she scurried down the trunk of the tree and felt her toes sink in the mud slightly. She crouched and touched a faint impression of a foot print before heading onwards. She tried to remember what Tsu'tey had taught her and read the signs she was seeing. Something sharp and cold touched her neck and made her freeze in place. Fingers traced her jawline as she was held firmly against a warm chest.
A familiar breathing danced over her neck and she relaxed against Tsu'tey. "Was I that loud?" She whispered as Tsu'tey removed his blade from her neck but continued to hold her still. "Yes, try again." He pulled away from her and disappeared by the time she turned around leaving a very faint impression in the mud.
Sighing she returned to the trees and crawled along the branches. She stopped momentarily when the beads in her hair touched and made a faint noise but continued, making note to remove them later. Pulling her weight along the branch, she peered down through the leaves. Using her tail for balance, she jumped to a branch on another tree and listened for any sound that she was getting closer to finding him.
In a low hanging branch she spotted the male crouched behind a large rotting log and smiled. She approached him, trying not to let her excitement give her away. Her tail swayed back and forth as she watched him, waiting for the perfect moment to spring. Seeing an opportunity, she jumped and tackled the male, sending them both rolling into the bush. They rolled to a stopped and Ma'tirea found herself sitting on his stomach, her queue falling over her shoulder and resting on his chest.
Tsu'tey looked at her in shock. He could feel her tail on his leg, feel her looming closely over him with her hands on either side of his head. "I got you." She said happily as she looked down at him. He wanted to grab her and get her off of him, but he also wanted her desperately to stay. Tsu'tey felt torn and remained motionless under her with his breath caught in his chest. "You caught me off guard..." He started to speak but trailed off as he met her eyes.
"Why can't you admit I got you?" She tilted her head as she questioned him. He lightly touched her waist with one hand and she looked down at him before lifting herself off of him and sitting down beside him. She tucked her legs under her and waited for him to speak. He rubbed his temples as he sat up, smiling sadly when he felt her tail graze against his. "You are ready for your yerik now..."
Ma'tirea crouched low in the damp earth, feeling her bow dig into her lower back as she contorted her body to fit under low vines. Tsu'tey was behind her to her left, watching her as she stalked closer to her yerik. She tried not to think about the events of the previous day, when she was on top of him and the look he gave her...
No, she told herself angrily, focus on the yerik. They crawled over a slight incline and she smiled when she saw the yerik grazing in the small clearing. She grabbed her bow and a single arrow, taking aim at the creature. She felt Tsu'tey touch her shoulder and she knew he wanted her to take her time and make the shot count.
The seconds of silence passed slowly as she took her aim and watched the slow movements of the yerik. She focused her senses. Tsu'tey's hand on her shoulder and his breath on her skin, the yerik's quiet crunching as it ate...she heard everything. The arrow soared through the air, cutting a path into the side of her target. She ran forward and drew her dagger, burying it to the hilt in the yerik's neck.
"Your spirit goes to Eywa, your body becomes one of the people...I thank you brother." She whispered to the dead creature, running her hand over it's still chest. Tsu'tey stood back and watched her attentively. She turned back to him and smiled after she pulled the arrow from her kill. "You're ready Ma'tirea."
They brought the creature back to the clan and Ma'tirea was greeted by a crowd of friends to congratulate her. The homekeepers took the yerik to prepare it for dinner as Rina'rey ran forward to embrace her sister. Ma'tirea saw Tsu'tey standing to the side with Neytiri and Jake. She wanted to approach him but Rina'rey kept her pined with her joyous embrace. Her eyes found his and he smiled slightly, nodding as the clan danced happily around her.
Keye'txon stood of to the side, watching as Ma'tirea brought the clan her kill. Every subtle movement she made was beautiful and elegant and he wanted nothing more than to have her as his mate. Since childhood, he had always coveted the best of everything, and Ma'tirea was the best of the females. Surely she could see that he, not Tsu'tey was the best of the males. He grinned with confidence, knowing she would accept his offer. With her yerik killed she would have her ikran soon and be reborn into the clan, making her available to mate. Her huge jade eyes were calling to him and she would soon be his, the only thing that stood between them was Tsu'tey. That of course could be changed...