Soldiers of Fortune
"Teaching"
Leon was surprised with how fast the na'vi were learning their language. Maybe that was how it was on Pandora, you either had to learn fast and adapt or die. They were already reading books and speaking broken sentences after only a few weeks of schooling.
"What's this?" asked Leon picking up a wooden banshee on the table. He looked it over admiring the intricate detail that went into the figure. It was constructed out of sticks and bound to gather with string. Twigs and other things were added for decoration. It looked exactly like a banshee in flight.
"Su'shiri t'acto as," replied Neytiri looking up from her book.
Leon decided that he shouldn't even try to repeat what she had just said. "Its beautiful."
"You want to make?" asked Neytiri excitedly. "Come!"
Before he could object Neytiri grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of the school and to the forest outside. Once out side she bounded to and fro picking up sticks and twigs from the ground. Leon watched her as she was very picky about which sticks she would keep and which she would return back to the ground. He decided he'd do the same and began to pick up sticks off the ground, picking the thickest and most durable ones.
Once Neytiri had collected an arm full of sticks she checked up on Leon.
"No good," said Neytiri inspecting the sticks that he had in his hands. Stick after stick did not pass inspection. Only three out of the twenty sticks that Leon picked up made the cut.
He followed her back to the school where she dumped all of the sticks onto an empty table.
"Make pattern," said Neytiri once she sorted all of the sticks out.
Leon looked over the sticks trying to think of where to begin. "How?"
Neytiri leaned back and traced his spine with her hand. "Spine first."
Leon looked over the sticks and choose the longest one which Neytiri nodded approvingly.
She touched his arm. The wings would come second. Leon's hand hovered over the sticks, deciding which one he should choose. He stopped over a mid length one and placed it to the right of the spine stick. He then choose a short stick and placed it to the left where it formed a lopsided cross. She hissed at him and shook her head. He replaced the short stick with an even shorter stick which made her playfully hit him on the head.
"Its a joke," said Leon laughing. He removed the stick and placed it back with the others. Neytiri watched him carefully with her large golden eyes. He chose a stick which she finally approved of and placed it on the left side.
Neytiri and Leon worked on the small banshee figure. Leon was fascinated with how Neytiri worked the wooden sticks without ever snapping one as if they allowed themselves to be bent and conformed into any position she wanted them to be. It wasn't long before Leon had a fully constructed banshee figure in front of him.
"You must name it," said Neytiri looking at him expectantly.
Leon thought for a moment. "Spike."
Neytiri shook her head at him. "That is bad name."
"Spike?" asked Leon. "I think its a good name."
"Bad name," said Neytiri.
"What is name is yours then?"
"Nawm Tirol," said Neytiri holding up her figure.
"What does that mean?" asked Leon.
"It means Great Song; Noble Song," said Neytiri proudly.
Leon looked around the room for inspiration. But finding nothing or rather nothing that Neytiri would approve of. He then noticed blue shells on her own banshee. The shells formed into a design like a flower.
"How do you say 'blue flower'?" asked Leon.
"Seze," said Neytiri.
"Seze," repeated Leon holding up his banshee.
"Seze," said Neytiri again thinking for a moment before nodding her head. "Seze."
She then took the blue shells from her own banshee and stuck them into Leon's own banshee figure. If this was going to be Seze, he'd have to find more blue shells.
A young na'vi boy who was a little older than Neytiri snatched the banshee from Leon's hands.
"Where did you get this from?" asked the boy as he glared at Leon. "This not yours!"
Before Leon could open his mouth Neytiri hissed at the boy. "Seze is his," said Neytiri defiantly.
The boy was taken aback but continued to hold onto the banshee.
"Tsu'tey give Seze back!" said Neytiri.
Leon could see Tsu'tey grinding his teeth together as his jaw moved back and forth. He reluctantly tossed back to Leon. He spoke something in his native tongue which made Neytiri hiss again but the boy did not return.
"I am sorry," said Neytiri frowning at the human.
"It's alright," said Leon who began to feel itch all over. This was like grade school all over again. Feeling ashamed he handed the banshee figure to Neytiri. "Here."
Neytiri quickly refused and pushed it back to him. "Seze is yours. She will protect you. You are bonded for life."
Leon held the small banshee at arms length and admired the figure that they had both made with their hands. To think. Humans use to do this too. Make things with their own two hands. He looked up to see Neytiri looking back and gave him a big smile.
"Now you teach me to read," said Neytiri.
"I'm not exactly a teacher," said Leon. "I'm not very good."
"Elder said you teach na'vi, English."
"Well-."
Neytiri would have no more as she bounded for the book shelf and looked over the books there. Leon watched as her tail swished back and forth. After finding a book she hurried back and laid the book on the table in front of him.
"You want to read this book?" asked Leon to which Neytiri nodded her head enthusiastically. "Okay…"
Leon flipped open the cover to which Neytiri moved in closer. Neytiri looked at the pictures in amusement, never having seen pictures like this before.
"'The Lorax,'" began Leon. "By Dr. Seuss." As soon as he did other na'vi around then became curious. It wasn't long before Leon was surrounded by blue na'vi children all listening intently and looking at the pictures in the book. Even the avatars who were suppose to be teaching them were also following along as the story continued.
"'… Plant a new Truffula.
Treat it with care.
Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.
Grow a forrest. Protect it from axes that hack.
Then the Lorax
and all of his friends
may come back.'"
Leon looked up from the book to find himself looking into the many pairs of yellow eyes. They looked both grateful and disappointed at the same time. They soon dispersed as story time was over.
"I love that story," said Grace dabbing her eyes with the end of her shirt.
As Leon was about to get up from his seat another book appeared in front of him. It wasn't long before the children also took noticed and quickly gathered around, eagerly waiting for him to read the next story. He looked down at the cover, "The Story of Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf.
This was her book... thought Leon.
"Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand..."
A/N: Sorry for such a long span of time between chapters. There has been very little time for me to write. I don't know when the next one will come up but the more reviews the more pressure you guys put on me to continue writing.