Warning: Mild sexual content.

-The Warrior's Cove-

"Where were you, head warrior A'mari'k?" Olo'Eyktan asked again, stepping closer to me as if to intimidate. I felt the eyes of my warriors fixed on me, and the air in the cave grew stale.

Little did Jakesully know that his fledging plan would be turned against him.

"She came to me just in the morning of that day," I explained solemnly. "She had been having nightmares about being mauled by an Ikran and dying alone. She begged me to take her to tame her ikran- she couldn't wait for the next planned trip. The nightmares were too much. Since she is my sister now, I didn't think it would be a problem."

Jakesully shifted, trying to comprehend what I'd just told him. "And you didn't tell her parents?"

"She asked me not to. They would not have let her go with me."

He looked incredulous at my bluntness, "But you took her anyway?"

I nodded, "Of course- I planned to take her there on my ikran, and we would've been back before night."

Olo'Eyktan's brow knitted like two Pali running towards each other. "That is not a proper…"

"I know that, Olo'eyktan." Calling him by his title caused Jakesully to stiffen slightly. He knew I was getting at something now. I continued without pause, "I just wanted to humour her. She knew next to nothing about the rituals involved in claiming an ikran, so I thought I'd just take her there… Let her know that everything was fine, and then explain that I could not oversee the ritual. It probably would've done her good, too. A home tender has a serious disadvantage when setting out to tame ikrans with warriors. Yishat would come back more prepared for the actual expedition."

"And she has not come back." Jakesully looked tired now. He knew there was no way around this now- I could explain my way through anything. My warriors looked to me with awe, and if Jakesully dared not believe me, he would have to deal with our distaste. He technically ruled the clan, but we were the hunters, and without us the clan would not survive.

And there my lie ended. "She fell off a cliff, but I managed to save her." Jakesully lifted an eyebrow, looking as if he had the words right on his mouth but was reluctant to speak. "She claimed she had a vision of Eywa."

The reaction was immediate. Jakesully took a step back, and my warriors started. "But that's impossible! No one's ever seen Eywa, not even the…" Zuku trailed off, realizing it was smarter not to speak ill of the Tsahik when Jakesully was near.

"I speak the truth, Olo'eyktan," I added humbly.

"I can see that." He cut in, "You would dare not lie when Eywa is involved."

"Of course."

We looked at each other in silence, not glaring nor smiling with our eyes. We both had our own suspicions about the other. The silence was broken when one of the warriors cleared his throat.

"Well," Olo'Eyktan shook his head, "do you know what she saw in her vision? Anything related to the safety of the clan?"

"Not that I know of. She was quite shaken, but I think the vision had been about her own future, not the clan's."

I could tell he did not believe me, so I shrugged and added, "Yishat lived a miserable life, you knew that, Olo'eyktan. She wanted nothing more than to be able to fight for the clan, but was not able to wield a bow. Perhaps it is her time. Is it wrong of Eywa for trying to give her what she so deserved?"

The tired look was back in his eyes, though it was shielded by anger. He knew I was playing him, tricking his words and manipulating the situation. "When will she be back?"

"When it is time, I suppose. I trust she will be safe under Eywa's watch."

Jakesully was defeated. There was nothing else he could say at this point that wouldn't spark some kind of outrage. It was clear he did not trust me, but he couldn't show it in a place where he knew he would be outnumbered should a fight began. "I will explain this to her parents and Ma'hi myself."

"If you would wish, Olo'eyktan."

Jakesully nodded to us politely, and left the warrior's cove with a look of dejection weighing down his proud chest.

Once he was out of earshot, a young warrior remarked plainly, "Well, he knows about us, that's for sure."

Zuku rolled his eyes. "He's always known about us, Mawey."

The poor young Na'vi looked embarrassed, and started to fidget. He reminded me strongly of that home tender boy… Ka'iil was his name.

"We should speak to the Horse Clan," I started as their eyes drifted to me. "They are feeling the tension as well. As of now, we have about forty warriors ready to fight for the cause, but perhaps it won't be enough."

"Are you suggesting that we bring this idea to the Horse Clan? They will slaughter us!" A warrior shouted, eliciting nods from many of the others in the cove.

"Perhaps not," I smirked. "They wouldn't dare. We invite a warrior or Na'vi of high standing to a feast to discuss… Allies, resources, whatever they wish. Jakesully will think it is a good idea, and so with the Tsahik. Once the Na'vi comes, we will… Speak to him. Alone, of course. We'll tell him that we'd only offer our help if we trained together. Strategically, it makes sense. We would need 'help' riding their Pa'li, and only Eywa knows how weak their weapons are."

Zuku nodded slowly, rolling the idea over in his head. He wore a long, thick braid that reminded me of restrained fire, how wild it was. "And then what? They bring their warriors here on their Palis, and then what? We cannot hope to convince all of them to join our cause…"

I smirked, "We might not be able to get them to agree to our cause… But it is possible to make them utterly despise Jakesully. That is to say, make him seem inadequate. The excitement has died down, and though he was once Tarouk Makto, he has left scars in their minds. It would not be hard to convince them of it-"

"And start a war?" Mawey interjected, stupefied. "Why do we want that?"

Really, none of us had any idea why this Na'vi was even with us. However, I felt a fondness towards his impressionable attitude and dim wits. He was blunt, too, which might prove to be troublesome in the future. I explained slowly, "When we put our plan into action, a battle is unavoidable. Jakesully would try to stop us by rallying up the other warriors or even siding up with other clans to destroy us. However, if another clan starts a squirmish first, we can accomplish things much faster amidst all the confusion… Not to mention that the clan would be in a vulnerable, confused state."

A silence followed, during which we all considered this prospect. "I shall speak to Jakesully," Zuku spoke up, "he already suspects you, and I will catch him in public. It's an innocent proposition, so it could be easily arranged."

I nodded my agreement. "We have waited for long, my comrades. Now the time has come to take the pit."

Mawey grinned foolishly at the joke.

Any Na'vi who had ever owned an ikran is aware of its sometimes strange eating habits. A favourite treat of the ikran is the pit of the dirmae fruit. Like many plants in our land, the fruit protects its seed with a poisonous outer skin and toxic, sour flesh. The fruit in fact looks very appetizing, a mix of gorgeous reds and purples that glowed brightly at night… But of course, it is very rare, which explains why it requires the protection so much. Many creatures know never to eat this fruit, so therefore its pit remains elusive. However, as sure as the light spills every morning, once in a while there is a creature stupid enough to eat it. Sometimes, when an ikran has absolutely nothing else to do, it would wait in the shadows, guarding over the fruit. Eventually, a furry rodent-like creature would come along. These creatures were called Tzmukan, but as children, we affectionately called it the "suicide runner". It ran very, very fast.

These Tzmukans bred like mad, producing litter after litter of young. They would eat most anything, and once in a while a bunch of these creatures could be found crawling all over a dirmae fruit. Sometimes a smart ikran would know to remove all other food items in the vicinity of the dirmae fruit, so that it became a clear target. These creatures seemed rabidly hungry all the time, and there was no way to get them off their food once they'd started eating.

A few moments later, the dirmae fruit would be stripped bare, its pit exposed.

The Tzmukans would separate, running in different directions until they all dropped dead, one by one.

Then the ikran would come along and snap up the hard pit. It would suck noisily on the pit, draining it of all its rich juices and flavors. Finally, it'd spit it back out, a shrivelled shell of a seed, hopeless and devoid of any probability of future life.

Despite all its efforts of protecting itself, when forces worked together, there was always a way to get at the pit- despite the inevitable losses.

A few words later, I made my way out of the shallow cave that suddenly felt a year long. My warriors would spread the word to the necessary personnel, and all could be arranged. I trusted Zuku, and knew he wouldn't betray me. He was cunning but lacked the position and knowledge I held. In some strange way, it felt as if they had already begun to see me as some king of god, something above them. They knew of my plans and were afraid.

Zuku hid it well, but nothing escaped my gaze.

Eywa had an interesting personality…. If she actually existed, of course. Many started to doubt once Jakesully's people came here.

All the things that we could not explain before, they seemed to be able to understand completely and comprehensively. Before that, everything that was beautiful or confusing was simply because of Eywa. Now there are things to consider like energy bonds and electro… I couldn't remember- I never paid much attention to that Grace creature when she had been here.

Not one of us would ever doubt the existence of some kind of force on this land, some sort of inexplicable magic. However, was it in fact a goddess capable of coherent thought and strategy? Alas, that was the true question, the one that kept me up at nights. If our home, our land was alive… It might be possible for it to act like a living thing, able to defend itself against outside dangers. However, what then, if the threat came from within? To what extent was it able to control our ambitions and everyday lives?

What about Yishat?

I watched her grow up in silence, and had been there on that day she first tried to hold a bow. It was a pivotal point in any Na'vi's life, where those who wished to fight went one way, and those who wished to serve went another. From then on, they would be trained in their respective fields. In fact, the word 'Serve' does not do the home tenders justice. They knit, weave, cook, skin and heal. We, the warriors, are stronger individually, but the home tenders have strength in numbers. They are the walls that keep the Home tree standing, the very foundation of every family and structure.

Being a home tender was not a shameful thing.

On that day, little Yishat, barely chest height in comparison to me, peeled away from her parents and headed to a heap of old bows on the ground. I saw the determination in her eyes, and knew she would be an excellent warrior. I suppose I had not known her then, and had not yet set eyes on her lovely sister. I myself was already a warrior and was gaining in rank rapidly. Tsu'tey came up behind me, all frowns and stony face, just as it had been before Jakesully came and tainted our land, our minds. That was the Tsu'tey I knew, though once in a while that stony face would split and a laugh would come spilling forth. Tsu'tey never did laugh often.

We had not been watching Yishat in particular at first, but were studying the young Ka'iil, fighting against his father. His father, a reputable warrior, was dragging the young Na'vi to the pile of bows. Ka'iil pulled and shouted, screaming that he didn't want to fight. Eventually his father gave up, but not before vowing coldly that he would have another son. The poor boy looked horrified and could not stop crying, earning him exasperated looks from his mother.

Ka'iil never had any more brothers. His father died in the war against the sky people.

I personally had not seen what went on when Yishat first picked up her bow, but according to Tsu'tey, it seemed she was being burned. She had screamed and let go of the bow, much to the horror of her family. Tsu'tey himself went over to inspect the bow for faults, but could not find any. It was a simple thing, made for training purposes only. Once a warrior was initiated, he or she would be allowed to carve a bow out of the wood of the Home tree. This bow was to accompany them for life, and would become one of their most precious possessions.

Tsu'tey handed Yishat another bow, looking bored. The young Na'vi girl reluctantly took hold of the bow, only for it to go flying out of her grasp. Tsu'tey looked very annoyed, and probably thought she was playing some kind of trick. He must have made a face, for Yishat began to cry and could do nothing but be walked over to the other side of the field, where her friend Ka'iil was already waiting.

We didn't think much of it, until Tsu'tey caught Yishat one night, sneaking into the warrior's supply room in the Hometree and trying to steal a bow. If I heard properly, Tsu'tey was overcome with anger at first, but then became curious as to why she genuinely could not hold a bow. The poor Na'vi girl was confused as well, and kept trying to take one of the bows. She could not string the appropriate words together to express her upset, but he understood true pain when he saw it. Tsu'tey, thinking he was on the edge of a great discovery, then took his own bow from his back and offered it to the girl. He'd thought that if she was able to hold this bow, then she would surely become the greatest warrior of them all. Of course at that time, he was young and stupid.

The bow went flying back at his face, and hit him across his nose.

That was the last time he was ever kind to her.

I had no explanation for this inability of Yishat's, and I still don't. Jakesully once pondered over this briefly, and could only offer some vague ideas that even he admitted didn't make sense. Neytiri had just frowned and told me it was the will of Eywa. "Never bring it up in front of her," she had told me afterwards, "Yishat is very sour."

Did Eywa truly exist as a conscious being after all? Just what was going on with Yishat?

Ma'hi did not ask me any questions when I returned to our home to change into more appropriate clothing. She did not say anything as I handed her my loincloth and strings of beads. I knew that Jakesully had spoken to her, but what he had said, I did not know. It is entirely possible that he told of her his distrust of me, and he could have even spoken to her about my plans. I was sure he knew them.

The walk back to Hometree had been slow, and once we were finally here, Zuku wandered off from our group to search for Olo'Eyktan. It was a little too soon to bother Jakesully right now, but surely he could not turn down a diplomatic offer such as this. Zuku was to make sure that Neytiri was with Jakesully as they discussed this, for Jakesully could not refuse the offer then. Neytiri did not have the slightest clue of our plans, which spurred me on to believe that she was either inadequate in her duties or there was in fact no Eywa. But then again, I had contradicted the latter option just today.

When I first met Zuku, I had been young and desperate. I was willing to try anything to become the greatest warrior, whether it was to train beyond my physical capacity or to sabotage my best friend. Tsu'tey only saw the "mild and pleasant" side of me, and he often looked at me as his brother, much to my dismay. I was his rival, but he didn't know that until it was too late.

The Na'vi named Zuku saved me from certain death when I'd nearly drowned myself in a lake trying to pick a water flower. It was rather idiotic, really. I wanted to impress the na'vi girl with the long hair that shined like ice. Her name I could not even remember, but as a young child, I thought for certain I was going to marry her. That flower growing out of the surface of the water was of the purest white, just like how my thoughts burned white hot, then cold when I thought of her.

I fell in when I tried to reach for it. I was not a good swimmer, so I struggled and shouted for help until a wandering na'vi found me. Pulling me from the water, the warrior laughed at me, then with me. He was older than me, and had already tamed his ikran. At that age, that meant he was a god in my eyes.

Zuku's name was an interesting one. I still laugh when I think of how he obtained it.

When Na'vi women give birth, sometimes the child becomes stuck or otherwise blocked from entering the world. It is a rare and sad occurrence, but sometimes it happens, and both the woman and child would perish. Such a thing happened to Zuku's mother when she was giving birth to him. She had been desperate- she didn't want to die without giving her warrior mate any sons, and said mate loved her dearly.

She fought valiantly, but eventually she exhausted herself, and gave up. Her breath became slow and shallow, her once bright eyes losing their shine. Friends, relatives and the tsahik had solemnly gathered to witness and bless her imminent death. Her mate, growing desperate himself, did something completely out of the ordinary. He asked the tsahik for the spiciest of spices, a fine, angry red powder previously used only for ceremonial purposes. After acquiring a tiny bag of the powder, he returned to the side of his dying mate. Covering her eyes, he spilled the contents of the bag onto her nose and mouth. Those who were there at the time later told that there was a pause as she tried to draw a breath, and then came the convulsions. Her entire body grew taut, and then she released a sneeze so loud and strong that her baby came flying out!

Zuku was named after the sound of the sneeze that saved him and his mother.

I saw him as I was just making my way down hometree to the dinner feast. I took his arm and led him away into a secluded hollow of the tree. "What did he say?" I demanded of Zuku, slightly dismayed that my voice was echoing.

He looked disgruntled at my attitude, but replied, "He was reluctant until tsahik began showing, and I mean showing, her great excitement. She said something about it not being done for far too long, and all the possibilities of inter-clan reunions or something… After that, he agreed. A messenger will be sent to the Horse clan to bring the invitation. Needless to say, he doesn't trust us to go ourselves, and I'm sure he will be phrasing the letter very meticulously."

"But does he suspect anything?" I asked, digesting the information.

"Of course he does, but he does not know our very savagery. A'mari'k, he comes from a world with mechanical warfare and controlled living. Everything is under control all the time, under scrutiny. I've been on one of those flying things of theirs, and everything is already controlled by the machine. Utterly idiotic, I say. He has lost touch with the world of manipulation, of assassination. His world is used to killing mass amounts of things at a time, like in a strategy game."

Shifting from one side to the other, I added, "he does not realize that the smallest ripples always create the largest wave…"

Zuku spoke strangely and sometimes awkwardly, mostly because he was always drunk to some extent. I tried to make sense of his ramblings.

He continued, "That is correct. He is not used to things being plotted against him, and he knows that." Zuku shot me a pained look, as if begging me not to push the issue further.

I nodded, "even though he trained as a warrior in his world, his tactics are much different than the ones we use. His training is useless here. He may know how to hold a bow like a Na'vi, kill and pray like a Na'vi, but he does not think like we do."

Eager to change the subject, my second in command added, "Neytiri recommended that you be the reception to the Horse Clan Na'vi."

My eyes opened wide in amusement, a smile tugging at my lips. "Really?"

"Yes," a grin split his face, "I agreed with her, and naturally, Jakesully accepted the proposition. Everything has been set. We will welcome them and manipulate their weaknesses with our strengths, and then tempt them to ally themselves with us. We will train together, and instil foul thoughts in their minds. If it all goes well, they start a fight, hoping, in their misplaced sense of justice, to teach Jakesully a lesson. …To save our clan, if you want to put it dramatically. Even if it does not work as we hoped, it would be easy to conquer their clan first! Either way, they are pawns."

And so, laughing like brothers after a good spar, we sauntered together down to enjoy the feast. Of course, we pretended not to notice Jakesully's heated glare.

-x- Yishat's POV –x-

My panic did not last long. Soon after I started to search for his trail in a desperate attempt to follow him, I realized he was not leaving me. He was playing a game.

He left heavy footprints in the mud where he'd been, something Na'vi warriors were trained never to do. He bent tree stalks and kicked over rocks, and the path where he'd gone stuck out, shockingly obvious. Tsu'tey was playing with me, tempting me to follow him. Swallowing a scowl, I let the trail lead me forward, where the foliage grew thick once more. I had no fear for danger, as dangerous wild animals did not lurk so close to the clan, and I had no doubt in my mind that Tsu'tey was watching me somewhere. It was just like him to watch and laugh from a distance while I suffered.

Soon he decided to make the game harder, and stopped bending stalks as he went. I now had only light footsteps to guide me, and most of those were veiled in a thick layer of undergrowth and moss. It was a slippery terrain- not very easy to navigate. As I went forward in my deluded sense of safety, I did not realize I had lost his trail until I could no longer find the last footprint behind me. Like a naïve child, I had played into his trap. He was playing a cruel game with me, and I let him. Panic set over me again, but I swallowed my pounding heart and willed myself to be calm.

As I wandered, lifting away hanging foliage and vines, I felt his eyes on me. Thankfully, a dreadful sense of cold calm rose up in me, and my hands did not shake. He was watching me, judging, and even though I wanted more than anything to play him into his own trap, I knew now was not the right time. I should do what he wanted. …If I could figure out what that was, of course.

He was a skilled Na'vi, and did not leave any clues. He covered up his tracks well, stepping lightly across impressionable soils as if he knew their very density by heart. I knew he was up in a tree somewhere, but either he did not use anything to help himself climb, or once again was very good at hiding the evidence. Taking a deep breath, I started to work up a plan. If I could not find him, I would get him to come to me! My eyes glimmered for a moment as I thought out the details of my devious plot.

I let out an exasperated sigh and my shoulders slumped, looking dejected. He would see this and assume I was giving up the game. I turned and stalked back angrily, and once I was covered under the overhanging foliage, I started marking my tracks: An overturned rock here, a bent stalk there, just as he had done it. I had no skill in hiding my tracks, but that would be too easy for him. He would not be tempted to follow the trail as I had if I did not leave anything to convince him to. Thus, I took pieces of grass and rock and tried to cover over my tracks. To a skilled warrior, this was amateur work, and was an obvious attempt to remain inconspicuous. Tsu'tey would know of my plans now, and once he got bored of waiting, would follow me to mock my crude skill, rubbing salt into my wounds.

I was crueller than that.

I led my trail to a small lake where a strange creature was drinking. I had never seen this creature before and could not put a name to its face. Nonetheless, by the look of its set jaw and sharp teeth, I knew it was dangerous. It did not yet notice me, and once it stopped drinking, the four legged creature waded into the water sloppily, digging up mud and rocks as it went. An idea came to me then. Once the creature was out on the other side and disappeared into the woods, I neared the lake. I stepped over the creature's dug up mud and then slashed the mud again, so that the creature's prints covered mine. I jumped into the lake with a yell, and emerged quietly out the other side. I then ran as fast and lightly as I could over hard soil to hide in a large hollowed log. No warrior male would be able to fit in here, but I was thin and agile, giving me the advantage.

The log overlook the lake from behind where I'd come. If Tsu'tey came following my footprints, the trail would end in front of me. He would not notice the log so close to him, and being the arrogant Na'vi he was, would look in the distance for me.

Excitement pumping through my body, I was sure he would come look for me. Then I would spring at him and catch him off his guard!

But time passed, and he did not come. I was squeezed in uncomfortably in the log and was starting to sweat. Bugs and small critters scurried in and out of my vision and a persistent droning sound began in my ears. I saw my surroundings out of a small hole in the log, and I had no way to mark the passage of time. A harrowing thought came to me then: What if Tsu'tey hadn't been playing?

Just as I resolved to reveal myself, finally blue skinned calves stepped across my line of sight. They paused in front of the lake, near where my footprints ended and the deep dragging gashes of mud the creature left behind began. He was very still for a long time, and as I could only see up to his calves, had no idea what he was thinking. I amused myself thinking that maybe it was guilt coursing through his body and mind, painful regret digging at him.

The muscled calves disappeared from my line of vision, and then reappeared soon after. A new worry came over me- I had succeeded in bringing him to me, but what now? I could never get the upper hand now, since I could not surprise him. Even if I moved from my spot just a little bit, I would be discovered. Not to mention that it'd be a complicated and embarrassing process to get me out of my predicament. I had definitely not thought this plan through.

He found me then.

One strong kick to the wood of the log and the entire thing split in half. I was left lying exposed, covered with bugs and dirt, encased in the two halves of log. His face changed from one that belied arrogant humor to surprise, and then a warmer gaze settled in his eyes.

Chuckling, he dragged me up from my bed of soil none too kindly and started to dust me off. "It's like cracking open a shell to get to the nut inside," he remarked. "You amuse me, Yishat."

Face burning with embarrassment; it was all I could do to keep my head high. "You played a game on me- it was not very nice. We've wasted much time here…" I fought to change the subject, but he would not let it go.

"Do I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor? Your shell was a hard one to break! Alas, you had me afraid there for a moment. That was, until I noticed there was no blood in the water and no drag trails on the other side of the lake. You played yourself well, but you are still untrained."

Before I could reply, he pulled me into his arms and sought my lips. I did not try to resist- it was as if someone had pulled away the covers to a mystery I'd long sought to solve. I intertwined my arms around his neck and pulled him closer still until none of us could tell where one ended and the other began. There was nothing between us but heated breaths and wandering hands. My legs felt like sticks of wood and I almost collapsed into his arms. Too soon, he pulled away. His hands were trembling just slightly. I saw in his eyes that he was wounded more than he would admit from the thought of my death.

"It's not too late- I will teach you to hide your tracks well, to stay hidden from the rest of the clan, the world. We can turn back now, it is not too late."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "You mean to say," I spoke tremulously, "you want me to stay with you out here?" I could still feel the heat from our kiss dancing over my lips.

He grinned, "that is what I mean, yes." His tail swished to and fro mischievously, which sobered me completely. I was greatly seduced by the idea of being alone with him, together, mated. However, if I went back now, all I'd lived for up to this point would become void.

"Something bad is going to happen to the clan." I told him levelly, not sure myself how I came to say something like this. "We have to go back." This must've been the forth or fifth time we've had to had this conversation.

Then I remembered the prophecy, and immediately started to gasp for breath. He caught me when I started to wobble on my feet and I told him of what Eywa had said to me. I held his arm tightly, hugging it to my chest as if afraid he could disappear from before my eyes. "I am scared, Tsu'tey," I told him, "I don't want you to die! You don't have to come with me, I can-"

"Stupid girl," he pushed a finger to my lips, silencing me. "Nothing will happen to me." He looked as if he had more to say, but he promptly closed his mouth. "If it means so much to you, then I suppose I have no choice." He shrugged lightly, but I saw the weight on his shoulders as he did.

After we ate the game he had hunted, Tsu'tey and I again found the path to the clan. Here the soil was worn and we began to see signs of Na'vi having been there. "There is a careless warrior's beaded necklace," Tsu'tey pointed out to me. "Only Eywa knows why it's there."

Suddenly, he stopped. "Are you afraid?"

Startled, I replied hastily, "Yes, but only for you."

He turned to look at me fully, "you're saying that your own life is not of value?"

"That is not…"

With a serious expression, he took my hands. "I have become your whole clan, haven't I?"

I'd known it long ago, but hearing him say it was too much. What was I to say to that? Yes, Tsu'tey, I am completely and utterly in love with you? No, of course not? What was the best thing to say and do? How would each choice affect Eywa's prophecy? I wasn't sure how it was to be fulfilled, but any unnecessary ties with Tsu'tey could prove deadly for him.

"If you were my whole tribe, I would've abandoned the clan to be with you." I said with much difficulty. I knew he wanted to bring up mating once more and I wasn't sure if I would have the same courage to reject him again. Just this morning I wanted more than anything to mate with him, but now my mind had cleared and opened to the possible consequences.

Tsu'tey took this in stride. "That's not it. You knew I would follow you." He put my hands on his chest, heated by the light and by something else. "Feel," He whispered hoarsely, pulling me into his arms, pressing our bodies flush against each other once more. "Feel, our hearts beat as one."

And they were.

"We are made from the same earth, from the same womb," He began to play with my hair absentmindedly. "I am afraid," here I looked up in surprise- Tsu'tey, the great warrior, afraid?

He continued solemnly, "I am afraid that we will not have this chance again."

"Why?" I asked, "what have you not told me?" I knew full well that Tsu'tey was hiding many things from me, what with how he continuously spoke in riddles.

He looked annoyed. "What makes you think you can change anything? Just because Eywa-"

I interrupted, "Why can you not wait? What is it that is bothering you? You know A'mari'k is planning something, and we've got to stop him… Or at least let Olo'Eyktan know about the seriousness of the threat! We still need extra warriors to hunt, and I doubt you won't be welcome. Even if to you all this is unimportant, this is absolutely no place to mate!"

He fell silent. "I understand."

We walked in silence onwards until the Hometree came into view. Apparently we had been spotted long ago, for Jakesully himself came into sight. I smiled at him, but he did not return the gesture. Instead he looked at us with something akin to guilt, and escorted us quietly back to the Hometree. It was as if, in that one look, he and Tsu'tey were able to have a full conversation.

The base of the tree was alive with activity, but nonetheless a crowd gathered to welcome Tsu'tey. He smiled and nodded politely, but I saw it did not reach his eyes. He gave vague answers to what questions he received and his mind was somewhere else entirely. I wondered if I had done the wrong thing to bring him back. I turned to catch Tsu'tey's eye. He had noticed that few warriors gathered to welcome him back. In fact, the crowd was peeling away now, each Na'vi returning to what they had been doing. Some were weaving new baskets, some stringing beads together and other making pots. I had never seen such a mass production of items before. Something was not right. They were supposed to be curious, Tsu'tey's return was worthy for a feast! Why did it seem like they simply did not care?

A cool hand touched my shoulder suddenly, making the hairs stand up at the nape of my neck. This only happened when he was near.

A'mari'k gave me a cool grin and clapped me twice on the back. "Thanks for bringing Tsu'tey back. He was an old friend- I missed him dearly." He was smiling, but I saw his nostrils flare like a deranged Pa'li.

With an impending sense of doom, I understood why Tsu'tey could not wait.

A'mari'k approached Tsu'tey in several quick strides, and embraced him a bit too tightly. Seeing them side by side now, I realized Tsu'tey was thinner than A'mari'k. It was to be expected, what with their different lifestyles of late. Nonetheless, something was not right, and I knew A'mari'k was at the root of it. Thinking of the events after the ikran taming incident, I started to walk towards him, but was suddenly pulled back and into Ma'hi's arms.

"Yishat! Thank Eywa, I thought you were dead!" My sister sobbed into my shoulder, seemingly trying to bury me in her bosom. I returned the embrace half-heartedly and craned my neck to watch what Tsu'tey and A'mari'k were doing.

Amidst the chaos and confusion, the two warriors had disappeared completely.

TBC

Hey guys! As you can see, this chapter is told from A'mari'k and Yishat's POV. I hope all have enjoyed. Remember, though: The beliefs of my characters are simply that: beliefs. They may be deluded or untrue, but that's why they are called beliefs. :D

I will change the rating as necessary when more intense sexual situations arise. My apologies to those that have been offended.

Thanks again to all readers and critics from last chapter! Please review, and critique (again?) if possible. ;P

Until the next chapter,

-Jasmine