The chapters just keep getting longer! I'm going to be updating faster from now on. There's probably only one or two chapters left after this. Please note that this chapter is the most crucial, and it may be somewhat confusing. It is also mainly based in A'mari'k's POV. More stuff on Yishat and Tsu'tey will come next chapter, as well as the explanation for what is to occur this chapter.

A'mari'k's POV

It was only a minor setback. Zuku glanced at me, and I shook my head dismissively. No matter. Siryanin and Toranyu both greeted Tsu'tey respectfully, and Jakesully watched on with pride. He was doing a very good job of deliberately avoiding my eye, which was difficult as we were so close to each other.

The feast had begun. Siryanin was interested in me, and took me to her side immediately. "Come, sit with me. I would love to hear of your warriors." I grinned, knowing half the battle was already won. We arrived at the feast table and seated ourselves as thus:

Jakesully and Tsahik sat together. Tsu'tey was on Olo'eyktan's left and Lady Mo'at to his left. Toranyu took to Neytiri's right, Siryanin beside him and I to her right. This was the order of the Na'vi with importance. The others sat in a disorganized style and chattered amongst each other, taking in the fresh new perspective of another clan's life. I gave me great pleasure to see that Tsu'tey was seated far from both Siryanin and Toranyu. It seemed that Toranyu was to be making most of the important decisions as adviser to the Horse Clan's Olo'eyktan. At the same time, I was far from Jakesully and Tsu'tey, and could say whatever I wanted. Siryanin must also hold a fair amount of political power as well, for she spoke to Toranyu as equal.

The rest of the Omaticaya clan Na'vi were a mess of bodies, as they always were. I picked out Ma'hi in her bright braid and her parents sitting close together. She smiled warmly when she caught my eye, as if proud that I was so important. If only she knew…

I hadn't decided what I would do with Ma'hi under any circumstance. I was sure she would follow me wherever I went, but what place does a girl like her have in my new world?

Siryanin's eyes were gleaming with a tint of green when she set them on me once more. She was beautiful, I would not deny that. If I were not the supposed mate of Ma'hi, I would not have hesitated to flirt openly with her. It was obvious that she had not mated, as she wore colorful colors which would've been unsuitable for mated females.

"Your clan is so beautiful- the scenery was excellent. Where we lived, there is nothing but unending grasses, stretching into the distance." She made a motion to describe the vastness of the plains she must live on.

"Yes, indeed it is. I imagine that life for your clan must be much different from ours." I poured her some drink, and she nodded. Before she could speak, Toranyu told Jakesully, "we will stay for approximately three moons to survey the area, resources available and the state of your warriors. When we have finished our examinations, Siryanin and I will make a decision on behalf of our Olo'eyktan."

"That is wonderful!" Jakesully replied with a wide smile which was not returned. Toranyu seemed very stern and constantly held a frown on his face. It seemed as if he was not impressed by anything. Tsahik, who was seated next to Toranyu, tried her best to engage him in conversation as the food was brought to the feast table.

I decided it was best to bring out the serious manner later after we had all shared a meal. The Horse Clan Na'vi were sure to be hungry after making their long journey here. Siryanin ate with gusto, commenting on the freshness of the food, whilst Toranyu looked around with barely concealed disdain. He picked at a piece of smoked meat.

"He is hard to please," I whispered to Siryanin, making sure that my voice was low.

She sighed and put down the fruit she was peeling, "he was put on strict orders to observe everything. Our Olo'eyktan is very meticulous, but Toranyu has always been a picky individual. Do not worry, though- he is more pleased than he seems."

I nodded, smiling to myself that Siryanin seemed to have put her trust in me already. "I am glad he is, for what is decided in the next three moons will be of great importance to my clan."

"Oh?" She turned her attention fully towards me, leaning over the table to listen. I saw Jakesully's eyes flicker towards me, and Tsu'tey leaned back in his seat. I was making them uneasy. Good. Unfortunately, I would not tell her anything she did not already know. I needed to build up a stable foundation with her if I were to get anywhere with my plan. She thought she was here to discuss a sharing of supplies and training techniques; she would not expect what I wanted to propose. I must get her to see things my way so I could manipulate her trusting nature to my advantage. Suddenly the plan changed.

It was night when I saw Siryanin again. She was strolling back to the Home tree with Toranyu by her side. She must've spent the day examining our land and the resources it had to offer, and by the looks of it, she was very impressed.

"Siryanin, I see you." I greeted her respectfully, and Toranyu in the same way.

"I see you, head warrior A'mari'k." She smiled again, flashing teeth flattened by a plant-based lifestyle. I was told there was little meat in the plains besides small game. "I am thoroughly impressed with the wildlife and vegetation around here, much of which I have never seen before. Eywa is truly a mother of creativity."

Toranyu rolled his eyes rudely and addressed Siryanin, "if you are to dawdle, then I am going to retire for the night. You know where to find me."

"Just go, then!" Siryanin replied roughly, and Toranyu disappeared into the Home tree.

"You two are on bad terms?" I asked her when we were alone again. We began to wander away from the Home tree as we talked.

"I suppose you could say that. I never agreed with his attitude. You may think me strange, but I have never met such an agreeable Na'vi as you. Many male warriors, Toranyu being one of them, detest me for my skill."

Suddenly I had an idea, and proposed to show her the warriors' cove. "Meet your warriors?" She said, wide eyed, "that is to be done tomorrow, and I cannot do any examination without Toranyu." A strange look came over her eyes.

"That is fine- the warriors have likely gone home. I just want to know more about you, that is all. I don't believe I have ever seen such a fine female warrior."

She laughed shyly, the sound ringing like bells in my ears. "Well, it was not easy for me to have climbed to this position… When I was small…"

I did not have the heart to listen fully to her story- I just nodded and expressed concern or joy at the appropriate times. Her story was not exactly miraculous, which led me to wonder about the quality of the Horse Clan warriors. I wanted to establish a friendship between us, and Siryanin was making it exceptionally easy. I could tell she was hesitant of visiting a secluded cave alone with me, so I lead her around as she spoke.

Finally she finished her story, and smiled at me with apology. "It is so late- I'm sorry I took up so much of your time. I should retire for the night."

I bade her good night and watched her walk away, a strange sensation blossoming in my chest that was not anything I'd ever known before.

A hand suddenly grabbed my arm and dragged me back into the woods. Instinctively I reached for my weapon, but relaxed when I realized it was simply Zuku.

"What were you thinking?" He hissed angrily, glaring me down. Here was one of the moments when I was sorely disappointed that he was taller. "You almost brought her to the cove! You know we are mass piling weapons there! Never bring her near there!"

Ah. How could I have forgotten?

"Do not worry, brother. I led her back, did I not?" Jakesully had recently discussed taking away the weapons, and we had complied. What he didn't know was that we were creating new weapons. We now had enough to arm an entire army if needed. In the last few weeks with preparations being made to welcome Siryanin and Toranyu, no one noticed the quickly depleting wood and stone reserves.

Zuku's entire form emanated anger. "Don't 'brother' me, A'mari'k. We demand to know what is going on."

How could he have known that anything was different? "Let us not speak here, then."

Fixing me with another inscrutable glare, Zuku and I made our way hurriedly to the cove. Mawey, Ti and some others were there, and stared coldly at me when I entered.

"What is it?" I asked innocently.

Ti threw down the bow she was fixing and spat, "She was so close we could hear her! What were you thinking? At least you could have let us know! What is it going to be now? Is she to know of us?"

"Hush!" I hissed at her, causing her to recoil. "We have no need to force them to act against us- indeed, we can act together. Head warrior Siryanin is weak and naïve, but she holds great political power. She is on good terms with me, and I sense that she is not happy in her clan. If we can convince her…"

Zuku slammed his hand on a wooden table, effectively silencing me. I was seething- how dare he? "What then?" He asked, face devoid of emotion. "What then? You convince her, fine. She brings her clan's warriors in the middle of the night and we attack the clan together?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised he managed to see through me so easily. "That is correct."

Zuku sat down slowly. The cove was enshrouded in silence. It was a good plan, I thought. It was better than trying to make them turn against us, which could have backfired in many ways.

"You assume everything will go according to plan," Zuku murmured. "You do not know what she might do."

"If she does not agree to our requests, she will be angry and our first plan will be executed. Either way, Jakesully is weakened, and we can-"

"I don't understand you." Zuku cut in, looking exasperated. "We could attack at any time- we could force our way out and stay out! No one would be able to bring us back. We are strong, A'mari'k. They have no knowledge of when we may strike, and if we do it quickly, they will fall fast!"

He was right. We had more weapons and supplies in our holding than ever. It was a prime time to act, in case Siryanin was to check this cove tomorrow. Now she knew where it was.

"But it would mean we discard all the planning we have made so far!" I protested, thinking something must be amiss for this rushed request to be made.

Ti added, "let it throw them off! They will not expect something so sudden."

Many pairs of eyes looked towards me. I saw in them a desire to act, muscles twitched and released under the arms of my warriors, and I saw irritation. I was hesitating.

"You want her, don't you?" Ti whispered hoarsely. When I did not reply, she stepped up towards me. "You want to rule your new land with her. What about us, A'mari'k? What about Ma'hi? She is a good Na'vi, and I thought you cared for her!"

She was so closed I smelled the rot in her breath. "Don't you dare…" I started, only to have her continue her tirade tirelessly,

"What about us? What will we gain by following you?"

Enraged, I raised my hand and struck her across the face, watching as she crumpled to the ground with a whimper. Mawey flinched and looked away. "You are filth," I spat at her, "You are nothing without me, all of you! Ti, you were going to be turned away from a warrior's life before I caught you and taught you the bow myself! If it weren't for me, you would be rotting at home, mending your father's tunics!"

I tore my gaze from the incredulous Ti to the trembling Mawey, "And you! I plucked you from the dirt not too long ago because I saw something different in you. If it weren't for me, you would never have even had a chance to become something great! You were nothing when I first saw you!" Mawey looked down and seemed as if he were going to cry.

And then there was Zuku, who spoke as soon as my eyes landed on him. "What about me, A'mari'k? What will you say about me? I watched over you since you were just a child. It was I who taught you how to use your first dagger. What will you say about me?"

At this point I was shaking with rage. We had come so far- I had no patience for this. Instead of answering Zuku directly, I told the rest of the warriors menacingly, "Do you know how easily I could crush you all?"

My words did not inflict fear as I had hoped. Zuku stood up and walked towards Ti, helping her to stand. "I will tell you now," he spoke to me in a calm tone, "that Jakesully offered all of us better quarters, increased rations, and has generally improved our living conditions overall. What can you offer?"

I stood there for a moment, stunned. Ti straightened and looked at me expectantly, and Mawey looked distressed. Oh, no. This was not happening. My warriors, who had sworn to serve me, were not going to desert me at this time!

"You care only about material items," I grind out, "Jakesully can offer you all of that, but he cannot offer you freedom. Only I can do that. I can lead you into a new life!" I stepped closer to Zuku, menacing. "What about our mutual dislike for Jakesully? Has that all changed when he offered you a sack of grain?"

"We dislike him, and we are free to. But you, A'mari'k, you hate him. You hate him with a passion that runs deeper than the Omaticayan blood in all of us, and you just want to see him dead. You want to run away and live a life with no Olo'eyktan and no Eywa. And you will die."

I took in a deep breath, refusing to let the insanity boiling within me to surface. Were they afraid all of a sudden? "Jakesully may have offered you better living conditions, but what will happen to you when you are no longer a warrior?"

A shocked silence ensued from all the warriors, which I took to my advantage, "Tomorrow Siryanin will examine all of us, all of you. I expect for you to go with the plan –the new plan- and if tomorrow is not successful, we will discuss this again."

Fixing me with a wary glare, Zuku sat down again, defeated.

"When we defeat all the clans as brothers and sisters, with or without the help of Siryanin's warriors," I explained, trying to amend for the damage I had done, "we will rule all the land together. There will not be one or two, we will all be equal."

Yishat's POV

"But what am I to do? I don't even know where he is!" I complained to Tsu'tey, utterly lost on the next course I must take.

"Do not worry," he whispered into my ear, "you are the only hometender with free access to Olo'eyktan, Tsahik and I, as well as the Horse Clan officials. Eventually he will ask you to do something."

"Do something- something to harm you?"

"Most likely. When that happens, all you need to do is to let us know, and we will do the rest."

What was he saying? Stage a problem and blame A'mari'k? Was that not dishonest? Then again, I thought, much worse things may happen if action isn't taken.

Tsu'tey disappeared into his quarters and that was that. I was not his mate, and therefore could not set foot in his territory uninvited. There was nothing to do but to turn around and walk away.

Then I saw a purple blossom dangling from a thick braid, and knew from this splash of color exactly who this Na'vi was. "Paiiyi!" We embraced happily, I holding her scent in my mind even after she pulled away. She always smelled so fresh.

"Yishat! I was so worried about you! I'd heard that you'd come back, but… Oh," She looked as if she was overtaken with emotion and pressed a hand to her face. "I missed you so!"

The rest of the night was spent talking about all sorts of trivial matters on my hammock. We laid side by side, our forearms touching, looking up into nothing in particular. All of a sudden I felt much older, much worldlier. Here was my old friend whom I'd always looked up to, and now I was aware of so many more things than she. While she chatted and giggled about this handsome Na'vi and that rascal troublemaker, I listened and was transported for moments back to a past time. That was all gone, and it pained me that I could not tell this to Paiiyi, who just assumed I was the same as I always was.

Nonetheless, the short amount of time I spent with Paiiyi, giggling over things of no importance, felt like a breath of fresh air. Here I didn't have to be mature or manipulative. I needn't worry for anything I said.

"Tell me about Tsu'tey." She said suddenly, causing me to blink.

"What about him?"

"You know the rumors…" Something in her voice made me turn to take a closer look at her. Her voice held a bit of guilt, and I groaned.

I sat up straight, making the hammock swing this way and that, "You started them, didn't you?"

"I did. I'm really sorry, Yishat. I didn't mean to be-"

I cut her off, "That's fine. Where is the bow?"

She looked anxious, which turned my stomach. "Where is the bow, Paiiyi? Tsu'tey's hunting bow. I hid it under a pile of baskets- you helped me. You were the only one who knew that it was there."

"They took it," she croaked, looking away. "I'm sorry, Yishat. A warrior took the bow, and now I don't know where it is."

I drew my knees up to my chest and buried my head in between. They likely burned the bow, thinking that Tsu'tey was dead or was not coming back, and would not need it. I knew Tsu'tey probably would not mind much, but this hurt me more than I could ever have imagined. It had been a catalyst for all that had happened so far, and I'd let it slip away. I should've taken better care of it. In part, I'd seen it as the part of Tsu'tey I truly owned. Now, it was gone. Even though I could not even touch it without pain, I had become attached to this piece of wood.

"Okay, okay," Paiiyi cooed, "we won't talk about Tsu'tey."

"Let's not," I agreed, sinking down into the hammock once more, "tell me about you, have you met some Na'vi you favor?"

I could almost hear Paiiyi's smile in her voice as the words started tumbling from her lips. She had met a young Na'vi who was training to be a hunter, one rank lower than the warrior, and once he obtained the rank, they would mate. She admitted that they'd known each other for a while, but they really started to connect these past couple of moons, and decided recently that they were meant to be mates.

As I listened to Paiiyi ramble about her mate-to-be and what wonderful things he had done for her to show her his devotion, I could not help but feel sour inside. Was I doing the right thing by choosing Tsu'tey? He did not bring me flowers or take me flying on his ikran... I shook my head, ridding myself of the thought. It was too late to think of that.

A'mari'k's POV

Siryanin was in a foul mood when she emerged from the Home tree with Toranyu by her side, face expressionless as always. I sensed that it was he who made her so. At first I had difficulty recognizing her, for she was fresh faced and left much of her ceremonial garb in her quarters. As soon as she saw me, she managed a smile.

"Head warrior, we meet again. Please, lead me to your warriors."

I nodded respectfully, and exchanged pleasantries with the two Horse Clan members as we strolled at a leisurely pace to our training grounds. I had made sure all was set up here to be perfect when they saw it.

Siryanin's eyes lit up when she finally took in the sight of my warriors, training side by side, and sweat glistening on their bodies. Yes, they were well trained.

Then our moment was ruined when a voice called from behind, "wonderful sight, is it not?"

Siryanin turned to greet none other than Jakesully and Tsu'tey, who bowed respectfully. Tsu'tey leveled me with a gaze, and I sent him my own. Jakesully looked upon the training warriors, who noticed him and faltered just barely in their movements. "If I may ask, where and how have you acquired these weapons?" He didn't ask in a way as if to single me out. Instead, it sounded as if he had rehearsed this with me. Siryanin's attention turned towards me, and I replied,

"We made them ourselves. A Na'vi should always work with weapons that are close to his heart, and one never gets closer to Eywa than to build one's own weapons." It had hurt me to say it so, but it satisfied Siryanin and Toranyu immensely. Jakesully smiled deviously. He knew he had taken the weapons away. Here we were with a bunch of our own, and now he knew where it came from. I clenched my jaw and wished he would leave soon. Of course, he wouldn't.

"Please," Tsu'tey said to me, smiling like he never did. "Give us a tour and tell us about your warriors. We are eager to see how you've improved."

"Indeed," Jakesully cut in, clapping Tsu'tey on the back. "This Na'vi was a head warrior before I snatched him away, one of the best, too. I'm sure he has nothing but the best to say about our warriors. He did, after all, train them himself at some point."

Siryanin laughed, delighted. "This is indeed a warrior clan! I am seeing such strong Na'vi in such great numbers, it is incredible."

With the tiniest of sneers, I led them around the area, and each warrior we came to paused and greeted us politely. I came to Ti, and she did the exact same thing. She even smiled and spoke good things of me when prompted, something that surprised me. I had struck her just the night before- I had not expected her to be so kind. Perhaps they'd finally come around and realized that they had to follow me or they would be nowhere.

After we'd made the rounds, I was feeling very defeated. If Jakesully does not leave, I have no hope of accomplishing anything.

"Oh!" Siryanin exclaimed suddenly, "I would love to see the warriors' cove today."

Jakesully looked at me suspiciously, and was just about to say something when Toranyu spoke up with distaste. "Oh, not again. I would like to stay here, if at all possible."

"That is no problem," Siryanin said smoothly, "I know you and Olo'eyktan Jakesully have much to discuss, so we will leave you here. Is that alright?"

Tsu'tey stepped up, "I will accompany you."

"There is no need, I assure you. A'mari'k is a very kind Na'vi and has treated me with nothing less than with the utmost respect."

Oh, if there was an Eywa, I would've dropped to my knees and offered my thanks. But alas, it was something far less mystical- it was just the trusting and ignorant nature of the Na'vi standing beside me. Yet it was also what drew me to her so tirelessly.

"I see," Jakesully nodded, "I hope you enjoy yourself."

I shot him a smug look and took Siryanin's hand, leading her to the warriors' cove. My heart was pounding in my chest, as if a heavy rock was being thrown back and forth. Once we were out of earshot, Siryanin looked to me with a challenge in her eye, "You don't seem to be on good terms with your Olo'eyktan. Why?"

I had not thought she noticed. I acted surprised, "why would you think that?"

"There is an energy flowing between the two of you that is not friendly."

Sighing, I brushed aside some foliage hanging from the trees above, and the warriors' cove came into view. Siryanin gasped when she was close enough to take in what was in it.

Piles upon piles of bows, arrows, daggers, poison syrup, and more were being made. "What is all this?" She motioned to what could only be described as a safe hold of death.

"Those are our weapons, head warrior." I told her calmly, watching as her head turned this way and that, mind working diligently.

"This is not right. No clan should have this number of weapons, not even for training purposes. And this," she took hold of an arrow and slid her finger upon the tip, her flesh slicing and giving way like a ripe fruit. She yelped and took it to her mouth, "These are not weapons for training- they are for killing."

I decided to make my move then, but first, "Never mind that. What do you think about our Olo'eyktan?"

"He is very kind."

"But you know what he was?"

"I do." She eyed me warily, "we all do."

"So you understand that he is not a true Na'vi?"

Siryanin looked at our stronghold of weapons once more, and I could imagine she was putting the pieces together in her mind as we spoke. "He does not rule properly?"

"You could say that. My warriors and I are not happy in his rule."

"Why? What has he done wrong?"

I took a deep breath, "Firstly, he directs funds away from our training purposes, away from the clan in general. We have no room to build or to expand, since he is sending our funds to the neighboring clans."

Siryanin's eyes narrowed and she took a step back cautiously, "he is wise in doing so. The Omaticaya clan has exhausted their supplies from re building their Home tree, and your clan would do well to make good connections with other clans for future support. Is that not why I am here?"

Swallowing, I realized that this female was wiser than she made herself out to be. "My only wish is to see my warriors flourish and the land ruled properly."

"How would that be?"

"If the clans could come together as one," I started, only to have her cut me off, aghast.

"Head warrior A'mari'k. I do not wish to hear any more of this. When I met you, I assumed you were kind and had good ambitions for your warriors and clan- now I know where your eyes truly lie.

What you do not understand is that the clans already are one- under the rule of Eywa. We may do as we wish, but it is she who decides all. Your Olo'eyktan is wise in all that he does, and if what I think is happening here is true, my clan will decline to sign any further treaties with yours over trading or otherwise." She spat at me, turning on her heel to rush out of the cove. I took her hand and stopped her, causing her to hiss and recoil at me. She took a dagger from her belt and swung it towards me.

Before it hit me, I flung it away as if it were nothing, noting her startled expression. "Your clan is nothing," I told her, "You have strong horses, but your warriors are nothing. You do not understand that everything has changed- Jakesully is a dreamwalker, and just by being here, he upsets the so called 'rule of Eywa'."

Siryanin shook her head decisively, "No, it was Eywa who welcomed him into our world. Eywa allowed him to live, Eywa…"

"There is no Eywa!" I threw her away from me, watching her stumble but keep her balance. I expected her to run away, knowing that what I had planned was lost. But instead, she stayed, "what are you saying?" Her voice sounded so much like a wounded child that my resolve softened for a moment.

"There is no Eywa." I repeated seriously, "Eywa is only in our dreams, for she is alive because so many believe in her. Even Olo'eyktan claims to be servant to Eywa, a being that does not exist. Could you imagine what progress we could make if we pushed aside the concept of Eywa?"

"But-" Siryanin stammered, "she is in everything, she is everywhere… She punishes those who are-"

I took her gently by the shoulders and turned her around so that she may see the setting light. "Is this Eywa's work? No, it is not. I ceased to believe in this concept of Eywa many years ago, and the light still falls every night. No, it is not because of Eywa that everything in this world is full of life. The life is dependant on each other, not Eywa. If you look closer, all can be explained independently, and as a whole, they make up this world. There is no Eywa. Even the tree of souls- that is a compilation of all that we know, and even though I cannot explain it fully still, I know it is not the force of some being capable of thought."

Siryanin put her hands over her ears and sobbed, "No! Please don't tell me this!"

I took them away softly, "It is alright to be afraid. You are ignorant, but you lay dormant in it, like a baby. Once you realize the truth, you will no longer be ignorant. Together, we can turn those who choose to be ignorant and dumb, and we will rule the land together. The land is ruled by hostility- but we can create peace. I will respect you for the beautiful Na'vi that you are, and you will be my Eywa."

"Is that true? Do you promise?" Big eyes looked up to mine, glimmering under a film of tears. I knew then that I had won. This Na'vi was no warrior, but she would make a good mate. "Please let me go," she entreated, "I must speak to Toranyu, and maybe he will turn around to this. If I may tell you, our Olo'eyktan has become very displeasing. You may be right- the clans are becoming more hostile, and our Olo'eyktan knows not what to do."

And so I let her go, filling to the brim with pride. Suddenly my cup emptied, knowing that I would have to leave Ma'hi behind. I refused to believe our inability to mate was because of 'Eywa'. I was just not ready, and perhaps I had a rather stunning attack of anxiety. She had no place in my war, and hopefully it would not hurt her much to see me go. We had not mated, after all.

Despite what I told him, Zuku still had much to say. "I don't want her with us," he spat spitefully; "we are strong enough without her or her warriors."

"Have we not spoken of this before?" I asked him, thoroughly exhausted of the constant bickering which meant nothing to me. "Enough! At this very moment Siryanin is pleading our case to the adviser-"

"And what if he refuses? He seems a very sensible Na'vi." That was Ti, checking over our weapons store for the last time.

"If he refuses, then so be it. We will leave this clan by nightfall, with or without Siryanin. She is only an addition, one that we can easily replace. Does that please you, my brothers and sisters?"

Scattered acknowledgments sounded. My group of warriors has dwindled somewhat over the past few moons. Some Na'vi decided to remove themselves from the plan as they found comfort in what Jakesully now offered them. I could not begin to express my anger and disappointment at these Na'vi who threw their hard work away for an extra sack of grain. Now there were less than twenty warriors with me, but their numbers were enough still.

Jakesully had never offered me anything, stating that my quarters and rations were already adequate. As Ma'hi did not produce any children for me, there was no need to improve my living quarters or add to my personal rations.

Siryanin was to return here to the cove and inform us if all went well. As light drew back behind the trees and there was still no sign of her, we grew restless. Finally a figure stumbled clumsily out of the trees just outside of the cove. It was not Siryanin.

"Yishat?" I stood abruptly, violently gesturing the warriors to scatter, so no attention would be drawn to the huge weapons storage. I exited the cove and took my hands around her shoulders, leading her away. By the way the light was falling; Yishat would not be able to see much past me.

"What business do you have here?" I demanded none too kindly of her, but my eyes softened when I saw her stiffen and look down.

"I am sorry, brother. I have not seen you for long, and I know you must be training hard. Ma'hi has arranged a fruit basket for you." Yishat indeed was presenting me a rather lovely assortment of fruits and nuts. I looked closely at her, trying to determine if the basket truly came from Ma'hi.

Finally, I decided, "The cove is rank with sweat. You will not do well there. My warriors have already eaten, but I have not. Now, tell me what is happening at the Hometree." I was sucking information from her, and Yishat did not suspect a thing, it seemed. Poor girl, despite all my attempts to get rid of her, she is still a thorn in my side. Her ignorance is unprecedented, and it is no wonder that Tsu'tey would not even care to tell her the truth. Nonetheless, she may now prove to be useful.

She peeled a fruit and brought it to her mouth, the juices dripping down her chin. I did not hold back- Yishat would not poison me, but she did seem wary of me. Last time I had offered her fruit, she seemed to be taking unnatural precautions against me. I suspected it was due to Tsu'tey's warnings, for I saw her stumble as if in unknown territory. She had no reason to fear me. I would not poison her, for that would do me no good. Despite she is to be mated with Tsu'tey, she herself holds no political standing whatsoever. Poisoning her would only bring trouble to me.

Yishat told me of trivial things at first- what bowl had fallen over, Jakesully's headdress was missing… I began to think she was going to be useless when she finally said, "head warrior Siryanin seems to have gotten in an argument with Toranyu. She has shut herself in her quarters with him and is not coming out. We are all very worried, particularly Olo'eyktan and Tsahik."

"You are their servant," I said solemnly, "You are one that is close enough to hear their words. What are they saying?"

I said this with the utmost kindness, and so Yishat's demeanor and calm mood did not change. "I cannot say. They talked about a lot of things. Trade, food, warriors, land… Mostly other clans. She did say something about our Olo'eyktan not being a true Na'vi, and she was lucky that Jakesully was not nearby when she said this, or else he would've…"

"Enough, Yishat." I told her, rising onto my feet with a sigh. So Siryanin had failed. Night was falling fast, and I could almost feel nearly twenty pairs of eyes drilling into my back from the cove. Fine. Fine, then.

"Oh dear, it is late… But you have only taken one fruit! What am I to do with the rest of this?" Yishat whimpered pitifully, taking up the basket of fruit that still looked fresh and presentable.

A devious thought came to me then- it would be the last blow. "Why not serve them to Siryanin and Toranyu? They would doubtless enjoy the fruit. It would likely raise their mood."

Her eyes lit up, "Yes! That is an excellent idea!"

Before she could turn around and dash away, I caught her arm. "Firstly, let me take this to my warriors and see if they would like anything. They will not take much, I promise." To this, she nodded and relinquished the basket.

I brought it into the cove where Zuku was wordlessly waiting with a bowl of poison syrup- the kind we used to dip arrowheads in. The poison was colorless and tasteless, and when introduced to a creature's body, it would cause uncontrollable bleeding and eventually death. I do not know exactly what could happen if it were to be eaten, but I have seen a nantang suffer from severe diarrhea, vomit and eventually die of dehydration after ingesting it.

I started to pour the thin liquid onto the fruit, eyes wide. When should I stop? Halfway? I didn't want all my efforts to be in vain, so I put in all of it. Quickly, Zuku tossed the fruits in the baskets and mixed them so that the poison coated every one and looked just like a healthy sheen of water. It did not look any different than when Yishat had brought it in. I All of this had only taken a few moments. I stepped outside once more.

"My warriors seem to be picky today; is this still presentable?" I gave her a humored look, and she smiled.

"It is fine, brother. I'm sure Siryanin will appreciate it much- we have had to finish the fruits from the feast last night, as they would've spoiled. Siryanin was asking for more, but we had none. Ma'hi picked these fruits herself, so it would surely please her much!"

I smiled to myself, watching her leave. So Ma'hi would be blamed for poisoning Siryanin. Why? The others would ask. It would be easy to explain- Ma'hi saw me with Siryanin and was overtaken with jealousy. Then she poisoned the fruit and sent it to me, but I and my warriors simply kept some fruit and did not eat it. Yishat had no proof that I or she had eaten anything, and the three poisoned fruits lay on the table in the cove.

"Stop planning," Zuku reprimanded me when I told him what I was thinking, "It is too late for that. We must move now. By the time Siryanin is poisoned, we will have started our siege."

"No, not now." I told him, effectively stopping all the warriors in the cove in stunned silence. "I want to hear her suffer. I want to hear all of them."

"A'mari'k," Zuku called out to me, but I was lost in my own delusions. I could not admit it so easily, but I had briefly wondered if Siryanin and I could've ever been. I had not met her for long, but I was still drawn to her, and now I was killing her. I wanted to hear the news; I wanted to see how it played out. I wanted to see Yishat cry out in disbelief, knowing she had been tricked but unable to tell the truth. Most of all, I wanted to see Jakesully with his head between his hands, wondering what he was to do or say as Ma'hi was dragged away, screaming and wailing.

I had done all this. Somewhere deep behind my heart I felt a surging of emotion- I still cared for Ma'hi. She mended my tunics, cooked my food, and I knew every contour and curve of her face and body like my own. We were all but one. But when I thought of my ultimate goal that became clearer each time I shut my eyes, I knew it was for the better. It was time to cut ties.

Zuku looked to Ti, and an unspoken agreement was passed between their eyes. They could wait. We could wait. Besides, I had the most seasoned killers on my side- we could easily overtake Jakesully and whoever else he decided to bring along.

My hands started to tremble, and I began to pace back and forth. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and a feeling of doom settled over me. I had often thought of many ways to kill a Na'vi, but I had never even acted upon any one of them. Now it was happening.

Then the news came. It was Tsahik, and she was alone. She didn't seem to be angry at me, which caused me much confusion. She was taking big strides towards the cove, where she knew I must be. I did not make any move to hide what was behind me, knowing she was alone and vulnerable. Neytiri wrung her hands incessantly and told me without preamble, "Head warrior A'mari'k, you must return to the Hometree at once! Your mate Ma'hi has fallen very ill suddenly."

I felt as if the world was rushing together to one target, which was to the top of my throat, where I felt a tightening. "But- How?"

"I know not!" Tsahik told me, already dragging me by the arm. "You must come fast!" And then she saw what I was hiding in the cove, her distance being sufficient to peer inside. "You…" She trailed off, nodding to herself, face becoming grim.

Then she turned and ran away. She ran and ran, looking nothing like the graceful Na'vi I knew her as.

"Go after her," I told Zuku then, "destroy her, destroy it all. I will join you soon, my brother."

Zuku heard the broken whisper in my voice, and nodded. "Do not mourn her for long, brother," he told me as he and my warriors took their weapons and hurried out of the tiny cove like blood pouring from a wound. "She is not your mate, and you need not care if she should die."

As the last warrior left the cove, I fell to the floor, feeling the air leave me faster than I could replenish it. How? Had she tasted the fruit by accident? Did someone feed it to her, knowing it was tainted? How had this happened? I hadn't meant for her to die… And I knew she would, for she was frail and would not live through such an ordeal.

Sitting here in the cold silence of the warrior's cove, the place where I had stored so many memories in its cracks, and the place where I grew up… I would never see it again. Suddenly I had the urge to run away, to escape from all this I had brewed up with my own hand, to live alone in the forest as Tsu'tey did.

But my feet were rooted to the earth, and I was unable to move.

Yishat's POV

"Is this the basket he asked you to deliver to Siryanin?" Tsu'tey had asked me when I brought to him the basket of fruit.

"Yes," I had said. "I am sure he has done something to it, though. I told him what you asked me to, and he seemed very agitated. I believe he may have poisoned this fruit."

"Good. Leave it here. Jakesully will soon be back, and we will take care of this."

But moments later I walked past the now empty room where the basket of fruits was held, and there was my sister, Ma'hi, who was pressing a fruit to her mouth, devouring it hungrily. The juices streamed down her chin as she savored her prize. She saw me and gave me a look of guilt. "I am sorry, Yishat. I was so hungry, and I recognized this basket as mine. I understand it is for the Horse Clan warrior, but please don't tell-"

Then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she dropped to the floor like a piece of chopped wood. A call of help caught in my throat, and what came out next was a hoarse scream. "Tsahik! Neytiri! Please! Help!" I called for Tsahik for she worked near here, and would be able to hear me. Tears already welling in my eyes, I shook Ma'hi left and right, horrified at how limp she was. "Ma'hi! Sister! Please, answer me!"

Neytiri entered the room and took in the sight quietly at first, stunned. The panic came to her later, when she realized Ma'hi was not breathing. "I will get my medicine box," she told me, already hurrying away. I was alone again with my sister, who started to spit white from the mouth, lips becoming pale.

Cold terror shot up and down my spine, causing me to sweat profusely, the salty liquid mixing with my tears. Ma'hi could not die- she is my sister, and although we may not have been the closest, she loved me, and I her. I cared for her when she had troubles, and she talked me through mine. We played as children, and I knew all of her aspirations, fears and secrets. It was not her time.

I was never used to death- death to us Na'vi happens slowly, with slow acknowledgment that dulled the pain. Elders died of illness or they would know themselves that the time was near. Young Na'vi seldom died. Ma'hi was too young and innocent to be the first Na'vi to die of murder. She didn't deserve to be a consequence of A'mari'k's actions.

When she didn't respond and her limbs started to shake and convulse, I stepped back and collapsed into myself. My hands came around my ears as a stampede of other Na'vi suddenly barged into the room like water bursting from a broken dam. I shook myself and uttered small cries, unable to see or hear as Tsu'tey scooped me up to my feet and held me to his chest. Neytiri had not returned. In fact, no one knew where she was.

Jakesully took one look at the situation; he put his hand on my shoulder for one moment, and then left. Tsanten, a skilled physician with extensive experience with herbs, was kneeling over Ma'hi whilst four Na'vi held down each of her limbs. She had still not taken one breath.

It is poison; I wanted to shout at them. Don't bother- she is gone. Please, persecute the one who has killed her!

But I could not, for Tsu'tey was pressing me so close to his chest that I could do nothing but cry, sucking in huge gulps of air in an attempt to calm myself. It made my sobbing worse, and eventually he was holding me up. Ma'hi's body was now covered fully in an angry rash that caused her entire form to balloon. Then she coughed, and hope came into me for a moment before it fled and left me even lower. The screams and cries that tore out of her mouth were worse than that of any wounded animal I had ever heard. They were piteous and each cry made me sob harder until I could no longer see. I felt faint, and Tsu'tey had to carry me out.

"You had not had to do anything after all." Tsu'tey whispered to me, as if those words were supposed to calm. Then a new layer of distress came upon me- guilt. It was I who had put the fruit there- I should have watched it more closely. I could've warned Ma'hi or led her away. Instead I wandered aimlessly and sent my sister to her death.

Siryanin and Toranyu were running towards us, looking very distressed. I slumped down the wall and tried to tone out Ma'hi's horrible wailing as Tsu'tey explained the current events to Siryanin and Toranyu. I had no idea how he had put it, but both Horse Clan members turned very pale. They said something to one another and turned around, not even taking one glance into the room in which Ma'hi was suffering. I was suddenly filled with hate for them and for A'mari'k, for I knew Siryanin was the one who was meant to be screaming and wailing in pain.

I hung onto Tsu'tey's arm, forbidding him to move. We stood there together, holding each other as the last trace of light escaped from the sky and Ma'hi's cries finally stopped. Against my better judgment, I stumbled into the room once more, and saw my sister. She did not look like her former youthful self at all- she looked swollen all over, but at the same time she was hollow. Tsanten pressed a sharp needle into her arm, and drew it out once more. Little blood stained the needle, meaning the blood within her had ceased to flow. My sister was dead. This sent me into another round of sobs as I wondered what my parents would think when they found out.

"Jakesully will take care of it all," he told me when I had calmed a little, "we had not had to do much after all- A'mari'k led himself to failure."

I stared despondently at nothing in particular, and he caressed my braid. "You were brave, Yishat. You have lost your sister but saved the peace of all the clans. Granted, you may never be acknowledged for it, but you have done a great thing."

"No." I whispered brokenly, "I was only on the periphery of everything; it had been Eywa all along. She used me to get back the balance that A'mari'k disturbed. Don't you understand, Tsu'tey? This is the second night. The one I have has been struck in the chest."

"Then the next night will be something to look forward to, will it not?" He kissed my forehead, and suddenly I was wondering what exactly we were doing here.

"But A'mari'k… He may be even now attacking the clan!"

"No, he is not." Tsu'tey released me finally, after what seemed like hours. He walked me to an opening in the tree, where I saw down to the base of the tree.

There was a huge gathering of Na'vi like nothing I'd ever seen. They opened up in a circle, in which stood Jakesully, many warriors I recognized as being part of A'mari'k's scheme, and A'mari'k himself. He was a piteous sight, tied up and too tired to struggle.

TBC

Are you confused? All will be explained in the next chapter- you may be surprised. Please take note that I do not research much stuff other than names and... Actually, I don't do much research at all. I still hold by my belief that each culture has their dark side, despite what they may believe in. :)

I updated within a week! This is like... Insane for me. I hope I can keep it up. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Remember: Chapters come faster with more reviews. :D

-Jasmine