Back at home tree, Mo'at and the other light-touched fell into a trance wrapped around Sebastian's power through Mo'at. :Now, you all know your element and potential, so I'm going to skip that. Let me know if Jake has explained anything I say. I am going to go fast.

"Why?" Valeana asked.

Sebastian paused and explained: Valeana, I believe Jake's afraid this Dark Master or Masters are going to move forward with whatever plan they have but faster than they planned. The dark Master now knows there is a Water Master among your clan now, though not who. She has proven she wants her rivals dead. All of us need learn quickly. At least until she is stopped, we don't have the freedom to take the time we should.

Valeana shuddered remembering her own close call.

"Continue then," Mo'at said.

:Very well then, now the four elements: earth and air are opposites as are water and fire. Each set of opposites are potential allies or enemies to the other set. For example, air feeds fire as water nourishes earth; or, earth drowns fire. Every living creature has the light of all four elements. Most people have the light of these elements in equal amounts. These people will not become as you say light-touched, although I have noticed all your people can see spirits if the spirits are not hiding which is not true with the sky people. Moving on, when the light becomes unbalanced, those people become light-touched.

"I don't understand, isn't unbalance a bad thing?" Viton asked.

The girls laughed and then they felt more than saw Viton pull away from the group. "Not in this Viton," Neytiri said quickly. "Jake explained it to me as water in a cupped leave. Hold the leaf straight and the water is even. Tilt the leaf in a direction and the water will be greater there and less every where else. It is true with light. Your light fills your fire more than the other elements."

"Oh," he said getting it.

:Neytiri, that was a perfect explanation. Jake has mentioned to you that a person can only master one element, but not why. The answer is simple that the elemental spirits are not exactly willing to share a wielder between elements. Protective is the kindest word I can use.

Mo'at cleared her throat, "Much like naughty children it seems."

Sebastian laughed, :You got that right. The other thing I should mention is that what Jake and I are teaching you are the lessons of our world. There is a chance… a good one, that some things are incorrect for your world.

"What could happen?" Releana asked nervously.

:Not sure, but don't worry. Jake and I are going to take every safe step we can. Don't be concerned; we know how to face the unknown. We'll lead in the light, and you will be able to follow. Now the most basic magick lesson: drawing the light into your bodies. It is like you are a tree and the light are your roots …

After the lesson, as the young ones practiced under Sebastian and her mother's eyes, Neytiri went to find out what was going on with Jake's pact. She did trust Tsu'tey, but he had made his feelings clear about Jake. As she tracked them through the jungle, she wondered just what help Jake would be able to summon. The water horses had been a fortunate accident. This time would be different. The tracks led to a pool just as Jake had asked for, but no one was insight. There was a strange chuck of white something floating in the pool.

Neytiri jumped at a short, sharp whistle. She looked up to see Tsu'tey and Jake standing on a branch nearby. Tsu'tey motioned to her, glaring at Jake. She quickly climbed up and settled between them. Jake smiled at her; he seemed so tired. She frowned knowing he had been working with the light for an extended time draining his strength. She chose not to point that out, instead she asked, "What was that noise?"

"I can actually whistle louder and higher," Jake explained. Neytiri jumped back into Tsu'tey. She stared at Jake. Jake winced and asked Tsu'tey, "I'm talking in the wrong language again, right?"

Tsu'tey rolled his eyes, "Skxawng."

"How?" Neytiri demanded.

Jake concentrated and slowly said, "I think it's an apology from a spirit that tried to kill me after I earned the pact."

"What?"

"Let's just say there was a misunderstanding. It's fine now. Anyway, Tsu'tey has been helping me with the bow while we are waiting."

"If you have the pact why are you still here. It's getting late," she said pointing out that the sun is going down. "And you need to rest. There are more lessons to exchange."

Jake shook his head, "It can't be helped. If I am not here when they arrive, they will be insulted. They could and probably would leave and I would not be able to get them to come back. Worse, all water spirits would know I broke my word. They never forget and forgiveness is difficult. I don't have time to make major mistakes and correct them. But the good news is with the pact I can do this." His face blurred a moment and became the face of the warrior that water horses turned him into. "Now we can present this warrior to Grace or anyone else we need to."

"Very well, who is coming? You haven't said," Tsu'tey said.

"I know them as the Selkie. They are powerful water spirits. In the water, they appear to be… how to describe seals… water animals, predators. You'll see when they get here. Now on land, they shed their skins and should become Na'vi."

Tsu'tey and Neytiri looked at each other. "The shape-shifters are spirits?" he asked softly.

"Remember my knowledge is limited my background, so let's stick to the Selkie for now. The most important thing is for everyone to respect their skins."

"Skins?"

"Yes, no one should try on the skins or they will be trapped as a seal for the rest of their lives, trapping the Selkie on land too. The other thing is not to steal the skins, and hide or burn them. Not only is it breaking their trust, but it has been known to cause bad luck even misery."

"Why would somebody do that?"

"Normally, to force them to become the thief's mate. However, if their love is earned good fortune follows." The Na'vi looked a little confused. "Don't worry, they seem very good natured and eager to help us. What did you and others go over with Sebastian?"

"The relationships of the elements and drawing the light. They are still reviewing the lesson."

"Good the first lesson, how are you doing with it?" Jake asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you tried? Can you raise the light in yourself? That skill is the foundation of most abilities we used in the light. Well, for witches there is also the whole spell technique, but that's a later lesson."

"Well no, there hasn't been a chance to."

"You need to, that dark rider I faced the first night was throwing fear spells at me even though he wasn't actively casting those spells. I had to raise protections to meet those spells and fight back. As a witch, you can raise protections around yourself once you can raise the light of air."

"I haven't practiced," she insisted.

"Why not now?" Jake said. He took her through each of the steps, bringing the threads of light to her and letting them go, again and again. Neytiri learned first hand that working the light took just as much mental and physical strength as any skill she had learn as a warrior. Once Neytiri wanted to ask Jake to stop but Jake must have sensed her thoughts as he cut her off, "This must become a reflex. Like this." Jake threw a punch at her face. Neytiri blocked it but before either she or Tsu'tey could say anything Jake said, "Moving without thinking. It's important for warriors and light-touched." Jake withdrew his fist and leaned against the tree trunk. He rubbed his knuckles into his forehead betraying his tired state. He slowly blinked his eyes and the moment his eyes were closed Neytiri cried out and shielded her eyes. Tsu'tey stared wondering what was going on this time. Neytiri slowly brought her arms down as Jake opened his eyes.

"What was that?" she demanded wiping her eyes.

"My light without shields or protections. My full power unhidden. I was drilled in defenses for a moon cycle straight and continue to practice. That moon cycle I did nothing else with the light till I could build, layer, and tuck protections under one another as you blocked that blow. You need to learn the lesson we are working on till your body never forgets the path, so your mind doesn't have to think about." Neytiri nodded and tried again.

Tsu'tey remained quiet and watchful throughout the lesson understanding its importance. As the moon rose, the air changed and seemed odd, heavier. He looked around trying to find the source of this feeling. Jake told him, his sensitive nature had always sent him signals, if he looked within he could really sense them. He readied his bow as he whispered, "Jake Sully, something's out there, but I can't…"

Jake signaled for Neytiri to be quiet. "Take your time. What told you this?"

"The air?"

"Use all your senses, one at a time if you need to. Is it something bad in anyway?"

Tsu'tey looked around slowly, "No, just different." He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He blinked surprised, "Coming…"

"What's coming?" Neytiri asked. "What's going on?"

"Shush," Jake whispered. "Don't break his concentration." He turned back to Tsu'tey and continued to encourage him. "What do you smell?"

"Water, but like the waters of the Ikran clan and its colder, but I heard laughter, I think, did you?"

"No, but that's normal," Jake smiled, "Selkie, Tsu'tey. You sense them. You are connecting your senses to your light. With practice, these feelings will be understood more quickly."

"Light? You are light-touched?" Neytiri asked him.

Tsu'tey shook his head and glared at her for interrupting him. "I am a sensitive. Jake Sully has been explaining this to me." He turned around suddenly toward the stream and pointed his arrow at ripples in the distance. "There."

"It's them." Jake nodded seeing the green light of water magick moving through the stream. He climbed out of the tree. The others followed. Jake turned to Neytiri and asked, "How's that greeting go? I see you," trying the motion.

"No, like this," she said and repeated it properly. Jake made two more attempts as Tsu'tey watched the ripples glide closer.

The ripples revealed dark, gray shapes below the surface. As they arrowed into the pool, their flippers stroked hard throwing them out of the water near the three. There were four. The front seal raised a flipper toward their head. It fell back like a hood on a coat and a female Na'vi shook out her hair before shrugging off the rest of the sealskin like a gray coat letting it fall to the ground. Standing up she looked at her hands – the webbing between her fingers went up to her first knuckle, before stretching and looking around the jungle. The other three, two males and another female, shed their skins and took in their surroundings, in their own fashion.

When they finally seemed to have enough sights for the moment they turned to Jake and the Na'vi. They greeted the Selkie and the first female returned it and said, "You looked different water brother."

"It's for the dark one to see," Jake explained. She nodded and Jake noticed her braid. "You have two braids?"

"Of course," she said pulling one over each shoulder. "All who dwell in this world have two but them… and you." She pointed at Neytiri and Tsu'tey.

"We need to hide that or they will know," Neytiri insisted. "Grace too." Jake pulled off his kit with a nod.

"And what do you plan to do?" one of the male asked trying not to laugh at their concern.

Jake pulled out a small spool of thick string. "Something simple. Those are usually the best plans. My name is Jake Sully. These are my friends, Neytiri and Tsu'tey."

The Selkie nodded politely. Tsu'tey said, "It is normally polite when some one gives their name…" The Selkie frowned as though insulted.

Jake jumped and before Tsu'tey could continue. "Tsu'tey!" Jake hissed and turned to the Selkie, "I am so sorry, I didn't tell them that spirits never give out their names." He looked at Tsu'tey, "Sorry again, knowing some one's true name, mortal or spirit, is to have control over them. But don't worry." Seeing their alarm. "The names you are know by were given to you by your parents, it's not the name Eywa knows you by. That's your true name."

"This is so confusing," Neytiri said rubbing her temples.

Jake and the Selkie grinned as though they were sharing a private joke. Jake told them, "Air witch. Be glad you're not a Master, Neytiri. Everything has multiple meanings to us, and every witch I have met liked each item to have only one meaning."

The lead Selkie laughed, "My father has said the same thing about both Air children and witches."

"Do you have names we may call you by?" Tsu'tey asked carefully.

"No, the last time our people were summoned by a mortal was before our time," one male said.

Jake stepped behind the lead female and said, "Let's try this and pick out some names. Neytiri, Tsu'tey, toss out some names."

As Jake pulled the braids together and wrapped the string around the length of the braids but not too tight, the Na'vi began rattling off names. The Selkie didn't seem to like any of them. "Those sound so normal," the other female explained.

"How's that feel?" Jake asked tying off the string.

The female turned her head about and nodded. "It will do. Do you know any interesting names?"

Jake shrugged and started on the other Selkie's braids. "Only ones from my home. Maybe we can find something in between. Just don't ask where the names come from. Girl names… How about Ariel, Jay-lyn, Leila?"

"Ariel," the lead female said.

"And the Na'vi version would be?" Jake asked.

"Ariellou," Tsu'tey said.

"I like that," she said.

"What about Jay-lyn?" the other asked.

Tsu'tey shrugged, "I don't know."

"Jay-jou," Neytiri said. "It's a flower."

Jake smiled as the Selkie looked unsure. "I know a lot of women named for flowers and birds." She smiled and nodded. "All right, now the men. Names… Tom, Nathan, Terry, Jason, Fox…?"

"Fox?" One asked with a laugh finding the sound of the word funny. The other Selkies grinned.

Jake said softly, "Fox is my father's name. All those names are men from my clan."

The Selkie looked at each other. "Fox sounds interesting," the same male said quickly.

"I like Jason," the other said.

"Shin'fox and Torson are the closest I can think of," Tsu'tey said.

"I think it's time to return to home tree," Neytiri said. The Selkie picked up their skins, rolled them up and borrowed more of Jake's string to carry them on their backs.

"It is such a relief that you are here," Jake said throwing his kit over his shoulder and falling in beside Areillou. "I am amazed you got here so fast, even though I know I shouldn't be."

She smiled, "From what you told us, I thought it best to get here quickly." As the other warriors joined them, she leaned closer to Jake and whispered, "There are plenty of unmated warriors to choose from, as promised?" Jay-jou smiled at the warriors and batted her eyes at them.

"Plenty," he breathed looking at Neytiri and glancing at Tsu'tey. "Except them. How many years are in your cycle."

"Eight, it is good you understand," she whispered and then continued so the others could hear but still soft for the jungle. "Has anything else happened that you haven't told us?"

"When I returned the dark one tried to kill me with a construct," he said.

"What?" Neytiri snapped. "You said she couldn't be direct within the circles."

Tsu'tey corrected her, "She wasn't there. It was an odd creature made of mud."

"But if you and the warriors had not been there, it would have seemed to have been a terrible accident," Jake said. "And no one would be the wiser."

Tsu'tey frowned and stated, "Cheating." Jake nodded.

Areillou frowned, "My father warned me. Dark ones will thin out those who are threats quietly till they know they will win before attacking openly. We must hunt them before any light-touched are lost."

Neytiri's expression turned inward as Jake said, "It won't be made easier by the light. My Air spirit ally, Sebastian has been looking, but much of the land is soaked with light energy to the point dark energy is able to hide within the light. He is blind unless he searches away from his mirror, which is difficult."

"That is possible?" Tsu'tey asked. Jake sighed with a nod. "Our best hunters will join the search."

"Jake," Neytiri said quietly, "Are strange accidents normal for dark ones?"

"Yes, they don't fight fair, so I don't right back. There is sometimes a trail left behind on the victim's body for the light to find… Who? What happened?" he asked realizing something was wrong.

"My sister…"

"Neytiri," Tsu'tey snapped cutting her off.

She turned to him and practically snarled, "What if? What if it was murder? Sylwanin died alone, slashed all over and not eaten. Even you said it was strange."

"We can check, but first let's gets ourselves safely back to home tree and discuss some plans," Jake suggested. The Na'vi and Selkie agreed.