Eywa, Save Us All

26

Jake was sitting on a ledge, looking over the village. Behind him was The Tree of Souls. It glowed in the night, the tiny airborne "jellyfish" bounced along. He was worried. The humans were going to attack, and there was nothing they could do. The humans' weapons were more advanced, and could kill the Na'vi people quickly. He turned to The Tree of Souls.

"What are you trying to teach us?" he whispered, trying to reach Eywa. "What is it? What do you have planned?" A small dark chuckle passed his lips. "Why us? You're people have suffered enough!" He quickly stood up, looking at the tree. "Why? Why! The humans have caused enough suffering! Why, Eywa, why?" He growled, shifting his gaze to look at his feet. They were caked in dry mud. Jake then sighed. "I'm sorry, Eywa, it's just—I'm worried." He chose a rock, and perched himself on it. "I mean, we nearly lost the first war, and . . . I just want to protect my people. Please, offer your guidance."

The wind picked up speed, and the Woodsprites danced. Jake's ears perked up, and he looked to the night sky. Neytiri knew that he would be here. If he was not at the village, or at the Hometree, he was here. It was déjà vu to her. She sighed, approaching her mate. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Jhake?" she asked, hugging him from behind. "It will be okay."

Jake sighed, pressing back into her touch. "Neytiri," he whispered. "I know. I know. I'm just a little worried."

"Eywa will protect us," Neytiri stated, looking her mate straight in the eye. "She did in the past, and She will this time."

Jake looked to his mate, kissing her nose gently. "I know She will," he breathed. "She always does." He turned to the tree, mentally apologizing to the goddess. "It feels so odd."

"I know."

"I mean, this same thing happened eight years ago, and . . . it's like déjà vu."

"I understand." She turned to the large holy tree, taking her mate's hands. "Come," Neytiri said. "Let us pray."

Jake nodded, following the female Na'vi. She sat down at the base, and connected her braid with one of the "limbs" of The Tree of Souls. Jake followed her example. "She will protect us, Jhake," she stated, placing her hand on his bare leg.

"I know. I know."

I hope.

Tu'sky drove her knife into a dead log, and then yanked it out. Ma'ki sat on the ground, a worried expression on his face. Quaritch sat on a log, polishing his gun, and just happened to glance over at the young child. He wordlessly placed his gun back on his vest, and approached the child. "Kid," he stated, tapping the top of his head. "You okay?"

Ma'ki had his head buried in his arms, and he glanced up, his cheeks and eyes wet. The little boy sniffed, drying his eyes. "Me okay," he whimpered.

Tu'sky turned to her baby brother, yanking out the knife that was lodged in the log. The Na'vi female went to her brother, bending down next to him. "What wrong?" she asked, picking up her brother. "Why you cry?"

Ma'ki nuzzled his face into his sister's shoulder. "Are you two gunna die?" he asked, pulling away to look at both of them.

Quaritch and Tu'sky exchanged glances. "W-what?" the clone asked, looking at the boy.

"I want to say your names," Ma'ki cried. "I want to say your names!"

Tu'sky sighed, holding her brother close. "Hush, Brother, hush," she whispered, rocking her little brother.

"Y-yeah, hey kid, we'll be okay," Quaritch stated, trying to stay firm and unafraid. "You'll be able to say our names."

Tu'sky reached over, touching his hip, and looked at him. She wanted to be alone with her brother. Quaritch nodded at her, turning around and walking to a lake. Tu'sky put her brother down on the grass, pulling his hands away to look at his sad face. "Brother," she said in Na'vi. "I will always be with you, even in death. If I die, and if Miles die, Neytiri and Mo'at will care for you like they have cared for us. This war will be over. I promise."

"Really? Promise?"

"Promise," Tu'sky breathed, smiling at her brother.

Ma'ki sniffed, rubbing at his eyes. "Okay, Sister," he breathed.

Tu'sky smiled, patting on her brother's shoulder. "Run off, now," she ordered gently. "Go back to the village."

He nodded, gave his sister a final hug, and retreated to the village. The female Na'vi sighed, retreating to where Quaritch was. He was sitting on a rock, cleaning the mud off his boots. He glanced up at her. The alien ferns glowed, giving him a radiating glow. The water was clear and clean looking, and all the reflections of the trees and plants rippled in the water. Glowing green plants covered the top of the water's surface, giving off a radiant glow. It made Tu'sky look like an angel to Quaritch. That was when the clone truly noticed Tu'sky's glowing dots that resided on her blue patterened skin. Her markings reminded him of a scatter plot; there was no reason with the glowing marks on her skin. Ma'ki had that patteren too with his glowing marks. Most Na'vi had their radiating dots in order, but there was those who did not.

"How's the kid?" Quaritch asked.

"He okay," she whispered, sitting down at the edge, dipping her feet into the water. "But I am scared. I just say that to make him feel better."

Quaritch moved over to the Na'vi, sitting down next to her. She looked to him. "So, you know you are clone?" she asked.

It was hard to believe that he was just a copy off that horrible man that destroyed her home; Hometree. She remembered that day well. She watched as the machines fired, and the tree falling on her mother . . . Her scream was cut short when the trunk landed on her. This Quaritch was not how Jake described the real Quaritch. She did not care if he was a copy off that man. She loved him all the same.

"Yes, now I know," he whispered, looking at the water.

Tu'sky sighed, sinking into the water below. It was cold, and she shivered. She waded in the body of water. Quaritch watched her fondly. The Na'vi female looked to him. He was supporting himself against his arms, softly smirking at her. Tu'sky went over to him, wrapping her wet arms around his shoulders timidly. Quaritch slowly moved in, rested the exposed part of his head against her forehead. She breathed in his scent. It was very musky and manly. She liked it. After seven months of tension, they were finally touching. He reached up, resting his hands on her shoulders, gently toying with a beaded braid of her hair. She let out a surprised gasp as he pulled her closer to his frame, resting her partly over himself, not really caring if he was getting wet or not. Her head was over his; she moved to his chest, her head to his collarbone.

"I want you as my mate."

Quaritch glanced over at her, not really sure what to believe. She wanted him as her mate. She smiled lightly, looking at him. "I really like you," she said. "Do you like me enough?"

He smirked, pulling her closer. "Of course," Quaritch said, looking at her. "But, don't I have to be one of the clan members to be chosen as a mate?"

Tu'sky looked at him. He was right. She sighed deeply, and then nodded slowly. "Yes, and you not Na'vi," she said in a low voice, pulling away from him and his warm touch. "It can never work."

The clone sighed, looking at her sadly. He sat up, pulling her into a hug. Her body was much bigger than him, but he made it work. Quaritch reached back, stroking her long braid. His head was against her collarbone, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her soft skin, but the breathing mask over his face prevented him from doing such a loving motion, so he settled by running his fingers up her back and shoulder blades.

"I'll make it work—we'll make it work," he stated. "Unless, you don't want me."

"I sure I want you," she said.

He softly smiled. "When was the first time you wanted me to be your mate?" he asked, watching her move to lay on her side.

She thought back, resting her head over his beating heart. "Well, you were play with Ma'ki," she said. "That when I chose. And you?"

"When you were sleeping in a tree," he stated. "That's when. You were so pretty; I just knew you were it."

The Na'vi female hovered over him, smiling calmly at him. Her hand went up to his face, where the mask covered his face. She moved down, kissing the exposed part of his head. He closed his eyes blissfully, just feeling her lips on him. Tu'sky pulled back, reaching up to her neck, unclipping a necklace. She placed the necklace on his neck, and he looked at it, touching it. It was made of Viperwolf teeth and beads.

"I want you to have it," she said.

The Woodsprites above them danced. Quaritch watched them, and Tu'sky rested her head against his shoulder. "Eywa will protect us," she breathed.