XXXI: Through the Fire and Flames (XX)
Kerusey answered instantly; he laughed. A bellowing thunder like a herd of sturmbeast. The crowd around Yawne in his defiant pose, hissed and writhed, stepping further back now that their sense came to them strengthened by blood lust. Kerusey continued to laugh, mockingly, a bass laugh that soon turned glorious; laughing in triumph. As if the story of their battle had already been told to him, as a joke. Yawne remained silent. "You, you little Na'vi?" Kerusey said finally, lowering his massive arms to his sides and standing at his full height. He was easily two feet and possibly one ton beyond Yawne; his arms were not just thicker, they bulged unnaturally, rippled like a melon left in the sun. His chest alone was broader than Yawne in the shoulder. He was not just strong, he was, monstrous. Kerusey allowed the difference in size to rest in the wake between them. "I pity you little silver hair, for you are most unlucky this day." Kerusey hissed, drawing up his arms to unfold grandly. Crouching in a battle stance like a greek wrestler. Yet Yawne remained in his silent pose, simply staring.
Kerusey grinned, fang's flashing and tail lashing, his body ached for the crushing embrace he had been denied earlier. His fingers still recalled the swift death at the merest pressure of his great hand. He had only to get, one, good, grip. And it was over. Yawne unfolded his hand, and flexed all of his fingers twice, beckoning. Kerusey bellowed a battle cry like a bull titanothere and charged, Yawne made to roll to the side, but Kerusey saw this liquid yet slow maneuver and caught him with his uplifted knee- as if Yawne had dived into it. Yawne's body slanted to the side from the force, hitting hard, as he scrabbled to his feet and Kerusey laughed. "Oooosah!" Kerusey mocked, eyes wide. Again he turned and approached Yawne, slowly this time. Yawne held his side, trying to steady his breathing. Kerusey approached slowly, like a grinning sumo wrestler, and Yawne sprung upwards into a drop kick! Kerusey took the blow upon his chest and only budged backwards as Yawne again hit the ground.
Swiftly Yawne did a break dancers spin to regain his footing, Kerusey smiled and brushed the dust from Yawne's foot off his chest. Yawne crouched low this time, rubbing his ankle furiously, yet Kerusey did not relent. With another mocking shout Kerusey pounced, allowing Yawne to duck under his arm and upholding his hands to laugh to the crowd, clearly showing he was in control. Kerusey didn't expect the uppercut as he turned around. Kerusey's chin lifted from the force, but that was all. Slowly he brought his head back down, hands hanging limply. Yawne stood apart from him, holding his fist and working his fingers. Kerusey slowly tilted his head from one side to the other, eliciting a rumbling crack. Yawne hisses through his teeth, sucking in aid as he flexed his fingers. Kerusey blasted him with another booming laugh, which the crowd echoed. With a sudden burst of speed Kerusey side stepped forward, Yawne reacted like a cobra, lashing out with a furious side jab to Kerusey's throat, it did not even slow him. Kerusey rolled with the blow returning it with a flick of his wrist, "Hooosah ha ha!" Yawne rocked backward, then used his momentum to bring his heel around in a sobat directly landing in Kerusey's crotch. The crowd and Kerusey froze.
Kerusey's hands latched onto Yawne's ankle. "Realize who is playing with who, little silver hair." Kerusey growled, without weakness. With a sudden and impossible lunge Kerusey dove like a wrecking ball, catching Yawne in the stomach and slamming him into the crowd like a cannon ball. The crowd folded where he landed, yet were quick to reproduce him like churning white water rapids, they slung his curled body onto the ground, tight like a ball. Kerusey only glared. Slowly Yawne uncurled, gasping for air then lost the contents of his stomach. He doubled over retching, entire body shaking violently. Kerusey did not relent. Like a bolt of lightening he was again flowing forward, landing a bone cracking kick to Yawne's forehead with his shin. Yawne's body flipped completely from the force, and came to lay still like a discarded rag doll. His entire body jerked once, then again curled into a tight ball reflexively. Kerusey remained in the previous kicking stance, now sneering with disgust.
Yawne kicked his legs, digging his head into his hands, gasping pained cries until his body flipped over. Yawne moaned into his folded arms unconsciously, his breath ragged and wet like a mouse thrown into a raging river. Kerusey did not pity him. It was only fair on Pandora, some life was bigger and stronger than others; did the titanothere pity the viperwolf? Did the leonopteryx consider the hellfire wasp? These were the lots of their life, and if they met a greater force… they could only flee, or perish. This was the Law the Nekxtskxe knew. The strongest survived, and Kerusey had been trained from birth to be the biggest and the strongest. He knew nothing of the joys most children experienced; his life was always harsh survival of the fittest. Why then should compassion and understanding rest upon his kingly brow, when cruelty and selfishness unchecked ruled there? Slowly Kerusey approached him, "You are strong, Silver Hair, that I shall grant you. An Omaticaya would have snapped in half, and his skull split from my blows… but you have no honor. Like any weaker prey you strike at the most vulnerable when all else fails you, cornered animals become the most vicious, but predator can be just as ruthless as prey, so I believe then…" Kerusey slowly dipped, hands engulfing Yawne's head, thumbs coming to rest dead center. "…your next target would be, the eyes." Kerusey pressed, a terrible scream filled the cave.
…
Peyral watched Yawne run from her, a bundle of energy she had grown use to, but that which she had not seen in any other Na'vi. The Na'vi sci'untist beside her gawked, uncertain of what he spoke. Peyral turned to her. "Jake sully wishes to tell the Omaticaya to scatter, never staying in one group large enough for the Sky people to attack. If we must, we need to stall the smith. Hopefully my love will catch them before disaster strikes."
But the Na'vi woman, named Imari, turned her head. "Do you mean the Samp'soon that flew from here? It left an hour a go, but we should still be able to reach them on a comm." she said helpfully.
Peyral frowned, "My love does not think before he acts." She sighed, "I will go to norm and warm them on the comm., they can tell Yawne to return, will you go to the Omaticaya and relate this message?" Imari nodded. Peyral thanked her then swiftly went back down the hallway Yawne had sprinted from.
"Norm?" she called.
"Payroll?" Norm smiled, his "cute" nick name for her.
"Norm, My love has gone to warn Jake of the P'all's body, we think it may act as the bond and give the scent to want to be touched." she explained as well as she could.
Norm's face dropped, "What? Wait, really? Actually, hey, yeah that does kind of make sense. I mean, the chemical aspect itself would have to- but really full body pheromones of that scale? Like hypnotic BO, geeze that's just way out there, but kinda plausible now that I think about it, but then again if… wait… Oooh, that's bad… that's really bad."
"Yes," Peyral said patiently, "Please comm' Jake, they can leave the P'all with Yawne and return without trouble."
Norm shook his head, "Oh no we can't do that." he said dully, "Jake has us on radio silence incase the order guys are listening, we can't let them know what we're planning or else they might blast Jake out of the sky."
Peryal wilted her brow, "Then, my love will not catch them in time and most likely will be flying into disaster." she gripped her blue fists, "I must follow."
Norm frowned, "The Sampson has an hour head start on you. Even if you left now, the distance alone will take you at least four hours or more to reach the Burning Rock lands in time as the crow flies, er Ikran flies. It'll be night by then. Just remember you guys will literally have only until sunrise before the axe comes down!" Peyral nodded determined and left without word. With purpose she strode down the long yet low hallways of all that remained of Hell's gate. Worry fueled her steps and she was soon trotting out through the open hatchway. She called with a few pops of her throat and Ean'taw came slowly drifting down to her, Peyral patted him on the chin frill, and quickly climbed on top. Ean'taw flapped hard with a hoarse cry, he could feel her agitation through the bond; fly blue sky, fly as you have never flown before. Ean'taw roared and powered upward, wings eating up distance as they shot out into the slowly fading light of afternoon.
Norm had been right. The distance was great indeed, though Hell's gate was closer to the Nekxtskxe lands than the new Omaticaya hometree. Peyral's apprehension grew unbearable as, despite the swiftness of Ean'taw's wings, night fell before them. Peyral could almost see the ghostly image of Yawne and Lawtaw flying before her, always out of reach, uncatchable. Her thoughts turned as dark as the sky in which they flew, she knew the Nekxtskxe first hand, and how Yawne fared against two of them. She did not wish to think what would happen if he was forced to fight the whole of the burning rock clan. Nor did she wish to imagine the possibility of loosing him again. It was, uncanny how much their band struggled against the dangers which threatened all of Pandora. Had it been so long since she was but a simple hunter, blissfully ignorant of the sky people and troubled only by her hunt for better skill with her bow? What had Eywa planned for her those long days past as she cheerfully flew her toy Ikran on the winds, watching the streams of ribbons flow from it's wings wh-Ean'taw screeched a warning as the light appeared, ripping her from her memories.
Peyral was slightly disoriented, the burning mountain before her had all but swallowed the light from the Sampson as they neared. They were close, too close, she could hear the glass rattle as they rolled to avoid it. The sound of it's engines roared in Peyral's ears, and she quickly pulled forward to level Ean'taw out. The Sampson continued on into the distance, was Yawne on board it? Peyral looked back to the burning mountain, or was he still ins- a sudden flurry of wings and claws happily slapped her in the face. "Quar?" Peyral gasped struggling with the licking and nudging chick.
"Peep!" he replied.
"SCCCWWWAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Lawtaw familiar cry announced as the massive Cave Ikran flew up to meet them. Peyral, and Ean'taw, struggled to keep in place as the affectionate beasts circled them and tried to snuggle them in midair.
"Quar, Lawtaw, where is Yawne?" she asked, though why she bothered she did not know. For one, it was certain now that Yawne was not on the Sampson, and two, they couldn't answer her anyway. Only Yawne seemed able to somehow understand the meaning behind their screeching antics. Yet still, Quar 'peeped' again, and then made to fly off. Lawtaw too dove gently, then stopped and hovered. Peyral narrowed her eyes, nudging Ean'taw forward. As they approached, Quar and Lawtaw again stiffened their wings and dove closer to the mountains, clearly wanted her to follow. Not bothering to question it, Peyral urged Ean'taw on and they followed the pair directly into the heart of the Burning Mountain. Deep they spiraled until coming to a natural curve. It was here Lawtaw and Quar landed and immediately began to tussle with something, hissing violently. Peyral and Ean'taw landed, and were greeted by a wall of agitated Cave Ikran's. Peyral's eyes nearly popped from her skull. But. She was raised among the Ikran People of the Eastern Sea. Peyral placed two fingers to her throat, and sang.
The warble of her voice was hundred fold more powerful and higher pitched than Yawne's whistle, the Cave Ikran not only stopped attacking but instantly shot out past her. Impossibly, within seconds the cave was emptied. The entire flight of Cave Ikran taking to the sky in a collective wail of anger and pain, the flap of their wings as the flock emptied sounded unto a rainstorm bending the trees, and the Burning Mountain spewed forth a flight of demons as from the mouth of hell. Peyral ceased, removing her elbows from Ean'taw's ears. Lawtaw and Qaur were practically flattened by the rush, and had a few scratches from being thrown on their backs besides. Ean'taw quickly closed the distance, nudging Lawtaw worryingly. Peyral broke the bond, scooping up Quar who was dazed and squished, but otherwise unhurt from being trampled upon. His wing looked slightly bent, but Peyral could tell it was only a sprain. Lawtaw looked far worse, with a bite on her shoulder, but it wasn't deep. Peyral hugged her close, "Take care of her Ean'taw, I must find Yawne, Quar, can you show me?" Any feelings of silliness at asking a direct question to an Ikran fell away as the worry for Yawne returned.
Quar himself only peeped and then wiggled from her arms and began crawling quickly across the cave floor; his head snaking this way and that, only stopping to turn and look at Peyral expectantly. Peyral followed without question. Quar led her down, always downward, ducking his head from time to time with large eyes flicking this way and that. Peyral knew he was use to hunting with Yawne, often tracking the prey Yawne had downed with an arrow and bringing it to him. She did not know where Yawne had learned this skill, or how he found the time to teach it, but none the less it was just as effectively used to find him. She hoped. Deeper and deeper they went, Peyral did not bother to sneak; she knew if the Sampson was leaving they must have acquired what they needed, and since no Nekxtskxe had not come to take flight on their Ikran, they must have needed to give chase. Either Jake and the others had somehow successfully bartered with them, or sneaked in and stolen the burning stones. That meant Yawne himself was either still bartering with them, or providing a distraction to cover their escape.
Or perhaps he was lost in the winding cave system. Peyral hated guessing, it only made her apprehension grow, and thus her pace quicken. Quar would warn her if trouble approached, his senses were far keener than her own so she did not spare speed for stealth. Nor did she marvel at the glowing moss which surrounded her like a winding cone of fire, Yawne's safety was he only priority and her love for him consumed all else. Quar led her inexorably down, down deep into the caves where her fears became stronger and stronger. Soon she was again trotting, and scooped up Quar upon her shoulder, stopping only to let his head drift from cave mouth to cave mouth before pointing toward a certain direction. An urgency filled her, a dread she could not name. She became more and more certain Yawne was in terrible danger. Quar mirrored her haste, leaning forward and weaving his head like a compass pointing the way. Peyrals breath came hurriedly as she all but ran, tail waving through the flaming caves without care for her own safety.
Suddenly a sharp incline greeted her, she leapt without hesitation. Landing in a crouch she took in her surroundings. Quar turned his head from side to side, slightly confused. There had been a massive struggle here, hundreds of markings, more sign than could be made clear at a glance, yet all her exceptional hunters training told her something was captured here. Quickly Peyral circled the cavern, Quar swiveling his head as she did so, then sharply he pointed into a single direction- Peyral followed without question. A twisting winding path directed her upwards, then along a level and smooth way until finally a strong bend in the cave halted her. It was here she heard them; hundreds, perhaps thousands of Na'vi. They were just up ahead, and all of them grinding and shouting in apparent blood lust. She had never heard such blood mongering, and her heart quickened dramatically. Quar was pointing straight for them, unafraid of the clamor, which could only mean Yaw- a terrible screamed filled the cave. Peyral ran without thought.
Her heart thundered in her chest as she pushed past the white bodies who reacted in confusion, they milled about but did not try to stop her; she didn't care, she pressed and shoved to get to the center of the ring they formed- for she knew, somehow, she just knew. Yawne was there, on the ground, his back to her. Her ears rang with a dead silence, her heart skipping a beat. Quickly she ran to him, and turned him to her. "My love!" she gasped. His eyes, what had they done to his eyes? They were, fully dilated, his mouth foaming. Peyral seized his hands as he tried to pull away from her; there on his fingers, a smear of white. P'all's powder, still wet upon his fingertips, but why? Peyral lifted her head, there across the room a giant was shivering and shaking his head, screaming terribly and clawing at his mouth. She could see his tongue smeared white. Peyral looked back to Yawne, his dilated eyes, fully black looked at her and a thousand miles past her as his lips slowly curled up into an insane grin, and he giggled in absolute hysterical terror.