She came to get away from her memories. She didn't realize she'd be landing in such a mess. The girl who had always solved her problems by running is about to learn 'What Makes A Warrior'.
I know, I know, it's been forever and a day since I last updated. I'm sorry. Really I am. I wanted to say thanks to everyone who favorited/alerted, and a special thanks to WrittenPhoto, Ema333, rukoitalian65, Krast Bannert, Sophia Kaiba, Swirlypasta, ShySouls, GodShynin300, ptl4ever419, Dalonega Noquisi, YaoiLovinKitsune, and A Guest (Guest) for your reviews. Hopefully you like this chapter, and it makes up (at least a little) for the ridiculous wait. Love you guys! Don't hate me?
So anyways, read and review please. ^_^
What Makes A Warrior
Chapter 2: Jake Is Lucky.
====Story Start====
She could hear the infuriated yelling of one Dr. Grace Augustine over the hum of machinery, but was too muddled by the transfer to understand what was being said.
Tired hazel eyes cracked open and a small, pale hand pushed up the lid of her unit. No aid came to her, likely too focused on the pissed doctor, so none saw the pained grimace as she sat up, nor the hand that cradled a throbbing temple. Her face was gaunt.
Drawn and tired, the face no longer matched the cheerful, mischievous spirit that lived behind it. She spent too much time in her Avatar body, and cared too little for her human one. Lost were the perpetual cherub cheeks, the eternal smirk, the dancing eyes- this body was the shell to her, she only came alive again in her blue skin.
She sat up just in time to catch sight of Grace storming off. She turned to Max, who was standing next to a man in a wheelchair and another, slightly gawky man. A smirk pulled at her lips, the personality twinkled in her eyes, life fluttering back into her face, "Geeze, who pissed in her coffee? I wasn't that late, was I?"
Max gave a start, before shaking his head with an expression somewhere between a smile and a grimace. He gave a slightly sweeping gesture to her, ignoring her question and taking the attention off of the pissed off doctor. "Ah, and here is Terrafirma Holbrax, of the Holbrax Corporation. You might know her better as T. K. H."
There was a pause, "My initials. It's how I sign all my paintings." The confusion cleared up slightly, but it was made obvious by the look on their faces that neither man was familiar with her work. Not fans, then. She swallowed a laugh. "Most people just call me Terry. Which is what you'll call me- at least, you will if you expect an answer."
"Norm Spellman." Clearly a scientist, and an awkward one at that, but he had a kind smile, at least. And a great eagerness! Like a little boy- what sweetness.
"Jake Sully." This one had a firm grip- a strong character. His eyes, there was pain in them, and some bitterness. She could see the warmth, hidden by the shield of ice, but was not yet sure if it would be worth the effort of chipping away to get in.
"Ms. Holbrax is the first person on the ground surveying. Her reports decide where it is and isn't safe to send you. So be nice. She's been known to send people she doesn't like into the jaws of Viperwolves." They didn't look quite sure of how to take that statement, especially since Max said it with a smile.
Eventually, Jake grinned. "Keep on your good side. Got it."
She laughed, "Not to worry. I'm a bit easier to get on with than Grace is. Although, that's probably the last time you'll hear anything nice about me for the duration of your stay. Better hold tight to it." And she gave a playful wink.
She'd never actually sent anyone into a pit of Viperwolves, but it wasn't unheard of for someone who pissed her off to find themselves unexpectedly in a stink flower field. No amount of scrubbing could remove that smell, you just had to wait until it wore off. A minimum of six days.
If you were lucky.
"At least, that's what it says on the paper. I do a lot of solo excursions, collecting samples for Grace, but mostly I create a visual catalog of all the flora and fauna I come across. Paintings. You've probably seen my work without realizing it. It makes for good publicity, and my work sells well in higher social circles, the RDA makes full use of it."
A light of understanding flared in Jake's eyes, the kindness wavered. "You said Holbrax."
Terry smiled, there was no joy in it. "I said Holbrax." The kindness died, the warmth was closed to her. She was not surprised. The elites were often hated by folk of less fortunate socioeconomic standing, and with good reason. His legs- she could almost follow his thought process with her finger. There would be no making friends with Jake, not unless he decided it would be so. "Well, I'm sure you have some settling in to do." She clapped, as if to end the conversation altogether, "I have a field report to write, and an asshole to speak with, so if you'll excuse me. I'll see you boys tomorrow." She tossed a wave over her shoulder and walked brusquely from the room.
She hated meeting new people.
Terry was up bright and early, heading through the brush towards Grace's planned drop site. She had much ground to cover if she wanted to hitch a ride back to base when they departed for the evening. She moved swiftly and silently through the forest, no painting supplies to weigh her down this time.
Terry's Avatar was small by Na'vi standards, that part of her DNA carried through, and soft, despite its strength. It was a quirk of genetics, the women in her family were always soft. Well, that wasn't completely true- they could get rid of the softness, but they could never be slim. With enough obsessive exercise the softness went away, but it was completely replaced by thick muscle- there was no middle ground. So most of the women in her family were soft, with lean, strong muscle hidden beneath that softness. Even with the Avatar body, she was such a woman.
But she was also small, compact, and so she slid fluidly between leaves and trees, her silent steps bested only by the Na'vi themselves. It was hard, after all, to paint a picture of something if she scared it away with noise.
She stayed low to the ground though, she did not have the fearless body-knowledge of the Na'vi. She did not know how to move as a part of the forest, only how to move without disturbing it.
It was well after noon when her neck piece buzzed, demanding her attention- she was still a mile or two out from where Grace had landed with the newbies, something she was glad of when she was assaulted by the sound of a frantic Grace Augustine. "Take a deep breath, Grace. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Again. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Now, calmly tell me what happened."
The word Thanator had her on high alert, ears up, body crouched low. She moved slowly, cautiously, carefully climbing higher than she was normally comfortable with. Better to chance possibly slipping, than to have a Thanator above her unsuspecting head. Once at a suitably safe height, she returned again to the conversation. Her voice was little more than a whisper, and her eyes and ears were on constant alert. "So you haven't found him yet?" A distressed negative, but he was still alive- or something had gone wrong- he was still in the link. "There's no way he's surviving the night by himself, I have to find him. Can you tell if the Thanator is still in the area?"
She sat there for some time, watching the light fade from the sky, until she was sure the Thanator had moved on in search of prey.
She hoped it'd moved on.
Terry was moving again, a little less quietly, as she was more accustomed to the ground. She acknowledged when Tru told her they were pulling out, and then she heard no more, hooking the earpiece on her shirt. She watched as the light finally fled from the sky, and could not help but stop to watch the bioluminescent glow of life awaken. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd seen it, but it still filled her with awe.
She finally came down off the trees when she reached the school, moving carefully across the ground. It would be harder to track Jake at night, but she could not wait- he would be dead by sunup. She had spent nights in the forest before, but this was Jake's first time out and there was no way he'd survive on his own.
This thought in mind, she moved with haste. She was filled with fear and respect as she saw the marks from the Thanator's claws, knowing one solid blow from them would probably end her life.
A frown curled her lips when she arrived at the waterfall, but luck was on her side, Jake had not gone far before exiting the water. His trail could have been hopelessly lost, otherwise. Terry carefully followed his frantic trail, shaking her head at the broken leaves and the torn up grass. This was not the path of someone who'd been quiet.
When she came upon the first dead Viperwolf she was alarmed, the alarm grew as she found the rest, and the signs of fire did not ease her.
Confusion and discomfort grew as she followed his path up into the trees, though- at least it meant he was not yet dead. Finally. Finally! She could hear him ahead, so loud, he was talking. Who was he talking to? Caution grew, she moved forward with care.
A single Na'vi hunter- she did not seem too concerned that Jake was following her, though she did not respond to his questions.
Terry decided to risk it, one hand clamped carefully on the handle of her knife, not even she went unarmed, though she did not yet draw the blade. "Jake?" The sound had barely passed her lips before an arrow was pointed at her heart- her hand tightened, but she made no threatening moves. "No harm. Warrior. I search for lost." Her speech was broken, she did not know the language of the Na'vi well, though it was enough to get her message across.
"Terry? What the hell are you doing here?" Jake took only a half step towards her, surprise clear on his face.
Her eyes did not leave the woman's, her tone strained, but amused, "Looking for you, Idiot. Grace told me what happened- asked me to find you. You, Dumbass, get to be the one to explain to Quaritch why I wasn't on that bird.
"Also, just curious, did you read any of the info on this moon before touching down? At all? Because I've never seen such a sloppy, obvious trail in my life. Did I mention you're an idiot? The unluckiest idiot I've ever seen in my life. Or maybe the luckiest- you're still alive, after all." She would almost say there was a glint of faint amusement in the woman's eyes whenever she insulted Jake, but it was hard to tell.
Slowly, the arrow was pointed down, the tension releasing. "This one knows the forest. You go with her now. She will take you back." The broken English was honestly better than Terry's own Na'vi, but again, the message was clear.
Still tight with caution, Terry released her blade and walked closer to them both, keeping her senses trained mostly on the woman- she glanced over Jake, wincing at some of his cuts. It was clear that for some reason this woman had saved his life. "Let's go, Jake, it will take some traveling before we reach somewhere safe for the... night..."
The words died in her throat as the hunter's eyes flew wide. Small, glowing shapes floated towards them, their movements reminding Terry of clips she'd seen of jellyfish. Many alighted on Jake, until most of his upper torso was covered in them, his arms held out to the sides. A few settled on her, too, though not nearly as many. She'd seen these before- never so many, but still. "What these? I always wonder when I see. Always forget ask Grace." Her attention was not on the woman, for once, so she did not see the surprise at her question.
There was an ache in Terry's heart as the woodsprites floated away- her heart always seemed to ache at their departure.
"Atokirina'. Seeds of the Great Tree. Very pure spirits." The hunter's voice was soft with wonder. Suddenly, her eyes flashed with determination, "You come with me. Now." She met eyes with the dreamwalker female, "both of you."
Terry was surprised, but she felt it would be a bad idea to refuse, so she followed. And snickered a little at Jake's clumsiness. She saved him from falling to his death more than once.
The only warning she got was Jake going down, and then something crashed harshly into her own legs, knocking them out from under her and binding them together. She went down hard and awkward. Her shoulder screaming in pain when she finally came to rest on the ground.
She was slower to her feet, the pain cutting her breath short, so the riders were already on them when her gaze lifted. She locked eyes on the man before her, fury blazing, a hiss pulling her lips back even as the hunter woman was calling for calm.
His eyes were proud and cold, his gaze disdainful. Her fury blazed higher- this time, he met her hiss with one of his own.