As they began walking, Jake realized evening had begun to turn into night. The bioluminescence that Jake had rarely gotten to see lit their path.
He wanted to talk to Tsu'tey, he had hundreds of questions he wanted to ask, but he seemed deep in thought so he settled for taking in his surroundings.
They hadn't been walking long before they heard a small thump just slightly above them.
"Are they gone?" Tsu'tey asked before he even bothered to look up.
"Yes, the sky people have left in their machines" Jake looked up to see a Na'vi woman he knew all too well. "Is it safe to join you both or are you still getting acquainted?" She sent them a sly grin "I would not want to intrude."
"Neytiri." Tsu'tey growled at her, and Jake could've sworn he saw embarrassment on the other's face before he turned and continued walking, "come along if you must."
Neytiri laughed before jumping down beside Jake, "I am Neytiri, but I am sure you knew that."
"Yeah, nice to meet you," Jake smiled at her, he knew Neytiri well, he had watched her grow up beside Tsu'tey, he had watched as it had been announced that they were to be the next olo'eyktan and tsahik. Jake tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that always went through him at the thought of Neytiri and Tsu'tey's marital arrangement, which was ten fold now that he was standing there beside them. He knew Tsu'tey held no romantic feelings for her, but he also knew that Tsu'tey was loyal to his clan above all things and would do what was best for them.
"It is nice to finally meet you," she gave him a good natured smile that slipped back into her coy look from before, "maybe now Tsu'tey will shut up about you for more than a few minutes."
Jake saw Tsu'tey's shoulders stiffen, his pace halting just for a second before he started off again, perhaps slightly faster than before. He tried, unsuccessfully, to keep a deep blush from erupting across his cheeks.
"How about we spend the rest of this journey in silence." Tsu'tey sent a warning look over his shoulder.
Neytiri answered with an innocent smile before her expression turned serious, "what are you going to say when we arrive?"
Tsu'tey looked back at her again, his brow drawn slightly in thought, "the truth."
Neytiri nodded, "that would be best."
"I'm sorry," Jake interjected, tired of feeling like a third wheel, "maybe I should be let in on this plan? So I know what to expect."
Tsu'tey's steps slowed to a stop, he stood with his back facing them for a moment before turning, uncertainty written across his face.
"I am not sure," Tsu'tey looked at him with an almost apologetic expression, "I am not sure how they will react... I have told no one of you besides Neytiri. It is my hope that my... connection with you will be enough to make them overlook their ill-feelings,"
"But we cannot be certain," Neytiri nodded somberly "they will likely accept you, but... they might also attempt to kill you."
Jake nodded, he had expected as much, and he could hardly blame them, "and if that happens?"
Tsu'tey and Neytiri looked at each other, "then I will protect you," Tsu'tey gave him a determined look, "we will either fight until they see reason or until they kill us both."
Jake stared at him, he couldn't believe what he was saying. Tsu'tey, who had never spoken or acted in anything but in the interest of his clan, was willing to defy them for Jake, to die for Jake at the hands of his people.
"I can't ask you to do that," Jake took a step towards Tsu'tey, bringing a hand up to touch the other's cheek, either forgetting or not caring that they had an audience.
"You sacrificed everything to come here, to try and help me and my people," Tsu'tey said as he leaned slightly into Jake's touch, "I will lay my life down to protect you."
"I didn't come all this way so you could die."
"If they do not accept you, Jake, then they do not accept me. Eytukan will make his choice, we will deal with whatever that choice is together." There was finality in his voice as he offered Jake a comforting smile before pulling away from their contact and starting off again.
"It will be fine," Neytiri whispered as they followed behind Tsu'tey, "my father trusts him, he trusts his judgement."
"I hope so," Jake whispered back.
They fell silent as they walked, each occupied in their own thoughts.
-x-
Perhaps a little too soon for all their liking, the trio found themselves getting close to Hometree. They heard a rustle in the nearby brush and saw as several Na'vi stepped out of the thick forest towards them, not blocking there path, but staring at them with an intensity none of them were used to. This continued as they walked, larger and larger groups moving to line their path, watching. Some, mostly the younger Na'vi, held nothing but curiosity in their stares. Others, however, were baffled, confused at best, livid at worse.
A group of males Tsu'tey and Neytiri recognized as a particularly rowdy bunch of freshly trained warriors, lunged at Jake, obviously meaning to restrain him. Tsu'tey was in front of Jake before they had a chance, snarling and baring his teeth. When the group backed off, confusion drawn in their brows, Tsu'tey moved to Jake's side as they continued walking. Jake could see now how Tsu'tey's eyes were flickering madly from one Na'vi to the next, scanning for any possible threat they presented.
Jake's breath caught in his throat as he saw the roots of Hometree jutting up from the ground. As they pasted through, the groups of observing Na'vi grew thick. They parted as the trio moved forward, but Jake could see the hate in some of their eyes, the reality of the situation pulling the air from his lungs. He had known when he'd come that it was a very real possibility that they would not accept him and that he would die. Panic began to sit heavy in Jake's veins, it wasn't his own life he was unprepared to lose, it was Tsu'tey's. Never had Jake thought Tsu'tey would lay down his life to protect him from the judgment of the Omaticaya, but here he was, hissing and snarling at anyone who dared move to touch Jake. He was not prepared to watch Tsu'tey die, he had come here to help him, to protect him, not pit him against his own people.
Then, Jake felt a large hand rest itself on the small of his back, and all his thoughts grew quiet. He looked up to see Tsu'tey looking at him from the corner of his eye. "I know that look that is on your face. Trust that whatever happens is a part of the plan Eywa has laid out for us. If we shall die together tonight, then so be it."
Jake could not find it in him to summon words to his lips, so he gave a nod and moved just slightly closer to Tsu'tey. His mind now calmed, Jake let himself consider if their situation had been reversed. If Tsu'tey had come to earth, had come to protect him, would Jake be willing to sacrifice himself in the same way. Jake knew the answer, knew that he would give up anything, do anything, for the man by his side.
When a golden light became visible in the distance, Jake's mind grew quiet, he knew they were approaching the center of Hometree now. There was no turning back. As the three of them stepped out of the crowd of Na'vi and into the ring of light, as Jake looked up and saw Eytukan standing on a platform under the skeletal frame of the Toruk, he was calm.
"Father" Neytiri spoke, stepping away from the other two, bowing her head "I see you."
"What is this? This creature... why do you bring him here?" Eytukan asked, his voice even, but his eyes hard and sharp as he stepped down from the platform and walked towards them, his gaze flitting between the three of them.
"He is... special. There was a sign from Eywa." Neytiri's eyes flicked back to them, letting them know that it was their place, not her's to reveal their connection.
"I have said no dreamwalkers will come here. Yet you bring him here, you do no kill him. Neytiri, I might expect this from you... but Tsu'tey," his eyes locked onto Tsu'tey, who was holding his head high, ready, "you have hated the skypeople more than others. Explain yourself."
Tsu'tey drew in a deep breath, his hand never leaving Jake's back, "He is mine. We are bonded, he is to be my mate."
Jake might've reacted to those words if Eytukan had not stepped forward and struck Tsu'tey across the face.
"You are bonded to Neytiri, you are to be mated to her. What is this treachery, this act of treason?"
Tsu'tey opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as Jake dropped to his knees, bracing his hands against the dirt, bowing his head, "My name is Jake Sully, and I have dreamt of Tsu'tey every night since I was a small child. I saw what the skypeople were trying to do to your world, so I came to help. I am a warrior from earth and I have come to fight against the skypeople along side your people if you will allow it."
"Is this true?" Mo'at spoke up, descending stairs built into a root of Hometree and walking to Jake and Tsu'tey, "Tsu'tey have you dreamt of this skyperson?"
"Every night since I was a child." Tsu'tey nodded to her.
"If this is true, then they are bonded by Eywa, meant to be together." Mo'at looked at Eytukan.
"What of Neytiri then? Eywa has chosen Tsu'tey to be the next Olo'eyktan, we cannot choose a new mate for her."
"I do not desire a mate," Neytiri frowned at her father, "I will be happy as Tsahik, and I will be happy with Tsu'tey as Olo'eyktan with Jake as his mate."
Eytukan lips set in a line, he looked as though he wanted to object, but he could not seem to find an argument against it, his features relaxing, "Very well, Tsu'tey and Neytiri will train JakeSully to be an Omaticaya warrior, he will become one of us, fight for us."
Eytukan approached Jake, "Rise, JakeSully," Jake complied, standing but keeping his head bowed, "learn well, so you may prove yourself."
Jake raised his head to meet the gaze of Eytukan, "thank you." Relief washed through him in waves and it was all he could do to keep his legs from buckling.