The trio sat among the high branches of the Kekunan Hometree, their feet dangling, none of them wanting to be the one to break the silence.
"Well," Neytiri started finally, her voice forcefully casual, waving her hand out in front of her, "at least we know the Toruk is as stubborn as you are, you two will get along just fine."
Jake shot her a half-hearted glare, "not helpful."
She stuck her tongue out at him, but said nothing else, allowing them to fall back into silence.
Jake took a moment to think back to the day before, to his narrow escape from the Toruk. However terrifying it had been, however bloodthirsty the beat had seemed, the racer, Yharu, had said that as soon as Jake had escaped, he had shown no interest in the other Na'vis.
Neytiri had been right before, no matter how large, the Toruk was still just an íkran, driven by the same base instincts as his smaller cousins. He had to stop thinking about it like it was a monster, and start thinking about it in the way that it actually was—an animal, an animal he was very familiar with.
He wouldn't be able to face it head on, even before he'd been injured, it was all he could do to keep just out of reach. That meant he needed to approach the Toruk in a different way than if he was dealing with a normal íkran. He couldn't rush the beast from the front, it would swallow him before he'd even get the chance. He couldn't come from the sides, it would see him and be able to move out of range.
That left only one option: to come from above. But how would he be able to get the high ground on a creature who was endlessly searching for him, who had dive bombed him from the mist like a spectral being descending from heaven, sent by God herself to kill him.
He thought back to the racers, who had been overlooked completely by the Toruk even after he made his escape. It made sense, once he took a moment to think it over—íkran didn't attack Na'vi who weren't theirs.
It seemed a lifetime ago that he had traveled to the rookery for the first time, though, in reality, it had only been a few weeks. But, he could remember how the other íkrans, the ones not meant for him, had eyed him like a pest, flapping their wings and making noises at him, before moving away, like he was little more than a bother to their afternoon nap.
"What if," Jake said, thinking out loud more than anything, "what if we distract the Toruk while I get above him, so I can jump down onto his back, blindside him before he ever gets the chance to try and attack me?"
"And how do you suggest that we do that?" Neytiri asked.
Jake thought, once again, back to the íkrans who had merely been annoyed by his presence, "if we overwhelm him with shear numbers, it might buy me enough time to sneak around him."
"Where would we get enough riders to accomplish this?" This time it was Tsu'tey who spoke, his eyes narrowed with thought as he stared down towards the forest floor, "if we were home, it would not be a problem, we would have more than enough warriors who would be willing to do such a task. Here, however, we have no standing among these people to think that they would follow us into something so risky."
"That racer, Yharu, seemed to like me, and there was something about her that makes me think, if we could convince her, the rest of them would follow."
Tsu'tey's mouth pulled into a line at that, "we would be taking advantage of one warrior's personal affinity for you, as well as, I believe, taking advantage of this clan's love for anything that seems exciting. We would be leading them into a situation they have not fully considered the dangers of."
Jake considered the words, but before he could reply, Neytiri spoke, "we need their assistance. All we can do is explain the situation as best we can. If they agree, that is their choice, regardless of their motivation."
"Those are only nice words to absolve us of any responsibility," Tsu'tey frowned, "I believe Jake is correct in his assumption that the Toruk is unlikely to attack any Na'vi besides him, but if we are wrong... if a Kekunan is injured, or, worse, killed... that will be on us, it will be our plan that caused it."
"You're both right," Jake cut them off before either could continue arguing, "it will be our fault if something goes wrong, but, how is this any different than us asking the tribes to aid us in the upcoming battle? We haven't grilled each individual warrior about whether or not they understand the dangers of what they are agreeing to. We accept their answer whether it be in our favor or not. We're not forcing them, were asking for their help, whether they agree or not is up to them."
They were silent for a moment before Tsu'tey nodded, "very well, my Jake," he braced himself against the branch they were seated on as he rose to his feet, "let us go find this Yharu woman."
-x-
It turned out, Yharu wasn't hard to find. She was sat not far from the trunk of the Hometree, carving away at a long branch that was slowly taking the form of a bow.
They hadn't even made it in front of her before her head lifted and she was fixing them with a knowing grin.
"Greetings, Jake-Sully and his companions," her eyes sparkled and her smile was so wide and easy on her face, Jake almost could have convinced himself they had made a mistake and were speaking to Turon, "is there something I can assist you with?"
"Actually," Jake tried to keep himself from bouncing on the balls of his feet, partially because that didn't make for the most confident of looks, but also because his ankle was already protesting the weight he was evenly distributing onto it now and he didn't feel like testing its limits just yet, "we have a request. It actually involves the rest of the racers from yesterday, but I thought we should approach you first."
Yharu nodded as though she knew all of this already, setting her work aside as she stood, "I will hear your request."
True to her word, she allowed Jake to lay out his plan to her, never interrupting.
By the time he was done, his nerves were on edge. She hadn't reacted to a single thing he'd said, only nodding along, her face betraying nothing of how she was feeling.
"Very well, Jake-Sully," She said, her voice as calm and as even as if he had asked to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbor, "let us go and ask the other warriors for their assistance."
"That's it?" Jake asked, his head spinning, certain that he'd missed something, "you don't have any questions? No concerns? We're asking you to go up against the Toruk, if we're wrong, there's a very real possibility that some of you may not make it out alive or unscathed."
Yharu turned back to him, from where she had made to lead them in the direction of her companions, "do you desire for me to argue, Jake-Sully?" Jake was so taken aback by the question he couldn't think of a reply before she was continuing, "I knew you would ask me for assistance, I was able to guess what the nature of that request would be. I had already decided to help you before you even awoke this morning."
"How could you have possibly known? We didn't decide on this plan until a few minutes ago." Jake felt like the rug had just been pulled out from under him, leaving him confused and disoriented.
"I was told," she gave a small shrug and Jake thought his head might explode if she didn't elaborate further, "I am my clan's next Tsahìk, such a position has its benefits from time to time."
Jake brushed that information aside, as it made enough sense, but he couldn't help the twinge of irritation that rose in his throat.
It was Tsu'tey, however, that opened his mouth, his brow drawn in annoyance, "is it part of the Kekunan culture to agree to things, but still make the other person go through all the motions of the request? Or is that just you and your Olo'eyktan?"
Jake worried for a moment that she would take offense to the words, no matter how much he agreed with them, but that worry was dashed away as she threw her head back and laughed.
"I apologize," she said, her shoulders shaking, "perhaps I am too much like my father for my own good."
Oh, Jake thought, his irritation fading away, that made sense.
"It is to your benefit, however," she said as her laughter died down, her smile turning a bit sad, "that I take after my late father, as well. He could never deny a request for help, no matter the dangers, no matter how lost the cause may seem. He may have lost his life for it, but it was a trait I always respected.
"I do not plan to die today, Jake-Sully," her smile shifted into a grin once more, "I have decided to trust that you will not let that happen, that you are following the will of Eywa, just as I believe I am. So, let us go find the others, and hope that they feel the same."
-x-
This clan was going to be the death of him, Jake had already decided.
He had barely begun to voice his plan before the warriors leapt to their feet, wide grins plastered across their faces. And Jake had the fleeting thought that, surely, they were not all Turon's children, but he wasn't about to ask.
Jake tried his best to finish his explanation, being sure to emphasis the dangers and uncertainty the plan could potentially contain, but he couldn't be sure they were even listening as they buzzed with excitement.
"What say you, brothers, sisters?" Yharu shouted out the moment Jake was finished, "shall we assist Jake-Sully?"
Her words were met with an immediate, deafening roar of approval, their fists raised in the air.
Jake turned to look at Tsu'tey and Neytiri, who looked just as perplexed and overwhelmed as he felt.
"That was easier than we anticipated," Neytiri muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
"This clan is strange," Tsu'tey's lips were set in a line, his eyes skirting over the dozen or so Na'vis still chattering excitedly among themselves.
Jake shrugged, shaking his head, "they're enthusiastic, I'll give them that."
"We are ready whenever you are, Jake-Sully," Yharu said, turning away from the Kekunan warriors to look at the trio.
Her words hit Jake like ice water, panic suddenly clawing at his throat. He hadn't thought it would be this easy, he had thought it would be like everything else, that it would require a good deal of fighting, and perhaps some begging. He hadn't thought these people, these strangers, would be so willing to throw themselves into such a dangerous situation, not only willingly, but with the enthusiasm of children being promised a great prize.
Jake might have worried, as he watched the Kekunans continue to cheer and shoot him dazzling grins that set his cheeks ablaze, that these men and women, so different from his own clan's warriors, would be reckless. He might have worried that they would act without restraint, dive in with an overzealous eagerness that would get themselves and maybe him killed.
He might have thought all of that, if he had not seen the masterful, controlled way every single Na'vi that stood before him now had performed the day before. When they had raced, their movements were precise and never without purpose.
When he was evading the Toruk, they held back, not because they were afraid, but because they were smart. They knew they had no chance of getting Jake away from the beast's seeking jaws and talons, and had no way of knowing if the Toruk would turn on them if they tried to pass by.
If the Kekunans were nothing more than the thrill seekers they may present themselves as, they wouldn't have be able to hold themselves back that first time.
It is this thought that calms the twisting panic in Jake's gut. This may not be the best plan in the world, but he was fairly certain he'd stumbled upon a damn fine team to execute it, and maybe that's all it would take.
-x-
Jake stayed low to the tree line as he lead the front of the pack—the plan wouldn't work if the Toruk got the jump on him before they even got the chance to try.
He couldn't see Tsu'tey, as he was staying at the back, ready to take up his position below them all, ready to catch Jake in a moment should he fall. There hadn't been much time for talking between them between the recruiting of the racers and setting out, but, they didn't need it much anymore. Something had shifted between them, an understanding they hadn't quite had before. Jake wasn't sure if it had been the discussions they'd had around the time of his soul transference, or if it was the hours and hours they got to spend in peace together now every night, but he felt it like a physical thing—like a string tethering them together, ensuring them that, no matter what, they would always find their way back.
Before, Tsu'tey may have brooded over what they were about to do, turned away from Jake with hard eyes until Jake shook him and forced him to be honest and open and reasonable.
Now though, now, before Jake had mounted his íkran, Tsu'tey had gathered him in his arms and kissed the breath from his lungs.
"Good luck," he had whispered into Jake's ear, his eyes filled with all the confidence and love he held for the other man, "I will be there, should you fall."
"I know," Jake had whispered back, bringing his hand up to brush over Tsu'tey's sharp cheekbone, "you always are."
Tsu'tey had only hummed his agreement at that, pulling Jake into one final kiss before releasing him, leaving Jake feeling only slightly dazed as he climbed onto his íkran's back.
He wished he could see him now, but he drew comfort knowing he was there, just out of sight.
"Are you ready, Jake-Sully?" Neytiri's voice sounded from her place beside him, "it cannot be much longer until he notices your presence. We will not have much time once that happens."
"Yeah," Jake nodded over his shoulder at her, "yeah, I'm ready."
The words had barely left his mouth before there was a noise like a crack of thunder high above their heads. Jake didn't have to look up to know that the Toruk had just broke through the cloud cover, snapping his great wings, his jaws open wide in a piercing screech.
"We wait until Jake-Sully gives the signal," Yharu yelled behind her from Jake's other side, like there was a chance they had forgotten, but part of Jake thought perhaps she was just looking for an outlet to funnel her barely contained excitement through.
They continued flying low, the wind they generated whipping at the tops of the trees, waiting for just the right moment.
Suddenly, everything went silent, and something deep within Jake told him the Toruk was diving.
He was proven right when a familiar shadow fell over them, chilling him to the bone, but he couldn't dwell on it now. He felt the atmosphere around them change as the Toruk pulled up from its dive, he could hear its strong jaws snapping at empty air.
Jake had known, somehow, based on gut or instinct, that the Toruk wouldn't be able to reach them so close to the canopy, not without crashing into it.
This was their moment, the interim of the Toruk pulling up to prepare to dive again. Jake didn't have time to hesitate, didn't have time to second guess and wonder if this would really work, the wonder if this was best. He had to act, and he had to act now.
"Go!" He yelled behind him, lifting his arm for any who couldn't hear him.
He felt, rather than saw, the íkrans around him opening their wings to full mast, shooting up high above his head as they caught the wind, just as he had done the day before during his race.
Jake kept going, kept moving forward, putting some distance between himself and everyone else. He counted out the seconds he knew it would take for them to match the height of the Toruk. Once he reached zero, only then, did he allow himself to look up.
The sight might have been funny any other day, where high above him, his fellow warriors swarmed the Toruk's face like gnats. He took only a second to appreciate the noise of unmistakable frustration that tore from the beast's throat, to appreciate that at least part of his plan had gone right.
He tore his eyes away, refusing to waste any more time, before beginning his accent.
The Toruk, by some miracle, was still distracted by the time he had managed to pass the whole display, allowing him to position himself high enough above the creature not to be noticed, but close enough that the jump itself wouldn't be the most dangerous thing he did today.
He waited as his companions moved to swarm above the Toruk's face, forcing him to level out, giving Jake a clear surface to land on.
He braced himself against the back of his íkran, his fingers brushing against its thick hide. Sorrow closed around his throat as he felt its heartbeat, as though it was in his own chest.
He didn't know if he was saying goodbye to his íkran forever, didn't know if it would accept him after he bonded with another. A part of him, perhaps a childish, selfish part, hoped that he would, that he wouldn't have to give up this íkran for the other.
He couldn't spend time fretting over it though, all he could do was push that sorrow and that apology through their bond. His íkran let out a low cry that sounded like understanding, and that was the last thing Jake heard before he was falling.
He landed with a sickening crack and had to bite back the cry that threatened to rip its way from his chest. The adrenaline may have been keeping the pain from his injuries at bay before, but there was no escaping the fact that he had most likely just broken his ankle.
Jake scrabbled at the smooth skin of the Toruk's back, trying to find purchase as he propelled himself forward with his good leg, up towards its head.
He could see its antennae waving wildly, matching the rolling of its body as it tried to shake off the warriors, but he wasn't guarding them like he would have been if he had known he was facing up against his rider.
The Toruk, much to Jake's benefit, didn't notice his presence until his knees rested against the nape of his long neck. It was too late then, even as the creature's eyes blew wide and his wings snapped up as though to make some drastic move, Jake's hands gripped onto one flailing antennae.
As he formed the tsaheylu, he felt the Toruk's body shutter, trembling for just the breath of a second beneath him like a small earthquake, then everything went still.
There was a moment of deafening quiet, no sound but the rush of wind past their ears, no movement besides the smooth glide of wings as the warriors slowly caught on and backed off, moving to fly in formation beside him.
When the cries and whoops of excitement finally began on either side of him, he was honestly surprised the Kekunan had allowed him such a long stretch of peace.
"Congratulations, Jake-Sully!" Yharu's voice rang out like song, "the sixth Toruk Makto!"