Thank you everyone for reading.

-~-

They stood watching each other, taking in each other with their eyes. Hazel was suddenly glad she had taken the time to fix and groom her hair after her swim in the lake. It wouldn't do to look like a drowned rat in front of this handsome Na'vi. Tsu'tey, she told herself.

"I-" Tsu'tey voice cut off. He was struggling with something. He turned away from her slightly and looked away towards the plant Hazel had been admiring before. "I am sorry that I tried to push you." The words stumbled out of his mouth in a rush.

Hazel smiled to herself, pleased with the apology. "What was that?" She asked, trying to keep the humour out of her tone.

"I am sorry. That I tried to push you. It was wrong of m-." He looked back at her, suddenly noticing her pleased smile. "You heard me the first time!"

Hazel laughed, enjoying teasing him. He tried to look angry, and swung an arm to the side, but Hazel could see a smile curling at his lips.

"I did hear you. I am sorry for teasing you." She smiled. "But you have to admit you deserve it a tiny bit" She looked through the slither she made with her fingers so show a small space.

Still trying to conceal his smile, he moved towards her again and sat down by her on a low branch, close enough that if he reached out, he could touch her. Hazel joined him on the branch. They sat there for a few moments, enjoying each other's presence. Out of the corner of her eye, Hazel noticed Tsu'tey watching her again.

She turned towards him with a question. "You had mentioned Eywa earlier. Is that the energy that I can feel?"

Tsu'tey sucked in a breath, surprized. "You can feel Eywa?"

"Yes? I think it is Eywa." Hazel tried to explain what she felt to him. "There is a presence that has greeted me, even from when we had not yet landed in the sky. The way I can explain it is that she is everywhere and inside the ground. She feels like Gaia, the mother of my planet, but much stronger and different. More like spring."

Sitting straighter, Tsu'tey exclaimed: "That is how Mo'at describes Eywa, like spring! You must be feeling Eywa like the Tsahik" He leans towards her again in interest. "Your Eywa was called Gaia? The teacher Grace never mentioned having an Eywa."

Hazel shook her head. "She wouldn't have known about Gaia. I could feel her with my magic, like I can feel Eywa. That's what enabled me to move so quickly away from you earlier. My people called it magic."

"Magic" Tsu'tey tried out the word. "And you said these muggles would kill you if they knew about your magic?"

Hazel smiled sadly. "They could try. They have never succeeded before. Even with my people I am special. They cannot track me with their sensors. Something happened to me before they found us that changed me so that I am different."

Tsu'tey absorbed this information. "You said that they found your people many years ago. I do not understand. Were you not yet born? How do you know these things so deeply?"

Hazel looked away. "I- I am old Tsu'tey. My body doesn't age, but my mind does. I was there when they found us. My true name is written in their books. I did not let my people be killed without a fight. If they knew who I was they would not stop until I was dead."

"You are wise." He stood, nodding to himself, and looked down at where she was sitting. He held out a hand to her. "Come, let me take you to Mo'at. She will want to hear about your Gaia and your wisdom."

Surprised, Hazel took the offered hand and stood as well. They gazed into each other's eyes, not realising their proximity. "Tsu-tey, I will protect your people as I failed to protect mine." She said intently.

"If you do, they will be your people too" Tsu'tey promised to her in return.

-~-

Hazel is led to through the forest by Tsu'tey to Na'vi riders who had been waiting for his return from scouting. They were riding direhorses, quietly talking between themselves when Hazel and Tsu'tey approached.

Tsu'tey introduces the riders to her quickly, explaining that he wanted present Hazel to Mo'at as soon as possible as Eywa has given him a sign. They didn't question him, solidifying Hazel's thought that he is a trusted leader among his people.

"Here, sit in front of me." He said as he gracefully swings onto the only remaining mount with fluid grace. There wasn't another option, but Hazel was surprised to find that she didn't mind at all. There was definitely something wrong with her; she had never been comfortable being this close to someone else before, especially so soon after meeting them.

Yet again, Tsu'tey held out a hand towards Hazel, and did not doubt that she would follow. Not to disappoint, she stepped up to the direhorse and took the hand in assistance. Just as smoothly as Tsu'tey had, she swung her leg over the animal and settled down in front of him, her hair gently resting on his chest. From behind her, Tsu'tey smothered a look of pride and satisfaction. He knew he had made the right choice in his decision, and that Hazel would not embarrass him in front of his people.

-~-

Before long, the riders had to slow as they heard something stumbling about ahead of them. Surprisingly, they heard a shout in English "What's your name?" Followed by a yelp and a flash of blue. A Na'vi had toppled off a branch above them and landed in some foliage.

Hazel internally groaned. She looked back towards Tsu'tey. "It is Jake. He arrived here at the same time as me. He has a good heart, but is naive. I think he follows the general of the sky-people." He nods in thanks at the warning, and signals to the others to surround him but not shoot.

Just as quickly as Jake had appeared, another Na'vi, dropping much more gracefully than Jake had, lands in a stance on her feet. She shouts sharply in Na'vi. "Tsu'tey, what are you doing? He is my captive!- Who is this?" The Na'vi looks at Hazel in confusion and then shock after seeing her proximity to Tsu'tey.

Tsu'tey released his hold of the direhorse's queue, and gently removed his arms from where they had been on either side of Hazel's waist. He had made sure not to overly touch her, but their skin had brushed each other each time the direhorse had moved harshly, or Tsu'tey had to change direction.

Swiftly, Tsu'tey swung off the direhorse with lethal grace. "I could ask you the same question Neytiri. You know these sky-people are forbidden here. At least mine has respect, unlike this…" He pauses and indicates towards Jake who was still within the foliage with leaves sticking out of his hair. "beast… you have dragged in. We should kill this one as a lesson to the others."

Internally purring at Tsu-tey calling her 'mine' she interrupted him. "Tsu-tey, enough with the killing please."

He glances up at her, smirking. "I was joking. This time." Hazel roles her eyes at him and looks towards Jake.

"Jake, I'm begging you. Please stand up and try to look less ridiculous." Although slightly more mean than she wanted, she needed him to realise the situation. Jake wasn't giving a great impression to these Na'vi, and if they stood any chance with the People, he needed to start with looking more presentable.

"Hazel!? The Hell! What's going on?"

"Yes" Naytrir agrees, not liking how relaxed Tsu'tey was with this sky-person. "Who is this Tsu-tey? Why have you brought her here? Ewya have given a sign, atokirina came to Jake and he must be seen by the Tsahik. The same cannot be said about her."

"Yes it can." Tsu'tey responded. "I saw her with an atokirina. It travelled with her for hours. Come. Bring him." The other Na'vi grab Jake who had stood up and managed to shake most of the leaves off his head. Tsu'tey returns to her and their direhorse, mounting back up behind her. "We cannot keep Tsahik waiting."