Chapter 15, enjoy a long chapter.
(Sophia's POV)
After a quick breakfast break I was back in Doctor Carters office, the two of us had fallen into a tense silence.
"So what do we talk about now?"
She shrugs "Well I've cleared my entire day Sophia, it's just us today." she takes a sip of water at my silence "I was watching your logs after your most recent hospital stay, did you want to tell me about your dream?" my eyes hold hers "Remember Sophia, there is nothing you can't talk about here."
I tuck my legs in, looking at my bandaged hand and sigh "… When I open my eyes I'm walking through home-tree."
Flashback.
The children ran around us in laughter, Mo'at was standing to my left, a smile on her face.
"Mother," I grin, hugging the older woman.
"My daughter, it is good to see you."
I feel her warm kiss on my forehead and squeeze her just a little tighter. I step back, watching Father and a few of the hunters gathering things around me and put them in bags.
"Father,"
"Hello my child."
"Are you heading out soon?"
"Yes, we will leave when the light is at its highest."
I smile again, feeling his hands on my cheek "You should go check on your sister, make sure she hasn't climbed into my saddle bag again."
I chuckle, nodding once and make my way back to the horses. I move around home-tree, feeling the rough bark along my finger-tips and smile at the sight. Tsu'tey and Neytiri were standing beside the horses, my sisters arms tucked to her hips.
"I want to come," she says again, stomping her foot.
"You can not come, we've been over this Neytiri ."
"But I hardly weight anything! You wouldn't even notice me."
I'd reach them by then, wrapping my arms around her middle as she squeals "Exactly! You'd probably get eaten up by all number of animals, then what would we tell mother huh?"
She sticks out her lips in a pout "I'm a strong warrior."
"Tsu'tey is not even a warrior yet," my fingers flick her nose "You are hardly even a warm up." when her pout grows I cave "Go talk to mother, and after the hunters leave I will see if I can take you riding around home tree."
"Really?" her eyes light up
"Yes, but no more asking others, you'll be in for it should father find out."
She giggles, running back to home tree as I smile.
"Hello beloved."
Tsu'tey hadn't even looked at me, hands nervously playing with the straps of his saddle.
"Hello Sylwanin."
I reach around his face, pinching his nose between my fingers and pulled firmly "Eh eh eh!" he cries, stepping to the left with my fingers.
"When someone speaks, its polite to look at them my stubborn-headed mate."
He lightly smacks my hand away, rubbing the darker blue flesh "Intended-mate, and you are right." his hands wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him "Hello my beautiful Tsihik ."
"I am but a girl, a Tsihik -in-training." I smile, but give him a peck on the lips. His forehead rests against mine, eyes shutting in peace but I could still feel the slight tremble "Are you worried?"
He sighs "It will be my first hunt, and the clan leader is coming along. I'm worried I will get out there and freeze…"
My hand holds his cheek, running through his braids gently "My father simply wishes to join the hunt, it isn't because of you or any other hunters. He so rarely gets to go out with all the sky-people walking around."
This time he sighs in frustration "I wish they would just go away. they hurt our mother, our goddess and act like its nothing." his hands hold mine "One day I will get stronger and rid the sky-people from our world forever."
"Not all sky people are bad, what about Grace?" I say in English.
He looks down "I haven't decided."
"You should practise, mother can teach us many things." my hands lift, tilting his head for a longer kiss "Sky-people or no sky-people I know you will be a strong clan-leader."
He steps back, that worry returning "All I have to do is pass this hunt first…"
I watch him shuffle through his saddle and pull one of the arrows from his quiver. When I grab my knife he turns, watching me scrape along the face "What are you doing?"
"Hush." I grin
"I have checked all of the arrows Sylwanin, so did my father."
I scratch more into the stone "I said hush, tend to your horse."
I don't miss the eye-roll "We're not even mated and your already bossing me around."
"Get used to it beloved, this will be a regular thing in the future."
I carve the last line and blow softly as he smiles "I look forward to the challenge." I hand him the arrow head, watching him examine it "What is it?"
"It's a symbol of my love," his thumb moves over the carving "So even if we aren't together, my love will always watch over you," I lean over placing another kiss on his lips "And one day, I hope it will help you find your future."
I blink, curling my hands. The happiness radiating through my body was surprising, but it also felt… right. I could still feel it, his lips ghosting against mine, like I had really been there.
But it wasn't me… It was her. He loved her…
"And then I woke up in the med-bay."
"Well dreams are created to give us peace in moments of stress. It's not uncommon to want to form connections with everyone at home tree."
"That's the thing Doctor Carter… I don't think it was a dream."
"No?"
"No… I think it was a memory."
"A memory?"
I play with my hands "Grace says that this world is protected by a goddess, Eywa. That she holds the memories and souls of everyone that has come and passed." I roll the pen in my hands "The Na'vi can upload and download memories and I'm learning how to access that."
"And that's what you believe you saw?"
"You think I didn't?"
"I can't say. Only you know what you saw." she writes something in her book "Does it make you feel better saying there memories?"
"It… it feels right. It feels like the truth."
"Then there's nothing wrong with that."
"Dad would say I'm smoking tree crack…"
"Does that bother you? Having two parents with such different views?"
"My parents aren't the problem here, it's Tsu'tey. I know Eytukan said I could keep the arrow-head but Tsu'tey is really angry and now that I understand why…" I feel myself tear up, wiping away some tears.
"You feel wrong?"
"Shouldn't I give it back?"
"You could give it back," she corrects me "Or you could keep it. For better or worse, it belongs to you know."
"I know, but so much pain has been caused over this little thing…" I tuck my legs into my chest as my pager beeps softly on the table.
It was time to go back in.
—
(Tsu'tey's POV)
We stepped over the trees, my eyes scanning the open patch of forest and I raise a hand.
"Lets stop here. Let the horses drink and check the traps."
My men nod, running to do as there told. My eyes flicker around the forest, listening to the cries of the lemurs in the trees and try to stomp out this feeling in my chest. It had felt heavy since our chat this morning.
Flashback.
"Tsu'tey wait!" Sophia's voice echoes behind me.
I wince, gripping my bow tighter. I could feel my men's eyes on me, the range of emotions and sigh, turning my horse around and dismount with more anger then I expected.
She hardly flinches as I storm over to her "What?!" When her arms cross over her chest I sigh, trying to kill this annoyance and speak in a softer tone "What?"
She looks at her hand for three seconds, the green medical leaves stood out against her blue skin.
"Here," her hand thrusts out to me "Take it."
Her hand shakes again and after a moment drops something into my open palm.
"Why?" I look over the arrowhead "Eytukan said its yours."
I don't miss the sadness that flashes over her eyes. Sophia softly clears her throat, wrapping her shawl around her a bit more.
"I didn't understand what it meant before, but I get it now." Her injured hand lifts, fingers tracing over the mark "I truly hope this helps you find your future."
My eyes widen in shock "What did you say?"
Her hand curls before her chest, a soft smile on her lips "Things blessed with love should stay with the ones who made them." she lightly punches me in the chest "Don't lose it this time, okay?"
A sound to my left snaps me out of my thoughts and I glance at our youngest member, his grunts of frustration and he struggles to open the traps.
"Come on, come on, open you stupid thing!" he hisses.
I roll my eyes, dismounting from my horse.
He jumps when my hand wraps over his, startled eyes holding mind "The trap works better when you open the right side."
I flip the hook, grabbing the small animal as the door opens "Can you kill this properly or do I have to show you that too?" I tease.
"Oh be nice Tsu'tey," an older hunter, Takun chides "I remember how coordinated you were in your first hunt."
I smirk, feeling the tip of my ears grow hot "I don't have any idea what your talking about."
"Mhm," he grins "Go down the path boy, there are more traps there."
The young trainee grins, quickly disappearing through the clearing as I sink my blade into the animal for a quick kill. The small rabbit whines, falling limp and I clean my blade on a cloth as I walk.
My horse whines in a greeting, happily munching on some grass as I run my hand along her neck "Is it nice to have a break?" I tease, stuffing the animal in the small sack attached to the saddle "Hmm? Is it as good as the stuff at home-tree? Probably not…"
My hands pet her back affectionately before I freeze, noticing multiple sets of large tracks moving through the shallow river.
"Tsu'tey." A worried call comes from my left, my clansman leaning down to get a closer look "Angtsìk."
"Lots of them." My hands snap twice, the other heads spin as I place arms before my face and flip my palms to the sky. (A.N. it looks like a T) I circle my fingers and hit my palms in a fist twice, a look of worry moves through my group "Cut the traps and clear out now,"
"You heard him," Taku says quieter than before "back to the horses."
We move quickly, clearing out the area. Hammerheaded titanothere's were not something you fucked around with. One of them was strong enough to take out a group of seasoned warriors, No one dared to challenge an entire herd. I shuttered at the thought and count my men when my eyes flicker to the lone horse by the edge.
Where was our trainee?
My eyes widen as a territorial roar echoed from our left.
(Sophia's POV)
"Sophia, are you alright?"
I turn, feeling that pulse of energy and look into the forest. The world slowed down, my eyes drifting around the room.
"I'm here." I whisper. Imagining the wall in my mind fading into light, growing soft and flexible and feel that pleasurable shiver fill my body "What are you trying to tell me my goddess?"
My hand starts pulsing, the wound from the arrow was almost burning as this feeling of fear hits me.
Tsu'tey. Something was wrong.
I bolt from the room, a hand to my lips and let out a loud whistle. I hear Manova's roar, the screams of a few villagers and launch myself off the platform. I land on her back with a wince, linking up as we run.
"What is wrong Child?"
"Something is wrong with the hunting party."
"How do you know?!"
"I don't!" I yell "I just know!"
Manova's strong claws rip through the forest, taring through the mossy ground and over fallen logs. We follow the sensation, my hand gripping her tighter. I lean left, feeling her turn, swerving around rocks and run across the river.
"Up!" I shout and feel her jump, running along the side of a fallen tree, the pounding of her paws match my heart.
Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom.
If I shut my eyes it was like the heart of the forest calling back to me. We land, clearing half the hill with ease. Her claws ripping into the ground and I feel the energy channeling through her body to mine.
I see flashes of grey, purple, yellow and blue feathers and the angry sounds of animals. Manova snorts under me, her nose sorting through the scents around us and shifts courses automatically when she catches the scent of blood.
My eyes scan the forest, feeling the beating of my hand increase as loud roars echoed around us.
"Hold on Tsu'tey, I'm coming."
(Tsu'tey's POV)
I slide along the moss as more howls hit the air, stopping at the nearest tree and lift a hand as the large creature smashes his horns into nearby trees.
"Don't shoot!" I say, watching his head snap to me "Don't shoot, you'll piss him off."
Frightened eyes turn to me. Our youngest was in the middle of the forest, trap discarded on the ground and his bow in hand. Hand shaking on the arrow as other Angtsìk gather behind it.
"He's already pissed off!" he laughs nervously
"Hold your grip trainee, that armor is too thick." I step down closer to him, watching the group of creatures "If you shoot they will all charge."
They must have moved areas in the middle of the night and I was so distracted I'd walked us right into it.
Eywa help us…
His hand shakes again "What do I do Tsu'tey?" I watch the tears stream down his cheeks.
"Just back up slowly, okay?" my eyes glance at the left "The others will distract them soon enough and we can slip away. Just lower your arrow."
"I-I can't." his hand shakes "My arms won't move."
The Angtsìk roars again, bright purple feathers flashing in the air and I slide slightly closer down the bank.
"Sonuk, just listen to my voice," I say softly "You are okay. Take a slow step back to me, okay, just one." his foot slides back "That's it, give me another. And another," I gently guide the male back, the young hunter freezing at each scream of the beast "Now I'm right here okay, so lower your bow."
My hands move up his arm to his hand as it lowers, fingers almost grabbing the end when it fires. My eyes widen as it flies through the air, spinning in slow motion and scratches against the leg of the baby hidden on the left.
(Sophia's POV)
We blasted through the forest, the noises growing louder.
"Child, I'm picking up six -no seven scents."
Her eyes flicker forwards, taking in the scene before us and my heart stops. Tsu'tey and another boy were at the edge of the clearing, a large stampede of Hammerhead's charging fast. A few scenarios filter through her mind. Jumping on some of them.
Trying to go around and charge from the front.
"I could grab Tsu'tey and you could grab the boy and run for it. Though he'd probably lose an arm."
"Well an arm is better then death."
"Yeah but then I'd have massively pissed off… Parents."
Manova snorts when my eyes flicker to the smallest one in the back.
"No." she snaps
"It would work!"
"Yeah and turn them on us."
"Well we can out run them, the boys can't."
"Sophia-"
I lift my hand, screaming loudly as we burst from the tree-line. I could practically hear Manova's eye-roll but she joins me in a roar, the two of us B-lining it for the baby. It turns, eyes widening in fear. It's scream of fear echoed around the area as we jump on it, tackling the poor thing into the dirt.
Like I hope the first one turns as the baby screams repeatedly, failing to escape from Manova's powerful paws. My eyes flicker to the group now charging towards us and the men behind them, my eyes flickering to Tsu'tey before we turn, my hand shooting to the sky as we bolt up the hill.
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