three. sign from eywa
THE MAN'S VOICE MADE JUNIPER'S HEAD HURT, LIKE NAILS DIGGING INTO HER TEMPLE. She prayed to Eywa that he would stop talking and beg for her and Neytiri's help. The woman Na'vi turned around, grasping the man's arm as he stumbled near the edge of the tree they stood on, "you're like a baby," Neytiri repeated, glaring at the man.
He stepped forward, his eyes pleadingly glancing between the two, "I need your help," Juniper and Neytiri's faces remained with a scowl.
Juniper spoke for the second time since they encountered the man, ultimately taking him by surprise, "you should not be here. You've already come too far then you should have," Without listening to a word she said, he pressed on about taking him with them, "no. Go back."
The two Na'vi went to walk away, but he kept urging on. Neytiri sternly pushed the man, glowering, "you heard her," She stated, "go back," Though she was cut off when her gaze lifted above them. The man and Juniper followed her line of sight, seeing the sky filled with the seeds of the scared tree–woodsprites–that had landed on Neytiri's bow earlier.
As the two women were amused by the sights, the man swatted one that came close to him. Neytiri and Juniper were quick to scold him, the older one grasping his hand and calling out in Na'vi. Despite their protests, he went to hit one of them again before Neytiri gripped his other free arm.
Juniper watched in amazement as they landed on the man, dancing against his arms and shoulders, "what are they?" He asked, glancing at the Na'vi.
"Seeds of the sacred tree," Neytiri answered, her eyes trailing the creatures. Juniper scoffed and questioned mentally, why the hell would they be landing on this random guy that knew nothing? "Very pure spirits," Neytiri added. The three watched as they flew away, leaving them stunned. Juniper knew what this meant and was annoyed at the idea of the man coming to hometree.
As if reading her thoughts, Neytiri told the man to come before running off, leaving him with questions. Juniper stayed behind for a moment, grumbling to herself and quickly caught up with the two. She called from behind in Na'vi, "we're not really bringing this idiot to hometree?"
Neytiri didn't answer but continued her travels, calling out to the man. Juniper managed to get ahead of him as he hit the mushrooms, causing them to glow, a smile reaching his face. That was until Neytiri turned and noticed him falling behind, "come."
They continued their walking, jumping from branch to branch. However, when the man asked them for their names, he was halted when his legs got caught in a rope thrown at him. A groan escaped him, stealing the attention of Juniper and Neytiri as he fell from atop. From above, Juniper heard the ululating battle cries of the people from the Omaticaya. Neytiri and Juniper hopped down firmly, seeing the man with his hands up as bows were pointed at him, his knife discarded on the floor.
"Calm people, calm," Neytiri spoke. Juniper saw Tsu'tey, a man she became familiar with from being a part of the Omaticaya, unmount his Delihorse and disconnect the bond, "what are you doing, Tsu'tey?"
From Neytiri's question, the Na'vi exclaimed, "these demons are forbidden here," Juniper gazed at the man from Tsu'tey's words, who shrugged from seeing her eyes directed at him as he wasn't able to understand what was happening.
"There has been a sign. This is a matter for the Tsahik."
Tsu'tey hesitated at Neytiri's words. His gaze switched from the older woman to the young Na'vi, who dropped down with her, "is this true?" He asked. Juniper sighed before dipping her head in a nod. He debated what to do, looking to the fellow Na'vi that came with him, "bring him."
The man frantically glanced at Neytiri and Juniper, desperate for answers as he was roughly grabbed with weapons aimed at him. As quick as they could, they made it to hometree. The man took in the environment he was being dragged into, watching as other Na'vi reached out for him while walking to the front.
The Olo'eyktan gazed at his daughter and the young girl standing in front of the strange, full-clothed Na'vi, who they considered a dream walker. Neytiri spoke up, stepping towards the leader, "Father, I see you."
His heavy gaze fell on the man, inspecting him, and, in return, the Avatar gave an uneasy grin. The Olo'eyktan questioned his daughter, his sights switching to Juniper, "this creature ... why do you bring him here?"
Neytiri pointed to her and Juniper, explaining her reason as to why the man was brought here, "we were going to kill him, but there was a sign from Eywa,"
The leader didn't take this answer lightly as he retorted, scowling at his daughter, "I have said no dream walker will come here," Reminding Neytiri of his words and gazing to Juniper, who bowed her head, ears perched down and her tail stiff. The man being held took notice of Juniper's body language, a frown plastering on his face, "his alien smell fills my nose."
Juniper heard the man's voice quietly calling out for them, asking what he was saying as he couldn't understand the language. Juniper sighed heavily, giving a side eye to the dream walker, "her father is deciding on whether to kill you," She said, referring to Neytiri.
"Her father," He muttered under his breath, just audible for Juniper to hear, who puckered her brows in confusion until he stepped forwards towards the Olo'eyktan with his hand out, "it's nice to meet you, sir," The man was surprised at the reaction he got from the action. Every Na'vi close enough pulled him away, baring their canines in his face and their weapons ready to use.
The Tsahik appeared from behind, "step back!" She yelled out. Everyone did as told hesitantly and backed away from the man, sending a warning glare in his direction. Juniper's eyes remained on the woman as she came down from the twisted structure of the tree, "I will look at this alien."
"That is mother," Neytiri told the man, explaining her role to the Omaticaya people, "she is Tsahik. The one who interprets the will of Eywa," When the sky person asked who Eywa was, Juniper scoffed and was in disbelief. Did they not give him any sort of basic training before he came down here?
The woman previously talked about was observing the man and grasped his queue from the back of his head, twisting his tail and coming face-to-face. The Tsahik asked in English, "what are you called?"
The answer that was said made Juniper's world slow down, "Jake Sully," Sully. Like a broken record playing in her head, his name continued to replay non-stop. Her eyes darted everywhere around the place in an attempt to ground herself to where she was, feeling her heartbeat pick up. She wasn't locked up with nothing but at home with the people who gave her sanctuary.
Immediately, she felt the stares of Na'vi pouring into her, causing the Vespera girl to feel vulnerable. As if a spotlight shined over her. Jake noticed everyone's attention drifting to Juniper, and a frown littered his face, seeing the girl's face full of distress—something he never thought he'd see. Despite her being a kid, it was clear she had the soul of a warrior.
Mo'at's voice broke everyone's glance off the girl as she asked Jake, "why did you come to us?" Juniper scoffed at his answer, stating he came to learn, and she shook her head to herself. The sky people were so full of themselves that they could not learn, and the Tsahik knew of this, "we have tried to teach other Sky People. It is hard to fill a cup which is already full."
"Well, my cup is empty, trust me," Jake replied, "just ask Dr Augustine. I'm no scientist," From the mention of Grace, Juniper's eyes lit up. It had been a while since the two saw each other as she wasn't allowed in the village anymore. But the Vespera girl would always hold the woman—the woman that was the reason for her freedom—close to her heart.
"What are you?"
The Sully man paused at the question, "I was a marine. A, uh—a warrior of the Jarhead clan," Juniper raised her brows at the man. Being cut off by Tsu'tey's remark in Na'vi caused the teenager to chuckle from the threat that Jake could easily be killed by him, but the Olo'eyktan was quick to interfere.
"This is the first warrior dream walker we have seen," The leader stated, "we need to learn more about him," All of the Omaticaya eyed their leader with reluctance yet followed his word without a say.
His wife gazed at her daughter, "my daughter, you will teach him our way, to speak and walk as we do," Neytiri protested against it, claiming it was unfair, but the Tsahik finalised her decision and Neytiri hissed in annoyance at the situation. Her eyes wandered to Jake, "it is decided. My daughter will teach you our ways. Learn well, Jakesully. Then we will see if your insanity can be cured."
It seemed that Jake had made himself at home. When Neytiri returned to hometree in time to eat, Jake was with her. He had changed from his set of clothes to what was worn by the Na'vi. A piece of fabric hanging from his waist, making him seem like one of them if you weren't looking close enough. Sitting next to Tsu'tey, Mo'at and Etuykan, Juniper eyed the man as he sat down whilst Neytiri came towards the group.
Juniper sharply inhaled, getting up from her crouched position and ignored the questions thrown her way as she took her place next to the Sully man. Jake frowned at the sudden presence—especially from Juniper, as he knew she hated him and the idea of him staying with the people.
Breaking the silence enveloped between them, Juniper asked, "Tom Sully. What was he to you?" Jake froze at the inquiry. He made eye contact with the girl, seeing the unreadable expression she wore on her face.
He gulped down a bit of his food before replying, "he was my brother—uh, twin brother," Juniper gazed away, and now it made sense. It made sense why Jake looked so much like Tom that it was terrifying. She was right and wrong in a way about seeing Tom Sully again, ironically, "why? How do you know him?"
Jake's question tore Juniper off guard. If they were brothers, then how didn't he know? Was he lying to hide the fact he was a traitor amongst them or was he actually oblivious to her situation? Juniper hissed, "you do not need to know. What did he do?"
"He was a scientist," He answered, yet Jake was annoyed at the secrecy the girl held, but he understood it. He was a stranger who practically invaded their home. He sighed, "can I at least know your name?" Juniper looked at him, "when I asked Neytiri, she didn't say anything."
Hearing Neytiri's name pour out of his mouth gave the girl the ability to trust him enough to give her name. If Neytiri did, then she could too ... "Juniper. But it doesn't make us friends."