CHAPTER 006
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THE OMATIKAYA
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SOME NA'VI TOUCHED MY SKIN, HAIR AND TAIL AS I WALKED PAST THEM.
Everyone getting out of the way so we could walk pass. The woman grabbed my arm once we got to the front and forcefully dragged me to the center, where she released me and left me in full view of what I think is the entire Clan.
In front of me is a small platform where the man from before, with whom the woman had spoken, was talking with two other men. One of whom wears a chest of feathers, probably the leader, and another dressed very similar to him. Someone of importance.
The three of them looked at me as if they wanted to scoop my intestines out of my throat right in front of the entire village, but they limited themselves to glare as the woman approached them, more specifically the leader.
"I see you, father" the woman spoke towards the leader, making a strange gesture with her hand.
"This creature, why have you brought her here?"
"I was going to kill her, but there has been a sign from Eywa" the woman leaned her body slightly forward as a sign of obedience, respect or submission. I'm not sure.
"I have told you!" her ears pinned back when he rose his voice "No dreamwalker is allowed here!. Her alien smell fills my nose " many around us snickered, which makes me suspicious of the conversation.
"What's he saying?" I asked the woman, really wanting to know what's so funny.
"My father is deciding whether to kill you" I widened my eyes and gulped.
So that's funny to them.
I turned my gaze to the imposing man wearing the chest of red, yellow and orange feathers, knowing full well that he really wanted to kill me.
"Your father" I nodded to myself.
She's a princess then.
"Sir, I mean no harm" I raised my hands in surrender and took a step forward.
That alerted everyone because in a second, I had several Na'vi pushing me back with knives pointed at my face and neck. "Kehe!" She hissed at me.
"Shit, again with the damn braid" I complained when they pulled my braid again.
"Step back! I will look at this alien" someone said from above.
A woman came walking down the spiral kind-of-staircase wearing some kind of red feathered shawl, her hair in multiple braids with some headpiece above her forehead. She silenced everyone with a few words, which made me realize how powerful and important she must be here.
"That is mother, she is Tsahik. The one who interprets the will of Eywa" the woman told me, with her head down in respect for her mother.
"The shaman" I commented, remembering the little facts Norm taught me from the Na'vi.
The woman began to look at me. She took my tail and also my braid, inspecting them carefully. She stood behind me for a moment with my tail still in her hand.
"This woman is wounded, she has lost a lot of blood already" she said from behind me.
When she was done with her inspection, she stood in front of me and took a sharp object kept between her braids and without warning, pricked my shoulder with it.
It took me by surprise, but I suppressed the groan that wanted to come out of my mouth. I just wrinkled my nose at the momentary pain.
She took the object to her mouth, a drop of my blood could be easily distinguished from the white color of the material with which the object is made. I didn't know what she wanted to do until she passed my blood over her tongue, savoring it in a way that her actions seemed somewhat sadistic to me.
Suddenly, realization reflected in her eyes as she looked at me again.
"How are you called?"
I'm glad that she speaks English too.
"Aquila Chase" I answered automatically, like I was waiting for her to ask that question.
"Why have you come to us?"
To save your lifes from the imminent death.
"To learn" I spoke firmly, trying to show confidence as best I could when in reality I was scared by the result that this conversation could bring me.
The woman raised her nonexistent eyebrows at my words.
"We have tried to teach other sky people, it is hard to fill a cup which is already full"
I knew what I had to say in order to survive and to fulfill my mission, but it feels hard to say these words out loud, even more accept them.
"My cup is empty, believe me" I let out a sigh "Just ask carrots, she'd be glad to tell you how I am so full of myself and that I'll never be as good as her scientists" I can literally picture Grace talking to this woman in front of me and telling her how much she hates to have me around. Also, point out all of my flaws which in her opinion, are many.
"What are you?"
"I was a marine" she frowned confused and I understood that they don't know what that is "A warrior in my Clan" I explained in a way they could understand.
"She? A warrior?" the man beside the leader spoke attracting attention. His arms crossed over his broad chest and eyes watching me arrogantly "She looks like she's about to break" many around him snickered, which made me assume that he was making fun off me.
I glared at him, obviously displeased with the way he was looking at me.
"I could kill her easily!" The man of the horse exclaimed, taking two steps forward before being stopped by his leader.
"She is the first warrior dreamwalker we have seen. We need to learn more about her" some people seemed displeased, including both men at the leader sides.
"My daughter, you will teach her our ways. To speak and walk as we do"
"Why me? That's not fair-"
"I don't want to listen" the mother raised her hand at her daughter, making her complain out loud. "It is decided, my daughter will teach you our ways. Learn well, AquilaChase, then we will see if your insanity can be cured"
I felt like I could breathe again. I was not going to die and managed to infiltrate with the natives as ordered. At least something good had to happen to me today after almost dying four times.
"Thank you" I bowed my head in gratitude, the mother imitating me before retiring next to the leader and the other two men who looked like their bodyguards.
"Come" the woman appeared next to me and began to walk away quickly.
I had to hurry to keep up with her again, but not before dedicating one last withering look to that man who hasn't stopped looking at me since I arrived.
[>>>]
"I have to wear this?" I raised the piece of clothing in front of my face, somewhat horrified by how little fabric it has.
"If you want to learn to be like us, you must dress like us" was all she said, annoyed with my complaints.
"This is like lingerie. It wouldn't be enough to cover my butt" I turned the loincloth over and over again. But no matter how much you do it, no more fabric will appear.
"Just put it on and stop complaining" she hissed, making me pin my ears to my skull.
"Fine, okay. Geez" I gave up and was about to start undressing when I realized she's still watching me. I cleared my throat uncomfortable to have her eyes on me "A little privacy, please?" She said something in her language that I obviously didn't understand and turned away, facing her back to me.
I start by taking off my boots, which are damp from my little run-in with the thanator this morning. Then I took off my pants and panties. With my lower half exposed, I took the simple brown loincloth and slid it up my legs until the thong-like fabric covered me. I got a little frustrated tucking the back in with my tail, but got it done in the end.
With the upper part I had to be careful because of the wound. I took off the makeshift bandage, tossing it along with my boots and pants. And then I took off my top, which was covered in blood on the back.
With the amount of blood I've lost, I'm surprised I'm still conscious.
I took the top, which more than a top is a necklace with long feathers that vaguely cover my breasts. I feel uncomfortable, but I know I can't complain. All I'll do is make the woman angrier.
"I'm done" I announced. She turned around and analyzed my figure in the clothes of her people.
I felt somewhat judged by her gaze, but I didn't say anything and neither did she. She made eye contact again.
"Come, I'll take you to my mother so she can heal you" she turned around and walked away.
Finally, I was starting to think they would let me bleed until I die.
[>>>]
After the Tsahik took care of my wounds and applied some salve to them, the woman lead me to dinner. Or gathering is better said for the amount of people.
The entire Clan is gathered around a bonfire, eating and chatting with friends and family with background music. All that silenced as soon as I appeared in front of them.
All those eyes staring at me.
Just what I like (note the sarcasm).
"Good evening" I said out of nervousness. No one said anything while they continued to stare at me. I decided that the best thing to do would be to follow the woman and hope that they would ignore my presence at some point of the night.
I dodged the tails on the floor as best I could and finally stopped in front of the woman with a small proud smile on my lips for making it through the little obstacle course. She just rolled her eyes and pushed me to the floor, forcing me to sit down.
I crossed my legs and settled down to be more comfortable. The songs and music, as well as the conversations, resumed and the gazes turned away from me, which relieved me.
Beside me, a small Na'vi girl smiled at me, to which I returned the gesture. She wanted to get closer, but her father stopped her.
"Here" I looked up when the woman handed me a leaf full of food.
It seemed to be some meat and some kind of rocks that I associated with rice. But I doubt it's rice. I took one and brought it to my mouth, impressed by the rich flavor it had. I continued to eat in silence, occasionally letting my gaze wander around me, watching the Na'vi with interest.
Many of them laugh and talk in harmony with the rest, which makes me understand that despite having different customs, they are not so different from us.
With the clear exception that they seem to lack the ability that humans possess for self-destruction.
My eyes fell on a group not far from where I'm sitting. It looked like a big family, but my eyes were focused on two girls who were talking and laughing together while eating.
It reminded me of Emma and I in our childhood. We used to be so close before we entered high school that now it felt like a dream. As if all those memories were nothing more than my imagination and my mind trying to deceive me.
Now, I realize that I couldn't mourn her death, or rather, I didn't want to assimilate that it was real. With everything I had to do to come here, plus training, the mission, fighting Grace, learning from Norm, and my own problems, I never really took the time to sit down and accept that Emma was gone and would never come back to me.
I felt guilt rise in my chest as I remembered that the last time we talked we had a fight. She didn't want me to join the marines and leave her alone in our home, but I wanted to give my life some kind of meaning and thought I couldn't do it with her around always overshadowing me in the eyes of the world. Everything for what?, For me to return after a mission that left me with trauma and nightmares that I don't think I can ever overcome.
Shit, until now I hadn't realize how much I miss her. I wish I could go back in time to when we were just kids and our only concern was getting up early to play all day, when our fights were over silly things like the TV remote or a doll, when Emma comforted me on nights I had nightmares or that my parents made me feel less for not being as good or smart as her, when she sang my favorite songs or we danced like crazy in the room we shared practically our entire lives.
Before leaving her.
Before losing her forever.
"What's wrong?" my ears perked up when I heard her voice.
I stopped looking at the girls to turn and look at the woman, who frowned when she saw my face.
"Why are you crying?"
"What?" my voice cracked and I immediately cleared my throat. I brought my hand to my face and wiped away the few tears that were in my eyes, not wanting anyone to see me cry.
"Why are you-"
"It's nothing" I hurried to clarify "I had something in my eyes" I excused wanting her to believe it.
I adverted my gaze away from her, still with a lump in my throat from what had happened. I felt her gaze on me, questioning or judging me, but she wasn't the only one because her parents and the two warriors were also looking at me in the same way.
I preferred to look at the woman next to me and realized that I still didn't know her name.
She saved my life twice and I don't even know her name.
"What's your name?, You saved my life twice today and I haven't asked you" more like I was about to ask her when I was thrown from a tree trunk to the floor and then surrounded by a group of Na'vi .
"Neytiri Te Tskaha Mo'at'ite" she said it so fast that I didn't understand anything.
"Maybe a little bit slower, please" I asked.
"Neytiri"
"Neytiri?" I repeated and she nodded looking at me "Neytiri. I like it" she said nothing, but I saw a little smile on her lips.
[>>>]
Later, I was stuck with Neytiri and the two warriors in the spiral staircase of hometree. The four of us climb up to an area where other Na'vi sleep in hammocks tied to tree branches and suspended above a void.
A long void.
The warriors don't seem very comfortable with my presence around them and they let Neytiri know it. I don't have to understand Na'vi to notice their clear distaste for me, but she said her mother had ordered for me to sleep here and unable to protest the Tsahik's orders, they couldn't say anything more about it.
With grace and ease, Neytiri and the two warriors stretched out in their hammocks, preparing to rest. I, on the other hand, felt like it must be a bad joke because come on, if I make a wrong move I'm going to fall to my death.
"What are you waiting for?" Neytiri asked, looking at me from her hammock.
"Nothing" I wasn't going to say in front of the grumpy warrior and the cocky one that I was afraid to climb on the hammock and fall. So I swallowed my words and held onto the branch above me to put my feet on the hammock carefully. When I stabilized, I began to slowly squat down until I was on my knees, then sitting up, and finally laying down.
It felt good to rest my back and body in general. After the long day I had, I deserved a good night of long, undisturbed sleep.
When I turned to my right I met the cold eyes of the conceited man, he seemed to want to say something about my way of getting into the hammock, but he simply rolled his eyes and turned his back to me and closed the hammock as if it were a cocoon.
I imitated his movements, surprised when the cloth or threads closed. I let out a long, heavy breath.
Finally, I closed my eyes and the tiredness I feel allowed me to return my consciousness to my human body easily.
A/N:
HEYYYYY.
Another friday, another update. As promised.
Aquila's new outfit at the top.
Hope you're liking the story, please comment.