CHAPTER 010
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A TASTE OF FREEDOM
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TODAY, NEYTIRI LEFT ME WITH TSYEYK WHILE SHE HELPS HER MOTHER WITH SOME THINGS AROUND THE CLAN.
As for Tsyeyk, I thought he would put me through hell and make me run, climb, swim, or anything that would exhaust me, but instead, as soon as Neytiri asked him to take care of me for today and then left us alone, he just turned around and started to climb up the spiral of the hometree.
"Are you waiting for an invitation, demon? . Follow me" and I followed him.
I haven't fully explored the hometree yet. There are several places that I'm not allowed access to, but since I spend the whole day in the forest training, it really wasn't something that bothered me. However, never in these two weeks had I climbed to the top of hometree and boy was it a long way.
When we arrived, I had to support my back against the trunk for a second to get air. I feel like my lungs are burning and I'll pass out at any moment from lack of air. Tsyeyk, like the gentleman he is, completely ignored me and walked up the huge hometree branch making a bird-like call.
"What (deep breath) are you doing?" I got back up and walked over to where he was with his back to me, pausing to admire the scenery around us from so high up.
The forest looks tiny from up here and you can barely make out the hundreds of Na'vi below.
Tsyeyk again ignored me to continue making that strange call. I was about to say something to him when I caught movement among the leaves and smaller branches of the tree. I looked in that direction and jumped back as a huge dinosaur-like featherless bird shot out from the leaves and landed in front of Tsyeyk.
It's an Ikran, I've been learning something about them. The Na'vi use them for air transport and for hunting. My people call them mountain banshees. I know that they live in the Hallelujah Mountains in communities like the Na'vi, but they're dangerous and aggressive when approached. You have to be careful when you are near one.
It's a wonderful large creature, a beautifully blue color with patches of purple, black and brown. Yellow eyes brighter than those of the Na'vi. Sharp claws that can scratch you to death and huge wings to soar the skies.
"Don't look him in the eye" I averted my gaze at his advice.
Tsyeyk talked to the creature, saying things to it in his language and giving it some food. He seemed like the most loving man in the world talking to a little baby, which makes me think that the Ikran may be the human equivalent of a dog. Although I may be completely wrong.
"This is an Ikran, mighty beasts of the sky. They are not like the Pa'li, once the Tsaheylu is made..." He paused to bond with the Ikran, taking a few seconds to sink into that bond "An Ikran will fly with one hunter for the rest of it's life" I widened my eyes surprised at that fact.
Seems like the Ikran are very loyal beasts, unlike the Pa'li that bond with everyone.
"To become a taronyu, a hunter, you must chose your Ikran and it must chose you" he got on his Ikran's back with a swift movement, adjusting his stance as if it was his second nature.
"When will I tame my Ikran?" I felt excited just imagining myself flying freely through the skies with my own winged creature.
"When you are ready" was his vague answer before putting on some kind of beautiful headpiece and letting out a bird call before the Ikran dived off the branch.
I ran to the edge of the branch and followed them with my eyes. He started to fly around hometree so fast and carefree that it almost looked like he was the one soaring the skies without his mount. He let out an excited scream of joy that brought an unconscious smile to my lips. I've always dreamed to feel as free as he is right now flying his Ikran. Like there was nothing else aside from them and a whole world waiting to be explored.
I envy him, because he had this all his life and I've always felt like a bird trapped in a cage. Dreaming about feeling the air under it's wings, but unable to do so because of the metal bars trapping it inside and depriving it from living the way it was supposed to.
I came to my senses when I lost Tsyeyk and his Ikran from my line of sight, only to get down when he passed over me laughing his ass off because of my reaction.
"Asshole" I groaned.
He kept flying around for some more time while I admired the view of the forest and a little far away. Moments after, he landed on the branch and got down from his bird, caressing it gently and even if I couldn't see him, I knew he was smiling at it.
"What's it's name?" I decided to ask, approaching just a little and keeping my distance to not disturb the Ikran.
"Vitxa, is male" he answered, without turning around to look at me. He seemed mesmerized with his Ikran.
"He's beautiful" I smiled softly, looking at the beast.
Vitxa seemed to understand me, because he looked at me in the eye and lowered his head slightly, as if he was thanking me for the compliment. Tsyeyk then turned around, breaking the bond with Vitxa and making a sound that must be some kind of signal, because he squawked and left to the place he came from.
He then looked at me and without a word, he started to walk away. I groaned and followed him back inside hometree.
"Hey, wait up!" I hurried to catch up with him, but each time I did, he quickened his pace even more, moving away from me.
I rolled my eyes annoyed with his attitude.
"Where are we going?" I asked, quickening my pace just like him to be right next to him. "I have questions".
"I have a hunting party to lead. I don't care what you do or what you want to ask" without stopping we reached the common area of the hometree, where at the entrance a group of hunters talked and laughed as they prepared to leave "So get lost."
"Neytiri said that you would take over my training today" I reminded him.
"Well, that's all I have to show you"
"But I want to know more about the Ikran. How can I tame one?, What do I have to do?" He continued without stopping on his walk, now going towards a specific area where some weapons were kept for hunting or battles.
"First you would have to manage to make a clean kill, doing so will allow you to join the rest of the warriors in training with whom you will have to climb towards the mountains and go to the Ikran's territory, Hurrah. There you will have just one opportunity to tame your Ikran and get to the next part of your training" he explained everything to me with an irritated tone of voice as he picked up his bow and arrows and turned to make his way towards the group of warriors who watched us waiting for their leader "But you don't have to worry, you will not be able to get that far" he turned around and stood inches in front of me, giving me that smug grin that made my blood boil.
"I've already come this far, I'm sure I can do it" I defended myself.
"You can tell that to yourself all you want, but demons will never be able to be like us, live like us or do the same as we do. My personal advise?, give up already and leave so we can return to our normal lives and get rid of you once and for all" he said harshly and taking a step forward, making me instinctively take one back.
"I'll show you what I'm capable of" I got angry and stepped forward to show him that I was not going to be intimidated by him "There's a reason why the Tsahik allowed me to stay and learn. I won't give you the pleasure of giving up" he just looked at me with a strange twinkle in his amber eyes. It looked like my words had awakened something in him, although I'm not sure of what. Surely more reasons to hate me.
"Tsyeyk!" the hunters called him. He didn't even turn to look at them, he just looked me up and down with that strange twinkle in his eye. When he made eye contact again, he smirked and leaned into me slightly to whisper in my ear.
"We'll see about that" and with a wink, he turned around and joined the hunters walking out of the hometree.
I stayed where I was for a few seconds, processing the words I had just heard coming out of his big mouth. He didn't think I was capable of taming an Ikran or doing my clean kill, but I had a strange confidence in myself. Besides, I knew that Neytiri was silently supporting me in this, even if she didn't admit it out loud.
Yet, despite that little confidence and hope inside of me I felt like it wasn't enough and that just because I wasn't supposed to be here in the first place, I may just be setting myself up to fail.
A/N:
HEY GUYSSSSS
I'm sorry for updating this late, but I swear I totally lost track of time. I didn't even remembered that yesterday was Friday.
Anyways, here you go another chapter with a change in the dynamic of our lead characters.
I hope you liked this chapter and I also wanted to thank you because the story reached 363 reads!.
See you next Friday.
Besos y abrazos.