Equilibrium

Grace and Norm walked briskly while being guarded by a dozen Slinth, in front of them was Aleyx on Fang.

After the brief introduction between the two parties, Aleyx decided to escort the two scientists to his Sa-2 Samson, as he did not want the two to die at the hands of animals or any of his tribesmen.

"You never told us how you can speak our language," Grace, who wanted to get information by any method, brought up the subject again.

Aleyx just sighed, while Fang growled, sensing Aleyx's annoyance, "Not all sky people that come to our borders are killed, some are taken hostage, to try and get information about you, so we know how to fight you."

Grace just glanced sideways at Norm, who returned her gaze with clear nervousness in his eyes, with only half an hour of meeting the only Subaiya known to be 'social' with humans, they had gotten more information from them than they had in the last thirty years, and with each new thing they knew, it caused them more fear towards that tribe.

"What has become of them?" asked Grace, wanting to know what had happened to these people, wondering inwardly how she had not known about these disappearances.

"There are currently six sky people in the tribe, the others, have ended up murdered, or killed for their recklessness towards the Txumre' or the Palulukan" Aleyx replied nonchalantly, not caring about human lives, even knowing that he used to be one.

Grace wanted to continue the conversation, but Aleyx raised his right fist, causing the Txumre (Slinth) to stop, only for the ferocious beasts to break off and move into the jungle.

Grace wanted to ask what was going on, but soon she could see four Na'Vis mounted on Palulukan (Thanator) coming out from the front and approaching them.

As the Na'Vi stood in front of Aleyx and the two scientists, they bowed to Aleyx, and they placed their fist on his chest, which received a salute from Aleyx as well, only for Aleyx to give a brief nod.

"You've been out of the tribe for a long time, Tsahìk has been asking for you," one of the Na'Vi said to Aleyx, then noticed his two companions, and frowned.

Aleyx immediately grabbed his spear and then placed the tip in the face of the Na'Vi who had threatened Norm, an act that was copied by the other three Na'Vi who came with him.

"If you don't want to lose a hand, you'd better come to your senses and lower your spears," said Aleyx, anger visible on his face.

The Na'Vi who initiated the scene looked at Aleyx, then grimaced and lowered his spear, as did the others.

"Why are you safeguarding these dream walkers? You know the laws of our tribe," commented an angry Na'Vi.

"Do not speak of the laws before me, I was there when they were created!" shouted an angry Aleyx, noticeably irritated at being judged.

With his reaction, the Na'Vis lowered their heads, as the Palulukan (Thanator) took a small distance from Aleyx.

"They will be taken by me to where they can go home, and I don't want a word to the contrary, so for your part, return to the tribe, and inform my mother that I will be with her soon," Aleyx finished, then urged Fang to continue.

During all this time, the two scientists made no noise, apparently not wanting to be noticed, but Grace was stunned by the scene in front of her, observing first hand the behavior towards the alphas and leaders of the Subaiya tribe, something that no one had been able to investigate before.

She could think no more on the subject, however, for she was forced to continue her journey.

Within minutes, a herd of Hammerheads was passing in front of them, walking through the jungles of Pandora in complete harmony with the environment, and occasionally felling the occasional dead or old tree, making way for new, young trees, contributing their part to the wonderful balance of Pandora.

Just as the females and calves passed by, one of the calves broke away from the herd, an act that Grace spotted at once, though what surprised her was not that, but that the calf, the size of a full-grown hippopotamus, approached them.

No, more specifically, it approached Aleyx, who got off Fang and approached the baby and then began to pet it.

While many things had surprised Grace since she first came here, there was no doubt that what was unfolding in front of her was of a higher level, she knew that the Na'Vi shared an immense and deep bond with Pandora, and all that inhabited it, but that a hatchling decided to greet one, and worse, that her parents were unconcerned about it, as if they were already used to Aleyx, or that her presence was peaceful and friendly with the Hammerheads, even knowing that something like that had never been seen before, that was what was surprising. 

It was because of this, that Grace began to see Aleyx in a new light, perhaps with him being the Na'Vi most attached to Pandora. 

After the hatchling greeted Aleyx, Aleyx returned to his pack, which was waiting for him, and then went on his way.

 What Grace did not know, was that this herd was one of several that Aleyx had 'tamed', taking them to live in the tribe's territories, as he had done with several other herds of different races that lived in harmony in the surrounding areas of the Subaiya clan. 

Aleyx simply remounted Fang, leaving the herd behind, and arriving minutes later at Trudy's location, who was surprised to see her two passengers being escorted by an unknown Na'Vi riding a Thanator.