Chapter 19: Discussion among sisters

A few days later,

Neytiri was with Jake and was looking for her younger sister to enjoy this last day with her. Although Jake's immature side still annoyed her, she eventually became attached to her apprentice. Maybe even a little too much, given the heartbeat in his presence and the uncontrollable smiles at times. She didn't know why, but she wanted him to discover all the wonders of their world, unlike at the beginning of her training.

Jake: What are you going to show me today?

She looked at him sternly. How could he be so carefree? Well, at least he was starting to learn well, even if it wasn't that yet. Nevertheless, she smiled a little, thinking back to her bow outfit from this morning. He was holding it better and better and she was able to take advantage of this to get closer and tenderly caress her skin. She could feel his light but reassuring breath and the drums of Jake's heart. The drums sounded like a soft and pleasant melody for her. No, she has homework and had to give up this stupid passion! By the way, he was almost ready to take the hunting exam. But she would see that later. For now, it was rest and discussion with her little sister.

Neytiri : At ease. A na'vi must know how to find time to rest his body and mind.

Jake: Ah? And what do you do with your free time?

Neytiri: I intend to go and see my sister. She's leaving tomorrow, so I intend to spend time with her.

Jake: She didn't seem to like me.

On that reflection, the omatikaya smiles.

Neytiri : Your intuition is good. She considers you to be a perfect fool and I can't prove her wrong.

Jake: Well, it looks like I'm appreciated by the whole family!

The future Tsahik sighed, before walking towards Kelutral, looking for her. She was surprised to see her, sitting in a suit, in front of Grace, outside the Kelutral. The young chief seemed to be listening attentively to the dream walker in front of her.

Neytiri was so surprised by the scene that she remained still for several moments, not seeming to move.

Jake: Are you okay?

Her apprentice's words brought her back from reality. Lutsey chatting with a tawtute.... She couldn't believe it! Why?

Lutsey bowed his head and spoke a language that even Neytiri didn't know. It didn't sound like what Grace was teaching her at school. She watched the show for a long time, not yet coming back from the stage.

Finally, Lutsey stood up and greeted Grace with the na'vi greeting before walking away, finally noticing both.

Lutsey: Kaltxi, my sister.

Jake: I'm here, too

Lutsey didn't bother to answer and seemed, in fact, to ignore it.

Neytiri: It's rude, little sister, not to bow. You know that, though.

Lutsey gnashing his teeth: Why should I bother, for a tawtute fool? I've watched your classes with him and I agree with Tsu'tey. This person is unable to see.

Jake with a bite in English: I feel sorry for you, Ben.

This earned him a questioning look from his tutor before turning to Lutsey with a smile.

Neytiri: I'm glad you befriended Sa'nok.

Lutsey with a smile: Yes, she's a rather open and interesting woman. I've learned a lot from her in the last few days.

Neytiri, intrigued: Like?

Lutsey: Uh...let's say...The Tawtute language...

Neytiri backed away from surprise, completely shocked.

Neytiri : Nang ! But.... I thought you refused....

Lutsey crossing his arms: People evolve with the years.

Jake was rather pessimistic. How could she have learned a language in a few days when he had already been there for a month, without much progress. Nevertheless, he decided to keep quiet in order to avoid possible trouble.

Neytiri: But... Are you sure? I didn't understand anything of your dialogue with Sa'nok!

Voice: That's normal, Neytiri. I taught you only one of our many languages.

Jake turned to Grace who had just joined them.

Jake: Is that French, Grace?

The chief's daughter looked at the sailor with an interested look. She really wanted to know more about this language and her sister's reasons for learning it.

Grace: Yes, and I can say that Lutsey is a fascinating student. I knew that you have an ease with learning compared to us. But your younger sister, Neytiri, was able to learn the basics of the language in just a few days!

Jake, surprised: Nang! Are you serious, Grace?

Grace: I am, Jake.

At this remark, Neytiri laughed while Lutsey was red with embarrassment.

Neytiri: Little sister has always been quite persistent when she wanted something. I won't be surprised that this language occupied her mind during her stay here.

Lutsey : That's all right, Neytiri.

Neytiri : Why did you want to learn this language, anyway?

Lutsey didn't answer, but his tail and his ears showed his perplexity.

Lutsey : Curiosity.

Jake : Isn't that related to...?

Grace's stern look calmed Jake in his action.

Grace: There are things we need to talk about, Jake. Besides, I think Neytiri wants to be alone with her sister for a little while.

Jake, in thought: Why do I feel like I'm going to have a bad time?

As Jake and Grace walked away, Neytiri folded her arms and looked at her sister, who was doing everything she could not to look at her. But her tail and ears still betrayed her.

Neytiri : So?

Lutsey : What?

Neytiri : Stop pretending not to understand. You deserved the People of Heaven and suddenly you learn one of their languages. Don't take me for a fool, little sister. I know that there is something behind it.

Lutsey clenched his fists in front of it, holding back the tension that was beginning to build up.

Lutsey: There's nothing, big sister.

Neytiri: Your body betrays you.

Immediately images of his apprentice came to his mind. His arrogant smile when he mocked her, his serious face when he fought Koltyey and, above all, his smile when he received his chey. As she watched these images circulate, she could feel her heart beating faster and faster and her tension rising.

Angry Lutsey: I'm telling you there's nothing there! How many times do I have to tell you?

Neytiri calmly: You are in love with a dream walker, aren't you?

These words froze Lutsey on the spot, out of fear but also out of shame. Her passion for a member of the People who had taken away her adopted sister and her parents weighed on her and she felt the weight of humiliation invading her body. She collapsed on her sister and let go of all the tension she had experienced during this last month. Why was Eywa so cruel to her?

As for Neytiri, she laid a protective and comforting hand on her younger sister who was crying over her.

Neytiri : That's good. Don't worry, little sister.

She couldn't blame her sister. The elder one also felt an attraction for her apprentice because of her carelessness but also because of her courage.

Lutsey: How...Why should it be...a tawtute?

Neytiri : The heart has its reasons, little sister. And it's not always explainable.

They stayed like that for a long time, waiting for Lutsey to calm down. At last, she spread her head apart, wiping away her tears.

Neytiri with a smile: You needed it, it seems...

She replied with a childish smile.

Lutsey: Thank you.

Neytiri : He better not hurt you! Otherwise, I'll put his head at the end of my spear.

The young olo'eyktan laughed at Neytiri's statement.

Lutsey: Otherwise, Neytiri, between us. You and Jake...

She made an exasperated whistle. But her eyes and ears reflected the hesitation in her heart.

Neytiri: There is nothing between us. Besides, I am promised to Tsu'tey and you know it.

Lutsey : That's not what your body says.

Red Neytiri : You were spying on me???

Lutsey laughed at his sister's redness. It was rare that she made Neytiri uncomfortable and she couldn't miss the opportunity.

Lutsey: I was more of an observer. Especially when you're so close to him when....

Neytiri : That's okay !!!! Shut up ! Mother and Father mustn't find out !!!

Lutsey continued to laugh while Neytiri was red with embarrassment.

Lutsey calmed down: Don't worry, big sister. Your secret is safe with me. Especially since I share it too.

Neytiri grumbling: Yeah... if your laugh didn't get the attention.

Lutsey: You can talk! You did the same!

And so the two of them began to argue. Luckily for them, no one was really paying attention to what they were talking about. The bickering between them was not so rare and it didn't attract any more attention.

In the evening, at unit 26 of the Avatar program, in the Hallelujahs,

Jake was eating his lunch, looking at the picture of Grace and the girls at school with a certain amount of greed. Seeing Neytiri's smiling face, he felt his heart clench with guilt, knowing that she would never forgive him for what he had done.

As for Grace, she was leaning against a gray wall, drinking her cup with her eyes elsewhere. Finally, the sailor finished his meal and decided to end the silence.

Jake: What do you want to talk to me about, Grace?

She came back to reality and looked at him with a serious face.

Grace: Jake, you don't have to mention the Lutsey visit, nor its peculiarity.

The sailor was surprised by this statement

Jake: Why is that?

Grace sighed before answering

Grace: Because Lutsey's native clan, of which she is the leader, is supposed to have disappeared years ago.

Jake, surprised: What? Wait... And Ben...

Grace: He did not mention the clan once in his reports, nor did he mention Lutsey's particularity. He knew what would happen if it ever got out on the base. Jake, if you reveal this to Quaritch, you will be responsible for the death of an entire clan. Especially since it will have an impact on the Omatikayas, as you suspected.

Jake: I understand...

He already felt responsible for what was going to happen to the omatikayas. The sailor did not want to add more victims to his conscience.

The next day, at the Kelutral of the menariyas tunti

With his eyes closed, Ben listened calmly and attentively to the various noises in the surrounding area. Joltsyn asked him to do this exercise, in order to compensate for his handicap following his Iknimaya. He accepted, seeing an opportunity to improve.

He could hear the sounds of prolemmuris roaming the branches in the colony, the rustling of leaves of a predator chasing a prey, probably a yerik. Then, footsteps coming from his left. Light but not enough to escape its hearing. In an instant, he drew out his small left stick, resembling one of his daggers, and parried a blow in his direction.

Joltsyn: Not bad, Tsylan! I see you're improving. I'm surprised that you're progressing so fast.

Tsylan: Your sister's speed has forced me to sharpen some of my senses.

Joltsyn smiled at this reflection. Of course, the daily confrontations between them must have made the dream walker progress, but she didn't expect such a feat!

It had been a few days that the young Tsahik had been training him to use his other senses and she could see, with pride, that he had greatly progressed. Going from a slowness in the movements to an almost cold precision. She grinded her blade before attempting several strokes that Tsylan dodged and parried with great technicality, her hands playing with her daggers with skill. Going from straight weapons to upside down blades in an instant and with a certain mastery.

Seeing that she could not pierce her defense easily, she took several steps back and put her weapon back on.

Joltsyn: I have nothing more to teach you. You seem to understand the acute use of your senses, Tsylan. You fight like a Na'vi. Even more so.

The Na'vi opened his eyes, while he too sheathed his wooden daggers.

Tsylan in a serious tone: Please don't exaggerate. I am just gifted in this field by my profession. I was a Tawtute warrior, after all.

The young Tsahik was astonished by this sudden modesty. She couldn't understand this tawtute. On the one hand, he is arrogant and provocative and on the other, he is calm and serious enough to compete with her and her sister. Then he can be open and very kind.

Joltsyn: I find it hard to understand you, Tsylan.

Tsylan: You're not the only one.

Then the shadow of an Ikran passed over them and a cry rang out. They both looked up and both smiled when they saw the yellow Ikran.

Tsylan: The tigress went home.

Joltsyn of a mummy: I hope she will get better now.