Chapter 19

The wonders of the forest still amazed Harry as they did every time he travelled through its depth. This time however his heart still ached over his parting with Sukal. Every beautiful flower or floating petal reminded him of her, making his heart ache even more.

Jogging along the great branches of the trees, the luminous moss lit up his footsteps, giving the forest a radiant glow. Harry sneaked past sleeping animals and vicious packs of viper wolves on the prowl.

His body, now trained through the vigour's of the way of water, seemed to quickly adapt back to the forest. His feet landed firmly on each leap, his footsteps as quiet as shadows cats, his senses so attuned to the forest he detected animals long before his thermal scanner would have.

His blood seemed to race as it returned to its ancestral home. Despite his heart being dedicated to the way of water, his avatar was created using DNA from the forest Navi. That heritage and deep connection to the forest was an inescapable part of who he was.

Jumping to another tree and continuing on, seeing the great trunk getting ever closer, Harry looked up.

Suddenly, a sensation of danger filled Harry's senses. He had missed something.

A glint of light in the distance gave him a moment to react. Diving to the side, a feathered arrow narrowly missing him whizzed past. Following the direction with his eyes, he saw three Navi, trainee hunters judging by their clothing, shooting at him.

Watching another Navi release an arrow in his direction, his body seemingly frozen in place, he shielded himself with the only thing he could – his staff.

Thud!

The arrow embedded into the staff right before his eyes. Watching the Navi preparing more arrows and bringing their bows up for another assault Harry forced his body to roll behind a nearby tree.

"Nimwey!" He called out. "Peace Brothers!"

"Sky-people lies!" One of them shouted out. Perhaps wearing a rucksack, a very un-Navi thing, was a bad idea, Harry thought ruefully. Another feathered arrow shot past, forcing him to tuck his legs in further.

They must have been from the tribe. Probably on high alert for any strangers entering their territory after the incident with the Avatars.

Harry needed to end this quickly, he didn't have time to play target practice with the youth when a serious war could break out anytime. Not to mention the commotion would attract other hunters, ones less likely to miss.

Pulling the offending arrow out of his staff, he stood up. Taking calming breaths, he focused on his hearing, he needed to locate his Navi attackers. The faint rustle of leaves, of whispered words, was all Harry needed.

Springing into action he slipped out wide, jumping from tree to tree keeping his body in the shadows. Reaching the rear of the Navi youth position, Harry attacked.

Every lesson of Doeung ran through his head, trying to follow the first piece of advice he had given him. 'Hit hard. Hit first.'

Using his staff Harry swept two of the bows away from their hands, following up his surprise attack by swinging his leg out, knocking the Navi to the floor. A technique honed from many hours with his training droid. The third Navi managed to swing around to raise his bows around to try and get enough. Harry used his staff to push the bow to aim away, sending the arrow wildly into the forest's depths. While still stunned, Harry used the other end of his staff to trip the boy up until he too was on the floor.

Now covered in mud and fearing for their lives, Harry relaxed. At least there were no more poisoned arrows coming his way.

"Nimwey." He repeated strongly. The boys now in no position to refuse. "I'm not here to fight. I need to see a friend."

Looking at each other, neither wanted to be first to engage with the strange alien Navi.

"Ra'sar." Harry said, hoping the name would at least buy him some goodwill. Their eyes were still guarded but one, probably the oldest by appearance piped up.

"Harri?" He questioned. Harry nodded, unsure of how he knew his name. At his confirmation, the Navi youth relaxed and smiled.

"The Harri that gave Ra'sar a Tra'vre?"

"Yes, well you see I had to…" Before he could finish the other interrupted.

"The Harri who has enslaved a training partner"

"It's not enslaved! It's a…"

"The Harri who think you can drink the seas water!"

"Alright! Enough!" Harry's face flushed with embarrassment. What was Ra'sar doing spreading this nonsense to the rest of his tribe? They would have serious words when they met again.

The young Navi stopped but Harry could see their mischievous smiles poorly hidden on their faces. Perhaps they were Ra'sar cousins? Harry thought. That would explain a lot. The near fatal attack now gone from all their minds.

Taking another calming breath, Harry tried again to refocus his efforts. "Can you take me to him?" They nodded and quickly ran off into the forest.

Harry followed behind, grumbling something about how clean his water is.

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"You need to release the Sky-people." Harry's voice called out in front of the Olo'eyktan, Tsahik and the gathered hunters.

"What right do you order us? Demon!" One of the hunters demanded, spitting out the insult.

Before he could reply Ra'sar stepped forward. He had been quick to walk Harry through the tribe, ascending the sky tree to meet with the clan's leaders.

"Oel ngati kameie" (I see you) He showed respect to the leaders before continuing to speak. "Harri is my brother. Saved my life. Fed me to the Tra'vre. Head his words." At the mention of the Tra'vre, whispers started in the crowd, Harry could easily imagine there was some controversy about a sky-person giving a miracle fruit to a Navi.

"I seek to warn you, great leader. The sky-people will come with ships and weapons. They will destroy the tribe to send a message to all Navi that you can't resist them."

A hunter stepped forward and held his bow over his head. "Then let them come. They will fear our spears and bows."

"Even if you win, how many will die? How many will rest with Eywa before their time?" Not giving in Harry kept going. "What of those left behind? What if the sky people decide to return, you risk your tribe falling from living memory for no reason. Let them go!"

The hunter stepped forward, challenging Harry, violence dancing dangerously in his eyes.

"Enough." The Tsahik's words rang over the crowd. Walking down the path closer to Harry, Harry offered a respectful greeting and bowed to the closest living to Eywa. She drew a knife, and despite Harry's every instinct telling him to run, he remained still.

A quick slash on his upper arm. A single bead of blood dripped down his arm, the wound was shallow and would heal quickly. The Tsahik lifted the blade to her lips and licked the ruby-red blood.

Closing her eyes, all Navi were quiet, waiting to hear the commands of Eywa's chosen. Eyes snapping open, she spoke simply to Harry.

"Come. They are this way."

Harry followed behind her to a grouping of trees that had grown weaved together, the entrance was open with two Navi hunters standing guard. Seeing the Tsahik, they saluted with their spears before stepping aside.

Inside there was little light except for the few glow flies that buzzed about. Four Avatars were tied up, their feet and hands bound by strong reeds. Through their human clothing, he could see their blue bodies rise and fall slightly.

Still alive.

Still unconscious, Harry imagined the Avatar drivers had disconnected, rather than stay captive.

Something pricked at his mind. The situation felt wrong. Quaritch cared nothing for the avatars, why would he muster such as large force to rescue them?

Turning to the Tsahik, Harry carefully inquired. "Wise one, what happened? Why take them?"

"Come." Her simple instruction again.

Leading further into the tribe, passing the hunters carrying their prey back, mothers with blue babes strapped to their chests and Dire horses sucking the sap from nearby plants.

Deeper they went still to which the Navi protect most of all.

Their Spirit Tree.

The branches of the trees were adorned with delicate, pale green leaves that seem to shimmer and dance in the breeze. Its gnarled roots stretched deep into the ground and its branches reached up towards the sky. Its trunk was thick and sturdy, covered in shimmering blue-green bark that glowed with otherworldly light. The tendrils that waved slowly in the evening breeze were how Navi could connect with Eywa and access the knowledge and wisdom of the ancestors.

"Beautiful…"

"You have not seen a Spirit tree before." He shook his head. He had seen images and remains however they were severely lacking in front of the living reality before him. Reaching up he ran his hands delicately across the tendrils.

Harry looked back at Tsahik, a silent plea for permission. He had never experienced the connection that all Navi had tried and failed to describe to him. A small nod was all he needed.

Taking his braid and queue, he connected to the spirit tree. Tsaheylu.

Distant voices filled his head. He could see Navi, so many stretching back through history looking at him. Judging him. A powerful built Navi seemed to shimmer into being in front of him, arms open wide. It spoke a strange language that he couldn't translate.

He didn't need to.

In his heart, he felt it. The acceptance of the Navi people. Of the ancestors. Tears pooled in Harry's eyes and ran freely down his face. It was indescribable. The Navi faded away leaving Harry looking out on Pandora. He was everywhere and he was nowhere. From the mightiest to the least, all were inexorably connected into a tapestry of light and life. All existed with Eywa.

Then a new sensation.

Like a mother's hug, Harry truly felt Eywa for the first time. He could feel her connection not only to every Navi, but every plant, every animal. Eywa was Pandora. And Pandora was alive.

As he basked in her eternal love, Harry directed his thoughts to one particular topic. He needed to know what had happened.

A new scene shimmered before him, like watching a movie through a mirror of water. He could see the spirit tree, where he was standing right now. The people were different; four blue figures approached dressed in human clothes, Avatars! They approached the tree, taking out their equipment and talking to each other. Harry couldn't hear their exact words but suddenly understood the reason for their capture.

The Avatars reached out, a scalpel ready to sever a long tendril. A tendril that contained the memories and wisdom of loved ones now lost to time.

Not willing to watch such sacrilege, he disconnected.

Falling to his knees, he tried to process the experience. There were so many new sensations that language simply wasn't enough the express them.

Looking sadly at the Tsahik, shame-faced that those he came to defend would commit such a crime, asked "Did… Did they…" He looked around, hoping not to see the severed end of a glowing tendril.

Shaking her head. "A young warrior managed to stop them. But even to attempt such an offence…" The rest wasn't needed, Harry understood. The Navi were merciful in not executing them straight away.

"I hear your words wise one and understand." Harry bowed his head not sure how to continue to defend them.

"Eywa walks with us all young one. I feel her presence in you. Let her guide you."

Standing and retuning his gaze longingly to the spirit tree, he could understand why the Navi didn't need cheap entertainment or human convenience. Eywa was worth more than all of it combined. His thoughts drifted back to the Avatars. Their crime was reprehensible, but if he wanted to stop the war, they had to be released.

"Wise one, if I can get the sky-people to agree to stay away, not to bother your tribe again, will you agree to let them go."

"Can we trust their word?" Her words were sharp, accusingly.

"No." Harry admitted. "But a moment of peace, of preserving life has to be worth something."

"So be it young Harri. I charge you to take those demons away. They are never allowed on the tribal ground again. On pain of death."

As Harry started to return, her arms grabbed his and halted him. "Remember you have been accepted here Harri. Whatever your tribe, your place, know that you are welcome here."

"Thank you honoured Tsahik."