The Way

Started by Zanither, March 20, 2011, 02:19:15 AM

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Zanither

The kill
This story is set 1 year after "Avatar".
Kura's POV


The forest was lit with its usual bioluminescent glow, the girl walked swiftly and silently. Weaving in and out of the plants and trees, a low growl broke the silence and Kura stopped, her tail flicked with fear and her ears twitched trying to find the source of the sound. She turned and crept silently towards the noise, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow she jumped lithely over a protruding tree root. Another growl echoed behind her, she whirled around to find herself face to face with the most striking creature she had ever seen. Bright intelligent eyes edged with black leathery skin, a long powerful jaw fully retracted revealing vicious teeth and a low streamlined body. The Palulukan padded forward, a low rumble issued from its chest.

Kura stood transfixed, without thinking she raised a hand and took a small step forward, the Palulukan hissed and looked warily at her before leaning its head forward and lowering its jaw line covering its teeth. Kura gently placed a hand on the beast's head, the skin was surprisingly soft. Continuing to stroke the animal Kura heard a soft purr from the Palulukan. She moved her hands and ran them along the Palulukan's long body down to its flank before coming back up to its head.

A long antenna moved forward and snaked around the Thanator's body. Kura looked carefully at the beast, the antenna snaked further. Kura reached around and grabbed her queue bring it forward so the writhing fibres were exposed.
The Palulukan looked expectantly up at her....
'Kura... Kura, wake up... Come on get up' Ni'ral called, Kura's eyes flew open and she sprang up. Tail lashing, her ears on a swivel. Ni'ral looked at her friend.

'Are you alright' she asked, Kura breathed deeply and meet her friends gaze.
'Yes... That dream again' she explained.
'That's not good Kura.... Remember what happened to Neyat she had dreams about Toruk and a week later she and her Ikran were eaten by one'
Kura shook off the thought of being prey to a Palulukan, and smiled reassuringly at her friend.
'I'm sure it'll be fine. Now come on.' Kura smiled, grabbing her bow and putting on her dagger before trotting off.
Ni'ral nodded to her friend before running off in the other direction to greet her teacher. Kura smiled and trotted over to Karwey.

'Kaltxì' Kura said, Karwey smiled.
' Oel ngati kameie' Karwey replied, he motioned for her to follow, the pair ran across the forest with speed and silence.
Over huge branches and along the mossy ground. Karwey motioned for Kura to stop once they reached the water hole
'Kura, you are ready. The forest has given you permission to make a kill' he told her, Kura blinked rapidly in amazement.
'But, I can offer no help. This is a rite of passage you must do alone' he explained gravely.
'Yes Karwey'
'Remember the size of the Yerik does not matter. Sometimes a smaller kill is better' he said Kura nodded in understanding.
'Go' he murmured letting Kura take the lead. She closed her eyes and listened to the noise of the forest.
The squawks of animals unnamed, the whisper of the trees and the unmistakable sound of a Yerik.
Kura crept silently along the game trail. She stopped and analysed tracks she had noticed, they were fresh only a few hours old. She quickly followed the trail along the ground and over long braches.

She stopped and listened, a low bleat of a Yerik, she was close.  She crouched and crept forward nocking an arrow.
The Yerik stood grazing on some leaves, it was an average sized female. Kura took aim and fired. The arrow was true and punctured the beast's side, the Yerik bleated weakly as Kura ran up to it and unsheathed her knife.
'I see you sister and thank you. Your spirit goes with Eywa your body stays behind to become part of the people' she said plunging the knife into the beasts heart, Karwey nodded.
'You are ready' he said as Kura took her arrow from the Yerik's lifeless body.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Kura lugged the Yerik back to Hometree ignoring the murmurs of passing Na'vi.
'Is that all you managed.. Ha.... Though I'm surprised you even managed to stalk a Yerik' Txurtu sneered, walking up behind her.
'The size of one's prey has naught to do with the hunter's ability' Kura countered, striding forward and hanging up the lifeless body, taking out her knife and gutting the creature.
' Just like your father, ugly, stupid and lazy... And look where he is now' he growled, Kura hissed angrily and pounced at the male, Txurtu anticipated her action and easily pushed her off.
Kura's tail lashed at the air as she based her teeth. Txurtu smirked, as Kura tensed launching herself at the male again this time dodging his blow and punching him square on the nose. Txurtu tasted blood and spat out the red liquid.
By this time Na'vi had gathered to see what the commotion was all about. The male came at Kura again,  lading a blow across her back, Kura stumbled to the ground and Txurtu was upon her, his knee pressing down onto her chest.
Kura squirmed but still hissed defiantly up at him.

'Enough' Mo'at commanded.
'Explain yourselves' she ordered, Txurtu got off of Kura.
'He provoked me, he insulted my father' Kura explained, Mo'at frowned at Txurtu
'That is not true honourable Tsahik, she attacked me with no warning, and I did nothing' he lied, Mo'at looked unconvinced, sighing heavily Mo'at waved her hand in dismissal, and Txurtu ran out of there as fast as he could. Mo'at studied Kura for a minute.
'Would you walk with me Kura' the Tsahik said Kura nodded and followed.

The unlikely pair walked quietly up the central  spiral of the Omaticaya's new Hometree, although it was not as big as their old Hometree, they easily adapted to living there. Mo'at led Kura into a circular chamber in the centre of Hometree.
She collected a folded piece of leather and offered it to Kura. Kura took the package and unwrapped it, it contained an ornate choker made of Warbonnet fern and coloured stones. Kura just stared.
'It was your mothers' Mo'at told her.
'Silnim and I grew up together, we were quite close. Before she went into battle she asked me to give this to you if she didn't return' the Tsahik said, Kura was both shocked at the fact that she didn't know her mother was friends with Mo'at and that Silnim left her something.
'Your mother's teacher gave this to her before she climbed Iknimaya' Mo'at explained.
'Thankyou honourable Tsahik' Kura breathed, Mo'at smiled at her.
'Tomorrow will be a good day' the Tsahik predicted walking from the room. Kura fitted the choker to her neck and felt along its smooth surface.

Mo'at's POV an hour earlier

The Tsahik sat at the foot of Utral Aymokriyä her queue connected to the low hanging tendrils of the tree.
The usual chanting and mixture of throbbing voices meet her mind, a rush of colour clouded her eyes and images the forest lush and green again, the Tawtute base gone and the old Hometree still standing. She felt a pang of sadness when she saw  her oldest daughter Sylwanin teaching Neytiri how the bow fish in the pristine waters of the river. Neytiri's delight when she pulled a still squirming fish from the water, a group of hunters flying in on their Ikran, the beasts screeching and landing in the topmost branches of Hometree, some with Yerik tied to their backs.

Silnim and her Ikran swopped down soon after the hunters and  landed on the river bank, a choker of Warbonnet fern and coloured stones around her slender neck, she was visibly pregnant. The vision blurred and a familiar voice met Mo'at's ears
'remember your promises, it is time' said the soft voice of Silnim, the low chanting resumed and Mo'at knew what she had to do.

Kura's POV

Kura raced through Hometree trying to find her friends her mother's choker around her neck and a spring in her step.
Ni'ral was by the river with the other singers, all of the singers stopped and looked at the energetic girl, and Ni'ral laughed.
'I did it!' she said triumphantly, Ni'ral congratulated her friend.
'When do you climb' she asked, Kura shrugged.
'I don't know but I'm going to' Kura answered joyfully.
'Have you told Tsamkeu yet' Ni'ral questioned, Kura didn't give an answer, she had already bolted across to the base of Hometree.

Kura knew that Tsamkeu would be with his Ikran Pxitsyal, racing up the main spiral and bolting out to the wide branch that the Ikran's  perched on before taking off with their riders.
The male was fixing the straps on  his Ikran's harness when he noticed the bouncing teen racing for him, Kura ran up to her friend.
'I did it, I get to climb Iknimaya' she whopped happily, Tsamkeu smiled at his friend.
'You will make a great hunter Kura' he said proudly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Kura felt her heart swell with happiness.
'your Sa'nok and Sempul would be proud of you' he added making Tsaheylu with Pxitsyal getting him to raise his left wing so Tsamkeu could tighten a strap on his saddle, he smiled at Kura before jumping onto Pxitsyal's back.
'I'll be back soon' he called up to her before dropping off the branch and flying off.
That'll be me soon Kura mused.

It was night fall when news Kura's success was told  to the clan, the olo'eyktan stood and announced that Kura would climb the next day with a group of four other hunters who had been waiting for days.
She thanked Jake and grinned uncontrollably, her sprits soaring so high she didn't even notice the amused look the olo'eyktan was given her.

The olo'eyktan nudged his mate and pointed at the beaming girl, Neytiri smiled.
'She reminds me of you before you climbed' she laughed, Jake grinned and continued eating his Teylu.
'Yeah, but I didn't look so goofy' he added between beetle larva.
'Yes you did' Neytiri countered
Sherlock Holmes: [handcuffed to John] Take my hand!
John Watson: Now people will definitely talk.