Starting New

Yes the movie was totally awesome. I saw it three times in 3D and it was totally worth the money. It is just so beautiful!



Chapter 19




Ala’kan quickly looked over to his mate to be sure he would be alright. He tucked in the blanket around him and followed me outside. I went underneath the same tree from earlier, one of my favorite places, and crouched in the grass. I had been trying to think of the best way to tell him the truth. He sat next to me in the grass and looked my way.



“You were right, Ala’kan,” I started and met his gaze, “We were dreamwalkers, but we’re not anymore. Our souls now live permanently in this Na’vi body. Our human bodies are no more.”



Ala’kan sat quietly and listened. I took a few deep breaths and delved further into the story.



“I was shocked to hear that you knew about such things. I had studied years to learn about the Na’vi and their habitat. Jake hadn’t studied at all. Jake was a marine—a human word for warrior. Jake was lost in the jungle. Neytiri found him and took him in. He fell right into the ways of the Na’vi and first became a hunter. He learned their ways. I had to watch from afar. He had everything—at least I thought he did. His feelings for the Na’vi changed. In the beginning it was about getting information. Finding clues. After that, he mated with Neytiri.”



“Neytiri…Neytiri. I think I have heard of her. She was in the tribe?” He asked.



“Yes, she was the princess.”



“Ni’nat may have spoken of her once or twice before I left. We were young, but I believe that Ni’nat was friends with Neytiri,” He continued.



I paused and cocked my head to the side, “Wait a minute—you know Ni’nat?”



“Ni’nat is my sister.”



I exhaled and furrowed my brows, not sure I could possibly take any more surprising news, “Your sister? You’re serious?”



I was suddenly taken back to the first night I spent with him and Telan. We had been in the kitchen, eating dinner. Ala’kan had shared his beautiful singing voice with the clan…



“You sing!” I said suddenly.



He just grinned and nodded.



“So does she!” I babbled suddenly.



His eyebrows rose and he laughed, “You’re full of observations today, I see.”



I just shook my head, still very surprised and continued on, “The RDA decided they would go to war against the Omaticayan tribe and pretty much all Na’vi in general. They wanted the land. They wanted to mine the land. The Na’vi didn’t want to move from Hometree. Jake sided with them…it’s a long story.”



“You’re doing fine. Continue. I’m very intrigued. I have heard nothing from the Omaticaya tribe for a very long time.”



I continued explaining even more of the story to him. I felt like I was revealing part of my soul. In a way, I probably was. It felt like relief, telling him some of it. In other ways, I felt like I really had no choice. I knew if I didn’t tell then guilt would just eat at me for days on end. I told him about how Hometree had been destroyed and Jake struggled to fit in. I told him how Neytiri doubted him. I shared my own thoughts on the war. I never wanted anything to do with it. I told him about how Jake became Toruk Makto.



I told him the real reason why Jake seemed like such a leader. Out of everything, finding out that Jake had been the olo’eyktan seemed to be the most shocking for him, but it shouldn’t have been. I explained how Neytiri had an illness and had passed onto Eywa. I told him of Jake’s anger and confusion. I told him how Jake came to me after the war was over and asked me to join the tribe permanently. I told him everything.



When I finished my story it was already dark. The leaves glowed around us and I’m sure Jake was probably wondering where I had gone to. Ala’kan seemed to be digesting the information.



“When I met you, I knew you and Jake were different. I didn’t have bad feelings. They were good feelings. I thank you for sharing this with me Norm. I’m sure it must have been difficult. It sounds as if your life being Na’vi has been very complex. I hope that your time here will allow you to enjoy life more. Enjoy your mate more,” Ala’kan said and leaned his back against the tree, “Have you and Jake spoke about the mating ceremony?”



“We have,” I said hesitantly, “We have decided that we will do it. After today I really have made up my mind.”



“Today? Why today?”



“I can see how much you love Telan. When he was hurting, you acted as if the pain was in you.”



“I wish it could have been. I hate to see him suffer like that,” He admitted, “Telan makes me very happy. You see him serious most of the time, but he’s not always like that. He can be fun and carefree too. He is a strong warrior, excellent hunter…and marvelous in the hammock.”



It took me a moment or two to translate the words and I stared at him dumbstruck, “Ala’kan!”



He just laughed at me and nodded, “It is the truth!”



“Jake wants the ceremony. I could take it or leave it. I already love him. We’ve already mated before Eywa through our tsuhaylu bond. I just feel like there isn’t much more for us to do,” I said softly.



“It sounds to me like you and Jake spent a lot of time hiding from problems and hiding your relationship from others. You no longer have to worry about that. You can be open here, free. The people are welcoming of any relationship that has been mated before Eywa. Sometimes it is good to just let your worries go. Perhaps it is time that the Na’vi embrace and celebrate your love for each other. That’s what the ceremony is all about. Tell me, Norm. Does Jake make you feel complete?”



“Yes, of course he does. I went so many long seasons without him. I don’t think I could go a day without him today,” I said.



I let my fingers run through the rich dirt and looked at the wild flowers shimmering brightly around us. Small dots on Ala’kan’s face glowed neon green as he looked at me in the darkness. His large golden eyes glowed under the night’s sky .



“The ceremony is called Onotu’ in our language. It means ‘to become one’. It is a very important ceremony. The two intended mates are separated for the day. They are each cleansed and purified by the people. They are bathed in exotic perfumes and are made to look beautiful. It is a day of prayer, of thankfulness to Eywa. It is a day of celebration, of anticipation. Granted, most couples have not yet had the tsuhaylu mating yet. I know you already have. But, don’t let that stop you, Norm! It will be the best day of your life. You will not regret it for an instant. Let the Na’vi embrace you. Show them that you love Jake. Show them you are not ashamed. This is the best way. Have you ever made tsahaylu with Jake when you’re not mating?”



I shook my head, embarrassed, “I never had the need to.”



“If you decide to have Onotu’, you will make tsahaylu with Jake in front of the clan. It is the completion of your bond. It is what’s most important.”



“I’m nervous about this. It’s much different than…than what humans do. I know I probably shouldn’t compare, but I can’t help it. Human is what I know. Na’vi is what I’m learning.”



“Do your humans have mating ceremonies?”



I nodded, “Humans get married,” I said, using English for a change. It felt almost foreign on my tongue. I had become accustomed to speaking Omaticayan.



Ala’kan nodded, “I heard you and Jake speaking your language once. It was only for a moment. You may have not even noticed you did it. But, I noticed. I know Omaticayan too well to miss words. Your English language is so unusual.”



“We were afraid to speak it. We were afraid you would catch on.”



“Well, you can use it now, if you wish. I want you and Jake to feel comfortable here. This ceremony will complete the bond you have with Jake and will also be official entry as a member of the clan,” Ala’kan explained and said, “Of course, we would still like you to continue learning Leomatica.”



“Oh, of course,” I said and looked away.



“I should probably go check on Telan,” Ala’kan said and got up from the ground to stretch, “You go talk to your Jake and tell me when you’ll be ready for the ceremony.”



I thanked him and we parted our ways. I went back to our dwelling down the side of the cliff. There, the half made handrails lay. The posts had been hammered into the ground, but the sides still had to be put up. I smiled to myself and pushed open our cloth curtain. Jake sat on the floor carving something into wood. He looked up when I entered.



“You’ve been gone a long time,” He said, “Was everything alright with Telan?”



“Yes, he’s fine. Just resting. Look Jake, something has happened that you should know about,” I began. I took a seat next to Jake. He looked extremely concerned, “Ala’kan and Telan know about us, Jake. They know everything now.”



“What? How could they possibly know?”



“They were skeptical of us from the beginning. I would have never thought Ala’kan to be. But, it explains Telan’s strange behavior towards us the first days we were here. They knew then already, Jake. Ala’kan wanted to know the rest. I couldn’t lie. I just couldn’t. I’m sorry.”



Jake chewed on his lip and digested the information, “Everything?”



“Everything. I told him about us starting as dreamwalkers. I told him about your first mating to Neytiri. I told him everything,” I explained.



“Oh Norm…” Jake said wistfully and looked towards the door, “How did he take it?”



“Surprisingly well.”



“When do they want us to leave?”



I clamped my mouth closed and glanced at him. He was serious. His beautiful golden eyes were downcast. He didn’t seem at all surprised at the news, really.



“Leave?”



“Well, don’t they want us to leave?”



“No, Jake. They want us to stay. Ala’kan is grateful for my help today. He said it made the difference,” I said and reached out to take Jake’s hand, “They are both amazed at your flying and hunting abilities. They want us to have the mating ceremony. They want us to join the Leomatica tribe.”



Jake shook his head, “How could they want that? Does he understand what we did?”



“It wasn’t what we did, Jake. It was what they did. We did nothing wrong. Stop feeling so guilty. You were right when you told me to relax those weeks ago. I should have. I’m happy here. I know you are too. I know we’ve talked a little about it, but I think we should go through with this mating ceremony.”



“Really? I had the distinct feeling you only wanted it because I wanted it.”



“Well, I did. But now I want it for my own reasons, as well.”



“It would be like getting married,” Jake said, quickly switching to English in the seriousness of the conversation. It was strange and even our English was beginning to get an unusual Na’vi lilt to it, “Do you want to marry me?”



“Are you proposing again?”



“No, I’m serious, Norm.”



I sighed, “Jake, we’ve talked about this already. I said yes. I’m not going to change my mind.”



“When do you want the ceremony?”



I smiled lightly and kissed him once gently on the mouth, “As soon as Eywa will allow it.”