Challenging the Balance

With everything said and done, Jake decided staying out of the populated part of the village was probably the best idea. Even if Akwey didn’t stand a chance in hell of swooning Jake over, she decided it was best not to rock the proverbial boat.


Besides, she had much more important things to attend to.


Like scolding her Ikran.


“No… uh uh, it’s not gonna work.” Jake said, arms crossed over her chest. She was starting to get the hang of the round, firm mounds that managed to get in her way the entire day. Her large, curious eyes were narrowed as she continued glaring, “Don’t think just because you can make puppy dog eyes at me, that I’m just gonna let you off the hook.”


As the female Ikran huffed softly, trilling in disappointment, the big red Toruk continued looking off into the distance.


“And don’t think you’re off the hook either.” Jake rounded on the big red, “I’m on to you… pretending like you aren’t in for a major scolding as well. You’re just as big a reason that I fell in the first place.”


The crimson beast snorted, flapping its wings once before looking away. It’s beak-shaped snout opened and closed as though it tasted something foul.


“Hey, don’t try and turn this around on me. You are both in so much trouble.” Jake continued staring the beasts down.


Finally, disgruntled, the male Toruk lowered its head to the ground. A sign of submission. Though the male was yet to admit to it, as he closed his eyes, pretending it was his idea all along.


The female Ikran, on the other hand, looked truly apologetic.


Torn between sighing in exasperation or laughing at the sight, Jake merely grinned and shook her head, “Fine. Both of you are off the hook. Besides, you knew I would make it to the trees, didn’t you?” She stroked the female Ikran’s small crest. When the male Toruk trilled to the side, not in good terms with being ignored, Jake chuckled before resting a hand on his large crest, “And as much of a badass you are, I know some part of you cares for me as well.”


The red-scaled beast pulled back, snorting as it shook its head. But the moment Jake turned her head towards the female Ikran, she felt the male’s muscled snout pushing back warmly under her palm.


“He’s a big softie.” She confided with the female Ikran, who trilled in amusement. She heard the Toruk snorting once more, but he didn’t pull away this time.


The snap of a twig alerted Jake to his presence, and as she jerked her head to look behind her, only to realize he must’ve made the sound on purpose.


Tsu’tey had come forward a few steps, only to pause in his graceful strides, “[Oe tsap’alute]… I apologize, for the intrusion. That… was [swaw siltsan]… a good moment.”


“They are magnificent creatures.” Jake replied, turning back to focus on them, not quite sure how she felt about the Olo’eyktan.


“Have you named them?” The proud male asked softly, almost as if he were afraid she would turn and run at any moment.


“Yes…” Jake said slowly, darting a glance back at the male. He was still in the same spot. Relaxing a fraction, she continued, “She is NobleHunt, or Nawm’Taron, and he is NightSun, or Txon’Tsawke.”


“Suitable names.” Tsu’tey said admirably, continuing, “My own Ikran is named Atan’Tukru, or LightSpear.”


“I don’t think I’ve heard your Ikran’s name before…” Jake commented, glancing back at the hunter once more. When she realized he was closer, her sentence trailed off, wondering if this was a good thing or not.


“You’ve never asked before…” His voice rumbled deeply, as he took the last step between them.


“Have you always been this bold?” Jake cracked at her nervousness with dry wit.


“Always.” Tsu’tey purred, his teeth flashing with a feral confidence, “But never like this. Never with someone such as yourself. You always managed to… bring out my strongest emotions… Jake Sully.”


“So I’ve noticed,” Jake quipped lightly, decidedly uncomfortable about their distance as she stepped around the muscled warrior, “I seem to recall you trying to kill me a couple times. Don’t think I didn’t know you wanted me dead when I went to choose my first Ikran.”


“A big misunderstanding.” Tsu’tey caught her slender hand with his own, his feline eyes staring deeply into hers as he explained, “Trust me, I knew not of these emotions inside me. I could not understand them. I still do not.”


The warmth that tingled from her hand, where his own fingers entwined with hers, scared Jake. She felt she was near the brink of something… some new revelation or realization… and it made her afraid. It could change everything. Her fear drove her to lash out verbally, “Do you understand anything?”


“Yes,” Tsu’tey pulled her closer, his mouth pausing briefly before her lips, before detouring to brush next to her ear, “I want *you* Jake Sully.”


The shiver Jake had been attempting to hold back ran through her. A soft kiss against her neck tore a gasp from her lips. She could feel the Na’vi grinning, and a flush crept up her face. Pushing him back, her hands placed squarely on his shoulders, Jake frowned at the other, “If you think confessing your feelings is gonna get you laid, then you have anoth-“


“I don’t.” Tsu’tey interrupted, his arms going around her waist, “I intend to *show* you just how I feel.”


Jake did not like the predatory gleam in his gaze, nor the way he practically purred out his reply. She had barely had time to widen her eyes before Tsu’tey swooped in to claim her lips and perhaps something more.


Jake let out a cry of surprise, the Na’vi female herself freezing as his warmth moved closer.


Thankfully, Txon, the big red, had faster reflexes.


His wing tip whipped out to hook around Jake’s form, her carbon-strengthened bones the only thing keeping her from breaking something as the Toruk tossed her underneath his massive form, his narrowed gaze directed towards the Olo’eyktan. The Toruk hissed menacingly.


“Be calm…” Tsu’tey murmured softly, his hands raised in a non-threatening gesture.


He took a step forward, but just as fast, had to take a step back as Txon snapped at where his chest had been a second ago.


“No! Atan!” Tsu’tey growled, his gaze suddenly shifting to the trees, “[Ftang]… Stop! Stay!”


Txon’s muscled neck swung as he finally noticed the male Ikran that had been just about to spring off of its perch. How long he had been there was unsure, but according to the way Txon’s throat rattled and how his gaze darkened, Atan would have to pay for it later. The Ikran met the gaze and hissed out a warning of its own. Neither wanted their Hunters harmed.


The Turok noticed Tsu’tey attempting to get closer and focused his attention on the Na’vi, growling. The rattled hissing up in the trees stopped when the Olo’eyktan directed a glare at his mount.


Attempting to appear unthreatening, Tsu’tey took a step forward, gazing into the angry eyes of the beast to gauge the Turok’s actions, “[Mawey]… be calm Txon…”


The Turok’s throat rattled dangerously, his form lowering to the ground where Jake lay, stunned and unable to move. The beast’s eyes were level with the suicidal male Na’vi’s now. Who… interestingly enough… was still coming closer. Txon let out a short cry, but Tsu’tey barely even flinched.


“I will not hurt her…” Tsu’tey said softly, taking another step towards those large talons and equally sharp beak.


He took another step. The beast turned even more rigid.


Coming to, Jake shook her head, loose hair from her braids trailing down the sides of her face. When she looked up from the ground, she took in the situation in one horrifying second.


“Don’t, Tsu’tey…” Jake found herself hissing urgently in low tones, “[Lonu]. Just let it go… there’s no need to get yourself killed by Txon, who I might add, is as equally hotheaded as you.”


Tsu’tey’s gaze flickered down to her for a moment, warmth pulling the edge of his lips, “Why Jake, I did not realize you cared.”


Jake’s scoff was strangled in his throat as Txon took advantage of Tsu’tey’s inattention and lunged. His beak closed powerfully, just millimeters from the Na’vi’s unprotected chest. Closer, in fact, since a small angry wound appeared on Tsu’tey’s skin, right below his collarbone.


The bastard hadn’t moved.


The Turok remained very close, his eyes glaring at the feline gaze of the Na’vi male, his throat rattling as though he were preparing for another attack.


“Tsu’tey…” Jake trailed off worriedly.


The Olo’eyktan remained very still as the Turok continued its close range inspection, its sensor pits flaring as his chest heaved.


When the angry gaze returned once more to Tsu’tey’s eyes, the Olo’eyktan purred softly, “[Si ngenga tse’a set]… do you see now…?”


Tsu’tey continued, his voice strong and unwavering as he declared, “[Oe lu pxan. Ohe panuting ne hawnu po], Jake… [niftxavang].” At this point, the clan leader paused to flick his gaze over to Jake. That mere glance sent a spike of heat jolting through her body, before he returned his feline gaze towards Txon before him, “[Txofekyaw… negenga], Turok… [tsun tspang oe], Tsu’tey…”


For the longest moment, the two males simply stared at eachother. It was agonizingly silent, since Txon had dropped his continuous growl and throat rattling.


Jake was afraid to move, afraid to incite an attack from his Turok even as a frown creased her brow. What had Tsu’tey said?


Up in the tree, she heard the faintest scratch of a claw on the branch, but no other movement. Even the female Ikran, Nawm, was unbearably silent.


Finally, Txon gave the slightest dip of his crimson and yellow streaked head in acknowledgement, though his eyes held a threat within their hardened spheres.


Tsu’tey nodded back, “[Tslolam], Turok… and [irayo]… thank you.”


Noting the break in the tense atmosphere, and the more relaxed posture of his Turok, Jake scrambled up from beneath the great beast. The first thing he did was round on Txon, pointing a finger right in between those surprised eyes, “Don’t you EVER do that again, do you hear me, Txon? If I want him dead, I’ll tell you myself. Got it?”


The great beast rumbled in resignation, looking away.


When Jake turned, she saw the big grin starting to form on the clan leader’s face. As soon as he saw the fire in her eyes, his eyes widened innocently as he raised his hands in the air in the face of her furious advance, “And YOU!”


She paused when she was a foot or two away, jabbing her accusing finger in his direction, “What are you an idiot?!”


“He was angry. Very Protective.” He shrugged, continuing more slowly as he cocked his brow, “Though I’m… not quite sure… why… exactly….You seem capable of… handling yourself.”


“Are you making jokes?” Jake asked in a tone that clearly stated he really should think carefully about his answer, “Because you could have been killed, Tsu’tey!”


“Never had a doubt.” The warrior stated calmly.


Jake’s eye twitched. She advanced close enough to jab him straight on the collarbone, enjoying his flinch as she did so, “You are so… so…”


“Brave?”


“No!”


“Confident? Selfless?”


“No and no! More like cocky and… and arrogant!” Jake sputtered, her chest rising and falling with each angry breath.


“And…?” Tsu’tey prompted, raising his brows in curiosity.


Jake’s eyes merely narrowed, attempting to melt the arrogant Na’vi on the spot.


“So… in other words… you would have missed me.” Tsu’tey’s grin grew into a smug smile, crossing his arms over his chest.


Jake’s jaw dropped, “I-that is not- I did not- since when did I imply that-“ Jake kept interrupting herself, each time the clan leader’s smile grew wider and wider. Finally, she just finished lamely, “I… would not.”


“I see.” Tsu’tey replied, though his tone and face clearly reflected that he was silently laughing in his disbelief.


“Don’t give me that look.”


“What look?”


“What do you mean what look? You know exactly what look I’m talking about.”


“What, this look?”


“Yes, that look.” Jake growled.


“Would you care to explain? I do not really-“


Jake interrupted him, as she quickly said, “That look, THAT one. The one where you think you know me better than I know myself!”


She was totally caught off guard as his large hand cupped one side of her face, his voice no longer witty or sarcastic as he replied softly, “But I do… Jake Sully.”


For a reason she couldn’t explain, that single touch, that single tone, and those words doused the fire of her anger as effectively as a calm flowing stream. She grasped desperately at the last threads of flame, but they slipped easily from her. She sighed as she said, “I hate it when you do that.” But there was no anger behind it.


“What…” Tsu’tey was suddenly closer than she remembered, and she could feel her body respond to his heat as he leaned in, “when I do… this?”


When his lips pressed close over hers, Jake felt a deep sensation she had never felt before. Not with any of her girlfriends before, nor anyone else. Not even before in the treetops, when they had…


Heat rose to her face, and she felt a sudden, stifling embarrassment rise in her. The same insecurities clawed their way up her thoughts. That this was just a phase. That Tsu’tey was only with her because of she was a girl for now. Eywa’s sick, twisted joke.


Jake pulled back, breaking the kiss, though she felt slight disappointment rise within her. The same feeling was reflected off of Tsu’tey’s worried eyes, “What is wrong, Jake?”


“I…” Jake trailed off slowly, looking away in the end. Ashamed. She couldn’t explain it to herself, much less to the Na’vi male in front of her.


“[Tslolam]… I understand.” Tsu’tey said softly, brushing the back of his knuckles down the side of her face, “[Nga lu ke alaksi]…”


“What?” The way his warm gaze stroked her face just as softly as his voice and hand did, did not escape her. It was in that moment, however, that she realized just how much she hated that she was not fluent with the Na’vi language, “What did you say? And what did you say to Txon?”


“I will explain… but later, Jake.” Tsu’tey smiled sadly, before turning his head to the treetops and making a sharp sound to call his mount.


Atan immediately landed on the ground, though he made a slightly wide berth around the Turok. A small rattling and a slight growl escaped the great red’s beak, but otherwise he made no other move to attack.


Too stunned to do anything, Jake simply stood there as Tsu’tey leaped onto his Ikran’s back and took off with a wave. Tsu’tey had cleared the trees and was a good quarter-mile into the sky before Jake shook herself out of her stupor, blinking as she looked at her own mounts, both of whom were watching her.


“What?” She demanded, to which Nawm made a curious squawk to even as Txon snorted.


Frowning in thought, Jake walked over and leaned against the Turok’s muscled neck, “What was that about anyway? And what did he say to you…?”


But Turok just rumbled. Jake had a feeling even if she could understand him, the big beast still wouldn’t say anything anyways.


“Traitor.” Jake snorted.


Txon snorted in return, nearly toppling the Na’vi over with his proximity and the force of it.

-o-o-o-

The air cooling his heated form, Tsu’tey embraced the sky as his Ikran, picking up on his mood, flew faster and harder.


Eyes closed, Tsu’tey repeated his words in the clearing, “[Tslolam. Nga lu ke alaksi] I understand, you are not ready Jake…”


He glanced back down to the clearing, barely making out the forms hidden by the trees.


“I would die for you, JakeSully…” Tsu’tey confided to the sky and to his own Ikran. But it was something the Turok already knew, he was sure of it.


Otherwise Txon would not have let him leave intact. Absentmindedly, Tsu’tey brushed his hand against his chest, brushing over the small wound. It was small, but deep. It would scar.


Tsu’tey shook his head, with a small grin. The big beast just couldn’t help branding what he believed to be his.