Starting New

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Chapter 8

I grasped Jake’s hand and took him through the forest. I didn’t tell him where we were going. I only led the way. He seemed confused, but didn’t object to me taking the lead. We passed a few exotic plants and a few more frightened animals. I didn’t stop to watch. I squeezed his hand and he followed. After a few minutes he finally spoke up.

“But the Tree of Souls is-”

“We’re not going to the Tree of Souls,” I explained, but did not go on further.

I jumped over a large fallen tree and continued deeper into the forest. It took a few calculations to get it right but I eventually found the Tree of Trust. I stood before it and Jake gaped at me. The long azure leaves swayed in the breeze and the tree seemed to have a life of its own.

“Wow. I didn’t know there was anything like this,” Jake said, his hand caressing the long petals of the tree, “How did you know? Was this from your research?”

I shook my head, “No. Mo’at showed me. It was from my training. It is called the Tree of Trust.”

I looked up, seeing the long tendrils of the plant falling down all around us, the blue glistened all around us, lighting up what would otherwise had been a darkening sky.

“I can’t believe I didn’t know about this. It’s just as amazing as the Tree of Souls,” He said.

“The Tree of Souls is full of memories, Jake, but this isn’t the Tree of Souls,” I explained, reaching for the braid and making the bond. I didn’t feel anything at first, but then I felt a sense of calm, peacefulness as I had no worries on my mind, “Make the bond, Jake and you will see.”

He glanced at me, probably wondering how I knew all of this, since I wasn’t even an official member of the tribe yet. He lifted his braid and made the neural bond with the tree. I watched his initial shock and he looked at me, surprised and confused.

“I feel…I feel…”

“You feel me.”

“Yes,” Jake said, suddenly, amazed, “I feel what you feel.”

“This is how this tree is different from the Tree of Souls. We can feel each other’s emotions,” I explained, feeling his excitement at this new piece of information. I patted my satchel and pulled out something wrapped in cloth and tied with a cord, “Here, this is for you.”

He looked down at it and then at me. A sudden comprehension crept into his eyes and he was suddenly shoving something into my own hands, “And this is for you.”

“You…got me something too?” I asked.

He nodded, already opening his gift. I paused with his, watching him open the beautiful, intricately beaded necklace, “Wow.”

I shrugged slightly, “It’s just a little something. I know you already have a lot, since you’re the chief. But, if you could just find a place for it-”

He shushed me, leaning over to kiss me and I felt the passion through our bond, “No, I love it. Of course I can find a place for it.”

Jake reached underneath his braid and tied the necklace onto his neck. It shown like a diamond against the neutral colors of his chief symbols.

“Open yours.”

I pushed the wrappings away to find leather straps painted bright red. I must have looked confused for a moment.
“Mo’at gave me the materials,” He said, taking them from me and putting his hand on my arm. He began tying the bright leather straps around my upper arms, “She said you would look naked without them.”

“You made these?” I asked as he leaned close to me to finish tying them.

“Yes. The red symbolizes the shaman. Have you noticed Mo’at always wears red?”

“Oh Jake…”

He put a big smile on and gave a little funny movement, “I, Jake Sully, welcome thee Norm Spellman into the Omaticaya tribe as our current Shaman.”

I pulled away, “I can’t be the Shaman. Mo’at-”

“This is what she wants. She told me. She said she’s ready to retire, but in not so many words. Why do you think she’s been teaching you? Why do you think she brought you here? She intends for us to mate. And only the chief can initiate the shaman. So, I choose you, Norm.”

My breathing increased and I couldn’t help the sudden tears that showed up in my eyes, “Choose me? For what? For the shaman? For your mate?”

“Both,” He said.

“What about Neytiri?” I whispered, “You can’t just…forget about her.”

“I’ll never forget Neytiri. She showed a whole new world to me. She showed a whole new world that I was meant to be a part of,” He explained gently, “But you are not Neytiri. You are Norm Spellman. You are my best friend. I’ve known you even longer than I’ve known Neytiri. You understand me. We knew each other, before, as humans. We’ve shared so much together. Now, I want us to share even more.”

“Okay, Jake.”

“Okay, what?”

“Okay to all of it!” I said giving a small laugh and cupping his cheek, “All of it…”

We kissed again, passionately and stumbled backwards. My hair came with me and I suddenly lost the connection. I winced at the sudden loss of contact and frowned. The feelings that came with the bond were so strong. I wish there was another way-

“Jake, is it possible to make tsahaylu with another person?”

He paused and took a deep breath before nodding, “Yes, it is what they call ‘mating before Eywa’. Your minds become one.”

“And is this what you want?” I asked him.

“Yes,” He said simply, kissing me again and reaching out to grab my braid. The tendrils made the connection and there was nothing and no one else. There was only Jake. There was only his smile, only his laugh, only his thoughts, feelings and emotions.

He wrapped his arms around me, kissing me passionately, his mouth moving down to my neck, suckling and leaving a small wet trail. We somehow ended up on the ground and he wavered over me. His hands were everywhere, exploring and touching. I couldn’t stop the sudden tingling chill that ran up my spine. He pressed kisses against my stomach and his hand stopped at the tie on my loincloth. He questioned me with his eyes and I nodded.

He opened my loincloth and gently pulled it down, off my tail and laid it on the ground. I did the same with his and admired his long, blue cock.

“Ooohhh…feels good,” I whispered as he pressed his erection against mine.

His emotions were clear through our bond. He wanted me. There was no question about it. I was also surprised to find feelings of love, admiration, trust, floating through there also. I put my hand to the side, where my loin cloth and satchel had been laid to rest. I pulled the satchel close and Jake stared at me. I found the small bottle of lotion and pressed it into his hand. He frowned and cocked his head.

“You knew…” He said, “You knew this would happen?”

“I hoped,” I said, pulling his head down to kiss him.

He prepared me tenderly, pressing his fingers into my opening. I winced slightly from the unusual pressure, but quickly got used to the stretching. He wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me up slightly. I draped my legs around his waist and he pressed forward. The feeling was so overwhelming. I was experiencing my emotions, as well as his. The bond was practically pulsating as the leaves glowed around us. I could feel my own pleasures, both physically and emotionally. It was so unlike any other lovemaking I ever had. It felt so right.

We found a rhythm and he pressed his forehead against mine. His breathing was shallow and quick and he reached his climax after only a few minutes. He arched and cried out my name in the night. I followed closely, clutching at his shoulders and pressing my mouth against his neck. We fell into each other’s arms when it was over.

I propped myself over him and looked down at his parted mouth and half-rimmed eyes.

“You’re mine now,” I whispered, running my hand over his warm forehead, “Oel ngati kameie*, Jake.”

“Oel ngati kameie. And you’re mine in return,” He said with a smile, grasping my hand tightly, “We are muntxa, mated.”
We lay in each other’s arms for a long while and eventually Jake raised his head slightly, “We should probably go back before they send out a search party.”

I grinned and laughed, “That would be something.”

We laughed, kissed and eventually got up, fastened our loincloths and packed our few things. Jake touched the tree as we left, almost as if he was thanking it, or perhaps thanking Eywa. We moved through the forest hand in hand, almost forgetting about everything else-if just for a moment.

A sudden commotion in the forest startled us and we dropped out clasped hands. We looked up, looked around and looked down, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.

“It’s pa’li,” Jake said, finally settling on one direction and turning towards me in alarm, “Narisi*, Norm! Narisi!”

I took a step backwards, alarmed at the sudden cry of warning, but it was too late. A rope swung around my feet and I fell head first into the forest screaming all the way and eventually ended slamming roughly against the ground. I clutched my head and saw my vision blur before my eyes. The noises sounded muffled and far away. The only one I could connect with was Jake’s, who was calling my name desperately. I lost complete consciousness only a moment later.

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*Oel ngati kameie – I See You

*Narisi – Watch Out, Danger