anaraskywalker
Jedi Knight Who Says Ni
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind
Posts: 124
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Post by anaraskywalker on Mar 14, 2010 17:22:13 GMT -5
[[sorry I haven't been around, guys-school is killing me!]]
Tanh'ite watched Ti'nalya's reaction, concerned. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain and hardship the Na'vi was going through. She jumped lightly to her feet and joined Norm and the others quietly. She could see they were all thinking the same thing: how should Ti'nalya be taken care of?
"She can stay with me." Tanh'ite spoke her native tongue, secretly ashamed that she couldn't even try to speak the Dreamwalker language. "The company would be nice."
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Post by Demarion on Mar 15, 2010 10:57:16 GMT -5
[[Same here, only not with school. I've been busy with work and making costumes. Also a reminder about the 'wait two posts' rule. Let's keep it in effect!]]
Ne'shrin grinned slightly, flattered at the offer. "Uh, sure, thank you. Where should I meet you?"
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Mar 17, 2010 21:26:44 GMT -5
Tingay smiled knowingly. “Most new beginnings come to us unexpectedly.” She replied gently before a pleasant voice spoke up behind her. "She can stay with me." Tingay was glad to recognize the voice as Tanh'ite’s. It was one more warrior reaching out to Ti'nalya, one more lifeline to help her recover. "The company would be nice."
Tingay turned back to Ti'nalya. “Tanh’ite is an exceptional warrior and hunter. If anyone would make for a good sparring partner and hostess, it would be her. You would not be disappointed if you took her offer.” Not wanting to crowd Ti’nalya further, Tingay giving her directions to where to find her home branch and to arrive just before dawn. She bowed her head to both of the young warriors and to Norm before taking her leave. Tomorrow it seemed, was going to be very busy.
*** "Uh, sure, thank you. Where should I meet you?"
Lu’Taw pointed to the large branch growing above the Hometree’s main entrance. “Tingay and I live in that branch. There is a flat plat form just between the join that we uses for our eating area.” He said turning back. “We’ll start practice in the clearing below, once we’re finished.”
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Mar 20, 2010 23:37:14 GMT -5
[OOC: Are we gonna timeskip to this tomorrow everybody's talking about?]
Marsha left John to sleep, his Na'vi form looking peaceful. She lurked away from Ti'nalya, not wanting to disturb her--and, honestly, not in the mood to fight. Today had started out so peacefully...
It wouldn't be dangerous to stay here for the night. John would watch the bunker.
She jogged up besideTingay. "Excuse me. Please," she said hesitantly in Na'vi. "I wondered if I might also stay the night."
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Post by Demarion on Mar 22, 2010 11:11:35 GMT -5
[[Sure. As long as Ne'shrin gets to meet Ti'nalya. Just finish up the loose ends for this day and continue on.]]
Ne'shrin looked where Lu'taw pointed. He dipped his head slightly. "Irayo1," he said, "I'll see you at dawn. Oel ngati kameie." He left with a slight smile, climbing up the tree to his own quarters.
The Na'vi were encouraged to sleep with family, to sleep alone for any long period of time was frowned upon. However, Ne'shrin liked the solitude of the single hammocks. It was a wonder the clan still tolerated his presence. He grabbed his bow and a few arrows from his personal hole in the tree, and swung over to his hammock, setting the weapon above it for quick access the next morning. He closed the material over his head and shut his eyes, trusting his instincts to wake him up at first light.
1Thank you
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Mar 27, 2010 1:28:46 GMT -5
"Excuse me. Please. I wondered if I might also stay the night."
Tingay made a purr of amusement as Marsha appeared at her side. “You are welcome to stay if you wish. Norm will be heading back before long to keep watch over your base. There are plenty of sleeping hammocks for you to choose from.” She gestured to for Marsh to follow as she started the short climb to her portion of the Hometree. “Your avatar will be safe as you sleep.”
When she reached the platform she set about preparing a meal of various fruits, including the river fruit Lu’Taw had brought earlier. By the time the meal was ready, Lu’Taw had returned from his evening chores. Something positive had taken place during her absence in attending Ti’nalya’s healing ceremony. There was optimism in his mannerisms that she hadn’t sensed before and it held strong even after he became aware of Marsha spending the night. He simple acknowledged the woman with a small nod before taking a seat against the smooth bark.
“Ne’shrin will be joining us for morning meal and to train. I hope that’s not any trouble.” He announced taking up his portion of the meal. Tingay’s ears flared in surprise before replying, “If he is willing to train and do his lessons, I have no objection to him joining us in the morning.”
Lu’Taw’s expression was obscured from her view as he looked down at his bowl, but from the set of his shoulders and ears Tingay could tell he was pleased with the answer. He retained his good humor throughout the night, even talking to Marsha on occasion, before all retired to their sleeping hammocks. It was the first night since the attack on Hometree that Lu’Taw remembered not having a nightmare. Instead he dreamed of the blissful freedom of flight. Flight with his very own ikran…
*** The stir of wings, real ones woke Lu’Taw from his dream. He glimpsed the silhouette of Solace, Tingay’s ikran, returning to her favorite roost and assumed Tingay must have flow out early to set up for their lessons. There would be some traveling to this training than.
Stretching from his hammock, he could see she had already prepared breakfast for himself and Ne’shrin. It looked to be a portion of smoked meat and fresh fruits. Yes, it was going to be a longer training session than, but Tingay had a habit of making such lessons anything but boring.
On cue and on time, Ne’Shrin arrived as promised. “Good to see you made it.” Lu’Taw greeted. “Tingay is still working with her ikran, so its best we eat our breakfast now so we’ll be finished by the time she is.”
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Apr 3, 2010 1:16:56 GMT -5
Marsha went to her borrowed hammock with a strange sense of contentment. It wasn't normal for humans to be accepted into the Na'vi culture. Well, maybe it was; she wasn't sure. But it didn't feel like it would be. So she was happy that they accepted her, and couldn't help but smile as she eased into the hammock and tucked her long, blue limbs around her as it embraced her. She breathed in the scent of the stringy material, feeling comfortable.
And a moment later, she woke up in her human body feeling stiff and squished. She groaned as she exited the avatar driver's pod and found Norm and John at their desks, eating. After talking with them for a little while and making sure John was okay after his travails, she had a bite to eat too, and went to sleep for real this time--although it didn't come as quickly as she had hoped.
In the morning, the first thing she did after freshening up was climb back into her pod. Waking up in the hammock, she felt her tail twitch against the sides of it and stretched luxuriously, laughing to herself as she poked her head out of the unfolding cradle. She smelled food cooking...and remembered that today she was going to train with the Na'vi. It was both exciting and scary. What if she wasn't enough a warrior and too much a scientist? But she got up and tentatively approached Lu'taw.
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Post by Demarion on Apr 3, 2010 22:37:45 GMT -5
[[Sar Sha, I noticed you use different quotations for when they're speaking in Na'vi or English. What a clever idea!]]
Ne'shrin's golden eyes opened slowly before dawn, his body telling him to get up. Why should he though? He doesn't do anythin--Oh. He sat upright, the Eywa k'sey nivi'bri'sta1 swayed softly in the branches. Today he was training! The boy leapt up the branch, grabbing his bow and arrows as his feet padded softly along the bark. He climbed his way to where Lu'Taw had indicated, recognizing the soft glow that would very shortly be gone of the other Na'vi's markings.
“Good to see you made it. Tingay is still working with her ikran, so its best we eat our breakfast now so we’ll be finished by the time she is.”
“Oel ngati kameie,” Ne'shrin greeted as he sat crosslegged around the small platter of fruits and meats, “I must say, I'm pretty excited.” He beamed at Lu'Taw, grabbing some of the food made ready for them.
1Hammock. lit. "Eywa cradles everyone."
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anaraskywalker
Jedi Knight Who Says Ni
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind
Posts: 124
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Post by anaraskywalker on Apr 4, 2010 9:53:38 GMT -5
Tan'hite rose just a little while before the breaking light of dawn. Ti'nalya was in the pod next to her, and still resting. Tan'hite reached her hand out to wake the resting warrior, but stopped. She was sure the newcomer needed her rest.
With a smooth jump, Tanh'ite was down on a lower branch in a neighboring tree. Her feet started flying beneath her, and she made her way from tree to tree, racing against the coming of the morning light. Her heart pounded against her chest with excitement.
Today, she was going to fly.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Apr 28, 2010 22:06:45 GMT -5
“ Oel ngati kameie. I must say, I'm pretty excited.” ] The feeling was mutual and Lu’Taw nodded in agreement as he took a bite of his own meal. “Tingay flew out this morning so, I’m guessing we will have more than just a simple archery lesson. It will be interesting to see what she set up for us.” His ears swiveled back at the soft patter of approaching footsteps. Without turning to Marsha, Lu’taw pat the smooth bark between himself and Ne’shrin to tell the timid Dream Walker where to sit. Clamping the portion of meat between his fangs to free his hands, he pulled her portion of the meal in front of the appointed seating area. “Your food is going to get cold if you don’t eat it soon.” He said in English. He glanced at her wrists and flicked his tail in thought. “You're going to have to wear braces on your forearms for this morning’s drills.” He savored another mouthful before continuing. “I have a pair you can use. I’ll show you how to tighten them so they won’t slide.” *** Tingay stroked Solace’s neck affectionately before dismounting. She had accomplished her goal of setting up the boys’ training exercise but the flight back had woken memories she’d thought had been buried years before. Absently her hand sought out the small charm within the leather pouch on her hip. Sensing her rider’s distress, Solace rumbled in puzzlement and nuzzled the hand clinging to the hidden item. Tingay released the charm and showed the animal her empty palm. “Its nothing you can help me with friend.” She replied as Solace’s snout brushed over her skin. “That wound has left its scars, though not without giving something back in return.” Solace pulled away to gaze intently at something below. Tingay could just make out the trio of young Navi sitting down to their morning meal. It was a touching sight and encouraged her to what was to come once Ti'nalya arrived. “A new beginning.” She whispered as she gave Solace a parting stroke. "For all of us..."
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Post by Demarion on Apr 29, 2010 0:29:38 GMT -5
Ne'shrin shuffled over slightly to allow Marsha room, watching her curiously. The Dreamwalkers wore so much over their bodies, it was a wonder that they could identify themselves at a distance. Not to mention a lack of movement. How could one swing from branch to branch with their legs completely covered? He wanted to know more about it, but now was not the time to ask.
“Oel ngati kameie.” He said quietly as she was sitting.
He chewed his nikt'chey1 and listened to Lu'taw, trying to get hints as to what they'd be doing. He knew the basics of training, but nothing beyond that. The youth flicked his tail in annoyance, then made an effort not to fall into one of his deteriorating moods of frustration and boredom. He really was excited to learn, and excited to interact with more of The People. Since his parents died in the fall of Great Hometree, Ne'shrin had closed himself off to others, and he was determined to open himself once again.
1Various meats or plants wrapped in a edible leaves or flowers. Good for travel and hunting, but are eaten as is. I found my Pandora guidebook, finally.
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Post by Morndakiél on May 1, 2010 21:34:50 GMT -5
{OOC: Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I did just watch Avatar yesterday, though, and had this idea for a small plot element. Also, describing ikrans is so much fun.)
Ti'nalya heard Tan'hite moving in the pod beside her, and her ears twitched, but she was not ready to make small talk yet. She let Tan'hite leave, tracking the other's footsteps as they passed out of earshot, but with no intention of attacking. She didn't want more fighting in her life, even though her demeanor might suggest otherwise. She'd dreamed of flying, of some strange creature that might have been Eywa and might have been a Dreamwalker taking to the skies beside her.
She was going to try to call her ikran, even if the bond wouldn't work.
Ti'nalya was careful not to let any of the Omaticaya see her as she skirted the trees in the midst and then at the edge of camp. She planned on finding a high cliff or tree, but couldn't wait--a few meters into the forest she simply found an almost ikran-sized open clearing and screamed her closest approximation to the creature's--to Oshirae's--cry.
No response, but Ti'nalya waited with baited breath. Just as she felt her spirits start to sink she saw a shadow moving in the trees, and the shape of Oshirae gained color and depth as the ikran worked her way carefully down into the clearing, clinging to trees and scurrying like a giant bat when she could no longer reach her wings out to their fullest plan due to the effervescence of Eywa's plants. Ti'nalya couldn't resist a smile.
Oshirae crouched beside her and lowered her head, breath huffing out from the wide gills at the very bottom of her neck. Ti'nalya stroked the ikran on the blue-striped eyebrow ridge and Oshirae quieted, shifting slightly on her legs. It felt so right to have her back, so strong, like Ti'nalya could go right back to her clan now, as strong as Toruk Makto--
She swung her leg over Oshiae's neck and slid her hand across the ikran's tendril to make the bond, the movements natural as walking. Of course the bond wouldn't work, but maybe she could tuck the tendril under her arm and it'd be the same, why couldn't it be the same--
Oshirae bucked. Ti'nalya's back hit the ground hard enough for the wind to be knocked out of her. She got up as quickly as she could to see Oshirae dancing nervously in front of her, her mouth open to show the needle teeth in a halfhearted threat display.
"Oshirae..." Ti'nalya called out, half command and half entreaty, but the ikran spooked again and tried to fly. Too quickly her wings hit the forest canopy; she gave up and lumbered on foot toward the Omaticaya camp, screeching. "Oshirae!" Ti'nalya dashed after her.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on May 1, 2010 21:39:23 GMT -5
Marsha graciously took a seat between the two Na'vi, only tucking one braid behind her ear before she settled down. She poked at the food set before her, then mentally named it Pandoran Sushi and started eating with a will. Her avatar stomach was empty and eager. When she finished a bite she looked at Lu'taw. He was probably younger than her, if you equalized the lifespans, but she felt much like a child as he explained.
"Ah, thank you," she said. "I've been given so many examples of hospitality here." She smiled. "If it's alright for me to ask, what is this training, then? Bows and arrows?" She didn't know the first thing about archery, but arm braces sounded like a smart thing around the eight-foot arrows that always got shown on Earth when Na'vi were in the news.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on May 5, 2010 21:40:00 GMT -5
“Your lessons will involve how to string, grip, and pull back a bow.” Lu’Taw showed Marsha one of his three fingered hands, palm up, revealing the developed calluses on his fingertips. “It is going to hurt until the calluses form, but if you don’t practice and then try to shoot—the bow string with slice through the thin skin.” He gestured to her shoulders and forearms. “You’ll also have to build up your stabilizer muscles. Without a steady, consistent grip against the string's resistance, your arrow will quiver and miss its tar...”
A sudden clash of snapping branches interrupted the conversation. Something heavy and leathery in texture collided with him before he had the chance to look up. A trick of fate that saved the Navi from a broken neck.
Lu’Taw struggled to breathe as the new weight pressed his face painfully into the bark. And when the crushing pressure finally did subside, his ears painfully rang with the deafening cry of a feral ikran.
The ikran was now standing at its full height, wings spread in a glorious display of power and intimidation. It turned its narrow head to the side to eye the startled three with a wild, unpredictable intelligence as it snored defiantly in the cool morning air. Suddenly, the animal’s eyes went from their wild wide-eyed expression to narrow slits. It bore its razor sharp teeth with intent and set its sights on Marsha.
For a split-second Lu’Taw couldn’t understand why the animal had picked her out of the trio, until he remembered that Marsha’s Navi body had been around Sky People technology. It didn’t smell like anything of the forest and Marsha had helped tend to John’s wounds the night before. The irkan must have picked up the two scents and made up its mind that it was staring down a potential threat that needed to be removed from its territory.
A wing claw come down like a scythe, easily slicing through the bark between Lu’Taw and Marsha. A hail of new blows fell in quick session after that and Lu’Taw made a desperate dash for his bow and arrows. His attempt was foiled when the irkan’s tail swung around unexpectedly, causing him to trip and half slide off the precarious ledge.
Struggling to get a good grip to pull himself back to safety, he heard a rumbling snarl from above him. Looking up, the irkan was glaring down at him, teeth bare in preparation for a killing strike. It would have too had it not be for a vine lassoing itself on the creatures snort.
Lu’Taw scrambled back onto the main limb to find not only Ne’Shrin straining to keep the enraged animal at bay but Marsha as well. It was a battle that was slowly being lost. The vine was starting to wane under the growing stress as the irkran began to thrash its head. Lu’Taw didn’t waste time in setting his arrow into his bowstring.
He aimed for the writhing animal's heart for a quick kill and pulled back. Just before he let the arrow fly, a woman’s voice called out from behind him. “Oshirae!”
The animal stopped its struggle and twisted its head over its wing in the direction of the speaker—Ti'nalya! The irkan made a soft cooing sound when it made eye contact with the warrior before it rumbled and thrashed itself free once more. It dove over the ledge and took flight, wings glistening in the new morning light.
Lu’Taw trailed it with his arrow, fearing it would come back for a second attack, but it simply disappeared into the surrounding jungle with no sign of its existence other than its occasional echoing call.
Bruised and shaken, he relaxed the tension on his bowstring. “Irayo.” He said nodding his respect to his two companions. Breathing still shaky, he looked at Ti’nalya questioning. Had the animal truly been a rogue or was it the woman’s bonded ikran? The sinking feeling in Lu'Taw's chest told him it would be the latter, but he still hoped it wasn’t.
"Irayo" means Thank You.
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Post by Demarion on May 7, 2010 18:01:49 GMT -5
Ne'shrin was listening to Lu'taw's explaining of what Marsha was going to be doing when the Ikran crashed through the trees. He let out a cry of surprise before his instincts kicked in. He grabbed Marsha's arm and yanked her aside, another branch falling right where she was before.
"Lu'taw!" He saw Lu'taw slide off the edge but catch himself in time. He watched in horror as the animal tried to strike his friend, but thanking Eywa his snout was caught.
When the Ikran turned to look at Marsha, Ne'shrin's stomach went cold. The beast was intent on killing. His bow had fallen off the branch to the foliage below, so he brandished one of his arrows and jabbed at the Ikran, trying to ward it off, while trying to protect Marsha as well. He didn't know how well the Dreamwalkers could fight or survive, but she didn't have a weapon with her.
Lu'taw had pulled himself up and nocked an arrow when the Ikran was called. The lizard stopped and flew off as quickly as he came.
Panting slightly, he lowered his arrow and nodded at Lu'taw, at a loss for words. A bonded Ikran would never attack another Na'vi, why would it now? He went to stand on the edge of the branch to see if he could spot his bow.
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Post by Morndakiél on May 9, 2010 23:28:36 GMT -5
Ti'nalya couldn't just watch Oshirae fly away. The good thing to do was stay here with her new clanmates, to explain to them what was going on--but she couldn't.
"We have to go after her," she panted, leaping from one branch to another to crouch beside Lu'taw, the closest to where the ikran had been last. Ti'nalya barely saw him, remembering instead the glory and terror of the ikran rearing. Oshirae hadn't been that fierce Ti'nalya had bonded with her.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on May 9, 2010 23:37:37 GMT -5
Marsha started to be worried as soon as Lu'taw explained the process. She wasn't going to sigh, even though she was thinking this is a lot less romantic than I thought Pandora would be. Now I've got to do bodybuilder workouts on a body that isn't even mine. No wonder Jake didn't want to go back to his original body--No, I can't compare this to that. He was crippled and I just want to be able to walk through a room and believe people might be admiring me. She looked at her long Na'vi hands, noting how they still had four fingers instead of Lu'taw's natural-born three.
Suddenly a burst of air sent her hair whipping around. She threw up an arm to try and protect herself as an ikran mouth gaped in front of her, smelling of old meat. She screamed and struggled backwards as the creature came for her, splintering the wood in its wake and pulling itself forward with its wing-claws.
Not romantic at all!
She kept to Ne'shrin's side, barely noticing what she was doing as he helped drive the wild ikran off. When it flew away, she sagged back, too drained to follow Ne'shrin any more. What in the world had caused that? It wasn't normal--the balance of nature was perfect on Pandora. The ikran would never attack what it didn't need to eat.
But then she saw Ti'nalya come leaping in, the red-tattooed Na'vi's lips bared. She was so determined to get the creature back--that must have been her ikran. What did it going crazy mean? Eywa must have a short circuit somewhere...
"I'm not going," she found herself saying. Wasn't she brave, wasn't she supposed to be-- "I'm not ready...."
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on May 26, 2010 16:23:52 GMT -5
Lu’Taw gingerly massaged his bruised cheek as he followed Ti’nalya’s gaze out over the treetops. The spooked animal was nowhere in sight and its cries had faded into the distance. Tracking the irkan would be difficult, especially if it was this distressed. Trying to capture the animal could be…lethal. The damage reaped on the bark was testimony to the potential harm the animal would inflict on anyone it perceived as a threat. At a loss of what to do or say, he heard Marsha’s anxious plea behind him followed by a voice he’d come to seek out whenever the worst of his fear over took him. Tingay had returned!
***
“I’m not going. I’m not ready…” “No, you’re not.” Tingay soothed gently, helping the frightened woman to her feet. “Not yet at least.” She took one glance at the mess of splintered wood and come to Ti’nalya’s side. Her voice dropped to a whisper, though it lost none of its calm intensity as she replied. “And neither are you.” She raised an amending hand to stifle the protest she could see forming on the warrior’s lips. “Oshirae will return to you when the time is right. She will fly with you once more, but only if you allow yourself to overcome your fears and resentment. Until then, she will only flee from you and on that you must trust me.”
She gently placed a spear into Ti’nalya’s palm before continuing. “She knows your heart is still for her and though it hurts now to see her leave, she is doing it to help you. How long the two of you remain separated just depends on your willingness to heal.”
Straightening from her private conversation, Tingay addressed the other three Na’vi. “We’ll meet down by the falls for your training exercise. Lu’Taw make sure Marsha is wearing wrist guards by the time you arrive. Ne’shrin, I see you have some beautiful arrows ready. I’m looking forward to seeing you teach Marsha how to use them for this drill. Marsha I want you to watch every move these two make. It will only help you later on. Any questions?”
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Post by Demarion on May 26, 2010 23:16:54 GMT -5
Ne'shrin turned to the Dreamwalker after Tingay helped her up. "Mar'shya," it was a little difficult to get her name out for him, "are you... Well? Tch! Kehe! Ah... Hurting?" He put his hand on her shoulder and hoped she'd understand his broken English. Before the Avatar could reply, however, Tingay motioned to them and gave them instructions.
“Any questions?”
“Ah.” Ne'shrin pointed his hand down. “My bow fell when the Ikran attacked. I may need a moment to look for it. Is that all right, karyu?”
kehe: no karyu: teacher
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jun 8, 2010 22:50:57 GMT -5
Marsha patted her palm against Ne'shrin's shoulder. The warmth of Tingay's skin was still present on her palm, a reminder of how friendly and open the Na'vi were. "I'm fine, Ne'shrin. Thank you."
She did not have time to reply to Tingay as the older woman gave her instructions, but she hoped that the way she had leaned her weight into being helped up had given a sign that the words had helped. She'd been surprised at first to be told she wasn't ready--but then thought that it was a sign of concern, not of being belittled.
These people were friendly--warm as skin.
She stayed quiet as Ne'shrin asked about looking for his bow. Marsha would help him find it if he wanted, but she respected Tingay far too much to interrupt her answer.
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