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"You chose her silently. You've decided that she's yours and you won't share her with anyone. Your look says that, even though you're trying to express the opposite with your actions." Ri'nela twitched her tail in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Every time you see her next to Teylan or with Itu, your tail gets uncontrollable, and in your eyes just "kill at the first opportunity". She's been through a lot with you. And she hinted at it more than once. If you miss her, it's your own damn fault."
So'lek sat on a mech pad near a rack of bows, checking each one for cracks and sharpening the arrowheads. Ri'nela's ears ducked for a second when she spoke, and So'lek looked away from her in the direction of Tamtey, who was sitting in the far part of the room with her back to him. She's a Sarentu by blood. She waved her arms expressively, telling her favorite fight riding Ka'thir, her ikran. Itu couldn't take his eyes off her. He looked at her with opened mouth and silly smile.
So'lek only clenched his teeth tighter, returning his attention to the arrow that had already been reworked. With a snort, he snapped it in half and set it aside.
"I don't know what you're talking about." So'lek picked up another arrow, this time sharpening the tip more carefully and more slowly with his knife.
"Will you behave like this all your life? War is not forever, So'lek, and people can die in war. No one can promise that you or Tamtey will survive."
"I'm not in the mood, Ri'nela." He clenched his jaw when he realized he was going to be rude to his Tsahik. He checked the arrow in the firelight, put it down to the sharpened ones and took a new one.
"Skxawng." Ri'nela snorted and left, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Itu and Tamtey were still sitting a few meters in front of him, but this time the guy was talking, and much louder than Tamtey.
"Maybe we can go hunting together? You'll show off your precision fighting skills, if that's how you talk about it." Itu was smiling, looking at the Tamtey.
What an idiot. What's the worst date he's chosen. He didn't even try to think about the fact that the hunters had recently returned with their prey, and there was no need for additional kills.
So'lek's ears ducked and teeth clenched at the very thought of what he meant by "go hunting together". Putting the arrow on the ground, he picked up a new one and looked in their direction.
Tamtey was sitting next to Itu, and nervously twitched her tail, looking away. She said something softly that So'lek couldn't hear, and looked back up at Itu.
He looked at So'lek, and their eyes met.
Around the campfire and around the arrows and bows, he looked like a survived beast after an endless battle, and the serious expression on his face seemed to indicate that if Itu made one extra move, the battle would continue.
Itu smiled nervously, returning his attention to Tamtey. They talked pleasantly for a while longer, until So'lek's patience ran out. He fastened the knife to his belt and stood up, brushing off the debris from the arrows.
Tamtey turned at the sound, silently pursing her lips, not daring to say something. Her tail twitched, betraying her excitement, as So'lek walked towards the exit without saying a word.
The fresh air refreshed his head, and the smell of the forest reminded him of something familiar and peaceful. So'lek exhaled, stretched his neck, and called out to Ìley. The only being on Pandora with whom he could talk about everything and nothing at the same time. ìley never interrupted (even if he could), listened in silence, and only occasionally grunted in response, bumping his head into his Na'vi's chest.
The frequent flapping of wings before landing brought the pleasant cool evening air to So'lek. He patted ikran on the neck in greeting, connected tsaheylu and sat astride.
"Let's fly, Ma'eylan."
A couple of days later, So'lek felt more sober than after the conversation with Ri'nela, which rarely left his head. He didn't even talk about it to Ìley, and he tried not to think about it himself.
So'lek came to the ikran landing place when he heard that the Na've were talking about a new supply of comfortable and durable ikran saddles from Kukulope.
"Come on, come on! The best skin from all over Pandora!" while the woman dealt with the customers who came up and invited new ones, So'lek allowed himself to touch a couple of specimens. The skin is soft and elastic, but at the same time very durable. Ìley won't even feel that his body is being held down by something.
"... with Tamtey?"
His ears turned sharply in the direction of the Na'vi who said that. Carefully turning in a half turn, So'lek noticed Itu and three other Na'vi walking to the edge of the platform behind him. They didn't notice him in the small crowd of onlookers, and one of the key factors was that So'lek had previously worn human-made armor, and now it was hard to distinguish him from any other Na'vi from behind with his clothes.
He turned back to the saddles counter, examining them more for the sake of decency than for the sake of purchase.
"Not yet," he immediately recognized Itu's cheerful voice. "but everything is ahead. She's impenetrable, like the most inaccessible girl."
"Didn't your dumb head think to start with courtship? There are gifts, for example, fire silk..." a female voice interrupted another member of their company.
"Fire silk?! Have you seen how much it costs? And Itu would never spend so much effort and money on entertainment."
So'lek's tail darted from side to side, hitting a passerby.
"It's true." Itu laughed. "I invited her to my house. I said I'd show her a drawing of a bow I found on the Hallelujah Mountains. This is the only thing that interested her from my suggestions."
"But there is no actual drawing?" The fourth voice sounded really strange like it was a teenager.
"Of course not. I'll offer her something more interesting than that. And if he refuses, he'll have to take it by force. I'm a man after all."
And that laugh again.
So'lek wasn't thinking. It was enough to make his fists and jaw clench in anger. He could see nothing but his goal, and his feet carried him to the edge of the platform, where the Na'vi were clutching their bellies with laughter.
With one hand, he turned Itu around to face him, and with the other he hit him in the face.
There was a crunch, and Itu recoiled from So'lek. Blood sprayed from his nose, but instead of moving away, he hit So'lek back.
A girl from the Itu company screamed, and a tall guy and a teenager rushed to break up the fight.
"Calm down! What happened?!"
Rage seethed inside, and So'lek saw nothing but Itu in front of him, but he did not try to break free from the grip of the tall Na'vi. His opponent had blood gushing out of his two nostrils, and his ears were flattened. That's enough for him. For now.
"He just came up and hit me. He's kind of sick." Itu spat blood on the floor and wiped his nose when he was released.
A crowd gathered around, watching what was happening. Ri'nela and Tamtey joined them, having heard the scream.
"If I ever see you next to Tamtey again, I won't spare you." With a single movement of his shoulders, So'lek shrugged off the Na'vi who was holding him in a grip from behind.
"What, is she your bitch?" Don't you both..."
"So'lek!" Tamtey ran up to him, examining his face. The murderous gaze was replaced by the usual one he always looked at her. "What happened?" She turned to Itu and So'lek grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the crowd.
Ri'nela met his gaze, shaking her head inconsistently from side to side, but did not interfere.
So'lek led her down to the exit and called his ikran, releasing her hand.
"Call Ka'thir."
The whole time she was flying after him, he didn't say a word. Ìley looked agitated, often purring and snorting.
Finally, they slowed down at the top of a large arch in front of the Zeswa clan's territory, and Ìley landed. Ka'thir sat down next to him, making a loud vibrating sound. So'lek disconnected tsaheylu from ikran, and Tamtey did the same, following him to the edge of the arch. His tail was almost frantically flicking from side to side, and his lips were tightly pursed when Tamtey stopped next to him.
Their ikrans playfully snorted at each other, almost quacking, and swooped down from the arch at the same time. Ìley and Ka'thir became great friends and teammates almost immediately when they first met.
Tamtey touched So'lek's forearm with her fingertips.
"What happened between you two?"
There was no response after ten seconds, and she guiltily removed her hand, looking down.
Close to evening, it was beautiful in its own way. It's not as romantic as it is at night, but she's not here on a date. If So'lek had called her here for some reason, it meant that she would give him as much time as he needed.
Tamtey enjoyed the view for about half a minute, watching a flock of wild ikrans fly nearby, when So'lek exhaled loudly.
"Do you believe me?" He turned his body towards her, and now she noticed a purple tinge in the area of his scar on his left cheek.
"Like no one else."
"Then if you want me not to kill Itu, don't talk to him."
So'lek was not the kind of Na'vi who threw words right and left, and Tamtey could not even think that he could exaggerate. She swallowed hard, surprised at the seriousness of his intentions, but nodded.
"May I ask what was the reason for such a request?"
So'lek looked away from her for a moment.
"He wanted to use you. And he said it was manly." His hands clenched into fists again, but after taking a deep breath in and out, he relaxed a little again. "I warned him. Next time, I won't break his nose, but his spine."
Tamtey giggled faintly. She turned to So'lek, taking a half step towards him. Her eyes seemed to be looking into his soul, and the man felt somehow uncomfortable, because she was still smiling. He didn't understand what funny things he could say.
"Ma'So'lek, you're so caring," she put her hand on his right cheek so as not to touch the place where Itu hit him on his left. "But I'm not stupid either, I understood perfectly well what he wanted, but it was impossible to politely get rid of him."
So'lek put his hand on top of hers when she was about to take it away, and closed his eyes, leaning closer to her. It reminded her very much of Ka'thir's behavior when she told her where to pat.
"If this happens again, doesn't matter with Itu or not, tell me right away. I'll quickly explain what he or she is doing wrong."
So'lek visibly relaxed, and even his large palm seemed incredibly gentle. And she was lying on top of the palm of her hand so correctly that something twisted in her stomach strangely-pleasantly, and her tail twitched.
She sighed, gathering her strength. Heart began to tremble treacherously, and mouth wouldn't open.
"Do you ask friends and acquaintances about such things?"
So'lek's ears drooped a little, and he opened his eyes, barely noticeably squeezing her hand on his cheek. So that she could feel it. His eyes were gentle, and his voice was serious.
"I can't afford to claim what I'm not worthy of, but I can protect. Sometimes you're so naive and..."
"So'lek," Tamtey interrupted him, putting her other hand on his neck. "Did Eywa tell you that you weren't worthy?" Her voice traitorously trembled, and she fought with all her might to keep herself under control.
"No, but..."
"Then why the hell do you think it's right to hurt me?" Her heart constricted uncomfortably, and her eyes began to water. Because of the wind, she told herself. "Why do you push me away every time, even though you never let me out of your sight? Why should I suffer, whether physically or mentally, for you to show some concern? Like in an abandoned TAP building, or like now?" Tamtey's hand tightened on his shoulder, and she lowered her head, awkwardly hiding her tears.
So'lek closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her shaking all over his body, he could feel her hands falling limply, and he could feel his own heart bursting with guilt.
"I don't think you'll forgive me if I say sorry, so... Listen, Tamtey, please." So'lek stroked her back reassuringly, feeling his collarbones wet from her silent tears. "I'm a warrior, and I've lost everything I had. Even my own clan. And there's no guarantee that I won't lose the rest.
"But you joined Sarentu." Her whisper was barely audible. "What's wrong with me then?"
"Because I'm afraid of losing you more than anything in this world."
So'lek didn't know he'd ever say that out loud. He knew it was true, but he absolutely refused to think about it.
Tamtey froze for a second, pulled back a little and looked into his eyes, ridiculously sniffing her nose.
So'lek moved his hands from her shoulders to her cheeks, wiping away tear tracks with his thumbs. He carefully leaned his forehead against hers, so as not to bump it too much, and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry. For everything."
Tamtey exhaled convulsively. He was still in seemingly unacceptable proximity to her, just a few more centimeters, and their chests touched. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing.
Everything became incredibly quiet. All that was heard and all that was felt was their breathing and his hands. Her heart was gradually calming down, but still not enough.
When So'lek pulled back a little and Tamtey opened her eyes, it was already dusk. The rare plants on the stone arch on which they stood were suffused with pink and blue shades of bioluminescence.
Up close, So'lek looked unlawfully attractive. The scattering of glowing patterns on his face resembled spirals that she had never been able to see in a peaceful setting before.
Especially when she could see her own reflection in his eyes.
Finally, he closed the distance between their lips. Eywa alone knows how many times Tamtey's thought about it. No childhood dream was as impossible as this one, which seemed so feasible.
His lips were soft, slightly dry, and their "kiss" seemed very childish. Tamtey hadn't tried this before, but her whole body was telling her what to do.
She gently ran her tongue over his lips, and So'lek did not miss the opportunity. Cutting off in the bud Tamtey's attempt to seize the initiative, he ran his tongue over all her fangs, and then touched her tongue.
His hand moved uncontrollably down to the woman's waist, pulling her as close to him as possible. It seemed as if time had stopped all around, and nothing but Tamtey existed. His Tamtey.
She pulled away first when she couldn't breathe and her legs were shaking from an overabundance of emotions. Tamtey tugged lightly on So'lek's shoulders so that he sat next to her as she sank to the ground, resting her knees on the glowing bright green moss.
She stared at So'lek for a few seconds while she tried to focus her mind on reality. That here he was, real and alive, sitting in front of her and not taking his eyes off her. He was so gentle and caring that she wanted to cry again, but this time with happiness.
They were attracted by the barely visible movement between them. The small seed of the Sacred Tree gradually tried to rose to the level of their eyes, like a small jellyfish in water, pushing itself higher with its tentacles.
"Atokirina'..." So'lek whispered, not taking his eyes off the spirit.
Tamtey took her right hand away from So'lek, helping the seed to rise higher. It seemed that it was jumping on her palm, like on a trampoline.
As soon as the jellyfish reached the place it needed, right between the two of them, it circled around a little, pushed off from something invisible and flew away.
So'lek squeezed Tamtey's hand which was still in his. They looked at each other again, and there was a question in Tamtey's eyes
.
"Is that some kind of sign?"
"It is," So'lek felt so insecure, as if he was about to jump down from the arch right now, knowing that Ìley was at the opposite end of Pandora. "Eywa has blessed us."
It took Tamtey a moment to realize what she had heard, and when she did, she didn't even dare to move. She knew that Na'vi are monogamous by nature, even if there are exceptions, if Eywa blresses someone, then this relationship will last until death.
So'lek reached behind his back with his free hand, picking up a neatly woven long braid with a tsaheylu inside. For the first time in her life, Tamtey saw how his hands were shaking.
With the same care she took out her braid and slowly brought it up to So'lek. Their tsaheylu intertwined, and it was incomparable to what happens when she connects with Ka'thir or the Tree of Souls. Her skin crawled, and Tamtey noticed that the same thing was happening to So'lek. A pleasant warmth spread throughout her body, and when she closed her eyes, she saw all the happiest moments in So'lek's life. His first hunt in his life, his first flight with his brother, the first time when So'lek took her hand to take her somewhere, her first smile for him...
it seemed like an eternity before Tamtey opened her eyes.
The thoughts were the same, the actions, breathing, and heartbeat were all like of a single living being. She wanted to feel it forever, to be here with him, to feel his emotions and body as her own.
They approached each other at the same time, rekindling the fire that would certainly never go out. The kiss with the entwined tsaheylu felt completely different, in addition to the physical feeling there was also an emotional feeling in it, which intensified many times. Tamtey did not believe that this was happening to her. So'lek, her So'lek would finally not only give her his gaze and minor touches, but would also give himself completely to her, just as she gave herself to him.
Ma'Tamtey.