You Have Joy

Neytiri supposed in the end it was his smile, his joy.

Jakesully had come into her life as a wandering fool, lost in her people's jungle. When she would have struck him down the grace of Eywa protected the dream walker and that was when the Na'vi believed him to be unique. But of all her expectations she never thought once that he would be her mate.

The command from her mother had left a bitter taste in Neytiri's mouth as she grew physically frustrated with having the task of teaching the dream walker.

"Why me!" she hissed in her language but her mother turned away from her daughter, closing the matter indefinitely. Neytiri in truth knew why her mother had picked her though, the answer was clear enough. While Mo'at was distrustful of the sky people she carried no true hate for them and Neytiri did. The female had been among many to feel the resentment when the destruction had first started, far from where they dwelt but still to their home. Tsu'Tey had encouraged her, they had both snarled down and glared at the strangers harming their lands.

When Grace Augustine had set up her school to teach the Na'vi about the sky people she had hesitated to go but her mother insisted. The scientist proved to be much more than what Neytiri had expected and she felt a measure of respect for the Sky people then. But Grace and her people often hissed over their own kind, that the 'miners' and the 'company' was greedy and out to harm. It was when they thought themselves alone that they expressed this fear to one another, in the presence of the Na'vi they were always smiling. Grace Augustine treated Neytiri's people as children, she clearly liked the Na'vi but often hid things from them she deemed too troublesome for them to face, to understand. That had always irked Neytiri a bit.

The school closed down when the destruction would not stop, the Na'vi choosing to leave the sky people's places in hopes of making them see they were not wanted in any aspect. Years slowly passed and Neytiri felt the same bitter stirrings in her heart once more. Riding out with Tsu'Tey one day they were forced to watch the careless destruction, the land and animals murdered senselessly. Tsu'Tey had notched the first arrow and Neytiri the second; after that all groups would open fire on the sky people and her father had looked on with sanction. Eytukan was inclined to agree with what Neytiri felt but as a wise leader his feelings were calm and collected. Neytiri's where wild and vicious and her mother could see her daughter slipping into a spiral of hate.

That was precisely why Mo'at had chosen her to be the teacher to the dream walker Jakesully.

Angrily the female had first instructed the male to change his clothing, that his attire was insulting and pointless. The male caught on quickly that she did not like him there but he made no comment, obeying her. Awkwardly he tried to talk to others while they ate, Neytiri scorning him silently. She was utterly certain she could drive him away in a single day.

Slipping into her hammock for the night she laid her head and watched him fumble to do the same. The dream walker wanted to befriend her, she could see it in his eyes but she turned from him again, unwilling to let her resentment go.

"Wake." She growled, frustrated as she glared down at the sleeping hybrid, her tail lashing. Like the other dream walkers he slumbered the sleep that could not be broken, meaning he was awake somewhere else. Neytiri had intended to wake him far earlier than usual to spend the day showing him how much he was not one of her people. But now she was forced to wait, staring down at the male in disdain. The other people rested still, few woke before the light came so she was unwatched as she frowned down at the sleeping Jakesully. Dressed in the people's clothing he still looked utterly like a dream walker, his unusual differences stood out to her. He was young and healthy though and if she really looked she supposed he could be called handsome. Some of the young females had been whispering about him last night and she could vaguely see what they saw. But it was a false face for a false body, not even his own truly.

Her ears twitched and her eyes came back into sharp focus when he shifted, slowly waking finally as the early risers of her people did as well.

"Come Jhakesully." She commanded as he blinked up at her sleepily, like a child would. He was so much like a baby and it annoyed her so.

"Jake." He replied with a yawn and stretch, in no rush as he gripped the sides of his hammock and sat up, puzzling how to get out.

"What?" she growled back, confused as she sat on the branch, watching him without offering help.

"Jake, call me Jake," he explained and watched as another rising Na'vi slipped from the hammock, climbing the base back up easily. Twisting he sat up on his feet in a careful crouch and copied the movement clumsily. Making it onto the branch he grinned over to her, smiling a full smile that lacked the calculation she saw in Grace Augustine's face.

"Fine Jhake, come. We go now." She said in curt English as she stood and walked off, the dream walker close behind her. As he did last night the male looked around with an open mouth and wide eyes, taking in her people's home. Pausing she picked a fruit from a low hanging branch to eat and the observant male copied her.

He was perceptive she had to admit, he mimicked her and those around them well, looking to others for his cues.

"What's that?" he asked her as they walked by a group preparing paint for a ritual.

"Made for marking, to decorate." She explained, motioning to her own body as they walked on. He nodded his head and she glanced back at him again. Coming to them as a warrior and not a scientist she had expected him to act differently but not like this. Rather than pointing out each thing and naming its meaning like the others had, he was genuinely new to their world. But he did not hold himself like a warrior at all, Tsu'Tey was a fine example of how a warrior was, reserved and aloof. Jake was more like a child, a youth eager to begin learning something new. The dream walker surveyed the branch he walked on, taking steps with care and Neytiri watched him as she moved, curious why a warrior had come. He felt her gaze and glanced up, the two staring at one another for a brief moment before he grinned at her.

"Lets go." She hurried him as she turned and moved with more haste, unsettled by the oddities of this Jake.

The people watched with curiosity, whispering about him as they wandered down the Kelutrel. Most were reserved and cautious but all were inquisitive about the sky people warrior. Neytiri led him from the Kelutrel quickly as she began to break into a jog when they entered the tree line.

Looking back she motioned him to follow as she broke into a run, the dream walker quickly doing so as well. With a grin she moved harder, taking the ways she knew to be tricky to navigate at a furious pace. The leaves whipped around her and she dashed, gracefully leaping over fallen trees she knew where coming and avoiding dips before they where visible.

He stumbled often, slipping and getting caught in vines over and over. Neytiri would pause, watching him with a hidden smug smile and once he was free she would yell from him to hurry. The huntress had little patience with him, pushing the male and wanting him to give up.

"What a crash course." Jake panted as he caught up to her once more, bent over and gripping his knees as he sucked in deep breaths.

"Did you want rest?" She asked him, sure he would agree and slump over quickly. It was a bit surprising when he shook his head in the negative.

"Lets do this." He replied to her and looked up, eyes on the jungle. There was a suddenly hardness there, not cold like most males but hard, determined she realized. He was a real warrior she supposed; it would not be so easy to break him.

Once more she broke into a jog and sped up, the male behind her trying to mimic her movements now, following her at a slower pace but pushing to keep up. If she moved a little to the left so did he, if she jumped he tried to copy her, jumping at the same spot and landing where she did as well. Neytiri needed to simply press harder, she could out run him easily but she hung back, making more exaggerated and harder movements. It was almost silly to watch him as he moved, trying to do as she did but lacking any grace. Neytiri had to express amusement when he caught his foot on a vine and went tumbling down with a comical expression. Slowing she circled back and smirked over him, he was in a mossy pool of thick sap and it clung to him in a mess.

Neytiri expected irritation, what grown male would not be ashamed but he caught her off guard with a smirk. Throwing his head back he laughed a deep sound and began to fumble to sit up. With her ears perked in curiosity she watched him, he had no malice, only amusement as he stood up carefully in the slick shallow pool.

"I should have warned you." Came from her mouth suddenly and the Na'vi expected a dark look but he grinned up at her.

"And miss this?" He jested with a gesture as his form and she could not stop her lips from twitching. Putting her bow against a tree she reached and offered her hand to him. Together they pulled him up and he knelt on the ground. Lying in the moss he started to roll around oddly and Neytiri frowned until she realized he was trying to get the sap off his legs. Covering her mouth with her hand she laughed, he acted so foolish! The dream walker saw her trying to school her features and frowned a bit, sitting up and glancing at the mess he made.

"Uh...this wasn't sacred moss was it?" came the cautious question, his ears pulled back and a genuine worry to offend on his features. Smirking she shook her head and he gave he a bright grin of relief.

"Good then." Examining the transparent yellow sap coating his hand he dug it out between his fingers. Reaching out he began to try and clean it off by rubbing his hand along the wood of a tree. Neytiri looked up and glanced around the area, placing where they were easily.

"Come, I'll show you the stream." She told him with a composed voice, her guard slipping back up as she led the way briskly. He took more time, getting stuck and struggling to walk with sticky steps but he kept up.

The water was very cold but he quickly waded in, eager to be clean as she settled on a shore rock to watch. Sitting in the shallows the male began to rub the sap from his legs, the water dissolving it off of him.

"So we just run today?" Jake asked as he worked, eyes on his task rather then her, but Neytiri sense he was more aware of her then he appeared.

"I want to show you important places to the people." Tilting her head she watched him, his back was to her mainly but she could see his side and the profile of his face.

"That's good, important to know I imagine." He replied easily and they fell silent as he worked.

Neytiri watched him quietly trying to read his features and see the underlining to him. This male seemed so bare, as if he hid nothing but she knew that could not be.

"Why are you here?" she questioned him, doubting a straight answer, sure he would give her false words.

"Here?" he repeated and looked up, the sky was bright now and he watched the foliage of the trees dance softly in the light.

"Nowhere else to go I suppose." Jake muttered vaguely, looking back down as he stood and felt for any stray bit he missed on his backside.

"You belong with your people." Neytiri insisted, frowning at him and the way his eyes seemed to darken in a sad way.

"My people don't need me." It was an odd thing to say, but she heard in his tone that he believed it utterly. The Na'vi grimaced a bit but pushed it back as she stood with him, prying felt wrong to her, as if her questions were not proper to ask.

They trailed back to the original path and Neytiri took up an easier pace, Eywa had stilled her arrow and then the seeds of the great tree had levitated to him last night. Was it possible that this Jakesully was honestly with them because he had nowhere else? Why did he feel that his people did not need him? He was a strong warrior, quick, and observant. Why had Eywa marked him so, she had never seen so many wood sprites gather to a being before. The signs seemed more important now; their meaning a key to figuring out this dream walker.

"Getting tired?" came his amused voice close to her and she blinked, startled to see him at pace with her. Giving him a growl she shot forward and he laughed, trying in vain to keep up as they moved though the dense jungle. Once more she pushed him hard, taking the rough routes and he followed without complaint. Often he'd let out a yell of triumph or bark of laughter as he barely made a jump or crossed a mess of vines uncaught. Over and over he fell down but he always stumbled back up right away. By the time they reached the first spot he was covered in bruises and scratches but his eyes lacked weariness.

"Where are we?" the dream walker inquired as he looked around carefully with a slight pant, trying to commit the place to memory while he caught his breath. It was a simple clearing pushed against a steep cliff, looking up he saw the stone disappear into the clouds.

"This is where you will end." Neytiri explained easily as she walked around a bit, the dirt was cool on her feet and it soothed her. There was a sudden doubt in the pit of her stomach, was it wrong of her to pass judgment over him so quickly? Along the trees hung intricate weavings with bone decorations meant to mark the importance of the sacred area.

"You begin now but if you finish training with me you will end here. After that your journey to be a true warrior begins." She spoke calmly, wondering if he would make it or not. Neytiri had no plans to go easy on this stranger but she could see now that Eywa had marked him for a reason, he had a truly strong heart, and perhaps a good one as well. Walking around, he examined the weavings and glanced about, his eyes taking it in differently than the other dream walkers had, he made no notes of certain plants or wanted to take pieces of everything, he just looked.

"Will you be with me?" Was a casual question he gave as he peered up the cliff again, trying to see past the clouds that hid its peak.

"What?" she retorted, confused as he stood there looking up the mountain with that hardness in his gaze again. Once more she reflected that unlike many it was not cold, he lacked the distance most had in their eyes.

"This journey to be a true warrior." He clarified, turning to grin back at her and Neytiri shifted and glanced away from his friendly eyes.

"I will not, tradition states another will take you, I may help you once you arrive but not on the journey to get there." The words seemed to give him a moment of confusion but he nodded anyway. They stood there then in silence and Neytiri felt awkward so she stepped back to the tree line.

"Lets go." She called and he nodded, turning from the cliff he had been eyeing up and following her.

They walked this time, Neytiri pointing out plants and common animals left and right as she spoke their names in her language. The area was a quiet one, few predators were around so she moved with less caution. When he tried to mimic her words she found he was utterly horrid at it. Repeatedly he mangled each word, mixed up the tones and swallowed the words more than spoke. Clearly this was where she would struggle to teach him. He was a warrior all right, his body knew right away but his mind took time, she thought.

Passing a tree with drinking flowers they stopped and she showed him how to tip the water for a sip of the rainwater caught in the bowl shaped flower.

"Slowly." She warned but he pulled too much and was given a face full of cold water for it. Neytiri laughed out loud as he grinned in reply sheepishly, wiping his face with his arm.

"Think you can shape me up into anything worthwhile?" he laughed as he sat on the edge of the low branch, looking over the forest while she took another sip. The Na'vi frowned a bit at the words, the tone carrying something as she recalled his words about his own people not needing him and paused to think of a sensible reply.

"You have potential, you must apply to succeed." She finally said and tried to watch him from the corner of her eye, not wanting to be obvious. Once more he flashed a grin as looked out at the forest. Neytiri followed his gaze and she took pause to take in her homeland, it was truly stunning. They were far in the jungle and there was nothing to disturb the herbivorous wildlife. Smaller plant eaters hopped about nibbling on plants as birds flew about overhead to their nests. The green flora was vibrant in the light of day and everything was in harmony, touched by Eywa always.

"Stunning." He muttered and she glanced back at him, did he see it? He had no understanding of the connection of Eywa but did he have a spark of recognition that none of his people had before? The scientist thought it beautiful too but then they immediately wanted to understand it, to take pieces and to make their tests, poking and prodding relentlessly.

"You grow up hearing about this place but to see it…"

"Do you not have such places on your home?" she asked him, Grace Augustine and her people rarely ever wanted to talk about their 'earth'.

"No, it's gone now, we've used up all the natural resources long ago. That's why there here now, looking for something to sustain life on Earth." Jake explained and Neytiri saw then she might be able to ask questions without him avoiding.

"What is it like to be in such a place?" Was her immediate inquiry, often she tried to picture it but could never come up with anything. The dream walker sighed and she though he would duck the question for a moment when he did not answer.

"It's hard to explain." He finally replied and struggled to come up with a clear explanation, his ears pulled low in a negative sign.

"You know Hell's Gate? The main place of the hu- sky people?" Jake asked and she nodded her head as she came to sit beside him. Neytiri had seen the large metal place from afar many times as they scouted it, looking for weakness in the structure.

"Like that, but everywhere. There is no green, no plants or animals, just flat land all over with buildings stacked to the clouds." As he spoke he held out a hand gesturing widely over the jungle in front of them.

"Everywhere?" she pressed with a grimace her own ears sinking, it seemed impossible to her to not have any life left.

"Everywhere. Some small parts are left or man made but nothing like this." Holding out his hand he gestures to the jungle again and smirked, watching it with a look of clear wonder.

"It sounds horrible." Neytiri meant it, the image now of the sky people's metal place on Pandora spread out forever left her feeling cold.

"Cold." He mumbled and she looked to him sharply, surprised that he sensed what she was feeling so accurately.

"It's cold, sterile." Jake elaborated, looking to her with a sad gaze as the female lowered her ears and comprehended that he did see, he certainly did not understand but he saw.

"Jhake." The name was said in a calm tone, recognition that this dream walker really was different. He looked over to her and she blinked back, standing up to go once more.

"What is wrong with your feet?" She frowned when he moved to stand up and she caught sight of them for the first time. They bottoms where discolored and covered with tiny scratches and cuts.

"Not used to this body yet, it needs to harden up some more." He explained with an embarrassed grin and shrug as he stood up easily, whatever pain he felt was not shown on his face at all. A warrior she thought with a worried furrow of her brow and stirring of shame in her gut. The other dream walkers all wore coverings on their feet, she should have realized he would suffer without them. With a decidedly slower pace she walked back with him to Kelutrel, they could see the other sites another day.

Neytiri was realizing now that her task was given to her for a reason beyond her own self-development. He had much to learn in a short time but she could teach him. Everyone knew she could teach very quickly but also she taught the hard way. It was her place to pull him through, give him a chance to succeed but also give him a hard time to learn, he was an outsider after all.

When they arrived she sensed immediately that Jake was unhappy, he knew they where supposed to see more places, not return.

"This is not a mercy but my teachings. You will learn that," she gestures to the jungle behind them. "quickly. But you must learn other things too, the language, the life." She explained as she pointed to the home tree.

"And that will take much more time." She grumbled thinking back on how badly he spoke the language. Jake for once looked for an argument as his tail twitched but she tapped his head with her bow before he opened his mouth to complain.

"I am teacher not you. Tonight we learn basic words and study some of the people's ways. Tomorrow you can learn to ride pa'li." Neytiri walked away and Jake was quick to catch up beside her.

"I don't mean to be rude but I don't want to be babied, don't go easy on me." The dream walker explained with a direct look at her, the clarity in his eyes made her tail twitch and she gave him a curt nod.

"So what is a Pah-lee?" the sudden switch was clear, his interest and enthusiasm so obvious that Neytiri had to grin with him.

Sitting down in a quiet branch Neytiri showed him which plant to crush to make a healing salve for his feet, instructing him as she oversaw his actions carefully. Every little mistake was pointed out and corrected over and over until he crushed and mixed the plant right. By the time it was finally done she had barely started on him about language when it was time to share a meal.

"Still think there's hope?" he asked her as they descended to the gathering area, it was clear she was annoyed at him over his poor language skills. The female gave a huff of breath and a dark look as she measured him up, her ears back.

"I can teach anyone, even a skxawng." Was her curt reply that made the male chuckle in turn, she had already explained that her word meant moron.

When they arrived she noted he was cautious of tails this time round, watching where he stepped. Settling down beside Tsu'Tey and Neytiri's parents the meal of meat and ripe fruit was passed around. More meat was still cooking on the fire pit they sat around and the smell hung in the air.

"Evening." Jake said to those around him, nodding his head as he met eyes and tried to be friendly. It was interesting how he kept trying even as the people stared back unmoved.

"How was today?" Mo'at asked her in Na'vi and Neytiri's ear twitched as she tried to think up a proper response.

"He has much to learn but he is open to learn it." Was her answer after a moment, her parents accepting her observation while Tsu'Tey snorted.

"The demon will never learn." He surmised briskly and Neytiri was struck by the bitterness behind the words, had her tone ever been so cross?

"He might." Neytiri said calmly and glanced over to the dream walker, he was chewing his meal thoughtfully, watching a group of children play a stick game. Tsu'Tey went rigid in form but she turned from him cutting off any argument as she showed Jake how to unwrap the leaf to find the dried fruit within.

"Nikt'chey," she named as she unraveled the large leaf to find the food, the dream walker copying her. "We take them with us when the journey is long, we need food prepared."

"Like a lunch box." He replied with a chuckle, she perceived then that his hands with their extra finger were very nimble.

After the meal was done she took him over to where the looms were gathered. As usual there was a mix of people, many children were working on a simpler loom while the more intricate where done by older Na'vi, the elders carefully weaving the most difficult things.

Settling beside a half done hammock she motioned Jake to sit beside her and Neytiri reached for the taunt strings tied neatly along a thick branch at the bottom.

"A pattern, simple, consistent." She explained as her fingers fell into the immediate rhythm, quickly they danced back and forth. Agilely moving over one another as they passed each string and crossed it in a smooth pattern. The male sat in silence peering at her fingers with attentiveness as she weaved a few rows along the loom.

"Try." Neytiri instructed, well aware many eyes watched them curiously. Jake took her place when she shifted over and frowned at the loom for a long moment.

"Show me again?" He requested finally with a sheepish look and some of the children to their right giggled, most of the youths had attended the school of Grace Augustine and understood basic English. They delighted in speaking a dialect that their parents did not know and so remained fluent years after.

Carefully Neytiri took a string between each finger and passed them to the left before crossing each second one back.

"Here, slide your fingers under." Was her quick command that Jake readily obeyed, slipping his fingers along hers and then taking each string from her.

"Now move them over once." He tried to obey but quickly tangled them much to the children's amusement. Repeatedly Neytiri tried to show him but the dream walker kept tangling them. Children gathered to laugh and Jake took it all in good humor, trying to do it but chuckling when his fingers entangled and were caught. A young boy helped him free his fingers when Neytiri tired of doing it and once more showed him how to weave.

"Better than me any day!" Jake laughed as he watched the boy's fingers dance as gracefully as Neytiri's had.

"You learn, practice." The boy replied easily as if he was the teacher, which only made Jake smile all the more.

"He is very patient." An elder observed to Neytiri in Na'vi as she settled beside the huntress. They sat off to the side as the bolder people came in closer to see what the dream walker was doing.

"But very clumsy." Neytiri replied with a touch of frustration, her tail slithering along the ground.

"Some take time, he is willing to learn, from all who teach." The older female replied pointedly as Jake listened to the children's instructions. One of them had brought a smaller, simpler loom over and he seemed more comfortable with it. Peering at his fingers as the children pointed and explained where he needed to put them, his ear twitched as he concentrated. There was unmistakable cheer among them as the little ones leaned over his shoulder and sat crowded around him. Most strangers would be met with more mistrust but they openly laughed with him as their mothers and fathers looked on, chuckling at the dream walker's antics to do such a simple task.

"What is this called?" he asked the boy who stayed by his side, leading the impromptu lessons.

"Mas'kit nivi." Another answered eagerly and immediately they where all pointing to specific parts and naming them in English and then Na'vi. Too many voices came at once but Jake just laughed and listened as best as he could.

Neytiri noted the jovial air that sat with him, he lacked the serious tone she was used to. As the daughter of the Tsahik and Olo'eyktan she had always been met with a subtle formality. The excitement of the sky people's warrior seemed to diminish her presence though and the air was lighter then usual for her. Tilting her head she watched him as he laughed with the children and began to weave correctly, it was shabby at best but done right, much to his and the little ones jubilation. His eyes glanced up and searched until he saw her, smirking he held it up and she could not help but smile in return.

They walked along the spiral of the home tree together at a leisurely pace as Neytiri explained the uses of weaving to him. Jake listened but it was clear that he had learned as much as he could today.

"You did well." Neytiri finally encouraged as she slipped into her hammock and watched him do the same. It felt odd to praise him but she knew teaching was a balance of both harsh words and kind ones.

"Did I? I realize there's much to learn but I think we can do it." He replied with an honest tone as he turned to lie on his side and face her.

"Thank you for teaching me Neytiri, I imagine this is not what you'd want to be doing if you had a choice." The gratitude caught her off guard, not many were grateful for her strict teaching style.

"I would have agreed in morning, but after today I believe there be reward in your training." She responded simply with truth as she lay in the cradle of the hammock.

"Nothing like watching me make a fool of myself." He agreed and shifted onto his back like she was, looking up to the foliage and countless hammocks above them. Neytiri turned her head and watched him quickly drift off, his body going limp almost immediately. The dream walker had wakened to his other body, his human one.

"You have joy." She told the unconscious form, unsure what it meant but beginning to understand it was somehow significant. Turning her body to face him she let her eyes drop as she fell away into the land of dreaming, wondering idly before she left if humans had dreams as well.

What do you think? Good, bad, utter crap? I'd appreciate some feed back, if you caught any mistakes in spelling or grammar please point them out specifically to me. Should it be continued or left as a stand alone?