Alva whistled a merry tune while her hands dug through the pile of clothing she had found abandoned in one of the woven baskets near the back of the hometree. Her foot tapped against the ground in tune, marking where it would have been a heavy, mighty beat to accentuate her sweet tunes. Her hands picked up one of the many loincloths but snickered with a lopsided grin on her face and dropped it right back in again. Next she found a loincloth made out of the softest material she had ever touched that was a shade lighter than the grass around her. Alva broke her whistling, hummed and shifted her hold on the clothing to see the back of it. It was a good length, probably down to her mid thigh or even longer down than that, it wasn't too tight around the waist that she wouldn't be able to fix it if it was necessary, and it complimented her skin tone. Alva swung the loincloth over her shoulder and resumed her whistling with sparkling eyes and a beaming smile.

It took a little more shifting and digging in the pile of abandoned clothing before she found a suitable cover for her breasts. Unlike the loincloth it wasn't made out of any fabric, but instead braided vines that created a pretty pattern that sparkled in the heavy sunlight. It was purple vines that had a hint of green in them that shone through the more dominant color when the sun hit it just right. The covering would stretch across her breasts and then curve around her back, it had an opening at the front in the shape of a circle and that circle shape was also on the back. The vines were braided in the front but the back was made up of thinner vines that snaked across her toned back. There wasn't much decoration on it or fancy material that signified that it used to belong to a higher ranked member, which made it easier for her to wear it without trouble. She pulled the garment up and twisted it around. It was pretty, but... something was missing.

A gasp escaped her and a figurative light bulb lit above her head when she realised what it was that it was missing. "Flowers" She giggled and slapped her hand against her forehead, making a soft slapping sound echo through the quiet area she was in. "Of course". She whispered under her breath as she looked around for any flowers she could use in her new clothing.

Her dreamy eyes flickered to her left and noticed a small collection of light pink flowers that sparkled against the green they were hiding among. She got down on her knees and reached down to the flowers to gently hold the petals in her hand. Alva reached for her covering and placed it among the flowers to see if the colors would match and create the beautiful mix she envisioned. She wasn't disappointed, the soft pink of the flowers matched perfectly with the purple-green that covered her covering, it would make a nice break from the dark colors.

Alva sighed and plucked the flowers from the ground after placing a firm grip on the base of them. Her eyes dulled for a moment before her usual far away but yet sparkling look in her eyes formed again. It was sad to see them leave their place but they were needed for her creation, it would honor them to be worn like that. The avatar braided the bases of the flowers into different parts of her covering, and before long the clothing had turned into a masterpiece.

She stared down at the pieces of clothing she had stolen with a contemplative look on her face and then snapped her head from side to side to see if any of the Na'vi were close by. Not a single soul was in sight so she rose to her feet in one single, fluid motion and shrugged. "I might as well" She spoke out loud and then shrugged of the muddy shorts she was still wearing, making sure to watch her tail, and then brushed off the dirt that was still covering her.

Alva bent down and grabbed the loincloth she had left on the ground and then slid the garment on her. The fabric felt much better than the suffocating piece of shorts she had worn before. The avatar driver wiggled slightly to make the long piece of fabric covering her front fall down to its real length, enjoying the way it flared out at the sides when she did it. She giggled and did it again, this time placing her right leg forward and shaking her hip. The loincloth swayed with the movement like tall grass did in the wind.

She only did it a few more times before she pulled her shirt over her head so she could put on her covering and finally be rid of all the human clothing she wore. The fabric of her shirt made a wet sound when it hit the ground and she wrinkled her nose in disdain at it. Alva kicked it away with one well placed kick from her right foot that sent it flying a long ways away. She would have to get rid of them somehow, maybe bury them somewhere. No, that's bad for nature, she can't bury them, then what can she do?

"Burn them" She muttered and then her eyes lit up and a sweet giggle worked its way up her throat and out her mouth. The only reasonable and logic way to get rid of the clothing was to burn the evidence, but until that day came that she would be able to burn them without seeming suspicious she would hide them on this very spot. "It'll make a pretty bonfire" She envisioned it before her: a big burning fire with the Na'vi surrounding her as she burned the remnants of her human past. It would be at night so the forest would illuminate the night in its pretty neon colors, and the fire would light up their faces in faint shines of fiery orange.

Alva made quick word of burying the pieces of clothes that she had brought with her and as soon as she closed the deep pit with dirt she sighed relieved. Her back stood straighter and her steps were more confident as she turned her back to the place and walked back to the hometree. It was time to mingle.

---

Her tail swung gently behind her confident strides and her hair bopped gently with her steps. It felt surreal to be able to walk among them like this, like she was one of them. No one seemed to have noticed that they haven't seen her before, or they just didn't ask her about it. Her hair had been cleaned with water she had collected in a large pot. It had felt good to wash away all the dirt and grime that she had collected when she snuck into the heart of Omaticaya territory.

A couple of children ran past her, giggling and chasing each other. She smiled at the sight, there was so much life in the clan it was almost overwhelming. One of the children tripped over a stray root and fell to the ground with a heavy 'oof' and a light thud. No sooner than she had started making her way over to the child had it gotten up again and resumed the lively chase.

Her almost dropping the pot when she stumbled over a rock brought her mind back to the present. Her fingers tingled and her ears twitched backwards as she tried to fix her grip on the heavy object before it fell to the ground and shattered. It was great for hiding her extra finger, and it was less suspicious than hiding her hands in her pants like she had done the night before.

During her struggle she saw the retreating back of the warrior that had captured her interest. His back was tense and his steps stiff and urgent. His tail flickered wildly from side to side, a clear sign of his mood. A normal person, or Na'vi, would have backed off from the clearly angry male but not Alva. No, if anything that made her even more curious and eager to follow him than before. The anger radiated off him in waves but she found herself drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

She placed the pot down next to a tree on the edge of the forest he had disappeared into. Her eyes narrowed slightly in intrigue and climbed up the tree besides her in fast, practised movement that almost looked like she was flying up the heavy trunk of the tree. Alva reached the upper branches without breaking a sweat and crouched down on the big branch she had settled on. She wrapped her tail around it and looked out over her view. She could see most of the front of the hometree from here, village life was just starting and so many of the natives was out already and preparing for the day.

Alva snapped back into focus and got up on her feet again before starting to skip down the branch she was standing on. She resisted the urge to whistle, knowing that the slightest sound would alert Tsu'tey of her presence.

Her every move was precise, quiet and thought through as she snuck around on the branch just above where Tsu'tey was brooding. Through the leaves she saw how heavy his breathing was and how his body practically vibrated with anger.

She accidentally stepped on a twig which let out a loud cracking sound that within a few heartbeats made his face snap up to her, but she was faster and had already dropped flat against the branch and had tucked her tail up against her body.

"" His rough voice barked out with a harsh warning ringing through. His tail flared and his body language closed up and turned defensive. All signs of shaking and anger wiped off him faster than the she could have said 'hi'. ""

Alva's body tensed up and her breath hitched. No, he can't know she's there, can he? It's impossible! No one's ever caught her sneaking in the trees before. Never, not even when she was a little child and snuck around in the smallest of trees. No, she breathed out a sigh of relief, he can't know I'm here.

"" Tsu'tey ordered from below her, his voice harsh and raspy. She didn't dare look down at him, the thought alone made her heart almost pump out of her chest. "" He growled out the last part, his voice falling in both volume and pitch. Despite the anger and threat lacing his voice Alva thought the foreign language flowed through him like songs did from her, melodical and soothing.

The avatar couldn't hear him now which both excited and unnerved her. Not seeing or hearing him meant she had no idea where he was, something that normally would frighten someone but Alva saw it more as a game. A game of hide-and-seek, she would hide in the trees and he would look for her. Her chest jumped with suppressed giggles as she began crawling across the branch and towards the end of it. She ignored the sharp pieces of wood and stone that nicked or scratched her and instead focused on getting across without him noticing.

She snapped her head backwards to check that he hadn't followed her but the area behind her was empty and so was the area in front of him. Alva couldn't help but wonder where the strange Na'vi was, maybe he was plotting on the ground or maybe he had given up and gone back to the hometree.

Her heartbeat thumped loudly in her ear when she came to the end of the branch and she had to get up on all fours and try to jump over like a cat or dog would. Only difference was that she was neither a cat or a dog. Standing up was too risky, he would without a doubt see her then. She had heard whispers and conversations about his skill and she was honestly surprised she had managed to sneak past him yesterday and now attempting to do it again.

Alva leaped across the branch and grabbed ahold of the other branch, her fingers gripping the branch as hard as she could, and then pulled herself up on it with an almost inaudible grunt. She looked back at the other branch with an accomplished smile on her face, her chest puffed slightly with pride.

"" She heard the rumble of the warrior on the ground and her eyes snapped to where she could see him pacing on the forest ground. His steps were fast and determined, though not angry. Excited, almost. His head was vigilantly turning from side to side and she saw just the hint of a grin on his lips.

She couldn't help the giggle from escaping and she quickly rushed away from the scene but by the loud cry from Tsu'tey she knew he had seen her. Their game of hide and seek had turned into a game of tag. Only this she was certain she would win. She was the fastest among her peers and an expert in climbing, though she had never actually raced against a native before. Alva shook away those thoughts and replaced them with burning positivity.

Alva leaped up from the branch to another one not far away and then immediately started running down the length of it, her legs pumping her faster than she had ever gone before. She was panting hard by the time she had jumped up on two other branches, each higher up than the other and covered in slippery green moss.

"" She heard from just below her and she didn't stop her frantic climbing but dared a peek behind her and saw him climbing up under her, his eyes glinting with a childish joy.

"" She laughed out the awkward word, her laugh light and like bells chiming together. Alva focused on her task again and actually swung herself up to the other branch instead of climbing. He was stronger than her so he could faster pull himself up, regardless of her good technique. He didn't seem as flexible or agile as her, though, and she would use that to her advantage.

Alva sprinted across the next moss covered branch and then at the end of it she took a deep breath and without hesitating jumped down from it. With an exhilarated whoop of pure joy she fell through the air and the wind smacked against her face but it didn't bother her. A flash of green caught her eyes and she turned around so that she would fall onto the giant leaves, they would cushion her fall and make it easier to get up and running again.

The first fall against the leaf slightly knocked the breath out of her but the pure adrenaline still flowed through her veins and everything inside of her tingled. She grabbed ahold of it and then slid of it and down onto the next lead which broke her fall even more. It continued the same way until her feet touched the ground beneath her and she was up and running before anyone could blink. She ran like the devil was after her but sweet laughter still rang through the air. She was turning her head around to watch her back but she couldn't see him.

"" A voice gloated in front of her and she snapped her head around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. Tsu'tey stood before her with a smug smirk on his face and his chest puffed out in pride. His whole body language screamed 'I'm the winner'.

Alva nodded with a toothy grin and clasped her hands in front of her (her pinky was tucked into her palm so that he wouldn't see it if he just so happened to look down at her hands). The way he was looking at her, nay, staring or observing, her made her nervous. Her eyes however didn't drop to the ground, they kept staring into his, but she had started leaning back and forth on the front of her feet. "" She stumbled over the words and then cringed at the awful accent she had.

His smirk wavered at her words and a suspicious look in his eyes grew. Alva didn't back away from his observation and instead continued to stare right into his eyes with her lips gently curled up into a grin.

"" She curtly told him with a bow of her head and a slight bump of her fist to her chest before she turned around and skipped away from the stunned Tsu'tey while humming a song her mother used to sing to her back on Earth.