De’cht

by CryingFantasies6

Summary:

For humans, blood is thicker than water, which can be as weak as their resolve or as strong as their own will to live; for a Yautja, it is the river of lineage and connection. At least for most clans, blood can be given or earned, it can be fuel, and it can be your deepest shame.

Chapter 1: Sacre obligation

Worthy ones aren't exactly common in hunting groups; if you're lucky, you may see one or two in the same group, rarely of the same race, always with a device to help them understand and their own masks to help them breath, showing in the exterior to which clan they are asociated, a marked one is an exotic view, not many earn such tittle, but they do exist, they have been marked by their new borthers after the great hunt with the blood that will give them privilage more atounishing beyond being simple prey.

Almost none of them can be seen in Yautja Prime, because, as much as they are respected, they would not be so simply allowed to enter their sacred planet, and in some cases, it can be lethal for them. Most conservative clans still have the most power in the biggest regions, and that is respected, too. If they do have notables, maybe they could think of taking them to the planet with their own restrictions, because many aren`t that fond of them.

Among the notables, you`ve various types.

The marked ones, one of the highest in their own eyes, the ones that, while prey, have completed the great hunt, they have been marked by the blood of the great snakes with their acidic blood by the hands of their new brothers, most of the time they choose to stay in their planets, given a token given by their new brothers to prove who they are and the clan to which they now belong to, sometimes they are taken agaisnt their will when such planet is no longer viable for life or the situation is terrible, and, in rare occasion, the marked one will walk by their own choice to the ship, such bravery giving time for their brothers to forge a weapon for them, as such is the law for any new hunter, most open minded clans live with them, hunt together, making traditional clans growl and uncomfortable, because no matter the respect for them, they were prey, while some of the same group have them even higher than their own non-blooded individuals.

The notables, the ones that won against a blooded warrior, the prey hunting the previous hunter, their strength, be it physical or mental, has proven to be exceptional, too good to kill, it would be such a waste of potential, if such an individual were to live and give offspring it would be the best case scenario, for that the creature has proven it`s right to live, and a token of the one defeated will be given in reward. This group is under supervision, for the biggest clans have noticed the increasing numbers of their losses, no idea where they went or who has them.

The debts, maybe the most avoided, the most scoffed over, and, sometimes, a burden for as long as the hunter is alive, the ones that were in a hunt, not exactly as prey, more like by standers, and that, by some reason or occasion, interfiered in a hunt, worse yet, stopped the death of a hunter, now, most creature believe that is something good, but it can only mean a lifetime of embarresment for any hunter, they have to respect the honor of their "savior", for now their life is as preciuos as theirs, if they die they may as well follow them as they have let them down while giving them a new day to live, for their debt has given the the opportunity to ponder and not make the same mistakes.

A permanent oath with the taste of eternal punishment, for not dying with honor.

A disgrace that Thi'taat must begin to accommodate as part of his life, the sting of the great prey`s blood helping in some way to alleviate the drowning shame, and the hooman`s feet going from one place to another, is progress, maybe, no longer crying and whimpering or screaming in a corner, which is a blessing to some degree, from time to time he sees it scraching with what little claws it has in the mark, to which he stops sooner than later, there is no traductor in his hands and communication has been an struggle, hands moving the only way to understand, but he can`t make you understand how important it is for it to heal well, and maybe you do undestand as he sees you go for the plants he has given you, plants that hydratate his scales, or in this case, your skin, already figuring out that it helps you heal, you are smart, a saving grace, but also too soft, maybe not at the start, your hands bleed while trying to inflict him pain, the worse you did was to bite him, Thi'taat only flinched by the surprise and the scream of pain you let out, your dull teeth would never pain him but it sure did to you, days have come and go, an now you have the courage to press your hand full of the dired plants into his own scarring scales, taking his paw in your tiny ones to make him press the leafs for himself as you run around moving things in the nest to your liking.

The plant does not have such a big effect on him as it does on your thin skin, but he understands the sentiment nonetheless, "Medicine," he calls, and he knows you don`t understand, but your eyes focus on him anyway, waiting for him to say something, sure that that isn`t your name, but he can`t say it as you do, and more than once you have flinched when he did so in front of some hunters that looked at him like he was the greatest disgrace of their clan, so he goes for something with less bite "Healing leaf".

Ah, there it is, the recognition, you come to him, not fast, but you sure do, waiting for him to say something else, but he only watches the ground of his nest, thinking back at the moment of the great serpent being blown to pieces in front of him, and you with a ring in your hands, no one else present, the box in your back smelling like medicine, the smell of a gun in your hands.

You were so stupid at that time, so scared, giving your back to him while facing the black death, he protected himself, that much is true, nd you were just lucky enough to be behind his shield, there was a moment of solemn silence, and Thi'taat remembered the tales of warriors beyond their world he heard as a pup, how the sire of his great sire had a brother in hunts, a human, blooded by mistake, marked by choice, one that showed to his clan that some humans are more than prey, the legendary "Wicked blade", the most honorable marked of his clan, so much so that his body rested in their colony planet, right next to the bodies or mementos of his fallen brothers in arms, with his legend showing that even prey as humans had to be respected.

Any respect he had for you in that moment was broken when you screamed, returned your meal, and cried right in front of him, just to proceed to go catatonic and then limp in your own disaster.

A debt, an oath he must keep alive, the first of their clan, so far from the great Wicked Blade, he had already growled at you, roared in anger at his luck, at his mistakes which led to this, the disapointment and the snarl of his usually stoic sire, his fury has dried with the days, and all that is left is to keep forward, wait until the ship arrives to the colony, accept what it is to come once he arrives with you behind him.

Yet, for the time being, you make that sound Thi'taat has come to understand that you're tired, showing your teeth but also covering your open mouth, taking pelts he gave you and covering with them, maybe it is time for you to sleep, still having trouble accommodating to your needs, you are his clan now, and as so he must keep by you.

You may protest, but never do more than push a little to accommodate when he enters the nest. It is best if you smell like him when the ship finally lands. Some hunters have already tried to defy you to get on his nerves; he knows he isn`t the best fighter, and it wounds his pride. His duty is to keep you alive, which proves to be a great reason to fight and win one after another, resulting in your constant need to push the medicinal plants into every wound he gains as a routine, finally catching on to the point that if he falls, you fall with him.

Protests die soon as the heat of his body lets you escape the bite of cold in the metal floor, and Thi'taat has a moment to drag in a breath above your head, and yes, you still reek like medicine, so the next day, it seemed fitting for him to finally put your face in the codex of his people, and when your name was filled with "Healing leaf" after his best interpretation of you human name he only poked a finger of yours with his claw to draw enough blood to register, satisfied with his work, looking over your still sleeping body on the nest, then, to his work table, because there was no way your tiny body would support the shield he made you even if he trained you for a decade, chuffing to himself because he had to start from scratch if he was going to give you the traditional weapon of the clan before arriving to the planet.

Notes:

“Leaf?”, Tonkata clicks, coming back to the shared resting nests of the room, watching as his clan brother tries to clean his quills, apparently you sleep, deeply, and lek while at it, you are yet to notice two males are looking at you sleeping in one of the nests, “nothing more?”

Returning from a hunt and already trying to get on his nerves, well, he is one of the few that still come back to their living quarters and don't try to smack you in the face, “A leaf can make one bleed with the correct precision and posture”

Tonkata looks baffled, “precision?”, he asks, watching you, “posture?”, he looks at you closely, or as closely as his clan brother feels comfortable with before growling lowly in warning, “Why don't Small Knife-”.

Thi’taat roars and you scream, seeing the smaller male’s paw over his clan brother that launches him off with a kick in the middle.

“You dare!”

“It is a more honorable name than one of a plant!”

You only watch inside the nest how these two beasts exchange punches and roars, likely pleading for them to stop with your screams, thinking they are killing one another, but at some point, Tonkata started chirping, “It is a good name for hooman!”

“Disgraced name!”, they are fighting like younglings because he would not hurt his clan brother, but by how you're screaming he may as well be gutting his brother, because yes, if he could he may, because such disrespect will not go without vengeance on your name, “Leaf is honorable!”.

Hik’baur opens the door and watches his clan brothers play fight, well Tonkata playing and Thi’taat going for his eye socks, you look at him with those ooman eyes and he knows that even a bad landed punch may kill you, he moves his hand, with what little understanding of the hunt language you got so far, come crawling to him just enough to haul you away from the disaster with his free paw, sure enough these idiots fall into the nest you were on soon and right in front of him, growling, exhausted, he puts you in the floor and lets you follow him to prepare his new trophies, so much so for trying to enter his own nest and take a break.

Chapter 2: Company

Summary:

So far the ship’s population has taken different approaches to you and the mark on your shoulder: the ones that don't care, you exist and that’s it, the ones that touch you like a zoo animal or maybe measuring if your species' skull is really worth it, the ones that have tried to kill you pushing you into one-to-one combat and the ones that handle you like a toy, and Thi’taat is just so done with everything.

“Leaf”, Hik’baur looks at him, not impressed, “you called her like a plant”.

He is pointing out facts, and he always is, but this time Thi’taat can catch that tone of “you idiot” in between.

“It is bad enough that the hooman is weak, slow, and raises her paw constantly when scared”, you are trying to recover what you can of your pelts, his outburst of fury shredded some, you show them to Tonkata, like a bearer showing to her pup what they did wrong, “and you named her like a plant”.

He hasn't felt this scrutinized since he came back on the ship with the snake’s head in one paw and the reeking human in the other, his sire gave them that look, only so much worse and more judgmental, yet his father still marked him and the human with the blood of their prey, or more like the prey of his hunt, yours flew to pieces, “she understood”.

“Hooman!” Hik’baur calls, and you answer, looking up, “she understood that.” You keep looking at them before finally returning to your own thing: “and you did not register her as hooman, what a mercy.”

If only Thi’taat didn't respect Hik’baur enough.

“We will never know peace again”, the male growls, expression sour, he is mad enough to let it see.

At that, he concedes, only Tonkata and Hik’baur stayed by him when he returned with the hooman, Leaf, he has to start calling you as such, he has to remember it as now you're his clan too, your name deserves respect.

“Healing Leaf”, Tonkata calls, lowering his body to the floor right next to you, because he is big and muscular, a typical young blood trying to show off during his chiva, making Thi’taat and Hik’baur look small in comparison with the rest of their brothers during the ritual, matters not, for that the only worth is in the trophies, that is what a respectable female will look at, “what kind?”

The idiot still believes his body alone will catch the honour and the respect enough to survive.

“The glass one”, he calls for you with his paw, because he doesn't like to see his brother’s paw so near your face, last time Tonkata pushed you a bit and you fell with force into the ground, his words catch the attention again, his brothers look at him so fast that their locks move with them, “Healing leaf”, for you it may sound the same as always, but his brothers catch the different clicking of the word, “Glass fiber leaf”.

“You called her after a plant of Genna”, you are barely near them, looking out for whatever they may want, and Hik’baur grabs your face to put it right in front of Thi’taat, “Debts may be a disgrace, but you still owe this hooman your life!”

Tonkata, as it is his own character, roars and clicks, making you jump away from Hik’baur’s paw, because he laughs as loud as a damn ship engine about to collapse, “Hooman got a grand name!”

“Your mother called you Warrior’s Blood”, he knows, and it is a good name, one that stands proudly, has force, imposes presence, “and you called your Debt, the one that doesn't even know the basics of the hunting language or doesn't know how to stab something with a knife, like a deadly species of plant of the worst planet imaginable”.

“Leaf smells like medicine”, was his only saving grace, because now that he thinks about it, maybe it was a bad decision.

“Mark my words”, his brother stands, going back to his trophies, a tick he has for putting things in order so he has his paws occupied in other things that aren't his neck, “Healing leaf is hooman, which was bad enough! But you went and called her like a dangerous thing, even unblooded runts may try to drag her to the fighting pits to kill her for honor!”

Next cycle, while getting you with him to eat, a blooded warrior roared in your direction, “Leaf!” he barked, in obvious stand, asking for trouble, and Hik’baur may have some reason as Thi’taat had to put you behind him before the idiot tried to take you to the fighting pits to kill you.

Notes:

You have gone and taken a bone he crafted as a needle, using some fiber to fix the pelts of your nest, he gets it, not as good as others when cleaning them, yours are his best ones, don't smell, and were the most intact of his collection, obviously you will be more than displaced to part from them as you used it everyday to sleep, so far you have told him the floor was cold and he understood the word, and it indeed is, he is a recently blooded warrior, not many prizes, he is no elite, no specialist, much less an elder, he and his clan brothers share a room that doesn't have a perpetual regulated temperature, well, now he and two of them, the rest had left after he got you here, but it is best, knowing who really were his true brothers, you end your work, it is patched and your craftmanship is as dull as his, but it will work, your mouth doing that thing with the meat over your teeth, you smile, not showing teeth, maybe happy because you could make it work.

You sleep in a cycle that has lost its rigidity with time, you sleep when you're tired, finally acting more like Yautja, and Thi’taat has noticed you look at them to guide you when to sleep.

Everyone does as they want, really, like now, Tonkata is in the nest too, looking at you with interest and placing a paw on your head when you get ready inside the nest of furs, making Thi’taat’s quills stand on alert.

“You dare…”

“I’m looking”, Tonkata has come to learn what to do with you, even while being the biggest he is also the one you let near easily because he makes himself look small when next to you, so far, he has got to discover you like when someone massages your scalp and he always tries to measure your skull while at it, much to Thi’taat’s displeasure, “respectfully”.

“Leave her alone”, his honor depends on yours, and he will not let his clan brother look at you as a potential prize, no matter how much he appreciates him, if Tonkata were to take your skull as a trophy Thi’taat will hunt him down like a badblood.

“I didn't have time to see if hoomans are a worthy prize”, All humans they saw had their chests open, not decent trophies.

Hik’baur isn't surprised when you go to another nest alone to finally sleep when the other males start hissing, again, you look at him, expecting to maybe share his nest, but he hisses at you, he may tolerate you but he doesn't exactly like you

Chapter 3: Food

Summary:

Carbon-based creatures consume carbon-based things, such is the way of life.

So why do you make faces while eating what he offers?

One of his main problems in the first days he had you in his care was, without a doubt, how to keep you alive and moving, only once has Thi’taat taken you to an open hunt, and maybe he would never do it again, he had to open the stomach of a creature to pull you out of there when he left you alone for a moment, it was his fault, he should've said more words than roars at that point, he was still mad at you, before finally accepting his life as it was, throwing the meat of the creature that tried to kill you for you to eat, only to see you make weird faces, not eating yet again.

Keeping you alive also extended to the most mundane things, first, your cleaning, you are a creature with a conscience, with a sense of self, but you smell way too fast, and okay, humans don't like to be exposed to the elements even if it's water, you were so weird when it came to him or his brothers or anyone without their armor, what were you expecting? For him to always use his armor? Even to sleep? Maybe the thermal net in the coldest cycles but all the time? No surprise your body started to smell, your coverings were used every day, and sooner or later he had to get you something different.

You don't do cold well, but also don't do a normal temperature, at least for him, more than once has Thi’taat woken to you getting out of the nest to sleep directly on the floor, the cold bite a pleasure until the heat started to go back down, you wash taking a lot of time because the water is cold, passing a rag all over you, and then try to stay inside in the most warm days to the point that he has to call you repeatedly to get you out of the water.

But hygiene aside, the main problem was food, and maybe it will always be.

All food in the ship comes from their reserves and the meat they get from their hunts, so, almost all is meat, raw or cured, and maybe a few nuts or roots to consume.

In the first days he couldn't with the shame, you were kept in his quarters, his brothers no longer stayed because they went to hunt again or because of the embarrassment of being with him and you in the same room, the food he gave you was what he grabbed without much care, you became sick, and he was forced to take you to the Mekdah who, without much time left, put his fingers in your mouth and made you return all you had eaten to then grab and sent Thi’taat flying out of the room as he weighted nothing.

“Stupid pup!”, the Mekdah was old, but not weak by any means, much less patient, and not giving a pauk if Thi’taat’s father was a blooded warrior of honor or not, such a hot-blooded individual covered it all under the expertise of a medic, “you have a hooman-di and you gave her what?!”

You cannot eat anything that isn’t a living thing of carbon, and only from some planets, Mekdah shouts at him, calling him lucky, as he can cure your illness, if you live he does too, drilling such understanding into him until there is no other doubt, Thi’taat has never taken care of anything before so the old male is lenient with him, even pushing crushed medicinal plants that stung deeply, like the snake’s blood, into the blooding wound he got in the face by the Mekdah’s assault, a deep cut, but the powder medicine stopped the bleeding.

It was a glass plant of Genna, which left him with a deep scar, it healed quickly, but the change on his skin and scales was left as a perpetual reminder of his mistake, his Debt was about to die for something as foolish as his own misstep.

Food is the fuel of life, and you were very picky about it.

Your species, as far as he got to understand, is omnivorous, but you do weird faces when meat is the only thing on your hands, your dull teeth can't tear a strip of meat from time to time, the nuts, protected by hard shells, have to be crushed by him, you already tried, and the thing was shot away like plasma inside the room by the pressure.

So far so good, no other poisoning, maybe a weird sound on your soft belly, but nothing life-threatening, once he hunted a great beast, but you smelled over the already cut meat to then make a sound of sickness, maybe you can't eat carcass-eaters either.

Then, when his scar was healed, no scab in sight, Thi’taat finally got you to the eating hall, having a paw over your shoulder at all times.

The eating hall is wide, no one wants to be near another if someone is in a sour mood, yautja tend to be protective of their food even if there is plenty, he pushes you into a corner, out of sight, out of mind, Thi’taat roars at an ETA that looks at you, making him go away with it’s head low, you follow where that disgrace has gone, Thi’taat takes your face in his paw, hissing his displeasure, an ETA dared to look you in the face, what more of this humiliation is he going to suffer?

All these days he has been followed by these warriors, tempting him to fight for his Debt’s honor, for his, he is a recently blooded, so no respectable warrior will give him trouble because he isn’t worthy of their attention, yet.

The constant fights, the constant problems he has, in the end, have helped him be stronger, faster, and when Ikte tries to grab your foot, surely to try and create trouble, Thi’taat is sure to punch his head and get him out of combat even before it started; it saddens him, Ikte was once his clan brother, and now he is openly aggressive to him, to you.

He eats with you in the corner, not making himself invisible to his peers, because it is his right and yours to eat from the clan’s fire.

“Leaf”, he calls once noticing your hunched form over your meat, Thi’taat sits, back relaxed but shoulders set, he blows air at you, getting the hint and copying his action, your shoulders aren't tense anymore and you start to bite at your meal.

His clan will never bow to such cretins.

Notes:

Your little device clicks from time to time, the mask you’re using is way bigger than your face, he has already bowed to make you a fitting one not made from spare parts, apart from making a custom made shield for you, as it is right as part of the clan, but he had to take on the chance, his bounty is minimal compared to his brothers who have been going almost without rest to the trials and the hunts, from time to time he goes and comes, making sure you keep wandering inside the ship’s force shield, your beeping machine leading you to a certain spot, Thi’taat looks at you from a distance, a cat like creature hanging from his back, and let’s you do some foraging for a type of your own mind of hunting your meal, because the root proceeds to slap you with a leaf.

He is not one to show his emotions just like that, such is the warrior’s way, still, he isn't sure if he clicks in amusement at watching you hunt the aggressive plant by yourself or if he has finally seen you fight, and yes, he has to teach you how to collect your own stance.

You finally get your prize, nose bloodied and a few bruises in the face, Thi’taat has left his own in the ground, you do something with your hand, it is not the language of the hunt, so it must be human signs, he copies you, but has no idea what your thumb sticking out of your fist means.

Chapter 4: Leak (trigger warning/skip if you want)

Summary:

Your biology is equally a wonder and a display of disgusting features for your clan brothers, but when you bleed Thi’taat is torn between avenging you or consoling you.

Notes:

Warning: sexual assault mention (without too much of a graphic mention, I think), talk of human biology (period, literally) because yes, for aliens we may be gross, mention of Badbloos (they are their own warning).

You can skip this chapter if you want because period is a handful for humans, you may guess how aliens handle it, but I always asked myself how it would be.

Humans are strange, for example, your skin leaks, it has tiny holes that pour smelling water, especially where your arms connect with your torso, your breath smells if you don't brush your teeth with fibers and soapy nuts crushed to fine dust, your scalp fills with oils, and you even smell down there if you don't bathe.

Your hygiene was something hard to crack when you first came, Yautja are always clean, so that their smell is undetected by prey, which is basic, Thi’taat feared your kind lived among their disaster, but you were only scared of him, and yes, it wasn't the best of ways from him to keep snarling and roaring at you, calling you names while taking your coverings, you were scared of your own nudity as much as you were of seeing the slit of his crotch, but what was he to do? He would not soil his garments for the disgrace that you were.

But now he voluntarily rips the fabrics given to him for your clothing.

Using an electric device you have begun to count your days on the ship, so far, in human days, you said at least 5 months have passed, then it is half a rotation for them, based on the time of their planet, and life was normal, ordinary, skulls were starting to fill his trophy stand, still too inexperienced to have his own room, showing it alongside the ones of his brothers, and then in a corner your own bounty, fruits, vegetables and nuts collected and sorted in divisions, because apparently you are fine killing and taking from plants, but don't like going after animals.

Humans are so weird.

Routine is, while boring, a bliss that lets them work on their own, lets them fight to improve without the danger of getting killed, for a moment the brothers joke, talking about being a group of three males, like the ones of the old legend, the ones from that tribe of Elites, and they even have you, just like the human female marked during that chiva.

You don't smell like medicine, now it is replaced by the smell of dirt, not in a bad way, Thi’taat clarifies, you scent like the soil that gives life to the roots and fruits you take, you don’t smell too much of him, but he has taken it as something good, too, you are your own, but he has come to accept he can not push you to be Yautja, you aren't, all the reason for you to be here is that he had to take you, as your own people sent a bomb, something so destructive that no trace was left, nothing to tie you in that crude planet.

You are no human anymore, or so he says, you are Healing Leaf, marked, blooded hunter of the Iron River Clan, and as so, you deserve respect.

Thi’taat has proven by himself again and again that you are to be esteemed, he has fallen, multiple times, and fought once again, a winner.

Routine has given you time to relax, but from time to time you still recoil when a hunter shows displeasure with your presence, there is a knife hanging from your belt, the two made by him, mostly used for your foraging activities, but you've already used it to stab a male trying to defy you, winning enough time for Thi’taat to answer.

He has never felt so proud of you, even if you were once again as stiff as a rock, trembling, not breathing, while your clan brothers finally celebrated you spilling blood after the chiva, Tonkata smacked a paw on your back, sent you flying to the other side of the room, and a fight once again ensued, but you started to breathe again.

You seemed happy, doing the close and open-mouthed smile, you ate with them, and started to show more confidence, all the ship was in a planet, tiny, only to replenish the levels necessary for the artificial atmosphere, you went out for the first time of the force shield and came back triumphant, sharing your own collection of fruits for them, as sweets may not be that highly valued by Yautja, the fermentation of them was good enough to be made into liquor, not strong, still a nice leisure.

It happened at night, Thi’taat remembers, it was a cold sleep, the temperature was so low that even Hik’baur joined inside the nest, all close so they could share heat, Thi’taat put you next to his chest, so that no one would squeeze you again, and he remembers when you went out of the nest to serve your needs covered with some furs, he didn't make much problem of it, knowing you would be done with your problems and turn back soon, and when you did, coming a bit more hurriedly than expected, he thought it was due to the cold, as he could see your low, blue specter of your limbs losing the red that you got when exiting the nest, except for your middle, as it was always red, always warm, but he was so tired, all he did was rise his arm and let you in once again after stepping over your clan brothers to reach the center.

the first sun comes, and so does Thi’taat’s rage-roar,

He roared, demanding an explanation, after dragging you to the Medkah even when you begged with your sing-song words for your clan brothers to help you, Tonkata didn't even want to enter the old male’s working room, as he believed the playful display from the day before was the reason for your continued bleeding, still, Hik’baur had an even grimmer expression, guarding the entrance, because no matter how much Tonkata seated, guilty, on the floor, you were bleeding down there, where your slit should be, and while the biggest male tried to think of a better outcome, that your injury came from an accident, all three had heard the warnings.

Tales of Badbloods raiding rival clans, young pups learned of all the dangers of the feared traitors of the clans, they killed the pups and young bloods, first, right in front of their mothers, they chained them and did as they wanted with them once their heat came, preserving their lineages, ending the ones of the honored warriors until the females liberated themselves and killed the Badbloods, the damage done, as blood ran from between their thighs; a warning, for every pup and young blood, the reason as to why such disgraceful ones are to be ended before more harm is to come, not all Badbloods are as twisted as others, but the danger is always there.

Hik’baur, while not as close as his clan brothers to you, couldn't let this transgression go, especially if it meant that a Badblood may be around their hunting grounds or, worse, one of his own clan had gone a way they would never come back from.

The Mekdah, next to Arthit, his apprentice, heard all of Thi’taat’s life threats, until the old male had had enough and sent him flying out of the room, again, closing the entrance without much care for the males outside, looking at you seated there, face in your paws, red in your coverings, the Mekdah didn't waste time, approaching calm, making himself small, crouching at your side, asking you with his hands: “Who did this to you, child?”

When your hands just said: “myself”, even the old male had to sit next to his apprentice to understand your best explanation.

Human females bleed, they do so once every month on their planet, it is normal, they didn't get pregnant so the blood goes away until their next season it is natural, like a plant bearing fruit, drying itself for then start again, the old male understood at his best your words, and the way your hand landed over belly, over your womb which he could see was deeply red, expelling heat and blood

“Why now?”, they asked, once you were returned, eating pain plants, so your pain must be low, as it was used to ease the pain of younglings.

You didn't have a real answer, only that now you weren't under so much stress, maybe that was the reason.

Your clan brothers take your answer with relief, more than what you could ever understand.

Notes:

“Thi’taat”.

This is getting very out of your hands as fast as that animal similar to a rat.

“Thi’taat, let Leaf go”, Hik’baur tries again, it has been days, and you more than likely want to go wash yourself, the nest reeks, the place reeks, they all do, and his clan brother still prohibits you from getting out of the lair.

And even if you get to the cleaning rooms, you still leak, when will this end? You said maybe a whole set of days, or more, or less, and Thi’taat’s mandibles are over your head like a jealous pup, you aren't exactly scared, desperate, yes, but not scared by any means.

Assessing the open entrance and that, yes, it is beginning to be too much even for him, Thi’taat finally relents, guiding you to the cleaning rooms as no one is watching, and already preparing himself to ask for more fabrics, knowing it will be a hassle, but it will make the whole deal go smoothly for you.

Chapter 5: Arrival

Summary:

The day has finally come, you see the hunter that marked you once again, and begin to realize your place among the clan.

Realize that the Yautja guarding you are part of the little ones.

The Iron River clan is a proud one, with a deep and rich history and traditions that go back centuries, their lineage is strong, their hunters’ numbers increase with every chiva even if they get them back as corpses, still revered, still with a waiting final lair to be sepulted with their trophies.

The planet they took as theirs is one without an advanced living species, there are Apex predators of course, all ecosystems have them, but they don't colonize as humans or other alien species do, they move hardly move with the seasons of the planet, all architecture is to blend with the natural environment, so that all animals in the planet can follow their own cycle of life without much transgression.

The ecosystem isn't disrupted, the animals and plants thrive. The bodies of their hunters and all their people nurture the planet, they give and take, such is the belief of their clan.

It has become yours too.

Your foraging has changed, as now you use the soil of planets already visited, at first, it didn't sit well with Thi’taat, only ETA, and maybe the elderly, tend to plants in the same way you are doing, nothing has come from your intentions, as the temperature is never stable, yet he lets you be, as it shows the intent of the people, give and take.

You act like Yautja, but there is only one matter to attend to before the ship finally arrives.

“What are you doing?”

Tonkata came once he heard your stressed sounds, only to find Thi’taat trying to accommodate your fur in a way that resembled their appendages, many human hunters did that, blending with their clans, most did it out of survival while others just did it in that curious way of bonding humans had.

You hated it, and your fur didn't cooperate, Tonkata’s mandibles closed tightly once noticing the loose strands in his brother’s paws.

Thi’taat was anxious, which is never good, usually, the tense one is Hik’baur, or Knierr, Tonkata praises the gods to only have two anxious clan brothers now that Knierr has long taken his things out of their space once you came along.

Everyone is anxious, no matter how they tried to cover it, Thi’taat was tormenting you and Hik’baur only polishes his trophies, it is madness, he couldn't even go out as many other young hunters would try to drag him to the fighting pits to assert dominance before the ship landed; he gets it, for he is a male too, it is the first time they go back to the planet with the mark of the hunt, and also with trophies of their own, which can only mean one thing for them.

And yes, mating season is upon them.

Most young males are there, fighting like idiots in the pits, asserting dominance over one another, right before landing, Tonkata knows best, at least in this situation he does, he will not tire himself, the prospects for him are low, very low, hardly any new-blooded hunter earns the right to mate and even less are given the honor to tend to the female after the mating.

His possibilities are low but not nonexistent.

He is big, in all the ways that matter, has given deep thinking to his force and all the muscles in his body, he is sure it will not impress the females but it will give him a better chance of stopping them from killing him during mating, it is a serious risk, one taken and accepted once a female accepts and proclaims her interest.

As a youngling, he has seen the presentation, how a female approaches a male’s display, not showing interest aside from only looking, to the next step, boldly touching on the trophies, thrilling and clicking, the quills on her body stand, not in violence, at first, they move, inviting, the male comes to her so that she can see him closely, if she likes what she sees then she may lure him to her tent or, given the hard heat of some females, may even drag him without much question.

Not all females are bigger than the males, they are stronger, more cunning than most males he has ever known, but the heat sure does give them twice their usual strength.

You finally scream, taking him from his nervous stupor, fed up with Thi’taat and his attempts at grooming, he has even taken away your usual fabrics and given you, if not imposed on you, vibrant textiles that females tend to use.

His need to integrate you is disturbing at times.

This time Hik’baur comes along without much distaste, it is your first time on the planet, and while Thi’taat has made it abundantly clear that you're not to mess with so easily, their clan isn’t as forgiving with newcomers, it proves once again, while dismounting their trophies to put them separately from one another, Thi’taat’s father comes.

Tonkata and Hik’baur are no strangers to him, he is a male of deep honor, and his lineage is strong, “Leaf”, you have only seen him once, and Tonkata doesn't know how he is going to react to you again, first time, he was gracious, you have marred this male’s son's honor with your intervention, calling at his side so you leave Thi’taat alone to handle his father, many males are harsh with their young, but so far this male has never once done any inflicting damage on his son.

Thi’taat’s father proves to be a decent male once again, as he talks to his son shortly, stern but not hurtful, his deep red eyes focus on him, he believes, until he notices he is looking at you, approaching way too fast and silently to Tonkata’s liking, didn't even catch the movement when his eyes focused on you.

A true experienced hunter, possessor of several snake skulls and two of their queens, and many other species’ skulls hang in his control.

The male has a shield in his paws, a tiny one, with the characteristic blade in the upper border, the distinctive trait of their clan, “Healing Leaf” he calls, you don't answer, paralyzed, once again, but still breathing, he notices, Tonkata pushes you a bit towards the male, who extends the shield to you with a calm a d relaxed demeanor, you take it, and stay there, the male seems pleased enough, giving his son a final nod before getting out as fast and calm as he came.

You deflate and slump to the ground, still holding the shield, water comes from your eyes, showing your deep fright, and it is no less than understanding, you hold to his leg for a few seconds until you start looking at the thing in your hands.

It is a shield, your clan’s shield, it covers you perfectly, showing the high grade of craftsmanship the hunter has, as he has only seen you once; Thi’taat looks as confused as he is angry, looking at you and then to his own work table, where several tries of different shields sit.

Notes:

Thi’taat and Hik’baur are at the edge of their patience, you have noticed, the fabric is pretty, comfy, and breathable, you keep touching your shield, curious, thrilled, Tonkata feels at ease watching your fingers trace over the wielding and the patterns in it, prohibited from learning their language, you may never know that those are coordinates from their clan planet and another one he doesn't know yet.

Tonkata scents the air, knowing well that sooner than later they will enter their rut, they may act weird or more aggressive around you, he makes it clear to you, catching your interest and making you understand with the hunt language, the only way he can really talk to you.

They might fight, this time for real, he asks you not to intervene, to hide is possible, use your shield, he shows how to use it, even how to activate the laser on the blade, just to be sure, “you are brave, Leaf”, he tells you, purring, knowing what is to come, “stay inside here at all times until we come back”, you seem to want to ask him something, but Tonkata makes you hold the shield right, just like Thi’taat showed you with his endless prototypes.

“We will return and go hunting again”.

Chapter 6: Home planet

Notes:

Warning: Yautja coupling (that is its own warning already)

They are acting weird, just like Tonkata said they would, you had to stay under Hik’baur’s work table as it was the cleanest corner of the whole room.

Finally landing most of the hunters went down, the skulls were collected heavily on their grips, all of them as crazed as the last, some you recognize, others don’t, and while you may have expected to go out like always, the ever-growing stockpiling of meat tells another thing.

Thi’taat has been putting meat next to your hideout, sometimes he snarls at you, for which he is sure to compensate you later, but you just stay there, wise Leaf, waiting until it all happens, he has little time when his brothers call for him, you try to come and he roars at you, making you go back.

For this, Yautja have no word, but the human word would be: “sorry”, and again, he will make it up to you, not yet, his paw presses your head, keeping you inside the nest room.

For that Thi’taat knows, females in heat will be anything but merciful to you now, if he isn’t careful or if you disobey, Thi’taat may look at a female roaring with your skull and spine in her paw to his utter horror.

Females are as various as the males, clans are different from one another, this one visiting, for example, comes from a planet wich surface is more akin to water surface, the first to come are the older ones, experienced and fierce, their clothing intricate with bones, metal, and precious rocks, their appendages long, some even start to have white pigments surging from their scalp, they are the most praised, the most revered, any male would be honored enough to stay by them, or even to have one of them take their seed, delivery their young and raising them.

They are a far and almost impossible dream for new blooded hunters like them, but here still they are, following Tonkata who looks enamored at the passing older females, Thi’taat and Hik’baur hiss at him continuously and low, they have put their trophies on display, quite the sight, really, most males their age and status go to fight, prove their force, showing which males are good enough for the females, there are only young females watching them, and much to Tonkata’s pitiful crushed hopes, the older females just go straight to the places where the older males are.

Expected, but not a total disaster, as right behind the older females come the new, younger ones, maybe their daughters, or maybe their apprentices, but if they come after such females then the possibility of them knowing at least the basics of childbearing is high.

They smell like fertile soil, slow while walking, practically prowling unhurriedly around them, much different from the older females they show their interest earnestly, still, while excited to mate, younger females are maybe more dangerous.

They have a worse temper, and maybe will kill a male if they don't know how much force to use.

They must be calm, as it is the moment of their life they have been waiting for.

Hik’baur is the first approached, it's a tiny female, her scales are deep and light blue in a pleasing pattern, she looks at his trophies, especially the one of the snake, she seems young, maybe their age, so, possibly inexperienced in the process of raising pups, still, for a new blooded, it's worth a try, her mandibles open wide, smelling him, checking if he is prepared to give her fight as his rut is present, she tries to touch his biggest trophy and, to his clan brother’s horror, Hik’baur growls.

Aggression is normal, and so is the instinct to hover over their possessions, but a male must rein in it, have more power than his urges, as it shows a great hunter must be forbearing.

His misstep takes a high price.

Comes fast, way too fast, Thi’taat and Tonkata have to keep their bodies as solid as statues if they don't want to aggravate the looking females still around, they can not move or do anything when the female attacks Hik’baur with a fierceness that shows she will be a great protector of her young, they can only watch as she overpowers him, her claws are wicked, painted in their clan brother’s blood, and her roars and shrieks deaf them, as she has taken the growl as a challenge, Hik’baur fights back but all he can do is kick her away, she has taken a fist of his appendages with her.

They both roar, the female painted in Hik’baur’s blood, him with a piece of her clothing in his paws, telling the other to stay away, the female is done, going her own way, Hik’baur can not take a rest, as it would show he is weak; Thi’taat has little time to react when another one, a big one, comes right in front of him without a sound, her scales are of deep purple and black, she smells, rumbling deep from her blossoming chest, looking him in the eyes, he looks right at her, even when it is not accepted in the ritual, he won't tear his eyes apart from a possible danger.

In place of angering her, she seems pleased, mandibles not entirely closed, calm, her head moves to the side, curious, now looking at the trophies, his display may be small in number but not in merit, for he has taken upon himself to hunt dangerous creatures, not all are apex predators but poisonous, cunning beasts, the worst he could find, not of great strength, but of higher risk.

She seems pleased, delighted even, her paw raises to his disbelief and touches the skull of his biggest prey yet.

Thi’taat has done it, he has caught the attention of a female, but his celebration is silent, inner, for he stays in place as the female inspects his body, liking him, her paw goes from his shoulder to the length of his arm, playful, giving her back to him, guiding him to her tent, he respects the fight to come, the struggle to keep his lineage alive.

Nothing could have really prepared him for a female in heat.

The female is ruthless, with a force more merciless than even his father, he can't subdue her, she tries to put him down and he stops her the best that he can, trying to mount her, only to be attacked once again, her kick lands badly on his skull, Thi’taat heard the crack way before he could feel the pain, falling to the ground, just to her liking, she mounts him, searching for his scrotch, but easily loses interest once she notices he doesn't move.

Her disinterest ends with him out of her tent, and out of her sight, for she, furious, goes to search for another male, one that can handle her heat.

Thi’taat can feel the blood surging, drowning him, as much as it does his shame, so close yet so far, he has failed, he can hardly see and hear, as he catches a glimpse of Tonkata, straight out fighting with a female, big, white and spotted, a young one, dragging him to her tent, his brother fights vigorously, for he has made his mission to mate with an experienced female to ensure his blood, the female is even bigger than him, he can't do much than to look until he finally loses consciousness, Tonkata being overpowered and mounted by the female.

Roars come and go, and also the sounds you have come to recognize as Yautja throws of passion, why did no one tell you this is what was going to happen? But hey, maybe they had a reason, you eat, because it is all you have to pass the time and entertain yourself while at it, trying not to hear anything from outside, until the door of the room flies open, bodies falling to the ground, green splattering on you.

Notes:

The Medkah isn't called for young blood hunters to tend, because they were foolish enough to believe they had the experience, the strength, or the value to court a female in heat, their stupidity will be their demise, it is better to let those blood traits die quickly, as the females know what is required to sire strong, healthy pups for the nesting season, the male is old, he has seen plenty in his life, and his senses are as sharp as the first day, but he still takes a moment to downside the surprise it has taken of him once he noticed you in the entrance of his workroom.

No sound, no harsh movement even when your body and fine clothes are drenched in Yautja blood, no whimper even when water falls from your eyes, only your heart, wild, frantic, pushes you to stand in front of the big, old male with the same straight, strong stance of Malakee’s son, your hands move, shaken: “help”, you don't ask for yourself, the male knows you have learned enough to be clear, you are either too stupid or way too startled to give correct dialogue, but you continue: “clan brothers”, and signal over and over: “help, please, please, help”.

Chapter 7: Aftermath

Summary:

Your clan brothers are broken, and you make do with what you can.

Or where Leaf receives the same treatment Machiko had in Top Notch's clan (there is no one to watch her back, there is no one to call “her people” as Broken Tusk and Dr. Revna are gone).

Notes:

Warning: post Yautja mating (dear god, all the fandom has pointed out the brutality of the ordeal but it is hard to do this to my boys), Yautja violence.

We start the arc of “Leaf alone”

The meaning of your name comes back with a vengeance, you aren't running, but doing those quick steps from place to place, arms full of bowls, clean fabrics, and water, so much water.

Clean and bloody water.

All three are on nests adjacent to one another, no matter how much you pleaded or asked for, they can not tolerate being so close just yet, maybe once the rut goes away, maybe when they don't feel so exposed with so many wounds, and as such you have to go here and there to stop the continuous bleeding gashes while preventing them from moving.

Thi’taat can't look you in the face, he has failed, terribly so, his body wasn't worth it and he almost paid for it with his life, he nearly died with no lineage of his own to continue his blood, but you're an imposing creature when you want, taking his face in your hands to put the chunks of wood around his neck once again, giving a respite to his wounded flesh and bones, you shout at him, so done with him, he understands your human tongue, you call him stupid, yelling at him to stay still, a chunk of meat in your hands, you peel it, fiber by fiber, chew, a little with your own teeth, and put it in his open mouth, for he has come to this sorry state than even biting his own food is difficult, all he can do is swallow, and has to do it slowly, for if his wounds re-open you will stay by his side to be sure his own blood doesn't kill him.

He has failed and is unworthy of your medical care, for as much as you shout at him in your anger to not move his instincts push him to stand up, using your whole body to keep him in the nest, water is no longer falling from your eyes but the trails are still there, and remind him once again, he is not worthy, so better end the misery now.

If he could, he would put your knife in his own paws over yours, and make you stab him, to keep your honor and end his disgrace.

Once you have deemed him in the best position to stay, you go to Hik’baur, who growls at you, Thi’taat is tempted to stand up, defend your distinction, his clan brother has already mangled you enough, deep red lines over your arms, dried red blood sticking to your skin, but you don't stop, changing the green drenched bandages over where his appendages should be and pressing so hard his brother roars in guttural pain, you are sent flying with a scream at the unrestricted force inflicted, all sound dying once your body slams against a wall, falling in the cold floor once again.

If he could talk, Thi’taat would tell you to stay away, go somewhere safe, they are your clan brothers, but now they don't have their minds clear, they are wounded, and they will attack to defend themselves even if you try to keep them alive, but he is only drowning in his blood, can't move his paws, only spitting, for his body refuses to die.

You don’t stop, crawling to the one left, Tonkata, you cry his name at the best your human mouth lets you, you pray, or so it seems, as he is the most wounded, the most destroyed, you pray, you cry, you beg, but he doesn't move, doesn't answer, your misery unmistakable, if he could, Thi’taat would tell you he is not breathing normally, his chest doesn't move, but his heart is still beating, low, weak, but there it is, give him time to heal, it is not time to mourn him, you should be celebrating him, drinking in his name.

Tonkata may have eternalized his bloodline already, even if it costs his life, it is of deep honor, so stop this display of weakness.

But you keep crying, begging as you change the fabrics and tear your own clean clothing patching the missing flesh on your clan brother's arms and neck, going as fast as your limp permits to the stockpile of meat, the hardest one you can't pick with your fingers, the favorite of his brother, taking a big bite, keeping it in your mouth before putting it in Tonkata’s open mouth, expecting, waiting, another sob chokes you when there is no movement, the gums in your mouth bleeding.

Days come as this one, and mating season has ended.

His neck bone has healed, to your surprise, you were chewing on some meat to give him when he finally had the strength to rise from the nest, he was weak, his balance was off, and you took strength he didn't know existed in that tiny body to put him back in the nest, maybe his neck is healing, but it still has a long way to go.

You are loyal, even in these hard times you stay, ever present since Hik’baur dragged both back, all bleeding, all defeated, your crying was acid on his wound.

It is Thi’taat’s duty to look after you, but these days you have drilled in his mind that you will stay, that you will care for him not for the honor you both share after the twisted union of your fates, but for that you are clan, and he is your clan brother.

“So stop moving and just rest”, Thi’taat understood, finally, certainly moved by your declaration.

Your care was one of deep amazement, you went in and out of the room, alone, once the food was scarce and you gave up your last grains for them to eat, your last fruit sliced in fine pieces for them to swallow, left with no choice, Thi’taat watched in deep dreadfulness as you opened the room the first time, no time before you had ever gone without him, for he knew anyone could try to fight you, kill you by the rules of the fighting pits, and claim your honor as theirs, he called for Hik’baur to go with you, but his clan brother couldn't even walk straight without his appendages, falling to the floor, audibly cursing his condition.

You came back, to Thi’taat’s deep relief, alive, but so late, so bruised, your temperature was high, you came running, you came with different pigmentation in your skin, with leftovers in your hands, if he could, your clan brother would’ve patched you up, but you yelled for him to stay still.

The first to recover was, of course, Hik’baur, it took time but his scalp finally stopped bleeding, and new muscle was growing where it was once lost, he had to hold the walls to not fall once again, his claws digging in the steel, frustrated, moving in all fours like a pup learning to stand, and you gave him time and leeway to go at his own pace, you didn't resent him, or so it appeared, already learning what force a Yautja male could impose, you tried to ask him what happened as he was the only one who could move, but moving couldn't do much without coordination, and even when his brother tried to move his paws, he couldn't with the overall movement.

Tonkata was still your first and most important task.

You put heated rocks around him, maybe taking them from the clan’s fire, changing them constantly, using your shield to move them from outside and back, his breathing was noticeable now, to your relief, tucking him in your precious furs like a mother would to her pup.

When he could finally move and you believed it was safe, you finally let Thi’taat sit fully, with breaks.

“What happened?”, your paws moved, asking, exhausted.

Thi’taat had to pull down his shame to answer, “It was mating season, Leaf”.

Your doubting face made him elaborate with signs he hadn't taught you before, Hik’baur watched, inclined to the side, also trying to make you understand, in the end you sat there, confused, horrified, and then only asked: “A girl did this to you?”

“Females are strong”, your doubt became horror once he finished, “stronger than humans, stronger than males”, he knew the standard of strength of your people, males tended to subjugate females for what he knew, that was an almost impossible idea for Yautja.

“Tonkata”, you pointed at your clan brother, disturbed, “his scrotch was-” your paws trembled, you looked sick.

“Tonkata mated, Leaf”, with what strength he had he pressed his paw on your head, for he knew the sight wasn't one you wanted to see, “his seed will take in the womb of a strong female”, he soon had to lay down, for his weak body was too heavy and he had to go back to the nest.

Your lip wobbled, paws reaching for your helpless clan brother, Thi’taat let you touch his mandibles and then his shoulder.

“Be strong, Leaf”.

For they now depended on you.

Notes:

Humans don't act like Yautja, not entirely.

Never before has he seen a human, but he is sure you aren't supposed to be or act as you do in front of him, he has no name, for that he would need honor, which he doesn't have.

But he can relate to how you are being treated right now.

A hunter has grabbed you by the foot, trying to take you to the pits, how incredible, for a human to be so esteemed, the male is trying to force you into sacred combat, but it is better than just being beaten in the cold floor, you scream, you shout, your shield hitting the male in the head, hard, and you bite, you go for the hunter’s appendages and he lets you go, falling terribly and running, taking refuge in the clan’s fire, crawling until you come upon him, looking at him with blood painting your mouth.

You take a moment, looking at him as he does to you, and he lowers to the floor, for he shouldn't look at your face, such disgrace, he can't maim your honor, which should be plenty, the blood in your mouth proves so, he would never dare to do what you did.

Taking a moment he hears the growling of your belly, are you hungry? Is that what took you here? He and the others are in charge of the meals, are you here for food? It seems so, you do signals, he has never seen them so close before, for that is the language of the hunt, only hunters know it and only they can teach it, but he knows the basics, watching from a distance, “food”.

You must be so weak, asking in place of just taking it, where are the males always at your side?

Poor thing, you must have lost them in the mating rituals.

So he gives you what he can, it is not much, only what is left of the other hunters, and he braces himself for the beating, which never comes, you only take it, you bow at him, and his quills stand, terrified, the others whimper and skree, for what you have done could get them all killed, you could lose your honor for that.

But you go, holding the scraps as if those were a bountiful feast, and for a moment that was it, such a strange creature.

Later, you’re back, so silent he roars in surprise, again bruised, bloody in red and green, and you ask for more, your paws move, to his horror, you say: “Please”.

Your routine seems to be trying to get them killed, as now you put volcanic rocks around the clan’s fire, your fingers scorching skin until he finally gives you a metal rod to move them, much to the others' warnings he hands it to you and a piece of warm, spiced meat.

You say: “tank wou” in between erratic breathing and mouthfuls of meat, he doesn't know what that sound is, only that your eyes are leaking water while you eat, and he doesn't know if that is normal.

Chapter 8: Newcomer

Summary:

The colony planet is full of life, but as a planet chosen by the Yautja to live in, it was obviously going to be dangerous to travel too far.

Danger also arises with curiosity inside the village.

The colony planet is vast, bountiful in resources and people.

Yautja of all ages go around, hunting, creating, living their lives, from the youngest to the oldest, they move freely in their home.

Which is why a human, dressed in rags and leather, with a hunter’s mask made of scrap metal, but with the shield of their clan in the back, is a sight no one could miss, not even the younger ones.

Every adult and elder knew of the human, as its face and name were part of the codex of the clan, but did they care? No, not really, for as long as it stayed on its own there was more to do with it.

Except for a few, who tried to understand the strange alien, or watched it in the same way human children look at a stray cat with a funny face.

“It is here again”, the young noted, looking at the human, nearing the river with unconfident movements, the whole group moved, following the newest attraction, at least until their mothers noticed their absence.

For some reason, the alien seemed terrified of females.

The group of younglings could be seen going after the human almost every day, and the human showed no sign of being none the wiser, it was true that once the clan had an honored, revered human male, but this one was a plain comparison to the legend.

Children thought otherwise.

“Why fruit?”

“Why seeds?”

“Why the hide of that animal?”

“Human is so weird.”

You worked with a hint of desperation in your movements, animals that weren't worthy but easy to catch were your primary options, then went looking for more things to forage, all done until the fall of the twin suns, maybe that was the moment they all waited for, as now the leather covering your head fell, no longer necessary to protect your strange skin from the heavy light, they all could see your strange appendages, so thin, like wires, moving slightly with the wind, none of them had seen your face, yet, as the biggest male wanted to pry the mask out of your face to see for himself what was being covered.

“Maybe it has mandibles too”

“Don’t be foolish!”, a tiny female hissed, raising her paw with exposed claws, “it sure has four eyes! My father has a skull like that!”

“That was another species! Or do you see this one as big as a tree!”

Growling and soon falling into silence when you looked at where they were hiding, all going to the soil at their feet, none the wiser of them, still going your way, “keep your sister quiet! The human will see us!”

You don't, only focused on the fish moving in a pond, not knowing if it was edible, or what you can do with it

Your day ends with your tiny prizes, and the oldest younglings have a hard time believing you are a blooded hunter, or maybe it's because you don't know what lives on this planet? They have a hard time figuring out your reasoning, as it is so far away from what their mothers have said to do during the hunt, they expect to see you go to a hut, which you don't, going straight to the ship, the pups follow, even more intrigued, they see you move without sound, as if your feet had pillows preventing any sound, watching some hunters get down the bodies of fallen hunters, the pups take a moment to watch at them, morbid curiosity, before going right after you again, only to look at you go at an specific room.

The younglings tried to follow you inside the room, the two biggest were already trying to open the door when they all saw the limping, big, growling shadow of an unknown male right in front of them, looking over with cold, furious, green eyes.

It was an interesting sight, watching all the younglings screaming, running outside the ship, some of the youngest calling for their mothers.

“Malakee”, the elders watching the display called for the hunter next to them, “what is inside that ship to get the pups so stressed?”

The black male, looking over the ship, knowing who was still inside the rooms, only clicked in amusement, rumbling a low laugh, “Healing Leaf likes to take her mask off inside the ship”.

The older males, remembering how and what a human looked like, with the image of an old friend laughing like crazy while drinking liquor with his strange plain face, could only understand, moving their heads side to side.

They could almost hear him with his weird language, trying to hold them while they were not as big as the very same pups running away, making sounds with the mouth, like clicking, but with his lips, their fathers letting him handle them just like that, “Por que você está chorando, meu bebê?”

Some elders laughed at the memory, others did disgusted faces, “better get them accustomed to the eerie aspect of humans since young, then”.

Humans were so weird.

Notes:

“What was that?”, Thi’taat asks, and you are trying to catch your breath, scared by all the screeching.

Hik’baur, so done with everything, limps back to see what you got, grimacing at the fruits and grains, the still bloody bodies of tiny lizards, head low, it is going to be a hard night yet again, “sucklings and recently detached younglings”, he tries to stock your bounty, make it last, there are no more ETAs in the ship, as it is supposed that the clan’s fire is now in the open, everyone is supposedly hunting their own food and here they are, subsisting from you, how the tables have turned.

“Leaf”, Thi’taat calls, “do not let those leeches hang onto you, or you will never know peace”.

Both clan brothers look at you, almost fearing your answer, “Did you know they were after you?”

Your puzzled expression reflects that, indeed, you had no idea when or where they started to follow you, and Hik’baur rumbles in distaste: “those leeches and their quick feet”.

To his headache, the next day you come back with a suckling refusing to let go of your leg.

Chapter 9: Meat lump

Summary:

New days come, new problems of cultural barriers arise, and the shadow of a legend resurfaces, someone who wasn't only high and mighty.

Notes:

We will know more about “Wicked Blade”, slowly, and the everlasting changes he left in the clan.

Life is full of astonishing events; most Yautja tend to see the vastness of the universe and the wonders and horrors that every living thing can be or create.

Still, some warriors hesitate, go around, and pause to see twice to the human trying to impale fish by the river, with a sleeping suckling tied to the back, and younglings trying to climb said human for any limb available.

Hik’baur could only watch, from a distance, hardly standing, and try to understand how it even started.

And as humans said, it happened in the past sunrise.

“Leaf”

No answer, not even recognition of your name.

Paya have mercy, you are even giving it something to eat.

“Leaf, let go of that”.

You have given your cold shoulder to your clan brothers for the first time, and for what? It is for that lump of meat in your arms.

“You are spoiling it”.

You make that signal with your middle finger, still looking over the thrilling little menace snuggling in your chest, no word of Thi’taat or Hik’baur makes you let go of it, if anything, you make high-pitched noises while cradling the thing, your interest solely in that and in giving Tonkata water when his mandibles move, still not awakened, but already responding.

Any right-minded, sane individual would look away from it, not let those sharp, needle-like claws enter the skin; already expecting the worst, Thi’taat made a last attempt, he put an arm down, then the other.

“What do you think you are doing?”, Hik’baur hissed, “Your neck will break again, it's too soon!”

“I will die anyway if the mother of that thing comes looking for it”.

It was not matter where the mother was, if not for when she would come to look for her stray suckling, one thing is a female in heat, another much more dangerous and mortal was a Yautja female whose suckling was missing; sure enough when you noticed him getting up you started to fuss, still with the suckling in hands, handling it with such deep care that was unnatural for them, you tried to give the thing to Hik’baur, who roared in shock and got away, and you only put it in the ground to use both paws to push Thi’taat back to the nest.

It was a small victory, one that didn't last long as the little beast started to roar in discomfort, hating the cold floor contrasting to your warm chest, it was high-pitched enough to make their brains tingle, you went fast to hold it back, and like a spell, it shut down, another victory, even shorter, as a heavy roar was heard in the distance.

“Leaf”, Hik’baur, at the best of his capabilities, tried to push your arms open to let go of it, without breaking a bone, “Leaf, that thing will kill us all!”

The sound of heavy feet is like continuous thunder, desperation making the young males hiss, for they have way more experience with angry mothers than you, but now none of them can defend themselves, and maybe they can survive this one, but Thi’taat is sure an angered mother would kill you for having her young.

Even if that suckling was the one who refused to let go of you to begin with.

Finally, the disaster comes, destroying the doors with long, sharp claws, and both recognize her, a consummated female, not too old, but one strong enough to have power inside the clan, her appendages move with how quickly she enters, her chest reverberating in deep growls, she comes right at her suckling still trying to reach your chest.

Both clan brothers expected a carnage to happen, the end of their lives, a gruesome, honorless death.

None of that happens.

The female, while furious, stopped her assault before it started, much to their surprise, still, your clan brothers roared at her when her paw took you by the head, dragging you away, kicking and screaming, the suckling, bloody thing, climbing its mother’s arm as if such a disaster wasn't of its doing, the female looked back at them, all of them, her mandibles open if only a little before going back from where she came.

Thi’taat was left roaring, enraged and desperate, calling your name, trying to drag himself to retrieve you, only for Hik’baur to hear the crushing of bones before seeing his clan brother fall into the nest once again, screwed up, they were left there, still hearing your screams, their names said in your tongue, your voice getting away, and, by his own clan brother’s surprise, Hik’baur started to crawl towards the same way the female left, Thi’taat tried to follow him, only to be growled at, “stay!”, Hik’baur ordered, as it was his right, as he was older, kicking him back to the nest, leaving him at his side, to not choke on his blood, and follows his own mission.

It was agonizingly slow, never in his life, or what he could remember, had he been so unstable on his own feet, the damage is serious, even when no blood is no longer falling, Hik’baur feels his strength waver with every step, the other Yautja look down at him, crawling, still healing, if not for the mark on his shoulder he is sure more than one would attack him beyond the mockery of their clicks, takes him time, too much, fearing the worst since he hasn't heard you again, but he gets to the portion of the settlement where the females tend to raise their sucklings, Hik’baur hasn't been there since he was separated from his own mother, but he remembered the place well, and knew the name of the female: Marundi.

An old huntress, profoundly honored, supposedly of wide tolerance, an adventurer of the stars whose lineage goes back generations.

Tonkata’s mother.

But even if it was his clan brother’s mother, Hikbaur would be sure to defy her to at least recover your dead carcass and give it a proper burial.

Hik’baur took what you called “hours” to finally reach the female’s nest, entering without any signals, fueled by his familiar wrath, and it must have been quite a sight: hardly able to stand up, out of breath, but finally facing Marundi and looking directly at her golden eyes, the female looks back at him, hissing for he dared enter her territory, and Hik’baur notices the large piece of meat over her shoulder, your smell coating the whole place, horror dawning on him once noticing the strings of your fur in her claws, he is no bad blood, he never will be, but Hik’baur roars at this female, the mother of his clan brother, a female he knows is nourishing a suckling, a sacred female of his own clan.

He wants to kill her.

And Marundi detects his intentions.

She gets him out of her nest with a kick, not answering fully to his violent thirst, dragging him with her, Hik’baur thinks, this is it, she will take him to the clan elders, to the clan leader, his head separated from his body, his lineage severed and disgraced.

Marundi, much to his surprise, throws him into the river next to the female’s part of the settlement, hissing, calling him “hot-headed” and “laughable”, before going her way, back to the ship, Hik’baur gets to his feet, barely escaping the deep waters, and his green eyes find yours.

Still alive, surrounded by maybe the whole amount of pups born from previous mating seasons and some younglings, Tonkata’s sibling is in your back.

He can't understand the meaning of it.

Meanwhile, Marundi has finally gotten back to the open room, growling at herself while touching the busted doors, cursing her outburst, entering once again, meat still on her shoulder, surprised, even startled, by seeing the new male in the place.

“Malakee”, she salutes him with respect, the male puts his son in place, supporting his neck with precise motions and the primitive but useful pieces of wood that smell like human.

“Marundi”, he answers her, tone deep, his body over his son’s crushed one, covering him from the female’s sight, it isn’t necessary, for she is more focused on her own son, letting the meat fall right next to him.

There is silence, both work in their own way, for she knows he has always been uncommunicative, but he also knows she is way beyond talkative.

“Your son caught a useful disgrace to our bloodline”, she comments, cleaning what little dirt is found over the gray scales of her previous young, checking over the cleaned and treated wounds all over.

It is a supposed insult, for he knows better, her twisted humor doing nothing but bring back memories, “Father told us some humans have an anomalous thing with young, wide-eyed things, taking care of them”, the female thrills, laughing, because he was right, and she was going to exploit that for her own benefit.

Notes:

“Give”

Vitrale thought his clan brother was very brave, or incredibly stupid, yet, everyone knew he was madness incarnated in such a tiny body.

But no one would do what he was doing now.

“Give”, his paws show his message, not lowering his stand, not even upon a growling, roaring, very much pissed, female with her suckling in her chest, but the suckling doesn't move, doesn't scream, there is nothing.

These are the dangers to a expectant female in a hunt so far from their home, so far from her mother who almost killed her for such stupidity, but no, Vitrale had to let Kal’gendi come with him to hunt, because she is hard-headed like that, and she wished to bathe in the blood of her prey before her swelling womb showed enough, Vitrale was against it, but his mate decided otherwise.

“Are you thinking of me as weak?”

He would never, not in life nor in death, think lowly of the future mother of his young, still, he hoped for the strength to have said no from the beginning.

The birth was complicated, no matter how hard she pushed, or how her pain showed, it was long, dreadful, and bloody, at some point the human came, and he could put it in position to get out while Vitrale held his mate long enough for it to end.

But the suckling didn't move.

It is their first one, from both of them.

“Kal!”, his clan brother shouts at the dreading female, using her name, showing his paws still with her blood: “Give”. Desperation is a fierce thing, especially for a weak, hopeless mother, and it was what was necessary to let her child go.

Days pass, and Kal’gendi recovers as much as they get near their planet, Wicked Blade guides the pup’s crying mouth to her mother’s chest, and once she is done he takes her back to let both rest, all at Vitrale’s amazed expression once he has given his mate more medicine to replenish the lost blood, his clan brother moves the suckling with precision, singing lowly, pressing her head to his chest, he catches his stare, one paw moving with expertise: “want to hold your daughter?”

Vitrale was shocked, for a male would never hope to hold a newborn, even if it was his, and Kal’gendi was gracious enough to let Blade hold her, it was so strange, but he still extended his paws, receiving the moving lump of meat under the heavy gaze of his mate and his clan brother, maybe both ready to jump at his troath if he did something wrong.

“Beautiful, same eyes”, Blade said with his now free paws, a wide smile on his face, “beautiful”, Vitrale and Kal’gendi couldn't understand.

How could his clan brother call this thing beautiful?

“It is a suckling”, Kal’gendi said.

“Linda”, Blade said in his human tongue.

Chapter 10: Sparkle

Summary:

So long you’ve lived among the clan, but there is no denying the answer to your kind.

A new day comes with surprises, every day does, and Thi'taat is taken by surprise by the visitation of another ship, a smaller group reagruping, another clan. What amazes him more is to see a Marked human with the new group, and your eyes seem to shine when you lock glances with the other, both surprised, but not exactly aggressive at the moment.

The newcomers will be around until they part ways once they enter the colony system.

You seem happy with it. Thi'taat has come to realize your mouth does that thing with the meat covering your teeth, you smile with your mouth closed, more so with the male human, because yes, he was a male, and Thi'taat got the message way faster than you did, because the male also showed his teeth in a smile

“Put a pair of the same species in a locked ship and see what happens”, Tonkata watched from their place as the male talked to you, same language, or at least close enough to talk to you, “and Leaf has those rags on”, Thi’taat growls softly, how was he supposed to know a male of your species, a marked one at that, was entering their ship?

Had he known, he would have put you in nice clothing with shiny rocks, females tend to their looks to stand up during the times of coupling, but you had your old clothes on, holes and discoloring in them.

How humiliating.

“Will Leaf let him?”

It is a good question, and one that makes all three try to imagine it, what is that one going to do? Does he have trophies? But Leaf, while sometimes mesmerized by her clan brother’s displays of skulls, still prefers furs and food above anything else when trading goods, so far only Tonkata has been with a female, if only for a moment before she attacked him after the deed, going at least all the way, not like Thi’taat, who was rejected from the start.

Hik’baur, in all his wisdom, only returns to his meat, “humans must do it differently”, he sits, not relaxed, the newcomers may be Yautja of honor, but he doesn't know them, “Let Leaf choose, it is her right as a female, Leaf will know if he is worthy”.

The two other males, hearing reason from their brother, were no longer tense.

All three became tense once again when you just followed the male to his group’s ship after he said something next to your ear.

“That's it?”, Tonkata was surprised, there was no fight, no show of skills, and definitely no regard for your clan brothers, “That's it?? That's all it takes?”

“Leaf!”, Thi’taat called and you came to him without doubt, maybe realizing your misstep, but you only gave him your food, a pat on the shoulder to him and your clan brothers, then went back to the male.

Still surprised, as it was so fast, Hik’baur went to talk with one of the newcomers for his own sanity dragging his clan brothers, especially Thi’taat who may bolt to retrieve you.

The human male, Poison Fang, was of deep honor, his clan brothers vowed so while hitting their own chests, already drinking for their brother, celebrating, the name was sly and strong, fitting for the slayer of a snake queen whose skull rests on his lair and all her progeny burned in a ritual hunt gone wrong, and yes, that is highly honorable, pauk, it was beyond your own clan brothers’ honor combined, Poison Fang could be an Specialist were he to be Yautja, Thi’taat could finally breathe calmly, as he was sure you would follow a male of your species, one of deep honor at that, and maybe let him mount you.

Maybe you would be fertile enough to accept Fang’s seed in your womb, Thi’taat growled, angry with himself, of course you would! Leaf may not be of the same honor as Fang, but he was sure you would grow a new life! A child of your own that will learn the way of the hunt, Thi’taat vowed on his honor, your offspring would be a great hunter!

Human rituals proved to be strange, maybe some weird hunters have already “recorded” humans going at it not knowing they were in a hunt, and yes, maybe they looked when the idea of you being an active sexual individual raised, and yes, it is weird, where is the fight? Where is the vengeance? It was strange.

But what was weird enough was to see you return to the nests so fast, Hik’baur was surprised, maybe you rejected Poison Fang? And if so what was wrong with you to not like such an imposing male? Or was your mating time done? No, the very same Fang came to look for you, gave you things and you did the same before going out again, were you going to his lair again? Why come back then?

It wasn't only their interest, Fang’s clan brothers also looked at you, going from place to place, and concluded: you weren't mating, you were exchanging things, especially those things Fang got from colonies, you gave him tons of your own bounty, roots, fruits, and nuts, Tonkata saw you come and go, giving away your precious food, maybe he should call for Thi’taat to come back to the ship, but there was no way that Poison Fang was extorting you.

Relief came when you appeared, smiling and showing teeth, a tiny thing made of metal in your hands, Tonkata, curious as he was, asked you to share your wonder, and regretted it when the thing made sounds so loud that it made him roar in surprise, your voice followed the tone, Hik’baur recognized the thing better once you got the volume down, it was music, human music.

You roared a word, maybe a name, with the music: “Pamila!” They didn't get it.

“So they didn't mate?”, Tonkata asked, the sound was very low for you but now it was bearable for them.

With the haunting language, Hik’baur asked you something simple for you to understand: Fang, mate?

You moved your head side to side: it was a no, you responded in their way: Fang, clan brother, or “friend” said in your language.

“Maybe they need time”, both males tried to understand you, few were the ties of clan brothers with Yautja females apart from the mating season as few females took part in the hunt, much less traveling with males, choosing to go in their own ships, they struggled to understand what you and Poison Fang were as his group finally left, doing something both called “hug”, Fang bid you farewell and maybe a promise to keep in contact.

They both concluded that while not now, but maybe later, Poison Fang would be the sire of your offspring, or so they hoped.

“Where is Leaf to find a better male?”

It’s not like they doubted you, but more like real and deep concern.

Notes:

Blood comes once again and it is no novelty for you, going around the nests and cleaning the traces.

Long forgotten are the days when your blood caused a ruckus, and it is only as casual as it was back on the colony, if anything more messy, Thi’taat comes back to the nest, and he looks surprised at first, maybe not expecting to see you there. It's true, he was expecting you to stay with the male for at least a few days, but yet again that is the yautja way, not the human way, for which he also tried to busy himself with his trophies.

Thi’taat approaches carefully, which is unlike him, still, his new experience has shown that females are deeply aggressive with those who aren't their reproductive partners. At the same time, in the time of coupling, it is another surprise when you approach him instead and tap his shoulder, a greeting, he is welcomed in the nest again and relaxes, doesn't know what to do with you after your own rituals, but maybe human females are more lenient.

Pausing, watching the spot of blood in your coverings, suddenly you catch on his stare, it is weird, after the explanation he treated you with deep understanding, one that he showed for all the days it falls and even called you brave, because you just took the loss of your life as if nothing, and maybe for you it was, but it still amazed him.

Thi’taat takes a moment, and his chest fills with sadness for you, he comes slowly, giving you time, showing that if it's too much you can go away from him, but you don't, the hair above your eyes moves in that way to show your curiosity, not moving when his paw softly places above your belly.

He is mourning for you, even when there was nothing to mourn by, he doesn't know how it works for humans, but for a female to not grow life after the coupling, it is a deep matter of concern.

“It will take, the next time”, Thi’taat declares solemnly, next season you'll find an even worthier partner, one whose seed takes and doesn't disappoint you, there may not be many humans among the yautja, but he is sure your lineage will continue if you deem a male worthy enough.

You only eat your fruits, not understanding a word he said, but giving a pat to his shoulder, because he looked sad.

Ironically so, Poison Fang’s clan brothers gave him extra rations, not looking him in the face, “Hombre, no voy a coger con cada mujer que me cruce”, huffing but still taking the food, he went to his room, “los quiero pero a veces son unos pendejos, en serio”.