"I don't know. Ray really hates that place, but we really need to know what's going on over there." Said Kara, rubbing her chin absently
"Just find something to bribe your teammate with. Works with Cayde every time." Suggested Ikora, grinning slyly
"A new cloak perhaps? Although, I think he found a new one quite recently."
"Hmm…maybe this might do as a good bribe." Ikora murmured absently, as she rummaged through a bag
"What is it?"
"Another warlock found this on Venus a while ago. He didn't know what to do with it so I was just going to add it in with Cayde's stash of knives. Perhaps your hunter friend could make use of it." Said Ikora, handing Kara a knife
It was quite a knife; sharp and very deadly looking. And also shiny enough to catch any hunters' eye.
"A knife, just the thing to bribe a hunter with. And Cayde has an entire stash of knives?"
"They just accumulated after many years of bribing to get him to do things." Ikora said simply
"Huh. Well, thank you for the knife, I think Ray will really like it."
"Now why would I want to spend all day staring at Hive?" asked Ray, flipping a knife in his hand
"Because you're a great, wonderful nice person who would do anything for me?" suggested Kara, her glowing blue eyes beseeching
"Nope, I am not going down there. Not even for you Kara, no way." Said Ray, straightening out his precious cloak
"Ugh, look I just need you to hide and record what the Hive are doing. You'll just be staking out for a while in the Chamber of Night and just reporting to me what's going on in there. Their numbers are building up and we need info." Explained Kara
"Why can't we just go pew-pew-pew and kill them all?" asked Ray, miming shooting his gun and heads exploding
"We need info first and foremost and then we'll see what to do about it." Said Kara with an unimpressed look
"Why don't you just go yourself. I really, really hate that place."
"It has to be you. You'll be able to stay invisible and record without disrupting them from whatever they are doing." Kara explained
"I really, really don't like that place. I still have nightmares from last time." Said Ray, frowning and remembering
"Well, then I guess I'll just be giving this new shiny, sharp knife to another hunter as a reward for helping me out." Kara said, waving the knife around, her glowing blue eyes glimmering mischievously
The human's eyes followed the knife like a cat staring down a piece of string.
"New knife!"
"Yes. And it will be yours if you just help me out with this mission Ray."
"Ugh, fine! That knife will be mine when I get back. Sitting and staring at Hive all day…" Ray grumbled as he dusted himself off, got up, and walked to the Port where his ship was waiting
"Move closer to that thrall over there, we need to see clearly what they're doing." Kara's voice came out over the COMMs link
"By the Traveler's Light, its eating another Thrall. Quite disturbing." Ikora said, wrinkling her nose
"Have I told you how much I hate this place?" Ray grumbled again
"Yes, Ray. Like a million times already." Kara sighed
"The Hive's lives are a cycle." Eris stated mysteriously
"Ugh, it stinks so bad. Sparky are you sure my helmets' filter is working?" Ray asked his Ghost
"Yes, Guardian. For the last time, it's working. It's just that bad down here. But, hey! It could be worse."
"That's some real comfort Sparky. Really," grumbled Ray, staying crouched and invisible as he moved about the Chamber
"Warlock Guardian, tell your Hunter to be silent. I must be able to hear what the Hive are speaking." Eris Morn told Kara
"Hey, I can hear you just fine by myself Eris. And I'm nobody's Hunter."
"Oh, really. You're not my Hunter, Ray?" asked Kara
"N-no?"
"Oh! I had not realized. Oh my, he's in some trouble, now." Ikora chuckled
"W-well, I-I meant I'm nobody's Hunter, b-but yours! Y-yeah." Ray explained, closing his eyes and wincing
"Ah, I see. You're so sweet Ray." Kara said, smirking
"Yeah, that's me, so sweet." Ray mumbled
"Hmmm, what are those Hive Knights doing, move closer Guardian." Ikora said
"By the Traveler's Light! That's disgusting!" Ray exclaimed
A pile of Thralls, Acolytes, and two Hive Knights were thrashing around together. Ray's eyes widened as he took in the disturbing scene.
"It's an orgy!" Ray whispered in horror
"Ah, it is that time of the year. I should have gathered." Eris replied simply
"W-what!" Kara exclaimed, "You mean, it's their mating season?"
"Yes, it's around this time of the year. What the Hunter Guardian has been smelling is the pheromones they give out to help with reproduction." Eris explained
"I see. I have read about this phenomena, but have never been able to study much further. We have an amazing opportunity." Ikora stated
"No! No way! I am not staying here another minute longer! You two warlocks and Eris can drag another hunter here. I'm out!" Ray shouted, the smell in the air was disgusting and made him want to gag
"Ray, be quiet! You may be invisible, but they can still hear you!" Kara said, scared for him
It was already too late however, as the cluster of thrashing Hive all looked up from their orgy and sniffed the air; crawling toward the still crouched hunter.
"Shit, can they smell me? How's that possible?" Ray whispered as silently as he could, edging slowly away
"You are covered in the scent. They can seek you that way." Eris explained
"And you didn't tell me this before, why?" asked Ray, panic starting to claw at the hunter
"If you had stayed silent, they would not be seeking you." Eris said simply
"Wait, if he's covered in the scent, that would mean…" Kara's eyes widened as she understood
"Yes." Eris said simply
"Oh my." Ikora stated, as she understood as well
"What? What are you guys so freaked about?" Ray asked in a harsh whisper, as he continued edging away slowly, the Hive followed confused as they didn't see anything but could still smell
"B-but he's a Guardian, wouldn't they just try to eat him or something…" Kara asked, brows scrunched together as she frowned
"They hunger for a Guardian's Light normally, along with the scent of their mating season they will be in a frenzy soon. Maybe they shall wish to eat or maybe they shall sate their hunger in another way." Eris explained
"W-what!" Ray exclaimed, with his shout the Thralls zeroed in on his location and screeched, it alerted the other Hive and soon they were all running at the hunter
"That's my Hunter! He's freaking mine! Run Ray, just get out of there now!" Kara shouted so loud that Cayde and Zavala looked up startled at the trio of women huddled together at one of the screens
At Kara's command the hunter ran as fast as he could.
"This brings back such wonderful memories doesn't it." Sparky stated inside his Guardian's head
"Shut up, Sparky!"
"Hey, at least they aren't warding the doors this time."
"I swear by the Traveler's Light, I'm never, ever stepping foot on the Moon and I'm never, ever going to do another thing for Warlocks again." Ray swore
"Hey! We learned so much though!" Kara said, slightly wounded
"I'm covered in Hive pheromones, it stinks, there's a million Hive coming at me wanting to do Speaker knows what, and I'm running for my life for the second time down here!" shouted Ray as he passed the second door out
"You're almost out, Hunter. You'll be fine. Knowledge demands sacrifice." Ikora said calmly
"Warlocks." Ray said, as if that explained everything
"Hear, hear." Cayde cheered as he heard
"Just think of the sharp, shiny knife you'll get as a reward." Kara reminded
"Knife?" Cayde perked up from his spot by his map
"Not for you, Cayde." Ikora said
"Aww, I want a new one."
"I'm out, thank the Speaker! Sparky get me off this rock."
"And here is your knife. Thanks for helping me out Ray, really." Kara said as she handed Ray his reward
"Well, I can't say it was nothing. It was interesting, I guess." Ray said as Kara giggled and gave a kiss