Oh boy, another long chapter. I personally didn't expect that myself, but the more, the better. I guess this is the middle of this story, unless I suddenly decide to add something more. It's still too late to plan what to write next, but I was thinking about continuing my previous series, or maybe even a sequel to this, but I don't know. I still didn't write a promised story about Nasus and Renekton showing how they got along, so maybe it'll be the next thing? Anyway, it's a topic for another day, enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter VI - The Hunt

Rengar woke up screaming, covered in a cold sweat. He looked around in panic, but after a moment he realised that it was just a dream. Rengar sighed and uncovered himself. When he placed his feet on the ground, he felt a sheet of fabric underneath. He looked down and saw some blankets and a pillow. She stayed over, he thought, how nice of her. Rengar was happy that even though Nidalee and he had some rough times, she was eager to help. He rubbed his face and chest with his shirt and then changed it to something more fresh. For once he was glad that his father had so many shirts. Rengar didn't want to throw away any if his stuff, but some of them were completely useless for Rengar or were using too much space. Then he folded the blankets and placed them in the closet. Suddenly he heard a gentle knocking. Rengar smiled, now she even paid him a visit, what a thoughtful woman.

"Hey Nida-" Rengar paused immediately when he opened the door. For a split second he saw that scene from yesterday. It was Kha'Zix standing before him. Shivers ran through Rengar's body the moment Kha'Zix moved.

"It's me…" Kha'Zix spoke quietly, he seemed upset.

"Why are you here…?" Rengar managed to ask him without showing fear, but he kept his voice down in order to do it.

"I…" he stopped. He looked aside and then again at Rengar. "I wanted to apologise."

"What?" Rengar said confused. For a moment he forgot that unpleasant feeling from a second ago. Kha'Zix was apologising to him?

"When I saw you yesterday…when I saw your face…I don't know how to describe that…" Kha'Zix admitted. There were many emotions in him back then and at that moment, he couldn't describe them. "I felt disappointed in myself, I don't know why…" he mumbled. Rengar didn't know what to say, Kha'Zix sounded so genuine, but he didn't want to trust him. It was a dilemma he couldn't solve. To trust his guts and avoid that monster from the night before, or listen to that completely new person?

"You shouldn't be apologising to me…" Rengar said bitterly. He was right, except some bad dreams and horrible images in his head, Rengar didn't lose much, except for his trust to Kha'Zix of course. Connor and the rest lost much more, their lives.

"I know, I just…couldn't resist it, I was angry, and…" Kha'Zix sighed. "Maybe you're right, maybe I am a monster…" he added while looking down at his feet. For some reason all that fear Rengar was feeling suddenly vanished.

"Well, if that's what you wanted to say, then I accept your apology." Rengar replied, but his voice wasn't very reassuring. It made Kha'Zix even more miserable.

"I…I know that you don't want to know me anymore, but…" he said and took two pieces of grey fabric from between his wings, "I want you to keep it. I can't just throw it away, but looking at it makes me remember what happened." he chuckled nervously, "I think it is called a sentiment, but a negative one…". Without even realising it, Rengar's expression changed. He felt little sadness.

"Kha'Zix…"

"No, I get it, who would want anything from a bloodthirsty monster I am…" Kha'Zix's voice trembled and took a step back. "I…I'll be going now…" he added and turned around. He was almost running, he wanted to disappear, get away as fast as possible.

"Wait!" Rengar reached his hand and shouted before Kha'Zix dove into trees. He turned around and looked at him. "Let's…talk inside, alright?" Rengar spoke. Kha'Zix's antennae rose and he sighed in relief. Slowly, he approached Rengar, and then entered his house. Rengar closed behind him and pointed at the bed. "Sit, we'll need some time to settle it."

"Sure…" Kha'Zix replied and sat on the edge of the bed.

"So…I think it's safe to assume that you have some…killing tendencies." Rengar started.

"Yeah…I guess that's true…" Kha'Zix replied, even though he didn't seem to be proud of that.

"I mean…I think I shouldn't be mad about something you have no control over, but…" Rengar paused. He didn't know how to say it.

"I killed your friend…" Kha'Zix said suddenly. "In that book, I read there that friends are very important people in one's life. And I took him away from you…" Kha'Zix added.

"To be honest…he wasn't really my friend." Rengar admitted. Kha'Zix looked up at his face slightly confused. "I mean, I liked him. He was kind, smart, and he had a noble cause, but calling him a friend might have been a little too fast." Rengar replied. Now that he was thinking about it, it wasn't actually a lie, his judgement was too fast.

"So…you're not mad?"

"Well, of course I am. I still liked him."

"Ah, alright, I get it. Or actually no, I don't." Kha'Zix sighed, "I guess you can't explain it to a monster…" he added quickly. Rengar couldn't recognise Kha'Zix, he wasn't himself. Kha'Zix that he knows is confident, stubborn, proud, but this one is completely different. Did he actually change because of his time spent with Rengar? But wouldn't that mean Kha'Zix felt at least a little bit of sympathy towards him? Then Rengar realised, maybe instead of denying himself all the time, Kha'Zix should embrace who he really is, but try to control that?

"You know what, I don't care." Rengar spoke suddenly.

"What do you mean…?" Kha'Zix tilted his head, he was puzzled.

"If you really are a monster, so be it. Why would you change your nature?"

"Because…" Kha'Zix hesitated, "Because I terrified you…"

"Then control it, don't change it!" Rengar came closer, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him gently. "If you don't want to terrify me anymore, then control it around me. If you don't want to upset me, be nice just to me and those I care about." Rengar tried to motivate Kha'Zix with his little speech. Kha'Zix didn't know what to say. He thought that Rengar wanted him to be different, that he didn't like that creature he was, but then he told him that he was fine with it?

"You…you accept me?"

"And why the hell wouldn't I? You are who you are, there's nothing more to it." Rengar said and smiled reassuring. He didn't realise until now that Kha'Zix had a solid change of heart and maybe he should change himself as well.

"But…I am-"

"It doesn't matter!" Rengar interrupted him, "I really miss that Kha'Zix from two days ago!" he added. Kha'Zix's eyes were wide open, did Rengar just say that he miss him? "So now stop feeling sorry for yourself and move on!" this time Rengar smiled very wide. Kha'Zix laughed quietly and nodded.

"Alright then…if you accept me, then I will accept myself as well."

"No, you have to promise me that."

"But I just told you-"

"This vow you can break, but a promise cannot be broken, once promised thing must be kept." Rengar winked, but with one healthy eye it looked more like a blink.

"You have to keep promises…" Kha'Zix repeated to himself. He closed his eyes and nodded. "Alright, I promise. I'll accept myself."

"And that's the spirit!" Rengar stood up and laughed. He grabbed Kha'Zix's hand and pulled up. They both laughed after a moment.

"What's that commo- tion…" Nidalee said when she opened the door, but what she saw wasn't what she had expected. You don't get to see a vastayan laughing alongside a Void creature everyday.

"I…can explain." Rengar said after a moment of silence.

- Five minutes later -

"So you're saying that he, Kha'Zix, isn't an ordinary Void creature and you just became buddies?" Nidalee summarised what she just heard. It sounded unbelievable, but she trusted Rengar.

"Well…I think?" Rengar spoke. Nidalee might be right, he may have become, as she described it, buddies with Kha'Zix.

"Who are buddies?" Kha'Zix asked.

"It's somewhat a synonym to friends." Rengar replied.

"Wait, are we friends now then?"

"Uhh, I guess?" Kha'Zix smiled when he heard that. Rengar just laughed quietly, there still are some things he has to tell Kha'Zix.

"Alright, so maybe I'll come later, when, you know, you're alone Rengar." Nidalee said and got off the bed.

"Wait a moment." Kha'Zix stopped her. With a slight hesitation, she turned to him and asked as nicely as she could.

"What is it?"

"You're Rengar's friend, aren't you?" Kha'Zix asked her.

"Well, I think we are."

"Yes, I suppose we are." Rengar added.

"Oh, good, then I shouldn't kill her, right?" Kha'Zix asked, but it sounded more like a rhetorical question. Nidalee froze in place and Rengar opened his mouth. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Uhh, I mean, yeah, you REALLY shouldn't kill her, but don't say such things around people you are referring to!" Rengar said to Kha'Zix. He just nodded, he looked like he was trying to remember every Rengar's advice.

"Alright, sorry for that." Kha'Zix apologised to Nidalee.

"No, it's fine I suppose." she smiled awkwardly. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm gonna go." she added and left. Rengar knew that she felt very uncomfortable, but Kha'Zix is someone who needs to be used to.

"I think she dislikes me."

"Well, until yesterday she didn't even know about you. Give her time."

"Alright." Kha'Zix replied. "So…as friends, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Emm, well…" right, Rengar thought, now he has to explain Kha'Zix THAT. "Friends spend a lot of time together most of the time. They can…do things together, and…" Rengar wasn't a specialist himself, except for his father, he wasn't spending much time with anyone, so he couldn't really tell.

"I know! Let's hunt something!" Kha'Zix shouted. Actually that was an idea that Rengar liked.

"That's honestly a great idea." Rengar commented. Kha'Zix smiled, but Rengar didn't know if that was because he praised him or agreed to his plan. "But what do you want to hunt?"

"I was thinking about…a grass rhino."

"A grass rhino? Why it?"

"Well, as you probably know, to fight him you have to find a perfect balance between strength and dexterity. I'm very fast, but I'm not very good with strength." Kha'Zix admitted. "I have never slain it once in my life, I want to change it. It'll be a nice exercise as well."

"Okay then. I know where their lair is, so maybe we'll find an isolated rhino." Rengar suggested.

"Alright, lead the way then!"

"Oh hold on! I haven't eaten yet, I'm starving."

"Oh, me neither actually." Kha'Zix admitted. Rengar smiled and got some dried meat for both of them. When they were full, they went for the hunt. After half an hour they finally found them, but they were mostly in small groups.

"Fuck, and how are we gonna get only one?" Kha'Zix whispered.

"It will be hard, I forgot it's their mating season now." Rengar admitted. He really doubted that they would find a single one, but he didn't want to disappoint Kha'Zix so fast. They were circling their lair, but they couldn't find anything.

"You know, if we don't find it, then it's okay." Kha'Zix spoke quietly.

"Well, I didn't want to upset you, but I don't think we can find an opportunity today." Rengar spoke. Kha'Zix just nodded and started returning, and Rengar joined him. But after approximately ten minutes, Kha'Zix suddenly hid behind a tree and gestured Rengar to do the same.

"What is it?" Rengar asked.

"We found it!" Kha'Zix whispered in excitement. Rengar raised his head and indeed saw a rhino, a big one.

"An alpha male. What a coincidence." Rengar admitted.

"So what is the strategy?" Kha'Zix asked. Rengar recalled everything his father told him that day.

"Alright, listen. Despite his appearance, he's very fast, he'll impale you on his horn in no time. The best way to avoid his charge is to dodge left or right, he can't really change the direction."

"Okay, what next?"

"His skin is very tough, almost like a stone, but it's fragile on his belly, but you have to be cautious, the moment he realises someone is under him, he will try to crash you with his weight."

"So how are we gonna kill it?" Kha'Zix asked.

"There is one good way, but it requires two people. That's how my father and I defeated it."

"Yes? How?"

"One of us has to sneak up to him, the second one on the other hand has to catch his attention and force him to charge. Then the first one has get on his back just before he charges, he won't notice it if angered. But here is the trick. The bait has to be in front of a tree, and dodge as late as possible, so he can ram into it."

"Ah, and I suppose the one on the back has to jump off the moment before collision?" Kha'Zix asked.

"Exactly. The momentum would send you away, or worse, into the tree, and probably smash your bones. But then he'll be stunned for a moment, that's when the person on the back strikes." Rengar explained.

"Alright, I want to be the guy in the back!" Kha'Zix immediately chose his role.

"I knew you would choose it. Alright, try to get to him and give me a sign when you're ready." Rengar said. Kha'Zix nodded and their plan officially started. Kha'Zix entered his stealth mode and quickly hid behind the tree near the rhino. Once there, he was visible again, and nodded. Rengar left his hideout when he saw his sign and shouted to catch rhino's attention. Immediately after it stopped eating grass and looked at Rengar. It snarled and snorted at him as a warning, but he had no intention of running away.

"Come on! I'm not scared of you!" Rengar shouted again. This time the rhino moved his legs and turned to Rengar, giving signs that he's about to attack. Kha'Zix, meeting Rengar's eye, knew that it was high time to execute the plan. He quickly moved to rhino and with a little help of his wings, he jumped on it. A second later he started running. Rengar took a deep breath while anticipating his foe. When he was roughly five meters away, Rengar rolled to the left, avoiding his strike just perfect. At the same time Kha'Zix was awaiting his time to shine. When he saw Rengar's dodge, it was just a matter of seconds when collision happens. The rhino couldn't stop because of its weight and rammed into the tree, making all leaves rustle. But Kha'Zix was already on the ground, he jumped off and smoothly soared down. The rhino was shaking its head to recover, but it was the time to finish it. Using the time window Rengar just bought him, he dove under it and slashed with both his claws, leaving an "X" mark on his belly, and then immediately rolled out. The rhino growled in pain, and then collapsed on his side unable to keep the ground.

"Now, finish it!" Rengar shouted. Kha'Zix didn't need him to repeat, he charged at him, and with his full force he pierced his upper belly, successfully destroying its heart. After a moment of spasms, all life left it. Kha'Zix then looked at his claws and smiled widely.

"I did it! I killed it!" Kha'Zix shouted proud of himself.

"Good job, it went better than I expected." Rengar said as he was approaching. Then after a moment when Kha'Zix calmed down, he corrected himself.

"No, we killed it."

"Hey, I just lured him, that's all."

"But without it I wouldn't have killed it, so the credit goes to you as well." Kha'Zix insisted. Rengar smiled, he didn't want to argue, and he was actually happy that Kha'Zix didn't just blindly take all the credit.

"Alright then, WE killed it." Rengar said. Kha'Zix nodded and smiled. Then he turned to the corpse of the rhino.

"What are we going to do with it?"

"Well, the last time I fought it, I just took its leg and left the rest for wild cats to consume. We can do that."

"Okay, let's take it then." Kha'Zix spoke. Rengar got closer and kneeled. He pulled out his knife and started cutting off his leg. It was massive, but Rengar was strong enough to lift it.

"Need some help?"

"No…just…let's not stop." Rengar spoke and started going. When they were at Rengar's house, Rengar cut the meat in smaller pieces. The excess he left to dry and the rest he cooked. Kha'Zix and Rengar shared a meal while sitting on a log, watching sparks in the campfire, and talking.

"I see that you liked it." Rengar said, referring to their hunt.

"Of course! I didn't know that you're such a pro!" Kha'Zix said and took another bite. Rengar laughed when he heard him.

"Nah, I'm not a pro, I'm just really good."

"Isn't it like the same?" Kha'Zix asked with full mouth.

"Well, maybe?" Rengar said and shrugged. Then they both laughed. When they were done, Rengar suggested that he would go to Nidalee to talk and maybe convince her that Kha'Zix poses no threat, and Kha'Zix would just rest for a while. He accepted and then Rengar went to see her. After a while, he was greeted by a cougar and a tiger.

"Hi, um, I'm Nidalee's friend, do you know where she is?" Rengar spoke to them. Even though they didn't understand a word, they knew what he wanted. They are cats, and Rengar is a lion vastayan. He is as close to nature as they are, so they see him as a friend. They led him for two minutes and then he saw her resting on a tree.

"Oh, Rengar. How can I help you?" Nidalee asked. The big cats left them and Rengar got closer.

"I wanted to talk, I think I owe you."

"Then you're thinking correctly." she spoke. She jumped down and faced Rengar. "Okay, you can start." Nidalee added and folded her arms.

"So…Kha'Zix and I fight once per week and try to kill each other, but we both can't see the end if it, because we're practically equal. During one of our fights he got stuck in on of Connor's traps and I saved him. Then I was taking care of him and eventually we realised that we don't hate each other that much as we claimed. And then yesterday happened and now here we are." Rengar told her quickly. She nodded slowly and tried to analyse what she heard.

"Just want to confirm. He won't be hostile towards me or my family, yes?"

"Don't worry, he won't. Well, probably unless you start." Rengar replied. Then she grabbed her chest and sighed in relief.

"Thank God! I was so, so terrified!" Nidalee said. Then she looked at Rengar. "You have strange friends Rengar."

"Hey, you live surrounded by cats, not me."

"Well, that's true, but I'm an independent woman." she replied, trying to make her face as serious as possible, but she lost it and burst with Rengar into laughter.

"Gotta admit, that was good."

"I know it was." she spoke and smiled. Then she sat on overgrown root and invited Rengar to sit beside her. When he did it, she spoke.

"Hey, Rengar, I wanted to tell you something."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I wanted to thank you properly for helping me with that whole trap situation, without you I might have not figured it out." Nidalee said. Unlike earlier, her voice was warm and genuine.

"Oh that was not a problem. That's what friends are for." Rengar replied.

"Yes, but still." she spoke and kissed Rengar in a cheek. He opened his mouth in confusion and blushed a little. Nidalee just giggled when she saw his reaction. "Oh man, if you could see yourself right now!" she laughed.

"Hey, d-don't make fun o-of me!" Rengar turned to the other side.

"I'm not, actually, I wanted to ask you something." she spoke again. Rengar looked at her, still slightly blushing.

"What is it now?"

"I was thinking, aren't you…lonely?" she asked.

"Well, no, I have you and Kha'Zix, also before-"

"I didn't mean that, dummy." Nidalee added. Rengar then opened his eye wider. When Nidalee saw his expression, she herself became slightly embarrassed. "Well, I know that it is very sudden, but…do you perhaps want to…you know…" she laughed awkwardly. She brushed her hair out of embarrassment.

"Nidalee…I…"

"I get it! You're probably scared and all, but don't worry, it will be alright!" she added. "I mean, we're pretty close, and we probably won't have a chance to meet anyone else, so-"

"Wait Nidalee…" Rengar interrupted her. She just nodded when she realised she was talking like crazy.

"Sorry, speak."

"I…well, you're pretty and all, but…I don't think it would work. I'm sorry." Rengar spoke after a pause.

"Oh…yeah, right, it's probably too early. Jeez, Nidalee, you're too quick-"

"No, I didn't mean the time." Rengar added. Nidalee looked at him confused.

"What? Then what is it?" she asked. "You just said that you like me, and that I'm pretty, and-"

"I know! I know, but…it just wouldn't work, trust me."

"Huh? Okay, now you've got to tell me why." Nidalee folded her arms and pierced him with his eyes.

"You…don't have to know!" he spoke.

"Of course I do! I have to know the reason! Only a gay would deny such a godly body." she winked and looked at Rengar, but when she saw his face, she realised. "Oh…" was the only thing she spoke afterwards. They were sitting in an absolute silence for at least a minute.

"Well, at least I know it's not something with me." she replied, but Rengar was still silent. "Hey, you hear me?!" she shouted and made Rengar jump in place.

"Ah! Of course I do!" he replied but then looked down again.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with it, I'm fine with it."

"Yeah, but I'm not." he replied. "I mean, my father would have killed me if he knew, he despised them."

"I'm sure he wouldn't. Who hurts his own son?"

"Well, maybe not killed, but abandoned for sure."

"Don't be ridiculous Rengar!" Nidalee said to him. "Also, I don't want to sound rude, but you don't have to worry about it anymore." but then she regretted saying it. "Wow it sounded much better in my head." she added, but Rengar then laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm not offended." he replied.

"Oh okay, I thought I said something very inappropriate." Nidalee spoke. "But changing the topic, aren't you sad that, you know, you probably won't meet someone like you?"

"I already accepted it." Rengar admitted.

"Well, I mean, masturbation is fun too, but it can get boring." she said nonchalantly. Rengar frowned and looked at her highly confused. "What?" she looked at him as if she didn't say anything weird.

"I uhh…I accepted that as well." he said. "Unless a miracle happens, I will be alone."

"Well…or unless you're into overgrown insects…" she spoke quietly.

"What the fuck Nidalee?!" Rengar shouted. He knew she was capable of very perverted comments, but this time she crossed the line.

"What? You like him, he likes you, just figure out if he's into you and-"

"I don't like him THAT much!" Rengar replied, still annoyed by her.

"Oh, so you're not denying that you might be into him~?" she raised her brows and leaned closer.

"Wha…" Rengar leaned back and mumbled. He never once thought about it, but when she mentioned it, he actually liked him, a lot. But to that degree?

"Well, as for me it is slightly fucked up, but there are worse fetishes, so I think I'm okay with that." she spoke.

"I never told you that it's true!"

"But you never denied it." she grinned.

"Ugh, you're the worst!" Rengar growled.

"Ohh, I'm so sorry for that. How can I make it up to you?" she asked, but it sounded more like a mockery.

"You still remember how to sew, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Can you fix it?" Rengar asked her and handed her two pieces of torn fabric. She inspected it closer and sighed.

"Well, yeah, I think I can, but it won't look the same. I still have some fabrics, I can make you a new one." she offered.

"No, it must be this one." Rengar insisted.

"And why is that so important?"

"Because…it was a gift…" Rengar mumbled, knowing that he just sentenced himself to another wave of Nidalee's comments. As expected, she raised her hand to her mouth and grinned.

"Don't you even try to open that wretched mouth of yours…" Rengar added before she said anything. She just smiled and turned around.

"It'll be fixed by tomorrow. Have fun~" she said as Rengar was leaving. He showed her his middle finger as a farewell.

I'm sorry if those jokes and "funny" references made you cringe, but for me they are funny xD. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, also sorry for posting it later than usual, I just lost the sense of time, I am so grateful that I how so much inspiration. Don't forget to comment if you liked (or disliked ;P) this chapter and see you next Sunday :D

QUIT EDIT: Spotted many mistakes and errors at the end, I think I got rid if them