This chapter was quite difficult to write, I hope I didn't make too many mistakes. Leave me a review and hope you like it!


8. Hunt

Teylar ran with all his might in the direction of the cries that continued to reverberate in the forest and were becoming stronger; I tried to keep up with him as I could even if it wasn't easy: never underestimate the agility of a Yautja, even if they were big they could be just as fast; the hound kept running by my side, adjusting its speed to mine; I had already realized it would no longer go away. Another cry, this time very, very close; I looked around as I ran to try to understand where it came from, but in that vegetation so thick the sound dispersed too quickly to trace a precise path. I was so intent on paying attention to those rumors that I didn't notice that Teylar had stopped and I avoided crashing into his back for a few centimeters; I went immediately to his side, and what I saw left me very surprised: in front of us there were another hunter, and although he was of the same race I understood immediately that he wasn't of our clan; his constitution was even bigger than that of Yautja I was used to seeing and his skin was similar to that of a reptile. Teylar issued a series of low growls and started clicking his mandibles; I didn't understand what he was saying but I realized that probably was intimating him to get out of our territory; in response, the other warrior took off his mask and growled at him openly, evidently attempts at dialogue were finished

"Bad blood...stay back Ooman, this battle is mine" Teylar pulled out his spear

"But..."

"Don't discuss, you can't even hope to beat them, go back to the ship if you survive and..." he stopped when the Bad blood began to advance menacingly, Teylar did the same

"...and the rite of passage?" I was at his side, ready to pull out the spear; he gave me an angry look

"Forget it; this is a hunt out of your reach. Go away!" those words made me angry; both warriors prepared themselves for the charge but I stayed where I was; I could do something, I wanted to do something!

"Teylar let me..."

"Elise, get out!" he pushed me away by force, just a second before becoming involved in the charge of Bad blood; as I fell to the ground I could see Teylar who pounced on him with all his strength; it was a show terrifying and exceptional at the same time, watching those two big beasts that clashed wildly and hurt each other.

I quickly got up, ready to give him a hand, but a series of howls put me in alarm: four hounds ran toward me and began to surround me to block any way to escape; the dog at my side began to growl against his own companions; this time I couldn't have compassion for them. I was forced to activate the laser gun and prepared to shoot; a deep breath...I took aim...and hit the first hound that tried to jump on me, killing him. I fled into the forest, preventing them to surround myself again; I could hear their barking behind me and prepared a second shot; at the right time I slowed down on purpose and I shot to my right, killing another one. As I ran, I heard more screams; I had to think fast: it was useless to go back, Teylar could take care of himself, but probably my companions were fighting against an unknown number of Bad blood and even fight in team wasn't a tactic preferred by Yautja the best thing to do was to find them and give them a hand. A hound emerged suddenly on the left side, I couldn't take aim and I missed it miserably; I took the whip and hit it in the legs, interrupting its run and throwing it to the ground; I jumped on the animal and took the knife, this time I had no remorse in cutting its throat. I was ready to start running again, but the last hound assaulted me, unbalancing and throwing me to the ground; it pierced its teeth into my arm and the pain was terrible; I stabbed it a couple of times but the beast didn't want to let go, and then the dog I had saved railed against its companion, biting its throat. I was able to free myself from its grip and rolled to one side to get away; with the knife still in my hand I was on guard and ready to attack, but the enemy slowly stopped struggling and slumped to the ground, suffocating in his own blood. The dog left the creature's neck and looked at me, yelping and approaching me; I put the knife in my belt, and with my good arm I gently stroked its head

"nice work...hmmm, let's see...Talion" I continued to pet it "from now on you belong to me" more screams attracted my attention, I had no time to rest; I looked at my arm, it was bleeding but it was nothing serious; quickly I grabbed my med kit and prepared to suffer: there was no time to use the anesthetic but unfortunately the medicines of Yautja weren't painless; slowly I slipped the syringe in my arm; when the liquid came into my veins I screamed in pain, but the blood stopped flowing instantly; I waited patiently for the few but long seconds of agony, then I got up as quickly as possible. I used the device on my arm to contact other unblooded, and in that moment I realized that something was disturbing our frequencies; I couldn't neither trace my companions nor try to warn our ship; shit. I looked around, assuming a possible direction to take when Talion began to growl

"...oh, a great hunting companion...go puppy, go!" I urged it with a pat on the back and the dog started running towards a very specific way. As we ran the cries became closer, maybe I had found someone; I came out from the trees without much thought...in time to see another Bad blood that cut cleanly through the head of one of my companions and shouting in victory. Oh shit! Materially I hadn't time to do anything: the Yautja saw me and instantly began to growl at me, dropping the head of my companion; my bloodhound came forward, but I stopped it, I needed time to develop a strategy; I pulled out the spear and opened both ends, moving slowly in a circle and looking for any weaknesses; fuck, if that thing could even just to touch me…I was dead. He growled menacingly, I hissed in response, and I prepared myself to his charge; the Yautja ran straight at me, I dodged his attack and tried a lunge with the spear at his side, but he intercepted my move and grabbed the end of my weapon, tearing it from my hands; he tried to grab me, but I backed off enough to escape; there was little to do, the difference in physical strength between us was insurmountable, I couldn't compete in a clash close; I activated the laser gun and took aim, starting to shoot in bursts; fuck, he was too fast

"Talion grab him!" with a savage growl the hound charged at him and bit his leg; finally the Bad blood was forced to stop and now was in my shooting line; bye bye baby. Unfortunately, things never go as you expect: the Yautja hit with a violent punch Talion's head and threw it away from him, dodging just in time my shot. I inveighed with rage and began to run sideways to try a new series of gunshots, but the Bad blood was more fast and fired first with his gun; I threw myself on the ground to dodge the blow, but I wasn't fast enough to get up; he attacked me at an impressive speed and before I could react he grabbed my gun and lifted me from the ground, throwing me hard against a tree; the impact was terrible, I couldn't breathe and I felt a sharp pain in the back, to make matters worse my weapon had become unusable. I stood on the ground, the air that couldn't get into the lungs while the fucking bastard was coming to me; I tried again to get up but I knew that I wouldn't have time, I could only watch the Yautja while he was taking from the right arm of his armor a long blade ready to cut off my head. I wasn't afraid, I knew from the beginning the consequences of my decisions, only I had hoped not to die so soon, they were still so many things I wanted to do...The Yautja pulled me by the hair and forced me to show my neck, the blade was already up to my throat; breathing deeply I prepared to receive the final blow...

"TAKE YOUR LURID HANDS OF HER!"

I turned my head just in time to see a Yautja rail against the Bad blood with all his weight; the two fell to the ground and started hitting wildly. I got up and walked away from the clash, thanking the gods to be alive; fuck, my back ached terribly; I looked in the direction of Talion and saw with relief that it was still alive. Well, now at last I could breathe properly; and I had a strong desire to kick some ass, but who...

"Oh shit...Ate'yo!" I cried in a shrill voice, my heart began to beat wildly; Ate'yo fought with ferocity, growling and hitting the enemy repeatedly; I never saw him fighting, and he was... extraordinary, despite the other Yautja was bigger than him. But in that moment I was scared... scared and angry, because he could also be worthy of such an opponent, but the thought that he could get hurt or killed awoke in me a killer instinct that I hadn't felt for a long time; I took a knife from the belt, I called my hound, and waited for the right time. The Bad blood threw Ate'yo to the ground and in that moment I attacked: I ordered Talion to charge and followed it shortly after; my faithful companion bit again the leg of my enemy, unbalancing him to one side; literally I jumped on him and stabbed him in his right side; I didn't give him time to recover, being able to surround his neck with my left arm and ready to stab him again, this time trying to cut his throat. The Bad blood grabbed my wrist in a grip of steel; my wrist...my...!

*crack*

I screamed in pain and I was forced to leave his neck; I touched the wound convulsively and couldn't stop the tears, preventing me from seeing clearly; I could only understand that Ate'yo was again fighting against the enemy with Talion. I had to stop the pain; quickly I grabbed the syringe of anesthetic and without thinking twice emptied its entire contents in the arm; come on, please do your job! I wiped my tears and retrieved the knife, inserting it in the belt; now things got more complicated with only one arm, but I had no intention of giving up. I turned in the direction of the battle; it was no longer only a rite of passage, now had become a personal matter: the bastard had killed one of my companions and right now was hurting the person I loved. I searched my spear around there and when I found it I squeezed it in my hand, took aim and threw it against the Bad blood, wounding him to the arm; the Yautja turned furious at me, Ate'yo took advantage of his distraction and pushed him to the ground

"Ate'yo, stop! This son of a bitch is mine! "

"What?!" he looked at me stunned, and he had every reason

"You got it right; this is my hunting, my rite! Stay back!" my eyes met his...and he stepped aside; I was relieved, at least for the moment he wouldn't have to fight.

The Bad blood stood up and turned to face me, I hissed at him and made it clear that I was his opponent. We started to walk slowly in a circle, studying each other: I saw him limping visibly, Talion had practically removed half of his calf and he had therefore lost the advantage of speed; the problem remained the gun, I had to attempt attacks close together and try to make him fall; again I took the knife, the only weapon that could be of any use at this time. Before the Yautja could start shooting I charged straight against him, dodging his punch at the last second and sticking the knife into his side, the same side that I had already wounded; I continued to alternate short attacks and strategic retreats to tire him physically and mentally, as well as to avoid being hit by his deadly fists; his claws scratched my right arm, but the anesthetic was so strong that I felt nothing and continued to attack wildly.

An unnatural euphoria came over me, that was the feeling during the hunt...and it was amazing; I wanted to live this life with my whole being, free from rules that imprisoned my world, I was the hunter and not the prey...and I wanted to stay close to Ate'yo, no matter nor how or in what way; I loved him, and it was wrong...but I was ready to die for him.

The Bad blood extracted again the blade, and the noise of our weapons clashing between them was music to my ears; my arms were full of cuts, but the adrenaline enabled me to endure the pain; and then it came the right opportunity: I penetrated his defenses and slipped to the ground, sticking the knife in his right inner thigh; I saw him drop to his knees; I quickly pulled out my second knife and arrived in front of him, raising his head and forcing him to look into my eyes, while I aimed the blade at his throat. I was told that when you become a Bad blood something in your way of thinking changed inexorably and could no longer go on as before; I understood what it meant when I met his gaze, two eyes staring at me crazy and refused what for the other Yautja was considered an honorable death; for a moment, just for a moment, my human feelings took over and I felt pity for him, every human on Earth would have refused to die in this way, even screaming and begging for mercy; perhaps Yautja sensed my emotions because he growled with anger, instigating me to end it. I stared at him for a moment...and then sank the knife into his throat.