Just before leaving he let out a low purr towards her and then gently closed the door behind him. It was now time for him to rest.

He drifted down the hallway to his own chambers; he could feel his eyes begin to drift shut. It had been a long day.

Finally he arrived at his chambers, he locked his door shut and set about removing his armour, mask and loincloth and just as soon as he collapsed down on his bunk, the world around him went black as he fell into a deep sleep.

The ship was quiet. None of the other warriors could be heard or seen. It was peaceful, almost and that was the way he liked it. Pity he could not get enough of it! Tarik had been the clan leader or 'Elder' for decades, way before Wolf was conceived and now that status would soon fall onto Wolf.

Tarik scoffed to himself at the thought. 'Elder Wolf'. He could just imagine his son as the new leader of his clan. His son would make a fine leader, yes, but he was reckless nonetheless, reckless and even arrogant at times but he had a brave heart. But stupid, ignorant like a pup and he would have to learn and he would have to learn fast. He was a hunter now, not a little pup needing protection from danger. By now he should be facing danger. He was a hunter, not the hunted.

Tarik sighed…he was exhausting himself now. Wolf knew how to control himself…most of the time, but he was an incredibly matured young Yautja for his age and he was proud of him. Yes, he would make a fine leader for the clan and the female would….

Tarik stopped himself. Female? What was he thinking? He should not be thinking about the female as a vital asset to his clan's continuing existence. Not after what she had been through! He cursed himself. Dishonour!

He growled in annoyance. This female needed help and she needed cared for, and he was in no way going to let himself take advantage of the situation. He was not going to sink to a Bad-Blood's level. Ever. He intended to become better than what his father was, he was…

The old Yautja froze in thought. His father? How did his father come into this? Why was he even thinking about his father? He despised him! He made sure that everything of his father was erased! He would not have a Bad-Blood as a father! Never!

The Elder hunter closed his eyes and sighed. He was exhausted now. It had been a hard day for all of them. Tomorrow would be a new dawn. A new day. A new day to lead. But for now it was time to rest.

"Another day." Tarik said rubbing his patterned temple. Now he would retire for the night. He had checked the ship's orbit scanners, if everything proceeded correctly then he assumed that they should reach homeland within a few days and he looked forward to it. He had always hated being away from his homeland so much, he was getting older and he knew soon he would step down and Wolf would be the new leader of the clan.

But Tarik sighed Wolf will not lead tomorrow. Maybe someday. Yes, someday…"But not tomorrow…another day."

Tarik nodded to himself and without saying another word or thinking another thought, he let out a bellowing yawn before finally retreating to his chambers, falling soon into a deep sleep himself.

…The darkness soon became light. A shrill cry echoing throughout his ears followed by pained whimpers.

The vision then became clearer; a female Yautja was crying in pain, her breath laboured and as she let out a deafening cry of pain but then

The female's face, severely contorted with pain, tears streaming down her face as she let out a shrill cry of anguish….then another sound…the shrill cry of a newborn Yautja pup.

Then everything faded.

-Wolf's eyes shot open as he sat up, his naked body drenched in sweat. Just a dream; The realization slowly dawned on him, "only a dream." He sighed, pulling his sheets back and swinging his legs over the edge of his bunk.

Only a dream. How he tried to convince himself that this was all. Nothing more but his beliefs taught him otherwise. His father was wise and brave. He had taught Wolf that physical signs were not the only telltale signs of caution or danger but dreams were signs. Glances of the future or events yet to pass. Something was going to happen. He knew it. And to be sure he would consult Shalah.

Shalah. Their Goddess of guidance. Only the Elder and the High Priests had access to Shalah through the Chamber of Voices. A Spiritual chamber in which the Yautja could listen to the voices of their ancestors and call to Shalah for guidance in times of need.

But in order to do this he knew he would speak to his father. Tarik as Elder had authority to Shalah. He knew that he would not be permitted to Shalah without his father's authority.

Rising from his bunk, he stretched and adorned his armour, loincloth and mask and left his chambers to find his father on the main control bridge with the rest of the Yautja. They were up and alert and ready for orders which his father had no problem in giving in order to maintain stability.

He breathed deep and approached his father.

"Son," Tarik greeted

"Father," Wolf bowed his head, signing his respect.

Tarik bowed back then turned his head away again and resumed watching the gigantic planets slowly float by, colliding with the occasional shooting stars which rained down in showers. A spectacular sight.

"You have questions." Tarik assumed without Wolf saying a word.

"I am troubled." Wolf corrected which made Tarik turn around in curiosity.

"What troubles you?"

Wolf bowed his head feeling weak "the female, father."

Tarik closed his eyes and lowered his head. He sighed deeply. He should have known.

"Is she safe?" He asked, wondering still what could trouble Wolf.

"She is. But I have had dreams that-"He was cut off by Tarik's clawed hand in his face. He did not need this.

Tarik kept his hand in place and remained silent. Wolf remained silent in anticipation of his father's response.

"Reality can be changed in dreams," his father began "..but that does not indicate that the dream is real. Your mind can play tricks on you, Wolf. Do you understand?"

The young Yautja nodded. He understood but that still gave him no comfort. He needed to consult Shalah.

Tarik looked at his son "nothing more now, Wolf." He turned to walk away

"Father," Wolf murmured lowly. Tarik turned. What now?

"…I wish to consult Shalah."Wolf gulped the hard lump in his throat.

Tarik stood motionless. Shalah? For what? Was he insane?

"Out of the question!" Tarik shouted making Wolf jump at his father's immediate reaction.

"Father…" Wolf began trying to make his father see reason ", something I fear is going to happen-"

"ENOUGH WOLF!" Tarik bellowed. He was having none of it.

"BUT IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN-" Wolf bellowed back, now losing his own patience.

"Do not raise your voice to me, Wolf…" Tarik hissed lowly, making his threat clear, grinding his fistsas he advanced closer making Wolf instantly back down.

"It is clear that you need time alone with your thoughts. I advise you to train. We will be coming into our atmosphere soon."

Tarik once again turned his back to the younger Yautja. "Dismissed."

Wolf hesitated, feeling defeated under his father.

"Tarik's shoulders tensed, still sensing his son's presence "dismissed, Wolf." Making his point clear to his son.

Understanding Wolf let out a deep sigh "yes, father."

"Humph.." Tarik snorted, his large claws clasped behind his back.

Seeing now that he was neither being seen nor heard, the young Yautja turned and left. Not saying another word.

The world around me is now becoming brighter as the darkness began to fade. I hurt to open my eyes as the world around me was unfocused and blurry and my body and limbs still hurt. I stretched my arms and felt a painful crack. I winced and remained still for the quick but stinging to pass. When it did I began to slowly flew my wrists and wince again at a terrible pain in one of my wrists. That was when I remembered that one of my wrists were broken.

I moved my broken wrist slowly, not wanting to damage it further, rubbing it gently as my vision became even clearer. I looked around and found that I was in a large, grand room filled with red luminous inscriptions of my race and hanging on the wall were battle worn masks of Yautja, the polished gleam shining. That was when I remembered;

I was brought her by a Yautja. A male. A well respected hunter.

….I was rescued. He saved me…there were two….I-I remember now!

I tried to think even harder…I remembered that I mate was dead. The one who had caused me so much pain…He was dead and I was…that's right…I'm with pup!

My hand traced over my swollen stomach where my pup, my baby was growing. I could feel it…I felt it kicking! It was alive, my baby was kicking!

I placed my hand over my pregnant stomach and waited….there! It kicked again! I felt it.

A smile appeared over my bruised and battered face as tears rolled down my face. My baby. My little one…

It continued to kick as I gently massaged my stomach, a small, hoarse purr escaping my throat-

"You have awoken…" I heard a voice say from the other side of the room. Alarmed I looked up and saw a large, trim Yautja standing at the door and I realised that it was the same one that had saved me. And that was when I remembered his name; Wolf.

Wolf looked at this young female that lay before him. Her eyes were only half open and she was shaking a little, from cold or instinctive fear, he did not know and he did not intend to make it worse. He would have to be patient with her. She needed time to recover from the past ordeal and he was not going to inflict any more pain on her. She'd been through enough already!

He advanced closer to the small frame on the bed and immediately saw that she recognised him. She lifted her head up higher to see him come closer to her until he was at the foot of the large bed.

"How are you feeling?" Wolf asked, feeling rather unsure to whether he would get a response from her.

She looked at him and nodded as best she could without hurting her already strained muscles. A low groan came from her throat followed by a hoarse sounding purr.

Wolf nodded in understanding, feeling a great deal of relief at the same time. She appeared to be better. She had been fed, watered and rested. It seemed to be working.

"Do you remember me?" He asked, moving forward.

Again the female nodded before attempting "..W..W-o..lf" but winced, placed a hand around her burning throat. She had not talked for so long and it hurt to do so but it astonished Wolf.

She had said his name? She did remember him! He moved slowly around the bed until he was closely at her side. She never took her eyes off him.

"What else do you remember?" He asked her, kneeling down to meet her gaze.

But this time there was no attempted response, instead she looked away from him.

"What's wrong?" Wolf asked, his concern growing.

She turned around to face him and gently patted her throat, hoping he would get the message.

"Your throat? Does it hurt you to speak?" The young Yautja asked. He needed to know. The female immediately responded, nodding hastily but soon stopped as the throbbing pain started to return to her body.

He understood. She was still in pain, as he would expect and feeling foolish for feeling that she was otherwise. She was only awake and just regaining her memory!

A low groan escaped the female's throat as the throbbing pain continued. She felt as though her raw throat was burning. She tried to massage her throat until she saw Wolf holding a small canister filled with clear liquid.

"Take this," the young male instructed, holding it to her mouth.

She hesitated for a moment, not knowing whether to take it or not. She gave him a confused look, the confusion clear in her tired eyes.

"It will help," Wolf encouraged, still holding it within her reach.

It worked…

With shaking hands she slowly took the canister out of his hands and brought it to her lips, carefully tipping it backwards and within a few short minutes she had finished the whole canister. She handed it back to him, now purring loudly. The extent of her recovery becoming more apparent now.

Settling down further into the bed, she placed her hands over her pregnant stomach, gently massaging it.

"What's your name?" The young hunter asked.

She looked at him and said nothing for a moment before attempting again "…N-Na-ch'..sh-e" Her voice was improving

"Nach'she?" Was that right?

She nodded and squeaked making Wolf chuckle at her response. Suddenly feeling more confident, he reached out and stroked her head, "Nach'she" he repeated, massaging soothing circles on her forehead, making the younger Yautja sigh in relaxation.