A Warrior's Pride

"Hey, it's May. Don't worry. I'm fine. The doctors and therapists have you covered so don't worry about trying to come out to little ole Edith's Garden. Focus on your career. Make dad proud up in Heaven. I'll focus on making sure mom doesn't scare the other locals too much. Although, between you and me, the old knocker's gone crazy! Hehe.

Anyways, if you somehow happen to see my rescuer- The Yokai, as they call him. Ha! Weird name. But if you do, by some random luck, see him on your tour around the galaxy, think you can say thank you for me? I'd be in a body bag and with dad right now if not for him. I wonder what happened to Tom though… They didn't find him, ya know.

Hey, the next time you get the chance, send a message over. I don't hear about your life a lot. And don't give me that secrecy bullshit. There are other things that must be happening than military that you can share with me, right? I don't hear your voice enough.

Well, I gotta go. Another appointment. And then I need to find a new job. Fred was convinced that I killed Tom and fired me. Can you believe that? Call me.

Love you, Ann."

Annalise shut down the audio clip for the fifth time since waking up from cryo. Sighing, she ran a hand through her dirt blonde hair before rubbing at her eyes. As much as she wanted to tell her sister what was happening right now, they weren't allowed to make calls or messages. Not with their current mission.

Weylend-Yutani had ordered her ship and crew to investigate a distress signal originated from colony facility LV-374, a research facility that had gone dark for quite some time now. While they would have sent men to investigate, a transmission had come in saying not to come as they had destroyed the facility to prevent some disaster from happening. At least, that was what Annalise was told. Knowing the company, they could be lying. However, they didn't lie about the possibility of there being bugs at the colony. The images presented were proof enough.

The marine got to her feet and headed over to the mess hall. She hadn't eaten since waking up and it was always advise to eat soon. In agreeance to her thoughts, her stomach grumbled loudly. Annalise rounded a corner and soon found herself bombarded by the smell of foods. Within seconds, she had entered the mess hall.

Scores of crewmen and marines decorated the tables, the sound of chattering canceling out any silence that may have occurred. Annalise quickly grabbed her meal and located her squad. It wasn't long before they were all chattering away about nonsense. They all knew what was at stake, as well as the survival rates of bug hunts. It became common tradition to try to not focus on the bad and live life while you were still in it. Annalise was going to make sure that she got a message out to her sister. Just in case.

After all, they were only three weeks out from the planet's location.

~.~

It was times like these in which Kjuhte very much despised his new little 'friend'. Waiting under the cover of a low canopy with his second in command and his best tracker, the Black Yaut`ja growled at the heavy rain that fell from the sky. He was close to believing that the Chimera purposefully arranged the meeting during the rain so that their equipment would prove useless. Conniving bitch. If this was a trap, he'd make sure to take her head first.

Amidst the noise drowning sound of the rain, the three hunters still heard the snapping of a twig close by. Every one of them drew their weapon, facing the direction of the noise. It wasn't long before a Chimera stepped out from the foliage. This was very Yaut`ja in appearance, save for some of it's bestial qualities. So this was their supposed guide and contact. Reluctantly, Kjuhte sheathed his blade while his two compatriots didn't. Better that way. What impressed him was how the Chimera didn't flinched at the sight of the weapons.

"Nice greeting," The Chimera sneered, crossing his arms. "You ready to go or do you prefer standing around like idiots?"

"How dare you-" Kjuhte huffed, mandibles flared out as he took a step forward.

"Look, it's pouring, we're all getting wet, the sooner the better, right?"

Kjuhte snarled but refrained from doing anything else. As much as he hated to admit, the Chimera had a point. However, he was sick of them insulting him in front of his subordinates. So he promptly struck the whelp across the face, causing him to stumble back. Shock painted his face, which made Kjuhte chuckle darkly to himself.

"Lead the way, whelp," He then ordered, not bothering to hide his malice.

The Chimera scowled but otherwise remained silent. Good, the brat knew his place. As they followed, Kjuhte's second in command, Domak, came close.

"Should we trust him?" He asked.

"Why do you think I still have my blade ready?" Kjuhte snorted. "Be prepared for betrayal. Chimeras, regardless of whether they've proven useful or not, aren't to be so carelessly trusted."

That was half an hour ago. Now, the party was entering a cave, finally getting out of the damn rain. If their equipment dried fast enough, the advantage would be that of the Black Yaut`ja. But experience and memories of his Chiva reminded Kjuhte otherwise. Dark and wet places were the advantageous home of the serpents. The Chimera female he had been conversing with was such a splice. Not only that but he had learned the hard not to underestimate a clearly intelligent and cunning mind. His 'partner' would not doubt be ready for betrayal the same way he and his men were.

The Chimera took them down several different paths and tunnels, leading them deeper into the caverns. The Black Yaut`ja grew uneasy the further they went. Confined quarters were not very ideal for them or their preferences. Kjuhte was beginning to think he lead his men into a trap. Yet that wouldn't be possible. Not when they both had something the other wanted. It would be a waste on the Chimera female's part to kill off such a powerful ally as himself.

That's what he kept telling himself, anyways.

Eventually, they came to a large open, lined with the tell-tale signs of serpent resin. Kjuhte clicked his mandibles but otherwise remained quiet. His two lackeys growled menacingly behind him. They were just on edge as he was. Yet the Chimera in front of them seemed completely oblivious to the danger that must've awaited them. If anything, his Yaut`ja heritage would be yelling at him to be on guard. It was simply in their blood to oppose the serpents.

When realizing his own thoughts, the Black Yaut`ja chuckled to himself as they travelled deeper inside. Here he was, mentally chiding a half breed about not being wary about the serpents when he himself was about to seal a deal with a serpent Chimera. The irony of it all.

"Well, well, you actually came," A very familiar voice echoed in the cavern. As they stepped closer into the firelight that illuminated this section of the cavern, Khujte saw the Chimera female herself sitting comfortably inside a small cove lined with cloth and cushioning. She presented herself as if she was a queen.

"Surprised I came?" The Black Yaut`ja leader sneered. As he spoke, the guide left, taking to the shadows with relief sagging his shoulders.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you came with so few," The female shrugged. "Given how much Yaut`ja generally despise us abominations. Does to show trust?"

"Bah! As if." Kjuhte made a hand motion for his men to stay still as he stepped forward. He felt confident, despite the situation not being in his grasp. "Don't think for a second that I do not have a contingency plan, should you dare betray me."

"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily think that will be the case just yet, my dear hunter," The Chimera smiled. "It would be a waste to do all this work simply to waste it all away."

"My trust in you is still very minimal."

"As is mine."

The sudden seriousness of her voice was a bit surprising. The female Chimera rose from her seat and stepped down from her little throne, walking straight toward the Black Yaut`ja in a brisk pace. The way she moved reminded Kjuhte of a very angry, regal Yaut`ja female. Yet her face was cold and passive. If serpent queens were more humanoid in shape, the Chimera would be the perfect embodiment on how they look.

When she was a foot away from him, Kjuhte realized how tall she was. Which, in all honesty, wasn't very tall. She was up to his neck in height, which might have been tall to an ooman, since he was close to eight feet. But with her Yaut`ja DNA, one might've expected her to share in their towering heights. Her tail may have taken it instead, given how it was more than twice his own height.

"Understand this," The female began. "Our deal is nothing more than a chance for blood. After all the Chimera are dead, and once my transport off this damn rock is arranged, you only have a day to leave before I sic my subordinates on you and your men. No exceptions. Otherwise, I get new soldiers to play with." She paused before smiling. "But, you know, I like you enough. Maybe I'll keep you around as a toy."

Silence stretched on between the two. Neither of them moved, simply staring each other in the eyes. But the anger brewing behind Kjuhte's was sign enough of his feelings. After roughly three minutes, the Black Yaut`ja finally spoke.

"Most times, I'd take offense to being pushed around and treated like a pup." Kjuhte took a step forward, his mandibles flaring out. "And trust me, you and your men have surely done just that. I find you manipulative, disgusting, a freak of nature, and, I swear on Cenatu's name, do not think for a second that I will willingly turn my back on you. But you provide too much of a good hunt to deny this deal, regardless of my feelings on what to bash your head against a rock."

The Chimera opened her mouth to say something, most likely an insult. But she never got the chance. Kjuhte snatched her wrist and twisted her arm, forcing her to turn her back to him. He then proceeded to kick one of her legs in, forcing her to her knees. His foot slammed into her back, causing her to smack right into the ground. All while this happened, he quickly pulled out his blade and held it to the nape of her neck. Kjuhte never let go of her wrist the entire time.

Not a minute later, the haunting sound of hisses and snarls echoed in the cavern. Both his men were on edge as the tell-tale signs of serpents crawled out from the shadows, slowly surrounding them. There was also a few Chimera in the mix, each looking different than the next. But Kjuhte paid no mind. His attention was on their leader. Strange enough, there was no anger in her expression. Only shock.

"Based on the amount of pure serpents you have present, I assume you have a Queen," Kjuhte hissed. "You also have a fair amount of Chimeras to launch your own attack on this colony you hate oh so much. Not to mention the oomans who will surely be here with their guns and other forms of racket. So tell me, Chimera, why do you really need us?"

The female beneath him looked up to him with unreadable emotions. Shortly after, her face split into a wild smile and she began to laugh. She truly was psychotic.

"This is why I like you!" The Chimera female giggled. "You never fail to amuse or surprise me. I'll admit, I thought you were going to try and kill me for a second."

The thought most definitely crossed his mind. He did have a few contingency plans ready for any type of scenario. The female gave a screech and many of the serpents surrounding them backed away. The non-serpent Chimeras failed to budge but once they saw what their peers were doing, they followed suit. Obedience was not a foreign concept to them.

"Alright, my dear hunter, I'll answer your questions. But only in private. Your men will have to leave."

"And you expect me to believe that? With all your little troops waiting for your next order?"

"I'm entitled to privacy, am I not? Besides, I recall making a deal with you, not with your men."

Kjuhte will admit, she had a point. But letting her go and going somewhere isolated put his men at risk, as well as himself. He'd have to play this carefully.

"We go outside," He announced, taking his blade away slowly. "Only one of your serpents can follow. The rest stay. My men will give us space and contact our ship. Then we will talk?"

"And how do I know you won't try to kill me?"

"Funny, that was the same question I found myself asking as I stepped into your caves."

The Chimera female gave a bitter laugh at that.

~.~

Yaut`ja hated to lose. Worse enough, they hated when they were denied death before being turned into someone's prisoner. It was a terrible fate compared to death. Though not as worse as being a test subject for some lesser race.

These were the thoughts that ran through Maruhk's mind as he sat in his cell, stripped of his weapons and armor. The Chimeras were rather thorough in making sure their prisoners would not be a threat. Strange how they knew how to take their armor off too. The clan leader awoken in time to see two Chimeras, both of Yaut'ja blood, strip Thraska down to his clothes. They knew what they were doing. And that brought concern to Maruhk.

As he sat in his small cubicle of a cell, the older hunter couldn't help but wonder what happened to the young Kilioun. Their captors haven't said anything about a fifth hunter, which was both good and bad in Maruhk's mind. Good because it meant that the young Kilioun hadn't been caught. Yet bad because the Chimeras might still be looking for him. Either way, the clan leader was hoping Dah`je was still running around. At least then, someone could report back to the clan and inform them of the situation.

Yet what came next sent those hopes crashing down.

The doors to the cell opened with a loud clang, rousing all four of the Yaut`ja's attention. Maruhk peered forward to see through the bars of his cell. There was a large group of Chimera heading forward, two of which appeared to be carrying a stretcher. Three of them were also dressed in white, similar to how ooman healers would dress. Behind them was a large abomination with a very Yaut`ja looking face, save for the threads of skin connecting its lower and upper mandibles together.

One of the designated healers ran forward to one of the empty cells, opening it up for the incoming arrival. Dread filled his stomach then. As the Chimera group came closer, Maruhk prayed that it was not the young Kilioun on the stretcher. But then he saw the long dreads that was shared between both father and son. A moment later, Maruhk saw the large bandages wrapped around Dah`je's midsection and the various medical instruments attached to him. Many emotions washed over the elder Yaut`ja at that sight. They were somber emotions.

Everyone, save the abomination, continued on to the newly open cell, carefully bringing in their injured prisoner. Maruhk heard the orders being given but they barely reached his ears. It's entire focus was on the Chimera standing right in front of his cell, refusing to even look at anything but the ground. Guilt painted the creature's face. It looked shameful almost...

"I am sorry," It spoke. Maruhk would have been surprised, if not for Drisk`a's interjection.

"Liar! You fucking kill him, abomination!" The bulky Yaut`ja roared, slamming against his cell's confinement. "I'll take your head!"

"Quiet, Jis!" The clan leader silenced. The younger Yaut`ja went silent soon after. Maruhk turned his attention to the abomination. "Why?"

"I do not under-"

"For what reason did you think attacking us would be a good idea?"

"We were defending ourselves. You attacked first."

Maruhk flared his mandibles. The abomination had a point but pride wouldn't let him admit to that. It was his men that suffered, one of which was currently in critical condition not three yards away. He'd be damned if he'd let that slide, regardless of his current status in power here.

"Yet you engaged. Ambushed us even. And here I see one of my own within Cenatu's grasp because of you and your freaks."

"WE DID NOT CHOOSE THIS LIFE!" Bellowed the abomination, stepping dangerously close to Maruhk's cell and grasping the bars with it's claws hands. Now that he had a closer look, there was a familiarity to the abomination's face. But it turned away from him, guilt settling into it's features again. It's claws dragged lightly along the metal as it turned away and walked towards the Chimera group again.

"How red hunter?" Maruhk's heard the abomination speak in ooman tongue. It still baffled him that it could speak.

"Weak. We'll have to make regular trips in order to make sure he remains stable."

The abomination gave a nod before turning away, but not before glancing at Maruhk once more. He wanted to feel sad for it but no such emotion weighed upon his heart. It was a monster and it deserved death. Nothing would change his mind about that. Nothing at all.

A/n: That moment you realize you haven't worked on a story until after you see some works pertaining to said story.

Sorry folks. I got caught up with things on this end. Job hunting, working on personal projects, dealing with the usual a-hole that exists in everyone's life. Not only that but for a while, I kinda lost the desire to work on this story. But no more! I'm going to try and work bit by bit on chapters so there's at least effort being put into them.

On a side note, I have posted a link on my profile I'd like you all to go check out. I've recently uploaded my first ever webcomic and if you're into fantasy, drama, and a batshit insane cat wanting revenge, this'll be a good read. Though seeing as how I just uploaded it, there isn't many pages... give it a look regardless :P

Pred out~