Chapter 12
She heard the 'schwing' of the blades extending before she even saw him. Both the predators before her spun swiftly to see the other hunter enter the clearing. He moved with deadly purpose as his arm with the dual blades drew back ready to swipe at his closest target. The unarmed Yautja backed away swiftly as they glanced around for anything they could use to defend themselves with. Miria too had retreated a safe distance, and was almost overcome with excitement as her hunter and protector had waltzed onto the scene.
He now stood in the centre of the clearing, the two exiled hunters circled him cautiously, each maintaining a careful distance, waiting for him to make the first move. The plasma cannon on his shoulder whirred and clicked as the tri laser tried to focus on its first target. As the larger of the two rogues realised the weapon was aimed at him, he made a clumsy dive for the container as it projected its first blast in his direction. The creature came close to collecting Miria in its tumble for cover, and she was almost too mesmerised in watching the fight unfold to jump out of the way. But she corrected herself in time. And as she did, she took the opportunity to lunge at the scrambling creature with the spear.
The plasma cannon continued to fire behind her as the second rogue predator had tried to make its escape. But Miria had no time to worry about how her hunter was handling things as the spear tip embedded in the side of the creature fumbling before her. The first blast had obviously left him somewhat dazed, which gave Miria a momentary advantage. His loud wails assailed her ears as she reefed the weapon from its body. But to her dismay, the predator rolled as she tried to reclaim the weapon, and knocked it from her hands.
It was Mirias turn to retreat, and she almost tripped over the corpse of her previous opponent as she backed away from the wounded hunter. The other pair had dashed off into the jungle, and she now faced another Yautja on her own. She forced herself to keep her mind at task, and not let fear overcome her once more. The wounded and angry hunter before her was quickly regaining his strength as he seemingly shook away the pain. Miria knew she needed to act quickly so as he didn't regain the full of his senses again. She was already in way over her head, and she didn't need to give her opponent the advantage of time as well.
Kneeling beside the corpse she quickly pried the two bone blades from its hands. Once armed again, her eyes darted around the clearing for anything else that may be of aide. Before her eyes could seek anything else at her the wounded hunter lunged for her. Miria ducked out of his reach just in time, and swing wildly with the crude knives in her hands. Her efforts were in vain as she missed the hunter completely. Turning away, she intended to make a run for it. But the large claws at her ankles sent her sprawling across the clearing. The bone blades flew from her hands as she hit the ground hard. The wind was knocked from her chest also, and she gulped in an effort to draw in breath once again. Out of the corner of her eye the glistening of polished steal in the early morning sun caught her eye. It was the spear. Hastily she pushed herself to her feet and made a lunge for it. She skidded across the leaf litter as she bent to scoop up her weapon.
Miria stood then, and swung around to face her opponent once armed again. But he was gone. Her eyes darted wildly around the clearing and panic began to etch its way in as her mind tried to stray from focus. The pain from her wounds also began to creep in and cause for distraction. She turned full circle as she tried to find a clue as to where her attacker had retreated to.
The ground shook beneath her feet as an explosion nearby erupted through the forest. It was then her opponent took the opportunity to pounce. He emerged from within the shadows of the shipping container in a flying leap. Miria had just enough time to raise her spear before she was knocked to the ground once again. Her vision obscured with white dots momentarily, and when her eyes focused once again there was a large ugly and snarling face directly above hers. Her hands were on the creatures shoulders as she tried to keep his mandibles and razor sharp teeth from tearing at her face. It took her a moment to realize that his full weight was not upon her. As she tried to see through the spray of blood and saliva that was drenching her face she realised the predator had impaled itself on her spear.
Miria was stuck however; the spear embedded in the soft earth beside her prevented her from being able to roll from underneath the shrieking creature. Blood gurgled from his wide open mouth, and whilst the blow had not killed him outright, he would eventually bleed out. But even in his dying gasps the hunter made wild slashes at her with the bone knives that he held now. Miria did her best to dodge the blades as one scraped her cheek. Her arms seemed puny in comparison to the thick muscled ones of the Yautja hunter, and she tried with all her might to hold his lethal limbs at bay. She was not out of danger yet, and she cried out as the blades struck her a second time. Miria bought her knees up in an effort to lift the wounded beast off her body, but before she could shove him her vision was obscured again, and she felt the hot sticky substance cover her face as blood poured from the humanoid being above her.
It took a long moment for Miria to realise her opponent had finally given over to death. As she made an effort to wipe the blood from her face and scramble from underneath the body two large hands pulled her free. She was placed on her feet, and she lifted her t-shirt to clear her eyes. When her vision was once again restored she found her hunter standing before her once again. For only a moment she was pleased to see him standing there unharmed and victorious in his own battle. She glanced down at the two corpses that lay in the clearing, and saw that the hunter had finished off her second opponent as its head had been severed from body.
Miria stood dumbfounded for a moment, unable to believe she had come out of the battle alive. She had killed two of these creatures; albeit with some help on the second. Her will to survive had been stronger than she gave herself credit for, even when fear had threatened to consume her. But after taking in the scene of destruction and death her eyes fell back to the hunter who had led her here.
'You!' She spat venomously. The pieces had finally all slotted in together in her mind, and she had finally realised her purpose. 'You set it all up! You used me as bait! Didn't you?' she yelled at the hunter that stood before her, still calm in his demeanour. For a long while he only stood before her, and eventually he removed his bio helmet and crossed the short distance that remained between them. Miria did not feel afraid of him in that moment as the adrenaline still ran through her body. In fact, she felt set to explode with fury. But she realised she wasn't getting an answer from the hunter, and she didn't need one. His silence and his head cocked slightly to one side in the odd way he contemplated her spoke volumes in itself.
'What? Didn't expect me to live?' She asked angrily as the hunter continued to look her up and down. He lifted his fist, and rapped her lightly on the head with his knuckles. She had figured this gesture to be a reprimand of sorts. She huffed now and spun away from him even as he chirruped in a non-threatening manner. She bent to pick up one of the bone blades that had fallen to the ground beside her. 'Well, I have only one response for that…' she began as she strode over to the corpse of the first mahogany hunter she encountered. Grabbing a handful of its short hacked off dreadlocks she lifted its head from the ground. With rage as her strength she finished what she had started and hacked away at the creatures' neck. Dividing the spinal column with the sharp blade she severed its head from body also. Holding the head by a handful of hair she held it before her
'… Fuck you and your kind.' Miria finished before marching back into the jungle, trophy still in hand.
They had been walking for some hours, and Miria knew without looking back that the hunter followed behind her. He had made no move to redirect her or to stop her from leaving. Blinded by her earlier anger she hadn't even considered her direction when she had stormed off. Once she had paused to gain her bearings, she was happy when she realised she was heading in the direction of the cave.
She battled silently with fatigue and pain as her wounds still seeped lightly. Her pride was too strong to give in now, and the more she allowed herself to ponder on it, the more upset she felt for being played a fool. She felt completely naïve to this planet once again, and if it wasn't for the head she lugged along with her she would have almost thought the whole thing another nightmare.
But it hadn't been. She was a fool none the less, and she vowed then that she would be more cautious of this planet and everything it threw at her. She felt alone once again. This alien creature tailing behind her had used her like she was simply another piece of an elaborate puzzle. He had seen a use for her, and used her appropriately. His surprise at her survival had told her that he hadn't expected her to survive the ordeal. Miria wondered then what this would mean for her future now. What it would mean for the odd relationship they had shared previous to battle, faux though his affections may have been.
The next clearing revealed the large stone wall in which the cave entrance was hidden. Tossing the now smelling head on the ground by the caves opening, Miria began making her way down the slope towards the inviting waters of the pond below. She was in dire need of a bath.