Hrrmm... It appears as though I have finally gotten a flamer amongst my many faithful reviewers... who doesn't seem to like the fact that my sweet li'l xeno can kick a Pred's butt. Normally I wouldn't mind that, if he had a little constructive criticism to offer for me, but, personally I don't like being told to "make Jarar a badass or else go f***k myself." That just doesn't sit right with me. It's my story, and I'll do whatever the hell I want with it! :I
Gah. Sorry guys. Had to get that out. Grrrr... On with the story! (P.S.) Words in bold are Yautja language! :) Oh, and since we are now on the Yautja homeworld, I would like you to know THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! I'm just making stuff up now. I did do research, but all I got was "tribal setting." I dunno about you guys, but when I think tribal, I think "village" and "leather pelts." Combine that with the meager glimpse of what I assume was the Yautja homeworld in AVP:R, and this is what I get. Sorry about the long note.
CH. 20
...up! Wake up!
I groaned. Urgh. What? I turned over, and instantly pain shot from the back of my skull all the way down my spine. Oh... Bad idea. God that hurts.
Wake up! A high pitched voice squealed in my head, which oddly enough didn't make the pain in my head any worse. Tiny paws pattered on my cheeks, little claws scraping my skin gently. Wake up!
No, I moaned. I swatted at the paws. Want sleep...
No! The voice cried. Not sleep! Wake up! I groaned again, and squeezed my eyes shut. Up! The paws were pounding now. Up, up, up!
I snarled, Okay! I sat up, throwing the tiny nuisance off me. It squeaked in alarm and I hissed as pain exploded in my head. I reached up and gingerly prodded the area of the pain, and found a lump the size of a baseball forming there. Something pounced on my chest and I looked up in surprise.
Yes! You up! Now we escape! I "stared" at the tiny creature in my lap in absolute shock. It was a serpent, like Slink, only the size of a Chiuaua. Sensing my surprise, it spoke up.
I different than others. My host small animal, so I small, too! Name Palla! I she! Palla licked my chin, and I was doubly surprised; she had a normal tounge!
I smiled in spite of myself. Gathering the tiny creature in my arms, I stood, wincing at the pain in my head. Man, I would kill for a couple Advil right now.
Nice to meet you, Palla. I'm Janine, I said. I ran my hand down her back, marvelling at the fact that she had no spines like Slink did, and that unlike Slink's, her body was shaped just like a dog's. Hence her tiny paws. She still had an elongated head, which was smooth, not ridged. I rubbed her little face with my thumb, and smiled wider when she wriggled happily in my arms.
Yes! Nice to meet you! She repeated. Now we escape!
I frowned at her. I looked around and clucked my tounge, listening to the sound that echoed off the walls. I was locked in a small cell that seemed to have been carved right into the rock surroung me. There was a door in front of me, but it was made of solid metal and had no handle, only a small port like a card slot in an ATM machine. There was no way I could get out of here. But then, how had she gotten in? I assume the Hunters wouldn't have put me in a cell with another serpent.
Palla... I said uncertainly.
Look! She sprung from my arms and bounded to the bottom right hand corner of the door. She looked back at me expectantly. Taking the hint, I knelt next to her, my curiosity piqued. Palla yelped happily and proceeded to shove her nose under the door. A second later she'd clawed her her way through and was on the other side. Where I could no longer feel her. But before I could begin to panic, however, Palla's head was poking back through though the hole, and soon the rest of her body squeezed through.
See? She trilled smugly. I dig hole to escape! I sighed in exasperation.
Palla, I can't fit theough there!
Palla made the mental equivalent of an eye-roll i my head. Duh! That's why I go get passkey for door for you! I "stared" at her again, dumbstruck.
Oh.
Palla made that same odd hissing noise that Slink did when he was laughing. She placed her little paws on my chest so she could stretch up and lick my chin.
Janine silly, she said. I couldn't help but chuckle, and scratched her lightly under her chin.
Okay then, smarty. Why don't you go get me that passkey? Palla squeaked with pleasure.
Yes! Yes, I go get passkey for big sister! Yes! She whipped around and disappeared back through the hole. I sat there, baffled.
Big sister?
~X-X~
Slink
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no! They took her! I can't believe it! They took her away and I couldn't even do anything to stop them! They would've-
I keened at the thought of what they would've done. Fury filled me, and I threw myself at the walls of my cell, shrieking and snarling.
I promised her- no, I swore that I wouldn't let that happen. I swore to protect her... and I failed. Grief replaced my rage, and I stopped attacking the walls. Instead I began to pace, lost in the angry thoughts that now dominated my mind.
He was watching me. The scientist. The one who made me what I am. The very reason all this is happening.
I'll kill him. When I get out of here- and I will- I'm going to make sure he is the first to feel my talons sinking into his flesh. Just the thought filled me with glee.
Right now he's outside, just on the other side of the break-proof glass. No doubt he was preparing a variety of tests for me. I hiss and curl up in the corner farthest away from the window. For now, I'll wait and endure. But when the time arises...
I'm going to make him pay.
~X-X~
Jarar Than 'guan R'ka
I was astonished. I can understand perfectly why the Chief Elder would take the Hard Meat, but the ooman? It made no sense. She wasn't a threat... Was she? I glanced at the Elder next to me as we walked through, trying to see what he was thinking, but his face was unreadable. Cerra walked behind us, and I could literally feel the rage bubbling off her. I tried my best to ignore the heat of her gaze and instead thought back to the previous events.
As soon as Grin'dur had nocked Janine unconcious, the Hard Meat just... gave up. It put up no fight as it was dragged away by a couple of Youngbloods, my idiot father happily leading the way. Janine was taken down to the prison cells for whatever reason. Why? I wonder.
The Elder growled, pulling me from my thoughts. We had arrived at the hut where he lived. I was surprised, but honored to be invited into the Chief Elder's living space. He walked inside, and Cerra and I followed.
Almost immediately after we stepped over the threshold, Cerra pulled out her swords and held them crossed at my throat. I squawked in alarm and the Elder turned. His amber-colored eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Cerra, then straightened and huffed, obviously pleased with her appearance. Apparently I wasn't going to get any help from him, so I looked back down at Cerra, and nearly balked. She was beyond enraged. Even more than she was when she discovered about her friend's death. Cerra was quite literally, thinking murder. Though I couldn't really blame her. I would probably be angry too if-
"What the fuck is going on?" She snarled. "Why did they take them?" I could tell she was barely a hairline away from lopping off my head. I looked at her and replied as calmly as I could.
"I told the Chief Elder-" I gestured at said Yautja. "-that your friend was allied with the Hard Meat-"
"I'm allied with him, too. Did you tell him that?" She pressed the blades to my throat, and I was forcibly reminded of how sharp they were. The Elder chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the display before him.
"I was getting to that part. I told him you are a Blooded warrior on Earth. He wishes to see that for himself, and wants to give you a chance to prove yourself to my people."
For a moment she faltered, letting her grip on her swords loosen a she attempted to process what I had just told her. Immediately I grabbed the blades and wrenched them from her hands, being careful not to slice my hands on the razor sharp metal. Chortling smugly, I tossed the weapons to the side, thinking I'd won. I was very wrong.
The next thing I knew, my legs had been swept out from underneath me and I was sprawled on my back. Before I could get up, Cerra leapt on top of me, pulling one of my daggers from it's sheath on my thigh, and pressing it to my throat, holding the blade backhand. All in one smooth movement.
I stared at her through my mask, appalled and more than a little humiliated. She glared at me, straddling my abdomen, her knees on my wrists to keep me pinned. I could've thrown her off, but I was too stunned to move.
The silence in the room suddenly shattered as the Chief Elder threw his head back and roared with laughter. Cerra glanced up at him, then back down at me. Her eyes narrowed into hazel slits before she released me, springing up and landing lightly on her feet. I growled angrily to myself and stood, brushing myself off gruffly as I tried to salvage what was left of my dignity.
I watched as the Elder, still chuckling, moved up to Cerra and take her shoulder in his hand. He shook it gently by way of showing his approval.
"Well done, young warrior, well done." Ignoring Cerra's amazed expression, he looked her over, a puzzled look crossing his face. "But where is your mark?" Cerra frowned, and glanced at me, her anger seeming to have disappeared. She opened her mouth to talk, but I interrupted.
"He means the mark that defines you as a warrior. Every Blooded warrior gets one once they have proven themselves." Understanding crossed her features. She turned to the Elder.
"Oh, my mark is a black belt that I wear in training." She paused to glare pointedly at me, her anger returning in full force. "But it's back on Earth, along with everything else important in my life." The Elder clicked his madibles disaprovingly as he looked at me.
"She needs a trial. She has already proven herself to her own clan, which you stole her from."I started to protest, but he silenced me with a raised hand. "Now, if she is to stay here, she must prove her worth to ours."
Movement in my peripheral vision, caught my attention, and I looked to see Cerra had moved and was gathering her swords from where I had thrown them. I looked back at the Elder as he continued speaking. "Your mission was to bring back the kainde amedha dead or alive. You did. However, returning with two stolen ooman females, who are both warriors in their own right, was not one of your objectives." I lifted my head at that. "Go," he growled. "Take her to the empty hut near the training pit. That is where she will be staying. Once she is settled in, we will see what she can do."
~X-X~
Cerra
As we exited the Hunter leader's hut (which I later learned was called the Chief Elder), I suppressed a shudder. The guy had skulls, and other body parts of every imaginable shape and size laying everywhere. A lot I even recognised; there were several human skulls, and a few that looked suspiciously like they once belonged to "hard meats," as the Hunters called them.
Now that we were outside, I could finally get a good look around. I had been too mad before to notice anything, but now I could see that we were in what could only be described as a city. There were buildings that looked like huge pyramids, slightly resembling the ones the Aztecs had. That's what the History channel always showed, anyway. These ones were huge, though. I mean, they were just monstrous! I'm talking put-the-Great-pyramids-of-Giza-to-shame big! They dwarfed the littler buildings that were scattered in between. Houses, most likely. I wondered vaguely what in the universe would they need pyramids like that for.
The atmosphere was weird. It had a strange, reddish-orange tint to it. It almost reminded me of dusk in the desert on Earth. (That's a pretty sight, I'll tell you what. I'd say it about ties with ocean sunsets.)
The vastness worried me. The city was like a maze. I'd never be able to find them. Not on my own anyways. Or they found me first.
"If you're finished gawking, I'll take you to your hut." Jarar said smartly. I sneered at him. That got me thinking. I still hadn't seen one of these "Yautja" guys without a mask on. I wonder what they look like? I don't know if they're anywhere near as ugly as Slink is, but from what I've seen, with their mottled brownish-tan skin and fishnet armor, I don't think they'll be winning ant beauty pagents soon.
Wothout warning, Jarar began to walk away rapidly, and I was forced to run to catch up.
We walked in silence through the streets, occasionally weaving in and out of alleyways to take a shortcut. I was slightly unnerved to see that all the homes were empty. There were many signs that civilized beings did live here; mats made from woven grass, clay pots, hanging armor and meat... and weapons. Lots of weapons. Vicious looking spears, blades and other dangerously sharp objects were strewn reather neatly inside every home we passed.
I could see clearly inside each, since there were no doors or closed windows; just big, squared-off holes for entrances and ventillation. Some had long curtains hanging over them, but most were open. I'm guessing that was a result of the stifling heat that we were walking in. I'd been sweating bullets since we arrived.
Other than all that, there wasn't a single living creature around. Nobody. No one. The place looked deserted.
"Where is everybody?" I blurted suddenly. Jarar sighed.
"At the fighting pit. Youngblood trials for the Unblooded. Everyone goes to see who are to be chosen for the next chiva." He responded gruffly. He sounded grouchy. Normal behavior, I suppose. Maybe he was hoping to go the entire trip in silence. Ha! Not while I'm around, buster.
"'Chiva?'"
"Means 'trial.'"
"Oh. I guess that's where we're headed then?" He nodded. "Right." I muttered. "Should be fun."
"First we must stop at the hut the Elder gave you. Get you 'settled in.'" He said that last part with what sounded like a sneer.
Huh. Sorry, big guy, but it looks like you're gonna be stuck with me for a while. Who knows? Maybe things'll turn out okay...
Good Lord, this is gonna be awful!
And the plot thickens! Well, I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. I feel I did much better on describing the environment. Hope you like the new characters! :D Now about those reviews...
To trexking2000: Listen bud, I don't care if you have a problem with my story. Everybody has their preferences. I happen to be a fan of Aliens, and I was kinda getting tired of them always getting blown up and crap by the Predators. Don't get me wrong, I think Predators are awesome, I just thought it was time we turn it around and give the xenos a fighting chance. And as far as Preds killing Queen Aliens, just because they have before doesn't mean they do. Killing a Queen is extremely difficult and near suicidal to even the toughest Yautja warriors. Perhaps you would know that if you did a bit of research yourself.
To Dr. Edward Richtofen: Hello, new reviewer! I was actually thinking about having Janine "use her mind controlling powers of awesomeness" (lol) to escape, but I felt that she was too scared to do that. Besides, don't you think it would be hard to mind-control all the Preds that were there? ;) I'm so happy that you like my story! That makes me happy!
To dragonrider101: Here is what happens next. Hope you enjoyed! :D
To DaLover: Yes, the Preds do know about the Queen. If I remember correctly, I think Jarar explained that to them before... I'm not sure... perhaps I forgot to put that? :C Maybe I should check on that. I just wanna be sure! *starts ripping out hair in frustration*
To AnimeDreama: Is this interesting enough for ya? ;D
To RubyDracoGirl: Aww, thank you! I'm glad to hear it!