Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.

Kaail barely caught her before she would smash her head onto the ground. She went limp in his arms, almost like dead weight. He scrambled his hands around her body, assessing the wound the creature left behind. It was worse than he expected, already pussing out more clear liquid. Panic started to settle it as he tried to shake her awake.

"A'stea! Answer me! Please wake up!"

He waited but still no answer, only a struggling moan through her lips. Her eyes tried to open but they couldn't. Her body was heating up like an oven, worse than his own. This isn't good! This isn't good!

"A'stea. You need to wake up. I . . . don't know what to do." He wasn't a medic or at least not in this field. Broken bones and dislocation were his thing and easy to fix. This was beyond his capacity but he knew she had a limited time before the worst is yet to come.

But then, her body began to tremble but her eyes were still closed. Kaail thought she was waking up but he got something worse. The next thing he knew, her limbs began to thrash uncontrollably. Her head bobbed back and forth against him, almost like she was trying to injury herself. What is she doing!? He stiffened his arms like a vice around her but it did little to help. Only when he saw her mouth spewing bubbles of saliva that he realized she was seizing. Whatever the poison was doing, it was already working its way through her body.

Kaail was about to let her go until she went limp again . . . a little too much. He noticed her chest wasn't moving as it should. Her breath was coming in and out like a hiss, barely any air passing through. He pressed his fingers on her chest and realized her heart was hardly beating.

Pauk! Pauk! Pauk! What do I do!?

He started to look around frantically. He could call for help but what good would that do? There's a chance that a patrol could be nearby and they would do little to help. He had the communicator but he didn't know how much time A'stea had left. She needed to get medical attention but he couldn't exactly take her to the facility.

There was only one thing to do. He had to get her to the hideout. It's her only chance.

Kaail picked her up and ran as fast as he could, fueled by panic. His lungs and heart worked double-time to get her help. Somehow, he managed to get through the jungle without getting lost and found the entrance to the hideout. He didn't bother with the pain from scraping his skin on the rocks, only making sure A'stea was protected. Everything around him was a blur as he finally made it to the cavern. All eyes were on him when he began to call for help, shocked by what they saw.

"Fi'ka! Fi'ka! Where are you!?"

"Kaail?"

Fi'ka comes out from the crowd, rushing towards them upon seeing A'stea. Her skin was starting to look pale and her breathing was getting worse. "What happened?"

Kaail shook his head. His mind was in too much chaos to give a clear answer. Fi'ka pressed her hand to A'stea's forehead, flinching when it felt like touching fire. "Follow me! We need to get to S'aha!"

Without wasting another minute, they made it to the healer tents and almost shoved a few Hish on the way, making it to the end where they saw S'aha taking care of a patient. They didn't need to call for her attention. One look to the side and she was right there with them, noticing A'stea's condition.

"S'aha!" Fi'ka called. "We need your help! Something's wrong with A'stea!"

"Let me see her."

S'aha took a look at A'stea, sighing and clicking her mandibles in frustration. Whatever the female was noting, Kaail felt it wasn't good at all. She took another look around her body before turning around. "Follow me."

They went into the back area of the tent where a fresh bed was waiting. "Put her down here. I'll take a look at her."

Carefully, Kaail placed A'stea on the bed and stepped aside, watching with worried eyes as S'aha began to strip her of some clothing, trying to find more information. She found it when she saw the wound on her hip. A hiss came out of S'aha's throat. "She's been poisoned."

"What?" Fi'ka spoke.

Kaail had to hold on his own. The wound was much worse than he saw it last, already turning purple around the edge and spreading into a red color. A pool of sweat was already soaking the bed. She was declining rapidly and only able to sound moans.

"How did this happen, Kaail?" S'aha asked. The look she gave him was like someone scolding him but also another that is trying to gather information. That part is what scared him. They'll probably kill me after this . . . but there's no going around this.

He sighed. "We were hunting and a Sy'ith attacked me. A'stea warned me . . ." He swallowed. "And I didn't listen. The next thing we knew, she took the hit to protect me."

As soon as he looked up, Fi'ka and S'aha had a shocked and yet angry expression mixed. That made him feel worse . . . and he felt it was their right. It was his fault that A'stea was now hanging on the edge of death, suffering from his mistake. He lowered her head in submission, waiting for the insults to come.

S'aha sighed. "Well . . . at least you told the truth. And A'stea knew the consequences of hunting every time. But now that we know what's causing her illness, we need to treat her."

She moved over to the small table and scrambled, looking for something. And then, she pulls out a syringe filled with a light bluish liquid and attaches the needle on the end.

"What is that?" Fi'ka asked, looking back and forth to check on A'stea.

"It's something to slow the poison down."

S'aha searched for a vein in A'stea's arm and injected the needle in, slowly pushing the liquid into her body. Immediately, it had a dramatic effect. A'stea's breathing became slower and steady while her body slumped into relaxation. She still moaned but the redness from the wound was dulling. Kaail could see she was becoming better but she wasn't out of the woods yet.

"There." S'aha wiped a bead of sweat from A'stea's forehead. "This will buy some time to find an antidote."

"But don't you have one available?"

Kaail and Fi'ka glanced to S'aha for an answer but all they got was a grunt and clicking of frustration. "That only works with Hish. She's an ooman and we don't know if it will help or kill her. I can't risk that. Without any information on her biology, I can't do anything else for her."

"But you have to do something!" Fi'ka slammed her fists into a table nearby. "We can't let her die like this!"

S'aha lowered her head and covered her eyes. "If only we had access to her medical files. There might be something since her master made sure to keep her alive."

"Oh, sure! Let's ask him about how to cure her. The Amengi won't give two c'jits in saving her after all the trouble she caused! Where can we find someone who will give it to us willingly?!"

Right then and there, Kaail's mind went into gear. Someone with access to medical files? There might be one that would help but he didn't know if the others would like it. But Kaail had to do something. He put her into this situation and he had to claim responsibility. It's worth a try.

"I know someone who might help."

Everyone turned to him rather confused and somewhat shocked. It stunned him a little but Kaail pressed forward.

"You?" Fi'ka asked. "You put her into this mess."

She didn't sound angry but wasn't too happy with him. Kaail lowered his eyes once more as he listened carefully to Fi'ka. "What makes you think there's someone who can help her?"

"Just . . ." He paused, making eye contact with Fi'ka. His voice quivered "I can't let her die."

Fi'ka could see the despair in his eyes, noticing how the red color dulled in an instant. There was no underlying motive or lies she could detect. It was pure truth and need to take responsibility. If it was going to save her friend's life, who was they to deny it? They had no choice in the matter anyway.

She sighed, turning to S'aha. "Is that fine with you?"

S'aha nodded, staring at Kaail with hopeful eyes for once. "Anything will be helpful."

With a nod, Kaail stepped out of the healing tent with much reluctance. He didn't want to leave A'stea's side but he had to. He figured he was going to get a few stares and heard whispers as he got far enough out of earshot of everyone. He looked around once more before taking out the communicator.

He used it a couple of times with A'stea. With a few clicks on it, he heard it make a few beeping noises until a voice began to crackle through.

"Who's this?"

Kaail sighed. "Bu'at? Is this you?"

There was a pause. "Kaail? What's going on? You usually don't call me like this."

"I'm sorry to bother you. But are you free for a while?"

Bu'at hummed. "I think so. I finished my duties today. What is it that you need?"

Kaail sighed in determination. "I have a favor to ask."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An hour had passed since Kaail made the call but it felt like eons. He paced back and forth as S'aha and Fi'ka monitored A'stea's progress, having put a few machines to check her heartbeat and pressure. He was surprised that they had the technology but he didn't ask or complain. He wasn't in the position to do either.

He tried to think of other things as he waited but his attention always went to A'stea. So far, she hadn't awakened or gotten any better. The wound on her hip was still bad and began to give off a putrid smell. S'aha explained that it was her flesh that was rotting away and that's how the Sy'ith's poison worked. If she was a Hish, she would already be dead. Being an ooman might have spared her life for now.

But how long can it last? Kaail bit his mandible and turned away in shame. He might as well have poisoned her himself. Her haunting words of being a beast still linger, stinging his heart like a bee.

If she dies . . . He couldn't finish that thought.

It was quiet until they heard a big commotion outside. Roars and growls of great proportion echoed in the tent and even the cavern itself, sounding more like a giant beast had come in and stirred the place.

"What the pauk is going on?" Fi'ka commented.

Kaail sighed. "I'll go check it out."

With that, he walked out of the tent to see a giant crowd of Hish servants in front of him, looking away. The pups cowered behind their mothers while male warriors tapped their fingers on their weapons. The tension was high in the air and it wasn't going to be long before someone was going to pull the trigger. The Hish were writhing in anger.

"Move out of the way."

Kaail pushed through anyway, shoving lightly to get a clear path into the center of the action. It wasn't long before he got there, first seeing Bu'at who was trying to keep the crowd away.

"Bu'at!' He roared.

His friend got a sight of him and called for him. Kaail got to his side and roared a warning. The crowds went silent and a glare from him was enough to push them away. Despite being Hish warriors around, the instinct to obey was still etched in them. He didn't like it but it was enough for now.

"Kaail." He nodded with an uncertain smile. "Guess we should have known this would happen."

"I know . . . but it had to be done. Did you bring him?"

"Of course. He's shaken but came anyway. I had to threaten a few of my fellow Hish to get him in."

Bu'at moved to the side, revealing a familiar face . . . D'alg.

Kaail could see that he was frightened despite being an Amengi. He saw him hold on tightly to a small leather bag he was carrying but his big yellow eyes kept looking around, only catching him in his sights for a moment.

"I'm glad you came." Kaail pressed a hand on his bony shoulder. "Sorry to have to call you like this but you were the only one I can rely on."

D'alg trembled but nodded. "It's fine. When I heard your message, I was somewhat surprised. But I had a feeling you were involved in all of this."

Kaail smiled. "I know. But I need your help."

"What is this!?"

A loud voice shook the area, silencing everything else. The crowd became quiet as everyone moved out of the way, revealing the same male Kaail didn't like. Nu'kha. The male stepped forward, fists extended. He glared at Kaail before turning to D'alg behind them. He hissed in fury when they made eye contact. As if in opposite roles, D'alg cowered.

"I knew it. We should have never trusted you." Nu'kha pointed at Kaail. "First, I heard that A'stea was poisoned because of you. And now you brought our enemy into our midst!"

Nu'kha growled, stepping closer to them while he sharpened his claws. D'alg and Bu'at stepped back but Kaail remained where he was, keeping his ground against this male's aggression. He kept eyes on Nu'kha's every movement as he drew closer.

"You're going to pay for what you've done to her."

Kaail tilted his head, noticing that slight change in him. Nu'kha was pissed but out of what happened to A'stea So they were together . . . He watched as Nu'kha came at him, claws ready to rip him apart.

"Enough!"

Nu'kha barely was a few steps away when he stopped, turning around to see S'aha coming out of the tent. Everyone stood still, waiting to see what would happen. Kaail watched as S'aha stared at Nu'kha like he was some piece of trash. "There's no point in a fight, Nu'kha."

"But after what he's done . . . He brought an Amengi here no less. What makes you think he won't tell us where our hideout is? And it's his fault that he brought him here." He points to Kaail, eliciting a growl from him.

"He won't."

Nu'kha pulled his head back, stunned. Kaail was the same along with everyone else. S'aha sighed and walked past Nu'kha to where Kaail was. She stopped and stared at him for a moment. "The Amengi won't tell on us."

"How can you be sure?" Nu'kha asked, raising his hands.

"Because he was once my master . . . and the one who freed me."

Kaail was puzzled. He looked to her and then back to D'alg. Do they know each other? S'aha stepped closer and smiled. "It's good to see you again, D'alg."

D'alg clicked his tusks, bowing his head with a smile. "It's been a long time, S'aha."

She clicked her mandibles and then motioned her head to follow. "Come with me."

With that, S'aha led their small group through the crowd and towards the tent. When she almost passed Nu'kha, he growled a warning. Kaail wasn't sure if she was of higher rank than the male but it's universal to every male not to piss off an angry female. He had seen many times with others during mating when the masters started to breed their kind. It's one of the reasons why the female is chained down during that process.

Nu'kha lowered his head and stepped to the side, allowing them to pass but not before giving one last glare at Kaail. There was silence but the intent was clear on each side. For now, Kaail focused on getting A'stea cured and he hoped that this risk will be worth it.

Hi everyone!

Geez . . . This has been a difficult chapter for Kaail and everyone else involved. A'stea is dying . . . Nu'kha tries to make a big scene and all . . . and now, he brought D'alg into the fold. Some might think this is a mistake but somehow, he and S'aha knew each other once. Their relationship is interesting but might be the key to saving A'stea's life.

I feel terrible for Kaail. He's hurting a lot and blames himself for this situation he created. Many of us have been in the same thing and it never fully goes away, always having that doubt.

For now, will they be able to save A'stea? And what will everyone else think about an Amengi in their midst?

Find out when Chapter 44 comes tomorrow!

Thank you for the reviews (Anonymous-E, Mariah, and IanAlphaAxel)! They are very important for me and I hope I see more readers posting as well. All opinions are welcomed. I hope you keep on reading! ;)

And thank you for your support. :)

Happy Hunting! :))))