Chapter 5: Link

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

After reaching back to the ship from a run, I was thankful that Xen'ork didn't arrive yet. It gave me more time to figure out how to explain everything to him. The ship was still cloaked, and I was about to make up my mind on whether to go and train a little or meditate while I still had the time before everything breaks loose. After standing in front of the ship for quite some time, I just decided to find a place to ease my mind after the encounter with the female.

I walked into the bushes and passed some trees to find a suitable spot when I heard the rush of water coming from somewhere further in front of me. My curiosity got the better of me, and I strolled down the soft side of a hill, carefully placing my steps since it was a bit slippery, but with careful precision, I made it to the bottom. As soon as I was cleared, the sound of rushing water was getting closer, so I knew I was on track. After weaving through thick bushes and under branches, I finally broke free of the forest and found a sight that I thought would have never existed.

Before me, a vast lake stood in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by the forest with the side of the mountain behind. Looking around, the source of the sound I heard earlier was from a small waterfall that the water poured from and into the lake. A river stretched far into the woods, going so now that I couldn't know where it would end. Nothing exists like thin on Yautja Prime, especially in the jungle part so I couldn't help but stare around me for a bit, enjoying the view in some way.

When I had enough sightseeing, I walked over to the edge where the lake meets the solid ground and moved to sit in front of it with my legs crossed. Checking around myself to see that no one was watching, I unhooked my mask with ease, pulling it off my face as the cold air glides across the bare skin of my face. I placed my mask down beside me and opened my mandibles and inner mouth to take in the fresh air around me. Typically, it wouldn't be a good idea since the ooman planet's atmosphere didn't suit our needs but feeling the effects if it was prolonged and allowed any Yautja to have their masks off for a least a week. Still, not many would want to do that, so they just keep it on unless it was necessary.

In this case, the mask was becoming a little stuffy so for my sake, I just allowed myself to take in the air around me for just a moment. All I could hear was some of the living creatures that roamed around the lake as I put my hands on my thighs and closed my eyes, trying to focus on the silence. However, as soon as I did, my thoughts go back in the past as I recall a time with my son Ba'kou when he was just ten seasons old.

[Flashback]

"Father!"

I was just kneeling on the ground of the jungle on Yautja Prime, studying a small footprint of the prey I was hunting when Ba'kou called for me. I turned back around and growled low a bit, letting him know this wasn't the time.

"Quiet, Ba'kou. You must remain silent."

He gets my warning very clear as I watched him crawl low on the ground quietly until he got to my side, inspecting what I was doing in front of me. I glanced to see him while his curious eyes tried to make sense of my work. Despite being ten seasons old, he still retained the look of an ignorant pup. The ends of his dreadlocks barely touch his shoulders while his spots all over his forehead were still forming. He has the wild pattern of his mother that made him look dangerous even though he was quite small. However, my mate Ni'geriaand I were proud of him. He showed great promise as he learned very fast in his training. In fact, he could easily take down a Gor'dora, a serpent that lives within the jungle that can take down an inexperienced Unblooded within a few minutes. It was an unexpected attack, but on Ba'kou's first hunt ever, he took it out with just a simple knife. Some would say it was beginner's luck, but I knew otherwise.

Today . . . We were hunting something bigger . . . a Karin'gar, a giant cat with six legs and two enormous fangs that can rip anything to shreds. I wanted to get Ba'kou more experience before it was time for his Chiva (First Hunt), a ritual that is the coming of age for all hunters in which they must kill the kainde amedha . . . Our greatest prey.

But Ba'kou wasn't making things easy. Even though he was a skilled hunter physically, he was still acting like a young pup mentally, and I needed to get him out of that. And the best way that I have learned from my father is hunting more dangerous prey. It's a risk, but it will prepare him for the uncertain future.

I looked straight into Ba'kou's eyes, making sure that I had his undivided attention.

"Now, look here. This is what we are tracking and what you will hunt. Do you know what this belongs to?"

I pointed down at the footprint, and Ba'kou looks down as well. His eyes were full of thought but uncertainty. I waited patiently until his eyes widened in an epiphany as he called out to me.

"A Karin'gar!"

"I said quiet."

Despite getting the answer right, I reprimanded him for talking too loud again. There was his immaturity coming on right then and there. I growled a little before gripping his small shoulder in my hand.

"You need to remain silent. If you roar too loud, then what will happen?"

He took on a glance at my serious face and lowered his gaze in shame, trying to talk only loud enough for just me to hear.

"Then the prey will scatter before we have a chance to hunt."

I nodded. "Exactly. You need to remember that at all times on any hunt. No matter what . . . Do you understand?"

He didn't look back, but I could feel that he understood as he quietly answers.

"Yes, Father."

When that was done, I looked back to the footprint and then followed the next one . . . and then the next. Eventually, I could see that the prey had gone to the watering hole as I've read the terrain multiple times before. Ba'kou has done the same as well, but since I worried that the prey might have heard us, we had to move quickly. I wanted to make sure that Ba'kou gets the experience as much as possible. I got on my feet but kept in a crouch position in the bushes, glancing at my son as he matched my position as well.

I pulled out my knife from the side and watched as Ba'kou got his that was a smaller version of my own. When I made sure that he was gripping it well, I nodded in approval.

"Are you ready?"

He nods firmly to me.

"I'm ready."

And with that, I took the league and Ba'kou followed suit as we tracked down our target that I will make sure that it becomes Ba'kou's prey.

[Few hours later]

In the end, Ba'kou has successfully taken down the Karin'gar that was right at the watering hole as expected, but I didn't anticipate the creature coming for me instead of Ba'kou. They prefer weaker opponents, so I prepared to kill it if it went to that. However, Ba'kou got there first, jumping on it with such prowess and killing it effectively without much effort. I was never more proud of him than that moment. We decided to eat its meat as a reward for my son's successful hunt, but I also showed him how to remove the skull and prepare it as a trophy. It took him a bit of time, but Ba'kou got it eventually, creating a beautiful skull that shined with the twin suns.

As he was finishing a piece of meat while tearing it some with the tusks of his mandibles, I stopped in the middle of my meal and spoke to him.

"You did well, Ba'kou."

He looks back up to me, but it was more of a curious look rather than the proud one I was expecting first.

"But?"

I huffed and closed my eyes, rubbing my head and telling myself that he already knew what was coming. Oh well . . . I removed my hand and opened my eyes to stare straight into his.

"But you need to keep your head in the hunt. Your mind is always wandering somewhere else."

"I know . . . but I can't help it."

His gaze lowers down to the ground as he abandons the rest of the meat he was eating earlier. I didn't like that I had to give these 'talks' over and over again. But I had to make a point with him because, in the future, it might make the difference between life and death.

"Then, work on it. If you don't pay attention to your surroundings, then another prey or hunter will use that to their advantage. If you're not careful, then it might end with your death."

I paused for a moment, hoping that Ba'kou might get it this time, but the same expression of disappointment was written all over his face. I sighed heavily, rubbing my forehead for a moment before putting my hand on his head. His eyes shot up to me, and I purred in response, just wanting him to learn this vital lesson.

"I just want to make sure you're prepared. Not just for you Chiva (First Hunt) but for your new role you will be taking. Soon, you will be an older brother, and he or she will rely on you as a teacher along with me. It's a huge responsibility, but I know that with time, you will become a great warrior and hunter."

"Really?"

His eyes open slightly in shock and awe, amazed by the words that came up my mouth. In response, I spread my mandibles a bit and smiled genuinely.

"Really."

Ba'kou smiles as well, scooting closer to the side of my body to feel the heat on my skin. I leaned my large body towards him but just enough to press into his small one. I wrapped one arm over his shoulders and looked up into the sky as I wondered about the unknown future.

[End of Flashback]

But then, my vision goes dark, and I tightly close my eyes in pain as I began to hear the roars and death cries of many Yautja around me. And then, the voice of Ba'kou called out once more.

"I can do this, Father! We can't let them escape!"

I can feel my head throbbing even harder as I felt my claws dig into it. I clenched my inner jaws and let my mandibles tuck into my face even closer as I saw flashes of that day when Ba'kou was lost to me. The cries and roars of Yautja along with Ba'kou's kept repeating faster and faster . . . And faster. I was confident that I would lose my mind until all of a sudden, it stops on a dime.

I didn't move for a while, refusing to think that it was all done until a small, gentle voice calls to me.

I had no idea of what it was saying, but it was somewhat familiar as I got the courage to open my eyes slowly. When I did, my body froze at the sight of the ooman female from before as she stood in the middle of the darkness. I let my arms drop to my head as I watched her from afar. Her blue eyes still glowed, even in this place I called Hell. She just stood there with no emotion on her face as I tried to move closer to her. However, my body refused to proceed as I looked back at her, watching her lips stretch until a smile was made. My heart stopped for an instant, and my breath hitched from such a sight as a warm feeling began to fill my chest.

But just like before, my vision goes dark, and my eyes finally open wide. I was back in the present with the lake in front of me. I took a moment to look into the wilderness until I noticed my chest was hurting painfully along with my breathing being intensely labored. I closed my eyes and focused on calming myself down, which took a little longer than usual but eventually, the pain in my chest went away.

I opened my eyes once more, growling in frustration as my goal was to meditate and relax, but instead, I had to go to memory lane once again. But this time, the ooman female was in my mind and was worried about what it meant. However, when I saw her, all of my nightmares stopped in an instant, and a warm feeling grew inside me. It only got me hooked on the female more, and it made my resolve to see her even stronger.

I got up on my feet, grabbing my mask and placing it back on before I heard my gauntlet beeping, telling me I had an incoming message. I grunted and pressed on it, activating the COM system and heard Xen'ork's voice call out in worry.

"My lord. Where are you? I was beginning to wonder that something happened to you."

I groaned and rubbed my face a little, thinking to myself how long I've been here for.

"I was meditating but got carried away. Are you back at the ship?"

"Yes. I saved some meat for you since I was getting hungry and ate a portion of mine."

I sighed. "Alright. I'll be right there."

I turned off my gauntlet and began my journey up the hill and back to the ship, looking back at the lake one last time until I rushed into the forest.

. . . . . . . . . .

When I got back, it was evident that Xen'ork did eat since there were bones everywhere by his feet. He was sloppy when it comes to eating, and I had to look away in disgust as I took my piece of meat and devoured it. I wanted to find the female as soon as possible, but I had to get a few things along with explaining it to Xen'ork. I waited a bit, studying his mood a bit before letting it all out.

"Xen'ork."

"Yes?"

He looks back to me with curiosity, but I couldn't do the same. I still couldn't find the right words to say, but I shouldn't be like this. I was the head of this mission, and here I was . . . Acting like a pup asking their parent for something that can be easily denied. Thinking as such, I stood up from where I was eating and puffed out my chest in authority.

"I need you to watch the ship again for a bit while I'm gone."

That got him more interested as he stood up quickly and looked into my eyes. His yellow ones widened a bit from either surprise or delight. I wasn't too sure but either way, his looks were telling me that he wanted to know badly. I swear that he was acting more of a pup every time something exciting to him comes up. I was going to say it first, but as I was opening my mouth, he beat me to the punch.

"Is it because of that ooman female from before?"

That stopped me dead in my tracks, and my mandibles and inner mouth were left hanging in shock. I had to admit that Xen'ork was more observant than I thought if he saw some sort of connection between the female and me but now . . . Xen'ork knows, and my whole plan to tell him went up in flames. To make matters worse, my voice . . . Out of nowhere . . . Decided to say something on instinct.

"How did you know?"

All he gave me was a shrug of his shoulders, and then his signature smirk came upon his face, making me want to gag once more from just looking at it.

"I may not be as experienced as you, but I'm not blind. You saw something in that ooman . . . Didn't you? That's why you didn't kill her when you had the chance."

I leered right at him when his smirk grew more significant to the point that I didn't think he could stretch that far. A part of me wanted to beat him up into a pulp, but the other part knew that hiding it wasn't going to be an option. Silently admitting defeat, I slumped my shoulders a little and relaxed my eyes slightly. This causes Xen'ork to look back in confusion at my reaction. I wished I had an answer to what happened that night, but I was still trying to figure it out.

"I don't know . . . But I want to find out somehow. I can't just wait for it. It's eating me from the inside."

The despair in my voice started to seep out, and Xen'ork pauses for a moment as I watched him shuffle his feet around. Usually, this kind of behavior in Yautja means that they feel quite uncomfortable or something else. I can only guess that he didn't count me to react this way. For a moment, both of us stared into each other, not really knowing what to say until Xen'ork breaks it.

"So . . . what are you going to do?"

I blinked a few times to get myself going. My mind was still a wreck, but my body already knew that answer to that. Without pause, I said it out loud bluntly.

"I'm going to find her. I just need one thing and a plan to get her alone."

Xen'ork pauses, looking at me with a puzzled look. "What 'thing' do you need?"

"A translator. I can only assume that she doesn't know our language and vise versa with me. So I want to take one just in case."

Xen'ork nods in agreement. Although I had my mask that can translate the ooman language with the help of the built-in translator from the gauntlet, which is only made by my clan, she has no way to talk back to me, so a hand-held translator is the best option to break through the barrier language. I just hoped that Xen'ork had on in the ship somewhere before we took off. I glanced at him for a moment, but when he didn't get my message, I groaned and asked.

"Do you have one in the ship?"

His body snaps into action, finally getting the message as he nods, walking up the ramp and into the ship. After he disappeared, I just faced into the forest, crossing my arms as I waited for what seemed too long for me. But only when I was about to turn and go get him, Xen'ork comes out with a small translator in his hand. It was short and attached to a band that was supposed to connect on the wrist. He stopped just in front of me and glanced down at it before coming back to me.

"Found one but it might be too big for your ooman. You'll need to adjust it when you get to her."

"That's fine."

Without hesitation, I reached out and grabbed it from his hand, placing it into the small pocket on my belt before turning around towards the forest. I unhooked my mask from my belt and set in on, securing it while Xen'ork called to me.

"Are you sure about this?"

I stopped in my tracks, staying as still as possible for a bit before just twisting my head around to get a side view of him. All I could see was his face full of concern but also intrigue. I had some idea that he was worried I would get found on by oomans or that my father would hear about it. However, it also might be that he found someone else who was just as interested in oomans for once, but I never would admit that to his face. I grunted as I turned back around, racing through until I activated my wrist gauntlet, disappearing from sight.

. . . . . . . . .

After some time running and jumping through trees, I made it back to the same area with the building just in front of me. Leaning on a branch, I watched the activity of the oomans guarding as they shifted and begun to open their mouths in some kind of roar, but instead of loud noise, it was a soft moan or something. It wasn't till I saw their eyes drooping that I realized they were tired. It made sense since the sun was almost gone and nighttime would take over.

I waited patiently for some time, getting a little annoyed but kept my eyes on the entrance, waiting for the ooman female to come out but after some time, I was starting to doubt. I was just about to call it off when the door to the building opened suddenly. My head perks up as I changed the settings on my mask to look a little closer at the being that was coming out. Sure enough, it was the female . . .

She walks through until the door closes behind her as she greets the armed oomans, talking a little bit. One of them comes to her and asks.

"Are you sure that you don't need an escort back home?"

She pauses a moment, looking around herself with uncertainty written on her face until like before, she stops just as she caught sight of me. That same warm feeling grows immediately, and I had to fight to keep it down inside me, but it was painful. She turns away and looks back at the armed ooman.

"No. I'm fine for now. My husband is working later than me, so he let me go home. I can take care of myself."

Both of the armed oomans looked at each other with concern until the female smiles and nodded her head down slowly. Eventually, they sighed and parted from her path, allowing her to walk past them as she waves back to them cheerfully. As she walks through the open area, I kept my eyes on her until she goes into the pathway covered on each side by trees.

Losing sight of her, I leaped from one branch to another until I caught her in my view once more. We were a few miles away from the building and out of sight from the other oomans when she stops dead in her tracks. I tilted my head in confusion at what she was doing until she looks back in my direction.

I swear . . . I have no idea how she's able to find me when I have my invisible cloak on. I've never met an ooman who can do that so quick. But now . . . I had her somewhat attention as she calls out in my direction.

"Hello?"

It was a subtle call but enough that I got the message. I wasn't sure if she was calling to make herself harmless so I wouldn't attack her. I had no plans for that anyway so she was safe. However, she calls again and so I had to make the decision if I should show myself to her. It was not like a Yautja to reveal themselves to prey unless they were a worthy opponent, but this wasn't the case. A part of me roared in defiance, but the will to talk to her was much stronger. So with that, I stood up and allowed my body to fall to the ground below with a loud thud, landing a few feet in front of her.

The female is startled for a moment by the sound but composes herself quickly, making me impressed. I waited for a moment until I moved my fingers to my gauntlet to deactivate the cloaking device. I hesitated for a moment as my fingers hovered over the gauntlet, unsure for an instant before I just pauking (fucking) did it. When that was done, my cloak was gone as my whole form was revealed to her as I looked back at the female.

She gasped a bit, stepping back a bit in fear that made me regret doing it for a moment. However, her blue eyes began to change from fear into curiosity. I stood as still as a stone until she calls out one more time.

"Hi."

Her voice was stronger this time, indicating that she was becoming more confident. I took a step forward, and she backed up a bit. I stopped again and decided to stay where I was. Since that only made her more scared, I decided to call back to her.

"Hello."

But that didn't quite work as I expected. She squints her eyes a bit out of confusion, shaking her head afterward from trying to understand me. I was starting to get a little impatient with myself, so I decided to just go for it.

I moved to grab the translator from my pocket, holding out as I moved fast towards the female. Her eyes widened in fear as I can after her. I could see that she wanted to run away, but her feet wouldn't allow her to move. As soon as I was just in front of her, I grabbed her small arm but might have done it a little too rough as I heard her wince a little. Upon hearing her, I loosened my grip as not to hurt her more. With quick precision, I put the translator on her wrist and adjusted the band so that it was just tight enough. Although I could feel her body shaking, she remained as still as possible. I glanced at her a few times and saw that she was just watching me intently. It made that warm feeling come on again.

When I checked that it was okay, I pulled away quickly in fear that I might scare her off afterward. She looked at me for a moment before gazing down at the translator, turning her wrist back and forth to look at it. She stares back at me with curiosity in those sparkling blue eyes.

"What is this?"

"It's a translator."

When I spoke, she jumped a little in shock. Her blue eyes widened so much that I thought they would pop out of her skull. She relaxes a bit until she gapes her mouth open and closes for a moment until she speaks.

"How can . . . I . . . understand you?"

When I knew she heard me, I cleared my throat and explained it to her as calmly as possible as not to startle her.

"It's to help you talk to me since you don't know how to speak my language."

She blinks a couple of times, and her body relaxes a bit. She looks back at the translator once more and turns to look at me. Again, her beautiful, blue eyes caught me off guard, and that warm feeling grew more intensely, causing a sense of tinglings to crawl over the skin of my arms.

"Okay . . . But why are you doing this? You tried to kill me . . ."

I stopped dead in my tracks when she said that last bit. She wasn't wrong about that I tried to do so on that fateful night, but I stopped because of something in her. I wasn't sure how to tell her that so she wouldn't think I was trying to catch her off guard, but I had minimal experience with oomans from my hunts . . . Not in conversation with a female no less.

I dropped my gaze to the ground, trying to think of anything to say that might not offend her in any way. When my mind couldn't even come up with anything, I sighed heavily and lifted my head back to her, watching her a bit as she sways back and forth for no apparent reason.

"I . . . don't know."

That is all I could say to her. I barely met her and even revealed myself, things that a Yautja should never do in a hunt with prey. Especially with one that is involved in your mission given by a Clan Leader. But it was only a coverup for my real reason to see her. She had something, and all I knew was that I needed to understand her and maybe . . . I might be able to be freed from this.

But then, I heard a voice calling from far away, but I knew that it was another ooman since it sounded familiar. I had to get out of there so that they wouldn't know I was here, so I turned quickly around to get back into the trees.

"Wait!"

Her small, innocent voice rings in my ears and reverberates into my chest, shaking my heart a bit while my body froze in an instant. Now, I was affected by her voice now, and I had to keep myself together at that moment.

"Do you have to go?"

Her voice calls out once more, and my heart begins to beat harder. Although I wanted to stay a little longer and knew about her more, I had to go back as the voice was getting closer. I glanced back into her blue eyes and spoke.

"Yes . . . I must."

My voice quivered a bit, and it wasn't like me to do something like that. I closed my eyes and leaned down my head so that she couldn't see my face since I felt so embarrassed. I am one of the most excellent hunters in my clan and yet here I was . . . Acting like a fool in front of a single, ooman female. Everyone back at Yautja Prime would laugh at me for this. I rubbed my head a little as a headache was coming on, trying to ease the pain it was bringing. But then, that same, soft voice of the female calls out to me, and I lifted my head fast upon hearing it.

"Can we meet again?"

That was like music in my ears. The female wanted to see me again, and my plan to get to know her was back on track in a way. My mind and heart were in a frenzy, working hard to find an answer to that question, especially with a location that we can meet without being interrupted.

But then, I remembered the lake that I found earlier. It was very secluded and peaceful . . . Perfect for our next meeting so without hesitation, I spoke to her.

"Yes but not here. There's a lake not too far from here that we can meet. Tomorrow if possible."

I stayed there patiently, waiting for her answer as she closed her eyes. I noticed that she started to fidget with her fingers, a nervous twitch that I've seen all too well in Unbloods when asking their teacher a silly question. I was hoping that she wasn't thinking about taking back her words about meeting again, but my worries were dashed when she answered.

"I can meet tomorrow, and I know where the lake is."

My eyes perked up behind my mask, nodding to her and my heart raced when she smiled again. It was warm and friendly and not something I was used to seeing.

"Good. I need to go and keep that translator hidden from others. Don't tell anyone about it."

I turned around quickly in the direction back to the ship when the beeping noise rang again. I grunted in annoyance, and I was starting to get angry with the constant calling. I shook my head a bit as I silenced the beeping noise by pressing one button on my gauntlet. I bent my knees low and was about to leap into the trees when the female stops me.

"Wait! What about your name?"

I stood up immediately as she asked me for my name. I didn't turn around to face her, trying to think about the consequences if I did tell. Again, I didn't know her well, but something inside me protested it in telling her. I took a massive breath in and turned fully around to her, looking deep into her eyes.

"My name?"

She nods. "You must have a name right. It's customary to introduce each other when two people first meet."

I rolled my eyes a bit, glad she couldn't see it through my mask. I could never understand ooman etiquette. Yautjas don't usually tell their names to prey, but I've already broken several rules in hunting so another one won't make a difference. Plus, I wanted her to feel more comfortable around me, but I had to think for a bit. Many Yautja called me 'my lord' or my nickname 'Blood Assassin' when they wanted to mock me. Not many knew my real name except for my father and some others. She was an ooman, but she didn't know my history and wouldn't understand, so I decided to tell her my real name, hoping to get hers as well.

With one huge breath to get my body to relax, I gazed deeply into her blue eyes and opened my inner mouth to say it.

"My name is Daugouand . . . but you can call me Daugo."

When she heard my name, she thought for a moment and then she slowly smiles at me as her blue eyes glowed like stars in the dark. I couldn't help but not look away. I was hooked on her and had no way of breaking free. And in some way . . . I didn't want to go. Before I left her, her voice echoes out her name. A name that I would never forget.

"Mia . . . Mia Jones."

Hello everyone! :D

What a shocking revelation!

The connection between the two stories has been revealed, and a lot is still left unanswered. What other plans are in store for both Daugo and Mia? What connections do they create that shape the future? What will it spell if anyone found out about the bond between ooman and Yautja?

Find out when Chapter 6 comes along!

Enjoy!

P.S. For Anonymous-E: I have read your reviews, and I'm fascinated by the idea of the story. Also, I really appreciate your patience with me. Once my classes are done for this semester, I will have more time dedicated to making my stories better, and all reviews are welcomed since they help give me the boost to keep on going.

Thank you again for all the support! :)

Reading notes:

Normal = Human speaking English (ooman language)

Bold = Any Yautja speaking English (ooman language)

Bold and Italic = Any Yautja speaking Yautja language