Lex had been granted a two week break until her next trial.

"So, I pretty much have to join you guys at a fancy dinner party and show that I do have manners."

"Yes, Lex. It's not that hard. Be respectful, bow to the Elders, and stay with me. I'll be with the other guys mostly."

"Do have to wear this? It's so... so...open." Lex sneered at the fur and leather outfit laid out on the bed.

Fur consisted of most of the fabric, grey with the occasional white spot blended in, and brown leather straps that held it all together. Not to say it wasn't nice, but the top barely covered her chest and had only a single shoulder strap to keep it on. It looked exposing, especially compared to the skirt that, while stylized the same, appeared to cover more of her and the fur strips reached her ankles in the front and back. It did leave her legs exposed but otherwise kept her covered.

"Most female hunters wear the same type of outfit. Is the fur not good enough? I'm sure I can find better material. Is the color not complementary?" He titled his head at her.

"Back home I'm used to more clothing than this. It's... uncomfortable." She cringed at the image in her head of wearing the revealing outfit.

"But you wear less clothing most of the time?"

"But that's like the equivalent to short shorts and a crop top, to be honest. It covers my... um, parts more securely than this does..."

Scar blinked and began to look her over. Her usual wear consisted of plain leather that fitted tightly to her body, the top being sleeveless and reaching to her belly button while the sorts covered a good portion of her upper thighs.

"What are you staring at?!" Scar immediately snapped out of his thoughts to see Lex blushing and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sorry..."

"I think it's about due time I move out if you can't control yourself."

"Why are you not dressed?" Elder K'ash's voice caused both of them to jump.

The elder wore his robes of fur with teeth and skulls hanging off by braided threads. The rings in his dreadlocks were shining as if newly polished.

Scar and Lex immediately bowed their heads respectfully. Scar scratched his head before slipping off to properly dress for the dinner.

"Lex? Is there something you are dissatisfied with? The quality? Color?"

"No, no. It's just... A little... um, new for me." Lex shuffled in her spot and clenched onto the fabric in nervousness.

"Get dressed. We are running out of time and you need to be ready. Hurry." Lex sighed and slipped into the bathroom to dress after Scar returned.

His robes weren't quite the same as the elder's. Torso exposed to show his scars, he had only metal hidate like armor around his waist where his own teeth and skull trophies hung.

Upon returning, all the guys were there. They were all dressed in their outfits with their teeth necklaces and skulls.

"Good! You are dressed! See! It fits nicely and you look amazing. Let's go." A blur of words and metal hallways later, Lex found herself before the hall filled with hunters.

They met up with the others that had been on their hunting ship before entering. The food had already been set up, decorations were neatly placed and the large table had chairs surrounding it.

Upon entering, everybody almost immediately spread out and began to converse with the others. Scar stayed by Lex the whole time as they conversed with a few of the others.

"Think I can grab food cause that's one heck of delicious smell." Scar trilled in laughter at Lex's watering mouth.

"Sei-i. Let's eat." As they headed towards the table, they were stopped by a few Elders who took a quick minute to greet Lex.

Once at the table, a female Yuatja began to flirt with Scar. Slowly slipping away to let them have privacy, Lex made her way across the room. She was stopped a few times to be congratulated for passing the first trial and confirm Scar's story of what happened back at the Chiva.

Finally, the Elder approached her.

"Zkar izn't wito you?"

"Oh... I hate to intrude in his conversations with others. If you don't mind, I don't have your name. It's strange to call you Elder while there are many Elders aboard."

"Hmm... Sei-i. I'm Elder N'nagara-ze. Enjoying the dinner?" The random switching left Lex a behind in conversation, despite Scar's best attempts, but she tried her best.

"It's very nice. The foods here are good as well. How about you Elder? Enjoying yourself?" She knew her pronunciation could be off and she lacked the ability to produce a lot of their unique accents to words. Like rolling an 'r' in Spanish - except she could do that.

Elder N'nagara-ze laughed. His trill deep but light-hearted, he nodded.

"Sei-i. I'm enjoying myself. I muzt attend zome matterz. N'dhi-ja."

"N'dhi-ja," Lex bowed respectfully and watched as the Elder disappeared into the crowd.

She could feel his heat long before he spoke. Lex had a habit of knowing when Scar was around and understanding his moods. He didn't seem pleased as he stood behind her.

"You took off." The statement was cold.

"You sound angry." Lex didn't look him in the eye, instead surveying the lively room. "I was able to talk to Elder N'nagara-ze. He seems to be warming up to me or at least pleased by my progress."

"I am angry," he huffed, continuing their dual conversation with, "that's good. I believe you may have won his favor. If you pass the last test, you'll be able to stay."

"And why would you be angry?" Lex almost smiled at the way this was going. "Remember these are to just prove that I can be here. That doesn't mean I'm accepted. It's more of earning a temporary stay." Lex crossed her arms and watched as the small female before began to make their way to them.

"I told you to stay beside me. There are still others who would love to do you harm." Scar sighed, "I know. I hope you choose to stay."

With that, Lex turned to move away and allow the female privacy with Scar.

"Stay." Scar's words did little to stop Lex and she chose to stand by Night who was busying himself in small chit chat with Molten.

"No need for jealouzy." Molten spoke in a hushed tone.

"I try to give him privacy and instead, he gets angry I left his side. I'm not jealous, Molten. Irritated? Absolutely. Jealous? Hello no." The predators clicked in amusement before returning to their conversation but now spoken in English.

"I'm juzt telling you that I've got better kills than you. We can review the tapes as proof."

"Pleaze Lex, tell Night that I'm clearly better and have gotten cleaner kills than him." Molten flared his mandibles in agitation.

"Why don't you tell me why you guys pronounce 's's like 'z's first." Both shot her irritated looks before going back to arguing the matter.

"How about his, hunters, I review the tapes and you try to pronounce 's's. Seriously, it's hard keeping up with miss pronunciation. It's like a language based off of English but it's not English..." Lex huffed and crossed her arms.

"Can we leave?" Molten looked at Night.

"Juzt zneak out," Jag walked up to stand behind Lex. "But woy would you want to leave?"

"Night and Molten are having an argument so we wanted to look at tapes to see who was right. And they have to learn to pronounce 's's correctly. Wanna join in judging them?" Lex bent her head back to stare up at him. He looked back down at her in an intense, dark, olive gaze.

"Let's go." Grinning they all four left through a back door and off to Night's room where they'd watch the videos on a screen.

After watching them, both Jag and Lex were silent. Molten and Night nervously awaited for their opinions.

"Okay this has nothing to do with the video but am I the only one who feels a disturbance in the force?" When they all just stared at her, Lex explained the phrase to be an Earth saying. A feeling that something went wary or something bad might happen. Like someone about to yell at them for sneaking out...

"Back on topic. In my opinion, Night was quicker," his chest puffed out for only a second before deflating at her next words, "but Molten was cleaner in his strikes." Jag nodded in agreement and Molten's chest puffed out in satisfaction while Night deflated further.

Night beat Molten by a few years, in both age and experience. To him, the blow really came from being out done by a technical Young Blood. Molten would soon be considered a Blooded like Night.

"We zhould leave now. I believe Lex's... "disturbance" may be correct." Nodding, they snuck back into the dining hall where the festivities were still continuing.

Some were chatting but most had begun the traditional dances. Jag's eye was quickly caught by a beautiful Yuatja who had already begun strutting towards him.

"I'll be snacking if you need me." Lex headed off to eat some desserts and watch as her friends danced.

She noticed Scar making his way through the thin crowd to stand beside her.

"You should have stayed." Unlike last time, the ire in his words had died out. Deflated.

"I thought you needed privacy."

"I don't like her." Lex stopped mid bit to look up at him. Scar continued to look out at the dance floor. "She annoys me. I don't like people who whine and she complains a lot."

"Oh... You should have told me." Scar trilled at her before grabbing her hand and leading her to the floor. "I don't think this is a good idea..."

"It's not hard. I've already taught you most of it. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine." And so they danced in and out of the other dancers.

Yuatja had very different dances compared to Earth's. The rarely touched but always stayed within a foot of each other. They danced and moved together but separately at the same time. It intrigued Lex how one could be together but separate.

When the music finally stopped playing, a few Yuatja snuck off with each other.

"Not even mating season yet..." Elder K'ash shook his head in disapproval.

"Mating what?" Lex looked up concerned but the Elder laughed and patted her head.

"Do not fret. I'll explain later. For now, go to sleep. You've passed. Not a single complaint about you. Not even a complaint on your presence here in the hall. You've done well blending in." Lex smiled at that and bid him a good night before walking back to Scar's room.

He hadn't returned just yet. Last time she'd seen him, he had been talking to other hunters after their dance.

Lex changed into her normal clothing before neatly folding away the more "formal" outfit. Once settled, she crawled up into the bed and fell asleep.

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Translations:

Sei-i : yes

N'dhi-ja : goodbye