Iamathe had come to the conclusion that she did not like hail.

Jauk'cha had come to the conclusion that he did not like hail.

Now that they were in agreement about not liking hail, the next question was what were they to do about the problem?

I told you we should have stayed at the cave,- Iamathe grumbled, her mental voice now full blown, fully trained telepathy. -I said, Jauk'cha! Look! A storm! We should stay inside the cave till it passes! But what excuse did you give for leaving?- She proceeded to mimic his telepathy perfectly, -It smells bad in here, I'm leaving.- Jauk'cha growled, trying to shield himself with the alien queen skull he was carrying.

You didn't have to follow me, you know,- he thought. –You could have just staid at the cave…-

And leave you out here to die? Ohhhhh, that would have been just grand!- She said sarcastically. -Stubborn Yautja.-

Oh, shut up. What do you want to do about shelter? Or do you just want to sit here and complain?- Just a week ago, if he had told the little hunter to shut up, she would have pounced on him and raked his mask to shreds. Now, however, she seemed willing to take it, growing used to him and his mild insults. She was just starting to evolve a weak sense of sarcasm, but she seemed opposed to swearing or insulting him directly.

I don't know what you're so unhappy about. You have two Queen skulls- what more could a hunter want?- she said, no aggression in her telepathy now as she looked around for any form of shelter. Not a mean-spirited creature by nature, she quickly forgave the Yautja for wandering out when a storm was about to begin. He grunted.

I only helped take them down, and they're covered in huge holes and gashes.-

Picky,- she accused, smiling telepathically.

The pair was stuck on the side of a mountain, having just come from a Kainde Ameha (Xenomorph) lair some distance up the side. Now, halfway between the forests and foothills and the cave of safety, they were stranded without cover from the hailstorm. Her senses moved out, feeling over the rocks, examining the white landscape…

I see a hollow space with rocks above it. It looks large enough to fit you. Come on.- She bounded ahead over the rocks, holding her wing blades over her head in an effort to deflect the hail. The little thing might be queen of the hunt, but she was no demi-god. And that hail hurt! Not to mention that but that Queen hadn't been a kitten herself. Ia was still brooding over a couple knicks and rakes in her tail. None of them hurt, in particular, but it she didn't like being hit in the first place. Jauk'cha, on the other hand, had been right about tactics. He had saved her from some more severe gashes, and he himself, had managed to avoid getting impaled throughout the entire expedition.

All in all, she was glad to have met the half-crazy Yautja. He taught her things… Helped her learn more… Her fighting style improved some, her new knowledge of strategy helped her plan an assault more thoroughly, and his culture helped her understand that not all hunting was… dishonorable…

But he, in turn, agreed with her that many Yautja were; many, who were viewed as skilled hunters, were more dishonorable then they seemed. She even started allowing him a more expansive collection of skulls, even letting him keep the head of a particularly feral bear they encountered. If the hunter killed the prey honorably, why should he not get to keep the skull?

The pair finally reached the rock overhang and Jauk'cha curled up under it, using the Queen skull to block the wind, which was coming from one side. Iamathe, being small, merely sat on his knee, peering out at the hail. He eyed her silently a long moment, and then decided to ask.

How did you come to be on this planet?- he asked, tilting his head to the side, dreadlocks clinking against one another.

Space vessel. I just came from a volcanic planet. Mostly I was there to hide form those who destroyed my homeland, but it also supplied a warm environment for the egg while I got some hunting done. Later on in development they can maintain themselves, but early on they have to be kept warm constantly- hotter than the temperature water boils at. I could warm it with my body, but I hadn't learned to manipulate that well yet, and I didn't want to give off all the energy it would require to make everything around me boil. So, as the volcanic planet was nearby, it was a convenient choice.- Jauk'cha had blinked, attentive to her every wood after the first few moments of her speech, his mandibles twitching. She had an unborn pup?

Egg?- he asked in his harsh, grunting voice, surprised. She nodded and reached up under one wing arm, detaching what appeared to be a perfectly round obsidian stone around the size of his fist. She extended the egg to him and he blinked, feeling slightly honored, and taking it into his hand, examining it. His brows lifted, his talon stroking over the egg like it were a precious relic- like he would stroke over a trophy he prized. He could feel no life or warmth within it… but in the depths of it, it glowed with a strange dark red. He did not doubt it was indeed an egg.

It is my sister's child. We were racing for the home world and… I lost… She let me carry the egg because we took turns keeping it warm.- Iamathe lowered her head, crystal clear droplets forming in her eyes and making tracks down her feathered cheeks. They dripped from her face, steaming in the snow below. He lifted his head, dreadlocks clinking, and looked at her sympathetically. If Iamathe's presence had done anything for him, it had given him a firmer grasp on emotions- and sympathy.

… And that's how you survived…- Iamathe nodded. -You said 'home world.' How do you travel through space?-

I'll show you later. I feel one more Queen on this world. She is much bigger- the main threat to the predator and animals who live here…-

And then… you will leave?- he trilled softly, a bit upset at the idea of losing his… 'Elder'.

Yes. To find a new home world. And then to find the monsters that destroyed my people… and treat them in kind.- He blinked, not having thought that she could feel revenge. -Only half revenge. Half of it is a judge seeking punishment of a criminal. They destroyed so much. They will destroy so much more…-

Who?- he rumbled, serious.

The enemy of my people. There are many species among them. Humans. Predators… They work together toward one goal…- She lifted her head, sighing, and looked at him. -We stand for purity… and life… Those we kill, we kill for the lives of those they'd destroy. They, on the other hand, stand for corruption… and death… We fight the Xenomorphs. They nurture them. We kill BadBloods. They encourage them.-

Dishonorable,- he said, his mandibles creasing in a sneer.

Evil,- she said, the meaning behind her word matching the meaning behind his.

Is there a way I can help?- he asked gruffly, truly serious.

You could come with me.- He blinked, taken aback, and looked her over, thinking to himself, mandibles clicking together.

I might get in your way.-

You can be an apprentice,- she said, grinning impishly.

For all those who have watched Fantasia, and thus know how this joke plays on Micki Mouse being involved with a sorcerer, a Human male might equate this to being the apprentice of Mini Mouse.

Jauk'cha gave a roar of laugher, hugging her in his big arms. –I have no place here. I go with you, Elder. You teach me to outhunt a Yautja Elder, and we'll call it even.-

We have a lot of work to do.- He growled, mockingly upset, and gave her a playful shove.

Damn cat.-

Stubborn Yautja.-

PS: No, they are not in love. This is more like a brother/sister relationship. TRUST ME. I knoooowww O.O

Mox was silent, her hands tightly coiled into light fists so as not to pierce her own skin with her abnormally sharp talons. She was holding herself rigidly still, watching the scenery before her. There… a slight movement as small mouse began to move again. Immediately it was pounced upon by the dinosaur-like reptile, and seized with a quick snap of the reptiles jaws.

Now.

Mox shot forward like lightning, hurling the spear. She was too loud, too obvious. The reptile dodged the spear, sprinting off, and the Predator gave a hiss of frustration. Recognizing that her temper was getting the better of her, she cloaked, picked up her spear, and contracted it, strapping it to her belt as she ran after the small creature, careful to be silent, and watching where her feet were moving as she listened to the reptile's subtle movements. The animal reached its burrow and quickly hid, its tail disappearing completely inside. Mox reached the hole and examined it. Being small, she had a chance of getting inside the hole… but would that be the best course of action? The reptile had large, meat-hook like claws, and a rake-like bite. Instinct and logic worked together, pushing the female hunter's rage aside, and causing her to observe the direction of the wind. Then she sat downwind of the hole, poised and ready for the instant the thing lifted its head out of the hole. Her spear extended and she waited… and waited…

Mox was the antagonist of the whole idea of 'patience', but Aic'kan had trained her well, so she waited, kneading anything she could get her hand on- rocks, her armor, her spear, her dreadlocks- anything that wouldn't make a noise. Just when her temper was about to flame up again, the reptile poked its head out of the hole. Mox went still, waiting still on the light cliff above the hole, staring intently at it. It backed up a bit and she worried that it might be able to smell her, but eventually it climbed out of the hole. The moment it was out of its burrow the spear crashed down through the back. Her wrist blades flicked out, tearing open its jugular, and it died fairly quickly.

Undeniably pleased, Mox lifted up the reptile as blood sloshed over it, held it above her head, and shrieked out her victory to the sky, the high pitched shriek gradually turning to a victorious roar.

She had already killed one of these reptiles by spooking it on purpose and then digging into its lair. The process had earned her a painful rake on the hand and a claw she'd had to dislodge from her upper ribs. She had not roared at that kill- she'd been wounded in turn, and had been brooding over that fact. This time she roared. Her skill had gotten this kill, rather than her head-strong rage.

After skinning her kill and eating the raw meat, savoring the flavor, she set about to severing its skull and cleaning it. However, as she looked over the brownish skull she frowned examining it. She laid the skull down in her palm, and promptly thought about G'tuk. Desperate to regain his honor, and a bit cocky, he had ranted on and on about going after better prey then the lizards they were instructed to kill…

The skull was punctured and ground to small fragments by the rage instilled in Mox's grip. She opened her eyes and scowled at the skull, having guessed how weak it was. She dropped the pieces and then examined the rest of the body. Finally she examined one of its feet. The bones were stronger there and the scales tough She eyed it a moment and then broke off its hand and skinned it. She finished cleaning the skin and bones, and then replaced the bones and claws in the skin, and tied the scaled skin around them with some leather the males generally used for making necklaces. There… She conjured the memory of G'tuk again and squeezed her trophy tightly in her fingers. Nothing. Content that she would not damage her own trophy, she put that in her pouch instead. It was satisfactory, and she liked it. She picked up the carcass of the lizard and dragged it back to where she'd left the other one she'd killed. She repeated this process, on the same leg, on the other lizard, and crushed its skull, which she had already cleaned. The skulls were worthless to her. Plus, they were bulky. The hand trophies were small and could easily be carried in her pouch.

Mox watched the large ram-like creature walk by, sighing mentally. The horns were beautiful, the scull a thick layer of impenetrable bone, and the teeth were beautiful, as the creature was omnivorous. A young male…

But Mox was supposed to be hunting that lizard in the tree next to her. She was instructed to take down a quantity of those lizards. Any other kills would not count. She only had so long- and she wanted to be viewed as the best. She wanted rank, wanted more weapons, wanted more training. If she failed to please, she would not ascend in rank. She was already a tiny female- she needed to prove her worth by being the best hunter. So she let the sheep-like creature walk by and concentrated on the lizard. Its life was ended quickly, wrist blades pinning its skull to a branch, and Mox made a 'smiling' face, trilling softly. She was getting better at this. Three kills. That was good. Maybe she could try and hunt that young male down…? Would it be worth the effort? Maybe she should just search for lizards.

While she was deciding this and making another hand-trophy for herself, she suddenly heard the young male sheep give a bleating cry. Her eyes flamed in rage and she pocked the trophy, extending her spear and sprinting after it. No one better have attack her sheep! It was hers to hunt and kill! If one of her brethren found it-! It took longer to catch up with the sheep then she expected, at least 2 full minutes. When she reached the location of the bleat, the sheep was not there.

Something else was, however. G'tuk was unconscious against a tree. His arm was black and purple, but straight, indicating he'd reset the bone before blacking out. He was coated in his own green blood and a bit of maroonish sheep blood.

Hmm. Apparently it had been a good decision not to attack the sheep. Whatever species it belonged to appeared to be stronger than she had first anticipated. A predator grin spread across her face. Stupid, stupid G'tuk. Trying to regain his honor the quick way. The 'easy' way. He'd probably entirely underestimated the sheep and just charged at it with a war cry. Mox examined him thoroughly, and found in his possession one small lizard skull. Too precious. She'd far outhunted him on this expedition. Mox smiled down at the larger male and tilted her head to the side, thinking, her dreadlocks clicking lightly together. As she had no rings or bone ornaments in her hair, it did not make much noise.

Hunt. Do not fight with your brethren. Well, she had hunted… now cam the not fighting part. Would it be honorable to pull him to safety, or to leave him here to fight against the elements themselves? A Yautja was expected to survive on their own, but there was a bond between hunters that was to be respected. She should help him- not for her own pride- because he had already failed. He would pay the punishment in not advancing in rank. He need not die in the wilderness. Mox grunted and lifted up the heavier male, muttering about his weight, and making a crude joke about the only muscle unexercised in him was the one in his head. The brain. Then she proceeded to half carry, half drag the larger male back towards the transport they'd taken there.

The hour was later than she thought. By the time she arrived, many of the other students were gathered there, showing off their kills, and the Trainers were powering up the transport. Mox scowled but grinned down at G'tuk's unconscious, masked face. "You saved me from getting left behind. Good boy." She gave him a pat on the head like one would a pet, and promptly dropped him on the ground, going off to retrieve the bodies of her kills.

Only one other boy could boast 3 kills. He was the son of a high elder. Nevertheless, while Mox's hunt was no where near as celebrated, she was allowed to progress into the next stage of training. Irritatingly enough, so was G'tuk. For the life of her, Mox could not understand why he was allowed to progress.