Enjoy this chapter! I didn't pick the armor colors for any specific reason; I just picked them because they needed to stand out from each other. Don't complain about the speech because I'm not very good at writing them. Please review!
Cetanu- God of death, the Black Warrior.
Awu'asa- Full suit of armor.
Kainde Amedha Chiva- The Hard Meat Trial, Blooding Hunt.
Kainde Amedha- Hard Meat.
M-di H'chak/M-di H'dlak- No mercy/No fear.
Thwei-Tjau'ke- Bloodstone.
Guan-Thwei- Nightblood.
Setg'in-kwei- Tricky and quick.
Bakuub- Straight Spear.
Chapter 14
Matt's stomach was clenched into a knot of fear and excitement. Tomorrow he would leave for the Kainde Amedha Chiva. He had hardly been able to sleep for days, but it still came all too fast. He had not even been able to really enjoy the feast held in the Youngblood's honor, though there was elaborate food and plenty of drink and entertainment. He tied back his now shoulder length hair with a piece of leather thong, then began to put on his armor. Months of training were now going to be all that would save him. That and luck. Matt finished readying himself and marched out to wait for Setg'in-kwei and the others.
The air was filled with the powerful, musky scent of the Yautja, laced slightly with fear. Most of the Youngbloods were clicking their mandibles softly and clenching their fists, standing stiff and breathing slightly faster than normal. The eight young warriors-to-be stood waiting for the Elders to come down and give their speech or whatever it was they would do. The door slid open and the Elders filed in, dressed in full ceremonial armor. There was the female that had stopped Thwei-Tjau'ke's fight. She was wearing dark gray armor, etched with symbols in red, and trimmed in lighter gray. There was an ancient but still powerful male, dressed in dark green armor, trimmed in black. M'yin-de looked grim, dressed in black armor trimmed with red and etched with red symbols. She reminded Matt of the tapestries of the Black Warrior, Cetanu. Lastly and most surprisingly, Bakuub filed in, wearing pale gray armor, etched with dark gray symbols and trimmed in dark gray. They all wore their scarlet cloaks. Matt winced as he thought of all the times he had been rude or teasing or insolent or just generally a pain to her! She could have had them killed or demoted to eta or beaten or something horrible! Setg'in-kwei hissed softly in surprise. They silently handed a self-destruct device to each Youngblood. Matt swallowed and clipped his to his arm. The ancient male stepped back, looked them over and began to speak.
"You are now ready for your Kainde Amedha Chiva. We have given you these bombs because we now hope you are mature enough to use them. There is a good chance that none will live through this. It has happened before. You will then be expected to destroy yourselves and the Kainde Amedha. Or, you may all survive, if the gods so choose. Do not hold back. Kill without mercy. Be ruthless and remember, 'M-di H'chak/M-di H'dlak.'" The Youngbloods turned as one and began a silent march into the smaller ship where they would be transported to Earth for the Trial. Matt glanced at Setg'in-kwei, who looked surly. He looked at all the others in various stages of terror or anger. Poor Ni'il-este was pale and disheveled. He was hyperventilating and looked like he was about to bolt or faint. Matt knew how he felt.
…..
The Youngbloods were silent as they headed to the small kehrite for one last, short training session or to their rooms to enter their sleeping pods immediately. Matt was in his room, hurriedly stripping himself of his awu'asa so he would not have to remain conscious and dwell on his nervousness. He stepped into the overlarge pod and was asleep almost immediately.
…..
Guan-Thwei readied himself for the long journey to Earth as well. He was going to follow the ship to Earth and surprise Matt, if he survived, with a visit to his sister. The warrior wasn't entirely sure if this was allowed, but if anyone asked, he was going to hunt any escaped Hard Meat, since that did happen. He sighed and rubbed his forehead; Guan-Thwei didn't know why he spent so much time and energy on the ooman. Matt frequently irritated him and it was not that likely he would survive… He shrugged, oh well, he thought, perhaps he saw himself in Matt, and he was fond of him. Then Guan-Thwei stepped into the cockpit of the ship and began piloting it out of the hanger.
