Disclaimer: I don't own this series! I don't even own a proper bed set. Honestly, you'd bemortified if you sued me...
Sincere Thank-you to all of my reviewers.:)
I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm really working on my writing, and trying to improve it with each chapter (hehe, trying!)
In case I confuse anyone (I'm sure I do--sorry XP) For every chapter, the regular font denotes present times, and the italic font represents a flashback/recall of past events that have led up to the now.
Oh yeah..mostof this chapter is full of kiddie random-goodness! I have a two-nephew, three neice wealth of it to work off of -
Chapter 3
Peering up past the thickly furred branches, the little boy scanned the brim of the cabin's roof. It was the far, shady side of the small dwelling where the chameleon-like creature usually sat. He (Trent was pretty sure this creature was, in fact, a he) had taken to lounging in this particular spot in the mornings as a sort of comforting, routine reassurance.
"I hate him."
Melody rounded the corner in a dejected manner, digging tiny trenches with her toes. She glowered in the direction her brother was staring, lips puckered in childish distaste.
"No you don't. You just say that every morning. 'Cause…'Cause you're prissy!" The green-eyed boy glanced at his sister, smugly shaping the rude word with his mouth.
"Am not! And yes I do!"
"Are to, are tooo!"
"NO I'm NOT!" She kicked a cloud of dirt and leaves in her brother's direction, anger quickly passing from the previous subject of dislike. Trent stuck his tongue at her and blew a raspberry as loudly and wet as humanly possible right back at her. The flecks of spittle sprayed her face straight on, even misting her hair to some extent.
Melody jerked back as the droplets of saliva made contact with her skin.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Trent's hysterical laughter was cut short as he had to duck the large ball of spit that was issued in his direction. He let out a disgusted noise as it hit the panel of the cabin beside his head, and made to return the gesture.
A loud shrieking erupted from the two children then, as the current (and positively vital) battle progressed.
Observing from above, the aforementioned subject shifted quietly, curiosity and amusement tempting him from stopping the ruckus below. He felt his mouth twitch humorously as the boy-child got a mess of spit splattered between his eyes. The girl used the distraction to run her fingers through her hair and flick the mess onto the dirt. She bent down to rub some more of the substance from her knees.
Within seconds she was tumbling into the shrubbery and roots beneath the tree as the boy used himself as a battering ram. Having both been bent over at the time of impact, their tiny skulls connected loudly with each other. Yet'rin grimaced and jumped down from the roof. He walked over to where the small forms lay on the grass and peered at them closely.
Trent rolled over onto his belly and got up shakily but silently, clutching his head. He caught sight of Yet'rin and grinned. Genuinely amused, the yautja grinned back slightly, although it wasn't visible to the boy.
A minute whimper came from the right, followed by the slight shuffle of leaves, and Yet'rin glanced over as Melody got to her knees. Slowly, she rocked back into a sitting position and raised her hands to grasp the top of her head. A few tears rolled down her flushed cheeks, and she glared up at her brother, but upon seeing the hunter, made no further sound.
Her eyes widened fearfully, locking onto his form as he moved closer to her and knelt down. He tilted his head slightly in observance for a few moments, noting the tears leaking from her large eyes.
Reaching out suddenly, he made to pull her hands away and inspect the wound, if there was indeed one.
Bad idea.
She skittered back faster than he would have thought possible for a creature of her stature, hissing with fright. Or anger. He pulled his hands back and she looked at him, muttering something. He stood up and she relaxed a little. She spoke again, louder and clearer.
"Stay away from me…"
Frowning, he took another step back, looking from the boy who was now standing at his side, to the child a couple feet away on the grass.
"I don't like you!" She gritted.
Yet'rin could tell without translation what she meant.
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"Whatwas the meaning of...THIS?"
Yet'rin frowned and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was almost certain Damat's gaze could have pierced right through the hull of their ship. Glancing up at last, he made to say something, paused, then shut his mouth.
His communicative as well as logic skills appeared to be lacking sufficiently.
Gherrnoh snorted and crossed his arms.
"Well, I'd say he's screwing things up rather nicely..."
"Rather." Retshi'rk agreed. He seemed a little pacified at the fact that his armor was unscathed. The bullet had been fired from too far a distance to puncture the alloy. Satisfied, he glanced up at last, looking from Yet'rin to the bodies beyond him, and back at his feet. The two children remained there, although their shaking had subsided somewhat and they were silent.
Damat growled finally, relinquishing his glare at Yet'rin momentarily to fixate his gaze upon the bodies. He was quiet for a minute, as if deciding something.
Gherrnoh shrugged and turned to head back to the ship. The silence was grating on his nerves.
Yet'rin noticed the glimmering, sleekpolished skulls jangling from his waist as he moved.
Distraught, the abashed hunter discreetly checked the others for similar adornments.They too, had found worthy prey it seemed. And without dismal error...he thought unhappily. Ashamedly.
"There is only one trophy there for you."
Yet'rin looked at Damat as he spoke. He stil couldn't find his voice.
Or pehaps it was merely the words he lacked...?
Damat nodded at the female body. "That one you will have to dispose of in a more discreet manner, I think." He then looked at the children thoughtfully.
Yet'rin caught the meaning regarding the woman's corpse and bowed his head slightly. But he found himself watching the two tiny creatures, dwarfed by Retshi'rk's leg alone, sovulnerable in the grass.
Retshi'rk noticed the stares of his hunting comrades and cocked an eyebrow, turning his head to follow their gaze.
"And these?" He asked of the forms cowering at his ankle. They looked frightened to the extent of heart failure.
Even Gherrrnoh turned, pausing mid-stride, to hear what response would be offered.
"They..." Damat started to say something, but was cut off.
"Are my problem."
Yet'rin met the stares of his comrades evenly, having found his voice at last. Gherrnoh was shocked, Retshi'rk merely confused. Damat alone showed no surprise. He peered at Yet'rin deeply for a long while. Finally, he sent a slow, deliberate nod in his former hunting companion's direction. He knew that Yet'rin would not be going home with them. That he probably shouldn't have anyway. There was NO room for error on any hunt. Not to this degree. Leaving such a mess in one's wake was unacceptable of any respectable hunter.
Actually, Yet'rin's decision seemed to reassureDamat that the disgraced hunterstill had some strand of honor to cling to. It was with disappointment in the situation, not his friend, that he turned to leave.
"You...you're not...serious. Are you?" Retshi'rk was still dumbfounded at Yet'rin's decision.
A ghost of a smile crept upon Yet'rin's face as he nodded. Retshi'rk wasn't the kind to understand the direness of the situation, although he was an honorable companion. Yet'rin would miss him.
Gherrnoh shrugged after a few more moments, and looked down at the human offsring for the first time, then back at Yet'rin.
"Have fun." he chuckled, and resumed leaving.
That was about as close to a genuine "I'll miss you." one could ever get from Gherrnoh. Yet'rin felt like a slight weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Slowly, regretfully, he returned to the task at hand. After a moment's glance at the bodies behind him, Yet'rin decided upon the children as a good first course of action. They had to be removed from here and placed somewhere safe for the time being. Back at their dwelling, perhaps? Yes, that would have to do...
He walked over to where Retshi'rk was still standing, and reached for the two creatures huddling close to one another.
Retshi'rk watched with interest as the smaller of the two squealed loudly and tried to bolt away. The other cringed at Yet'rin's appraoch, but appeared dazed and frazzled enough to be touched. Barely.
Yet'rin frowned and pulled back in slight distress.
"Great..." he muttered. He hadn't thought he was capable of feeling this bad or guilty.
Retshi'rk chuckled and looked down at Yet'rin, the girl child tucked under one arm. Bending down, he picked up the sligthly larger boy child with the other arm. He looked, serious for a moment, into Yet'rin's visor.
"I repeat my question."
Yet'rin returned his friend's stare, feeling like that last smile he'd ever make was twisting his mouth. He chuckled, but it lacked any real humor.
"Don't make me answer that." He grimaced then.
Retshi'rk smiled. It deffinitely wasn't the happiest moment he'd shared with Yet'rin. But it was, without question, likely to be the last...
His smile faded. He gave a last quick bob of his head in farewell before he asked:
"Where do you want 'em?"
Yet'rin gave his friend, the last of his kind he'd ever see, directions to the human household he had been observing for the past few days.
He was too miserable to vocalize a goodbye as the large form faded away in the distance, and he was left alone with the two corpses and more damage than mere flesh wounds.
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Wow...I depress myself. Bleck! Well, at least that's the end of the flashbacks... XP
I hope it was satisfactory. Don't forget to review if you have any hopes/ dislikes/likes/ or suggestions!
