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Predator: Ancient World

Chapter 5: The Bitter Truth

Kat'rin nodded at Grentou'se as she stalked up the walkway to the craft, a skull polished and looking feeble against her palm. Arms crossed, her leader lounged beside the doorway, inspecting his students as they walked by. Along with Kat'rin, it seemed that two others had been fortunate in their hunts during the day. The rest eyed their peers' trophies through envy-tinged optics, and made their way back to their original sleeping chamber in silence. Ru'shan watched them progress through the bowels of the craft thoughtfully, and with considerable understanding. And familiarity. But they did not need to know that...

"Ru'shan."

The younger of the two teachers turned to his senior companion. He took note of the bewildered expression residing upon the stern face, the marred helmet clasped in the large palms.

"Yes, Grentou'se?"

The older one relinquished his gaze from outside the doorway to look Ru'shan in the eyes.

"Have you seen Du'gret enter? I have not." He looked around once more in wonder.

"Neither have I." The younger of the two cast a sidelong glance outside, where the shadows stretched long and talon-like across the brittle ground. He grinned. "He must have been lucky..."

Grentou'se paused for a moment, as if in thought, before returning the expression. "I suppose we shall see..."

Ru'shan shrugged. "The question is, do we want to? Knowing him, I mean..."

Kat'rin looked up from hanging her trophy on her rack at the sound of her mentors' laughter. What were they talking about? Something about Du'gret...She smiled faintly behind her newly brandished mask. She hoped he'd returned soon. He always had something... interesting... to explain or display.

"My Lord, you seem troubled..."

Du'gret glanced briefly at Neferti before staring at the sky once more. The air now hung dark and chilly over the quieted city, the only light dripping off the thin moon in beams and filtering through the sheer curtains of the windows.

All of the others would have returned to the ship by now...And Grentou'se would begin to wonder at his absence. But what would he say upon his return? He had no trophy, no hunt to describe, nothing, in fact, to show for the events of the entire day. Even the miniscule wounds at his ankle were healed over by now...

Deep in thought, the young hunter sat with his back straight against the wall, arms at his sides. The small plate on the slender table in front of him remained untouched. Neferti set her intricate goblet down to stare at the mute god. Perhaps he didn't eat mortal food...After all, the nutrients of the immortals had to be so much more refined than even the most proclaimed of eaten delicacies.

She smiled at her god-friend meekly. "I suppose it is not what you normally dine on. Correct, my god?"

Du'gret turned at her question in curiosity. Was she referring to the items on the table? No, they were nowhere near what his usual meal would be. But the dishes in front of him did not smell unpleasant. He casually picked up a strange looking gourd and bit into it. The sweet nectar slid down his throat, and he found that he did have an appetite after all. He picked up something else, and turned to the small creature beside him. She no longer flinched at his unmasked face.

"Yes, I have never eaten such things before."

She raised the glass to her lips and drank, eyes trained on his movements. He seemed to be enjoying the food, now that he was eating it, but still appeared to be slightly troubled. What beneath the heavens could cause him such unease?

"Do you have to return soon?"

Du'gret flinched slightly at the verbosity of the blunt question resounding within his own skull. He mentally chided himself. It wasn't like he had a choice!

"Yes."

The predator watched her face fall slightly, but she quickly covered it with a quizzical glance in his direction.

"You will return? I mean...it would please us all if you chose to, my Lord."

"I do not know." He picked up another gourd.

"My Lord?"

A side-glance in her direction.

"What was your purpose for visiting? I...I assume you must have fulfilled whatever notion brought you here?"

"No."

Neferti looked into the face of her god, puzzled. "You have not? Lord Anubis, if there is anything I...we can do to help you achieve..."

Du'gret looked down at her half-amused. How would she react to an explanation of his requiring worthy prey? Especially when the only ones who could be considered as such appeared to be her leader and an heir to the position...

"No. There is nothing you can do. I must return to my sh...to the other 'gods' soon."

"That saddens me. I hope that you have enjoyed your brief stay?"

Very much, actually. "Yes. I have enjoyed this day." The sky beyond the windows was void of any remnants of the planet's sun. The yautja stood up briskly. He would have to return with no trophy, but he refused to return any later than he already was. "I must go. Now."

"Will you need any transportation my Lord?" Neferti asked. Anubis seemed very on edge.

"No. I can go by my own means." Du'gret looked at Neferti, "I had many... objects with me. Do happen to have them?"

Neferti's face brightened, "Yes, my Lord. I can lead you to them." Neferti gently took Anubis's hand and lead him through the hallways, back to the room in which he had originally awoken. Du'gret found his weapons lay out on the couch. He gathered them quickly and followed Neferti out of the palace. They ran though the shadowy streets to the edge of the somewhat familiar desert.

"This is where we found you, my Lord," Neferti said gesturing to the desert. Du'gret had a locator installed on his left gauntlet which would show him the location of the ship.

"Thank you," Du'gret turned and began to walk out into the desert. Suddenly, the little creature called him back. Du'gret turned as she approached.

"My Lord, please take this." Neferti held out a small golden pendant which had an eye carved upon it with an arching brow and a small line and curl coming out from below the eye. The pupil was set with a beautiful black onyx and the rim was outlined with deep blue Lapis Lazuli gems. "It is the Udjat eye; it will protect you." Du'gret carefully took the amulet from Neferti. He strapped the pendant around his neck and placed his hand on Neferti's shoulder.

"Hopefully, we shall meet again soon," Du'gret told the smiling human. He activated his cloak and raced off into the desert.

Grentou'se sat in the cockpit of the ship staring at the monitors for a long time. His son hadn't returned. Although he had lost many different family members in his life, he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of remorse for his son. He didn't believe that his son was alive, but he had told Ru'shan that they were to stay on the planet one more day.

"Leader..." Grentou'se turned to see Ru'shan standing in the doorway. He looked anxious, "Du'gret has returned. He says he needs to speak with you immediately."

"Bring him," Grentou'se said, trying to hide his relief.

Ru'shan left, and Du'gret entered. Du'gret bowed his head appropriately. Grentou'se acknowledged the bow and spoke, "My son, where have you been?"

"Father, I have discovered something amazing," Du'gret's eyes were alight with excitement.

"What now?" Grentou'se was curious to what Du'gret was excited about.

"There are creatures on this world. Intelligent ones. They..." Grentou'se listened as Du'gret spoke continuously about these "creatures". Grentou'se believed that he knew what creatures Du'gret was babbling about.

Grentou'se held up a hand, stopping Du'gret in the middle of a sentence. "What did these... creatures look like?"

"They were small and pale." That fact confirmed that Du'gret was talking about humans.

"My son... those creatures you met. They are no new civilization. They are humans; the prey you were sent out to hunt."

Du'gret stared at his father in shock. Those creatures were his prey? It was not possible! They couldn't be. "But they can't be... they are too intelligent and weak to be prey."

"No. They are prey. Smart, cunning, dishonorable prey, Du'gret."

"But I have met them. They are not as we think."

"You met them?" Grentou'se questioned sharply.

"Yes. I was bitten by some poisonous creature and they found me and saved my life. They can't be prey."

"I assure you my son, they are prey. I cannot imagine what you were doing there. You should have killed yourself honorably or a least hunted the some of the beasts."

Du'gret felt rage welling up within him, "They are not beasts! They are intelligent, peaceful creatures that mean no harm."

"Watch your tone with me boy," Grentou'se growled, "and furthermore... what is that thing around your neck?" Grentou'se had just noticed the amulet that Neferti gave Du'gret. Du'gret pulled it off his neck and handed it to his father.

"They gave it to me. It is handmade I presume. The details are impressive; there are few Yautja that could make a piece that exquisite." Grentou'se examined the pendant carefully. For once, his son held a point; not many creatures could make something like this; especially if it was handmade.

"They though I was one of their gods," Du'gret said absently.

Grentou'se looked up at him surprised, "You... a god?" Grentou'se laughed loudly.

"They called me Anubis, after their god of death I believe. They seemed to be ready to bow down and worship me at any moment." Du'gret saw a flash of curiously behind his father's eyes and tried to draw it out. "If they thought I was a god, I wonder what they would make of the blooded warriors... or you."

"What are you trying to say?" Grentou'se asked his son, narrowing his eyes.

"You say these creatures are prey, with not honor. I disagree with that. Why don't we find out who is correct."

"And how would we do that?"

"Go back to their city and meet them. If you find proof of them being dishonorable, then I will admit my fault and hunt them." Although is father didn't answer immediately, Du'gret saw that he had him.

"How do you know we will not be attacked?"

"I have befriended their leader. They will cause us no trouble."

"And what of the others? I can't just leave them here."

"Bring them along. I think they will enjoy being worshiped, considering how highly they think of themselves... So, do we have an agreement?" Grentou'se smiled and put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Agreed."

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