::::Disclaimer: If I owned it, I'd be rich...but I'm not, and it's obvious
::::Author's Note: Thank you all so very much again, this chapter is going to be short again because I am so pressed for time with work and all, I will be taking some advice from your helpful reviews. Also, if there are Underworld fans out there, you might recognize a couple of lines that I took from the movie and modified to fit this 't resist.
It was the end of the evening for Xhara as she sat at the bar drinking a cup of coffee. Xhara was staring at a particular stain in the wood, oblivious to everything else as she waited for her pounding headache to dull down to a soft roar.. Her gaze broke for a second as a pale, gnarled hand slid a hefty stack of cash towards her, looking up she regarded her boss's blue eyes, searching for an explanation.
"This is a bonus, Xhara", he spoke quietly, the bartender knew enough to mind his own business. When Xhara didn't reply, her boss smiled and continued, "I'd like you to start back as soon as you get home from your trip, hm?" This time Xhara found her voice.
"Why? I could be gone as long as a year", she said, taking the stack of cash and tucking it in a secure place.
"I'm aware of that", her boss was still smiling at her, "you're worth waiting for". This lightened Xhara's mood considerably as her face broke into the first smile of the evening, her ominous toothy grin flashing at him. He winced for a second before patting her taloned hand and leaving her to her coffee. Xhara glanced up at the clock to see the time approaching four in the morning and decided to head home. Before she made it too far from her seat, however, a fellow bouncer caught her attention and motioned for Xhara to talk to him. She rose an eyebrow in question, but humored her co-worker as she followed him into a private room.
"Jay, what do you want, I'm tired and I need a bottle of aspirin", Xhara whined, Jay, a tall and bulky bouncer (the same height as Xhara), was staring intently into her green eyes.
"Erm...Xhara, with you leaving and all, I uh..."
"What?" Xhara asked, growing impatient, she would've just read his thoughts, but her mother taught her children not to do that. Jay stood silent for a moment, then exhaled the air he was holding in.
"I just wanted to let you know how stupid I feel..." he paused, Xhara waited, "that I never got around to asking you out". Xhara continued to stare, and not completely understand what Jay had meant. He was average looking as far as good looks went and the thought of this twenty two year old taking an interest in ugly-seventeen-year-old herself made Xhara wonder at Jay's actual meaning.
"You wanted to ask me out?" Xhara asked, just to clarify the message, "but why? I'm so..."
"Don't you ever think you're ugly, Xhara, don't. And yes, I've been meaning to take you out for a while, I just never got the guts. I guess I was afraid of an ass-kicking or something." Xhara burst out laughing, causing Jay to relax visibly then he did something Xhara wasn't expecting and leaned forwards to kiss her. She responded readily, pulling his body close to hers. Jay let out a noise of obvious pleasure, eagerly expressing his interest. Getting closer was a mistake, however, as Xhara's top fangs accidently sunk into his mouth, drawing hot blood from the puncture. Jay panicked and pushed himself from Xhara, staring at her surprised expression. She could taste the metallic flavor of the blood and brought her fingertips to her mouth, wiping the red liquid and looking at it.
"Oh Jay...I'm so sorry..." she whispered, her eyes bristling with tears. Jay continued to stare as blood dripped down his now swollen lip. Xhara didn't know what to think then, she tried to read his thoughts, but his mind was totally blank, then all at once he started to panic. Xhara chose this moment to hastily leave the bar, she had just ruined her one chance to fit in as a human.
Outside it was raining softly, the sound was soothing even though Xhara's heart ached. She now knew how her mother had felt, when Xhara had come across the older woman crying in by herself at home. Lionasha had just insisted it was the feeling of loneliness, and it would pass quickly. It did, but it happened often, Lionasha just insisted she was to be alone during those times.
She made her way along the back streets of the slummy neighborhood, her walk about twenty minutes from her home. Pulling the ball cap from her head, she ran a hand along the top of her long forehead, finally feeling where the hair growth started further back. She had told people she shaved the top part of her head on purpose, but she was getting tired of hiding.
Suddenly, Xhara's incredibly strong senses kicked in as she felt another presence following not too far behind her. Her mind worked frantically to sense who it was, wondering if Jay had followed her from the bar. It definitely was not human, that she determined since whoever it was had a strong mental block. She quickened her pace, careful not to alert her pursuer her knowledge of his presence. A block away from her home, Xhara sensed her pursuer was now only a few feet behind her, with lightening-quick speed, she reached up the back of her shirt, grabbing the collapsed spear her mother called 'Nee'va' and pulled it out, extending in a split second to hurl it around at her pursuer. It lodged in the steel of a stairwell, merely centimeters from the head of a young Yautja warrior. He had stopped moving, his cloaking useless, drenched from the rain. Xhara stared at him, then opened her mouth, emitting an ear-splitting roar. The Yautja echoed her battle cry with one of his own as the two quickly moved towards each other, fists clenched ready for the fight.
Xhara was good at hand-to-hand combat, and while not understanding why a Yautja was fighting her, she threw powerful punches at flesh not covered by armor. The Yautja was good also, and fast, one of his talons scratched open gash in her arm. Xhara roared her fury as prominently flourescent green blood sprayed to the ground, dark red woven through it like spider web. Eyes clouded with anger, Xhara launched herself towards the Yautja with renewed strength as their fight became more intense. He easily had the advantage, which only proved she was the better warrior by far as she kept him defending himself from her deadly blows.
Another spear came whizzing by their heads, landing perfectly next to Xhara's. The interruption was enough for the two warriors to see the other spear. Xhara recognized it as the one her mother called 'Vii'Lar'.
"That's enough", came the stern voice of Lionasha, its' tone carrying easily over the sound of the rain. She stared towards the Yautja, and moved slowly towards them. "Who are you Youngblood?" Lionasha asked in perfect Yautja, easily able to tell he was newly blooded. The Yautja bowed his head and he spoke his native language.
"Honored Lo'Sha, lifemate of my clan leader, I was sent to collect your unblooded offspring." Xhara could speak the language fluently, so she easily understood what the two were saying.
"You found a need to engage in physical combat with Xhara?" Lionasha asked, the youngblood's head remained bowed.
"She challenged me and I honored the challenge." He answered obediently.
-She's just like her mother- Lionasha's head snapped up to look past the youngblood and see her lifemate standing where her spears had landed, he was holding the collapsed versions now.
Xhara was watching her father walk towards them, his gaze solidly on his lifemate. She noticed with interest the pattern of spots on Sodan's stomach and thighs were fashioned exactly the same as her own, except his skin was yellowy in color while hers was more the olive tone of her mother.
"Thar'kii'lin, Xhara, inside", Sodan said, they obeyed quickly, he was someone who wasn't to be pissed off. Lionasha was trying her absolute best not to start crying at that moment, she stood and looked up at Sodan, waiting. The rain had by then lightened to a drizzle, the air was warm and humid being still the middle of August. Sodan unhooked his mask and removed it, clipping it to his belt and stared down at his lifemate, his green eyes boring into her brown ones. His eyes reflected those of his children, Lionasha noticed, and continued to remain silent as they regarded the changes each had had since they last were together.
"The oldest ones have been training?" Sodan asked, Lionasha nodded slowly, Sodan handed her spears back to her, she tucked them in her belt and crossed her arms over her chest, shivering slightly.
"You keep them alive, Sodan", Lionasha said, adverting her eyes from her lifemate.
"I feel the Elders will be right-" Sodan started, but then finished since he knew he may speak to soon. "You waste your time with useless emotions, Lo'Sha", he said, Lionasha was frowning, and turned around.
"Don't start that with me", she said, but the tears that had been building up from four years being alone finally released from her eyes, the salty liquid hot against her skin. She promptly spun around and pressed her body against her lifemate's, his body warmth heating up hers. While Yautja did not practice physical affection or any affection, Sodan was used to Lionasha and awkwardly stroked her soaked matted hair.
"Come", he said and the two headed towards the apartment.
The entirety of the occupants in the den were completely silent as their parents and clan leader entered the room, walking through it towards another. Sodan cast a warning gaze at his oldest, they were not to be disturbed. As soon as they were out of view, Thar'kii'lin removed his own mask, awkwardly standing near one of the couches, Av'Lea's lips curled. Xhara suddenly felt a little better that it was the human side their face-structure dominantly came from. After a minute of more quiet, Thian sent a mental mind-probe to check on their parents.
"Well, they'll be busy for a while", he said, withdrawing his mind as to not alert his father he was spying. Yo'Shuk finished dressing Xhara's arm, she looked intently at their guest and she bared her teeth.
"So..." she began in perfect Yautja, "what's your story?" Thar'kii'lin blinked, then accepted the spot Xhara motioned from him to sit in.
"What would you like to know?" He asked, he was clicking his mandibles together indicating his nervousness, surrounded by the hybrids.
"First of all, 'Thar'kii'lin' is too long to have to say all the time, since we'll be spending Paya-knows how long on a ship together", Xhara's toothy grin never faltered, "I'll just call you Thar, is that all right?" Thar'kii'lin stared at her for a long moment.
"That is fine", he answered politely.
"Also", Xhara cut in, "there's something bothering you, I can sense it without even trying". Thar was visibly stung by the accusation, but he looked quickly towards the doorway, to insure his clan leader wasn't listening in, then leaned in, the others eagerly listening.
"There were many", he began, Yautja being a low, throaty language, thus easily quiet, "many who wished to become part of Ne'Sodan's clan, myself included. All eager to hunt alongside the hybrids everyone spoke of, the elders, who feared the blending of the species announcing the new clan."
"Feared the blending?" Yo'Shuk asked, all of the Michaels children fascinated by the idea, so was Thar, apparently. He leaned in further.
"Half Yautja, half ooman, but stronger than both. The Elders feared an army of the hybrids, oomans breeding fast and their maturity growth faster than ours, would become superior to them and so they forbade the union between Yautja and ooman. Even though the two species were physically able to produce offspring together since our reproduction makeup is similar, the Elders began teaching oomans were to be regarded as prey and inferior to us. Over the years, Yautja hunted the oomans and saw them only as honorable trophies to have. Ne'Sodan broke the laws held for centuries by mating with an ooman, but since these Elders cannot prove hybrids are more powerful, they let his honor remain and decided to send him to wander the galaxies to hunt. Your Lo'Sha never to set foot on the homeworld again. Since you all have Yautja blood, you are to follow our ways, and I will now hunt by your side. I am honored for the privllege." A moment of silence passed over the room as the Michaels children digested what they had just heard. Thian glared at Thar with an intense gaze.
"How is it that you know all of this if it was kept secret for centuries?" He wondered out loud, Thar bowed his head for a second.
"It is common knowledge now, the Elder Nee'va made sure all Yautja knew why her son and his lifemate were sent away, but the politics are handled by the females of us, I only know from overhearing". Thian turned his glare away from Thar to look pointedly at Yo'Shuk and Xhara.
"Can't expect to disappoint the Elders, now can we?" He commented sarcastically. Yo'Shuk and Xhara smiled at each other.
They spent the next hour chattering useless conversation, since Thar was now ashamed of himself and became rather shy. Not too long after that, Sodan emerged into the den and clipped his mask back on, announcing it was time to go. Thian, Yo'Shuk and Xhara took with them only a few belongings and followed Thar and their father outside upstairs. Lionasha caught up with them before they took off and handed Xhara both spears.
"Mom, I can't take these...they're yours". Lionasha's face had been flushed, she gave her daughter a smile and tightened her hand over Xhara's.
"Your grandmother Nee'va gave mer hers as a gift, now I'm giving it to you. I earned Vii'Lar's by spilling her blood to earn the right to by your father's lifemate. I conceived you that night". Xhara took her shorter mother in a fierce hug before taking the spears with gratitude. "Make sure you listen to your father, he knows what he's doing and it'll keep you alive. Come back to me".
"I will, Mom", Xhara said, and removed her bonus money from her shirt, giving it to Lionasha, "use this as you need it", she said and followed her brothers and father across the rooftops to head to the ship.
All of the young warriors made their sounds of discomfort, since the ship had been sitting in the city garbage dump, far from any humans that early in the morning. Once they were on board, each of them savored the sweet smelling air inside. Sodan ignored the others and headed off for the control room, leaving the Michaels children to meet the others of the clan. Yan'ya was the only female Yautja, standing easily at eight feet tall, she was the largest of the clan. Caltair was about the same height as Yo'Shuk and very talkative while Thar, Thain's height, was the quiet one. The three Yautja had been specially chosen to suit the hybrids and the way Yan'ya picked on her clan mates, Xhara new she had a new best friend right away.
past...
Sodan placed the last of his skulls on top of the ever growing pile of trophies. Chrysoberyls glittered from the walls of the cave in which Sodan kept his prizes, having created an opening to a cave left untouched in centuries.
The Yautja warrior leaned up against a warm, muddy slanting ledge covered in earthy greens and soft moss, he was busy musing to himself over the day's events. Casting a gaze towards one particular skull, Sodan's thoughts lingered over the female 'ooman Lo'Sha' and the odd qualities that made her different than what he had been taught about humans. While the soft meat was only considered prey to the Yautja, Lo'Sha fascinated Sodan and so he had let her live, he would study her more, perhaps even give her a few lessons on how to control her mind speech.
With this thought in mind, Sodan decided to perform such a task in the late of the evening, bored with the fact he had no more interesting prey to hunt. He left the confines of the cave and made his way through the trees toward the refugee camp, not bothering to use his cloaking since it was lightly raining out anyway.
Sodan was known as a 'lone wolf', being around the one-hundred and fiftyish mark in age (he couldn't remember the exact number), he had participated in several hunts and decided to go off on his own. Yautja on the homeworld knew him for his rebellious nature, always breaking the rules but not enough to get into too much trouble.
Lionasha was fuming at the screen of her laptop, stuck with a few assignments to work on, she was sitting in a room by herself with only a little light illuminating the area. Mingh was busy with her patients as usual, and often stayed in the infirmary long into the night. Busy with her work, Lionasha didn't mind the solitude to leave her concentration at its best. All that could be heard was the constant clicking on the laptop and the soft pattering of rain on the roof, and her occasional cursing. She was studying the maps on the screen, squinting her eyes and gaining a rather annoying headache trying to map out different locations for the area they were in.
Sitting back with a sigh, she brushed the damp hair out of her face and stood to move to the open window and curse the uncomfortable level of humidity. That's when the hair on the back of her neck stood up, causing her to whip around with a start.
"You scared the shit out of me!" She complained out loud, a hand at her heart, she stared at Sodan leaning up against the wall.
-Curious expression- he commented with humor in the message.
"You can't just appear out of thin air, you know". Lionasha scolded and went to sit back down in front of her laptop.
-I didn't. You didn't notice when I came in- Sodan sent the thought with slight irritation. -You scare easily- he added, moving to stand slightly behind her and see what she was working on, tapping some keys on his arm computer to get a better view of her laptop screen.
"I would be scared, I was dealing with those Red Bracelett bastards all the time", Lionasha mumbled, squinting at her work again.
-Don't waste your time with fear, I'm here now- Lionasha's fingers stopped moving, he didn't mean it to be, but she couldn't help but warm at the comment, Sodan made more irritated noises at her thoughts. -Stop what you are doing and give me your attentions- he ordered, Lionasha shook her head.
"I can't, I have to get this done".
-What are you trying to do?- He inquired, having the appropriate view now.
"Trying to find where we are exactly on this map. I always hated Geography class", she complained. Sodan pushed Lionasha on her chair over slightly and crouched in front of the laptop, running his talons over the keys speedily, and within seconds completed what Lionasha had been struggling to do. He stood and pulled Lionasha back to her original spot, with her staring stupidly at the screen.
"How the hell did you do that?!" She asked incrediously, "that would've taken me forever to figure out!"
-When I want your attentions, you do not ignore me- Sodan said irritably, leaving no room for argument. -I am offering to teach you to use mind speech, I will not offer again-
"Fine! I accept!" Lionasha said with a huff and watched as Sodan seated himself lazily on the floor, her eyes roaming over his (while oddly colored to her), well-sculpted body.
-First of all, you need to learn not to broadcast too loudly, I will not tolerate those thoughts- Lionasha blushed furiously as she seated herself directly opposite to Sodan on the floor, she looked up at his expressionless mask.
"Why do you wear that thing all the time?" She asked and didn't need to elaborate since he caught what she meant.
-Your atmosphere is difficult to breath in, your air is too thin and is full of poisonous chemicals- he explained.
"Oh, you mean the pollution?"
-If that is what you call it- He pulled on a couple of wires on the mask and slowly removed it, Lionasha recoiled and looked away.
-Not what I was expecting- She thought to herself, although she had sent the thought clearly.
-Sorry to disappoint- Sodan sent the sarcastic thought, his mandibles clicking irritably. Lionasha carefully looked back towards him, full of apologies, and studied his very un-human-like face. She couldn't help but stare into his yellowy-green eyes that were focused on her, it was the strangest color she had ever seen. -Are you finished?- Sodan asked after a minute of silent study of each other, Lionasha nodded, her face breaking into a smile.
"I get why you don't speak English out loud, now. That was rude of me", she added quietly.
-Yes, you are- Sodan sent in reply, but returned to his original reason for being there.
Over the next hour, Sodan had Lionasha's mind worn out by having her practice mind speech. Sodan had often commented on how narrow-minded and stupid 'oomans' were, but received no snappish replies as the young woman respectfully payed attention.
AN: Just a note, the next chapter I would plan on having an actual mating scene, but I'm not quite sure how to write it out just yet, considering there are younger readers out there, and we are only allowed to be so graphic. Also, if I can ever get a stupid driver downloaded for my scanner, I've drawn out scenes from this fic, and would like to show some of them off...one in particular my sister finds hard to look at because it's the mating scene between Sodan and Lo'Sha...the pic is not X-rated even though both characters are completely nude. But once again, I warn that this isn't something I'd show to anyone if you can't handle the subject.
::::Author's Note: Thank you all so very much again, this chapter is going to be short again because I am so pressed for time with work and all, I will be taking some advice from your helpful reviews. Also, if there are Underworld fans out there, you might recognize a couple of lines that I took from the movie and modified to fit this 't resist.
It was the end of the evening for Xhara as she sat at the bar drinking a cup of coffee. Xhara was staring at a particular stain in the wood, oblivious to everything else as she waited for her pounding headache to dull down to a soft roar.. Her gaze broke for a second as a pale, gnarled hand slid a hefty stack of cash towards her, looking up she regarded her boss's blue eyes, searching for an explanation.
"This is a bonus, Xhara", he spoke quietly, the bartender knew enough to mind his own business. When Xhara didn't reply, her boss smiled and continued, "I'd like you to start back as soon as you get home from your trip, hm?" This time Xhara found her voice.
"Why? I could be gone as long as a year", she said, taking the stack of cash and tucking it in a secure place.
"I'm aware of that", her boss was still smiling at her, "you're worth waiting for". This lightened Xhara's mood considerably as her face broke into the first smile of the evening, her ominous toothy grin flashing at him. He winced for a second before patting her taloned hand and leaving her to her coffee. Xhara glanced up at the clock to see the time approaching four in the morning and decided to head home. Before she made it too far from her seat, however, a fellow bouncer caught her attention and motioned for Xhara to talk to him. She rose an eyebrow in question, but humored her co-worker as she followed him into a private room.
"Jay, what do you want, I'm tired and I need a bottle of aspirin", Xhara whined, Jay, a tall and bulky bouncer (the same height as Xhara), was staring intently into her green eyes.
"Erm...Xhara, with you leaving and all, I uh..."
"What?" Xhara asked, growing impatient, she would've just read his thoughts, but her mother taught her children not to do that. Jay stood silent for a moment, then exhaled the air he was holding in.
"I just wanted to let you know how stupid I feel..." he paused, Xhara waited, "that I never got around to asking you out". Xhara continued to stare, and not completely understand what Jay had meant. He was average looking as far as good looks went and the thought of this twenty two year old taking an interest in ugly-seventeen-year-old herself made Xhara wonder at Jay's actual meaning.
"You wanted to ask me out?" Xhara asked, just to clarify the message, "but why? I'm so..."
"Don't you ever think you're ugly, Xhara, don't. And yes, I've been meaning to take you out for a while, I just never got the guts. I guess I was afraid of an ass-kicking or something." Xhara burst out laughing, causing Jay to relax visibly then he did something Xhara wasn't expecting and leaned forwards to kiss her. She responded readily, pulling his body close to hers. Jay let out a noise of obvious pleasure, eagerly expressing his interest. Getting closer was a mistake, however, as Xhara's top fangs accidently sunk into his mouth, drawing hot blood from the puncture. Jay panicked and pushed himself from Xhara, staring at her surprised expression. She could taste the metallic flavor of the blood and brought her fingertips to her mouth, wiping the red liquid and looking at it.
"Oh Jay...I'm so sorry..." she whispered, her eyes bristling with tears. Jay continued to stare as blood dripped down his now swollen lip. Xhara didn't know what to think then, she tried to read his thoughts, but his mind was totally blank, then all at once he started to panic. Xhara chose this moment to hastily leave the bar, she had just ruined her one chance to fit in as a human.
Outside it was raining softly, the sound was soothing even though Xhara's heart ached. She now knew how her mother had felt, when Xhara had come across the older woman crying in by herself at home. Lionasha had just insisted it was the feeling of loneliness, and it would pass quickly. It did, but it happened often, Lionasha just insisted she was to be alone during those times.
She made her way along the back streets of the slummy neighborhood, her walk about twenty minutes from her home. Pulling the ball cap from her head, she ran a hand along the top of her long forehead, finally feeling where the hair growth started further back. She had told people she shaved the top part of her head on purpose, but she was getting tired of hiding.
Suddenly, Xhara's incredibly strong senses kicked in as she felt another presence following not too far behind her. Her mind worked frantically to sense who it was, wondering if Jay had followed her from the bar. It definitely was not human, that she determined since whoever it was had a strong mental block. She quickened her pace, careful not to alert her pursuer her knowledge of his presence. A block away from her home, Xhara sensed her pursuer was now only a few feet behind her, with lightening-quick speed, she reached up the back of her shirt, grabbing the collapsed spear her mother called 'Nee'va' and pulled it out, extending in a split second to hurl it around at her pursuer. It lodged in the steel of a stairwell, merely centimeters from the head of a young Yautja warrior. He had stopped moving, his cloaking useless, drenched from the rain. Xhara stared at him, then opened her mouth, emitting an ear-splitting roar. The Yautja echoed her battle cry with one of his own as the two quickly moved towards each other, fists clenched ready for the fight.
Xhara was good at hand-to-hand combat, and while not understanding why a Yautja was fighting her, she threw powerful punches at flesh not covered by armor. The Yautja was good also, and fast, one of his talons scratched open gash in her arm. Xhara roared her fury as prominently flourescent green blood sprayed to the ground, dark red woven through it like spider web. Eyes clouded with anger, Xhara launched herself towards the Yautja with renewed strength as their fight became more intense. He easily had the advantage, which only proved she was the better warrior by far as she kept him defending himself from her deadly blows.
Another spear came whizzing by their heads, landing perfectly next to Xhara's. The interruption was enough for the two warriors to see the other spear. Xhara recognized it as the one her mother called 'Vii'Lar'.
"That's enough", came the stern voice of Lionasha, its' tone carrying easily over the sound of the rain. She stared towards the Yautja, and moved slowly towards them. "Who are you Youngblood?" Lionasha asked in perfect Yautja, easily able to tell he was newly blooded. The Yautja bowed his head and he spoke his native language.
"Honored Lo'Sha, lifemate of my clan leader, I was sent to collect your unblooded offspring." Xhara could speak the language fluently, so she easily understood what the two were saying.
"You found a need to engage in physical combat with Xhara?" Lionasha asked, the youngblood's head remained bowed.
"She challenged me and I honored the challenge." He answered obediently.
-She's just like her mother- Lionasha's head snapped up to look past the youngblood and see her lifemate standing where her spears had landed, he was holding the collapsed versions now.
Xhara was watching her father walk towards them, his gaze solidly on his lifemate. She noticed with interest the pattern of spots on Sodan's stomach and thighs were fashioned exactly the same as her own, except his skin was yellowy in color while hers was more the olive tone of her mother.
"Thar'kii'lin, Xhara, inside", Sodan said, they obeyed quickly, he was someone who wasn't to be pissed off. Lionasha was trying her absolute best not to start crying at that moment, she stood and looked up at Sodan, waiting. The rain had by then lightened to a drizzle, the air was warm and humid being still the middle of August. Sodan unhooked his mask and removed it, clipping it to his belt and stared down at his lifemate, his green eyes boring into her brown ones. His eyes reflected those of his children, Lionasha noticed, and continued to remain silent as they regarded the changes each had had since they last were together.
"The oldest ones have been training?" Sodan asked, Lionasha nodded slowly, Sodan handed her spears back to her, she tucked them in her belt and crossed her arms over her chest, shivering slightly.
"You keep them alive, Sodan", Lionasha said, adverting her eyes from her lifemate.
"I feel the Elders will be right-" Sodan started, but then finished since he knew he may speak to soon. "You waste your time with useless emotions, Lo'Sha", he said, Lionasha was frowning, and turned around.
"Don't start that with me", she said, but the tears that had been building up from four years being alone finally released from her eyes, the salty liquid hot against her skin. She promptly spun around and pressed her body against her lifemate's, his body warmth heating up hers. While Yautja did not practice physical affection or any affection, Sodan was used to Lionasha and awkwardly stroked her soaked matted hair.
"Come", he said and the two headed towards the apartment.
The entirety of the occupants in the den were completely silent as their parents and clan leader entered the room, walking through it towards another. Sodan cast a warning gaze at his oldest, they were not to be disturbed. As soon as they were out of view, Thar'kii'lin removed his own mask, awkwardly standing near one of the couches, Av'Lea's lips curled. Xhara suddenly felt a little better that it was the human side their face-structure dominantly came from. After a minute of more quiet, Thian sent a mental mind-probe to check on their parents.
"Well, they'll be busy for a while", he said, withdrawing his mind as to not alert his father he was spying. Yo'Shuk finished dressing Xhara's arm, she looked intently at their guest and she bared her teeth.
"So..." she began in perfect Yautja, "what's your story?" Thar'kii'lin blinked, then accepted the spot Xhara motioned from him to sit in.
"What would you like to know?" He asked, he was clicking his mandibles together indicating his nervousness, surrounded by the hybrids.
"First of all, 'Thar'kii'lin' is too long to have to say all the time, since we'll be spending Paya-knows how long on a ship together", Xhara's toothy grin never faltered, "I'll just call you Thar, is that all right?" Thar'kii'lin stared at her for a long moment.
"That is fine", he answered politely.
"Also", Xhara cut in, "there's something bothering you, I can sense it without even trying". Thar was visibly stung by the accusation, but he looked quickly towards the doorway, to insure his clan leader wasn't listening in, then leaned in, the others eagerly listening.
"There were many", he began, Yautja being a low, throaty language, thus easily quiet, "many who wished to become part of Ne'Sodan's clan, myself included. All eager to hunt alongside the hybrids everyone spoke of, the elders, who feared the blending of the species announcing the new clan."
"Feared the blending?" Yo'Shuk asked, all of the Michaels children fascinated by the idea, so was Thar, apparently. He leaned in further.
"Half Yautja, half ooman, but stronger than both. The Elders feared an army of the hybrids, oomans breeding fast and their maturity growth faster than ours, would become superior to them and so they forbade the union between Yautja and ooman. Even though the two species were physically able to produce offspring together since our reproduction makeup is similar, the Elders began teaching oomans were to be regarded as prey and inferior to us. Over the years, Yautja hunted the oomans and saw them only as honorable trophies to have. Ne'Sodan broke the laws held for centuries by mating with an ooman, but since these Elders cannot prove hybrids are more powerful, they let his honor remain and decided to send him to wander the galaxies to hunt. Your Lo'Sha never to set foot on the homeworld again. Since you all have Yautja blood, you are to follow our ways, and I will now hunt by your side. I am honored for the privllege." A moment of silence passed over the room as the Michaels children digested what they had just heard. Thian glared at Thar with an intense gaze.
"How is it that you know all of this if it was kept secret for centuries?" He wondered out loud, Thar bowed his head for a second.
"It is common knowledge now, the Elder Nee'va made sure all Yautja knew why her son and his lifemate were sent away, but the politics are handled by the females of us, I only know from overhearing". Thian turned his glare away from Thar to look pointedly at Yo'Shuk and Xhara.
"Can't expect to disappoint the Elders, now can we?" He commented sarcastically. Yo'Shuk and Xhara smiled at each other.
They spent the next hour chattering useless conversation, since Thar was now ashamed of himself and became rather shy. Not too long after that, Sodan emerged into the den and clipped his mask back on, announcing it was time to go. Thian, Yo'Shuk and Xhara took with them only a few belongings and followed Thar and their father outside upstairs. Lionasha caught up with them before they took off and handed Xhara both spears.
"Mom, I can't take these...they're yours". Lionasha's face had been flushed, she gave her daughter a smile and tightened her hand over Xhara's.
"Your grandmother Nee'va gave mer hers as a gift, now I'm giving it to you. I earned Vii'Lar's by spilling her blood to earn the right to by your father's lifemate. I conceived you that night". Xhara took her shorter mother in a fierce hug before taking the spears with gratitude. "Make sure you listen to your father, he knows what he's doing and it'll keep you alive. Come back to me".
"I will, Mom", Xhara said, and removed her bonus money from her shirt, giving it to Lionasha, "use this as you need it", she said and followed her brothers and father across the rooftops to head to the ship.
All of the young warriors made their sounds of discomfort, since the ship had been sitting in the city garbage dump, far from any humans that early in the morning. Once they were on board, each of them savored the sweet smelling air inside. Sodan ignored the others and headed off for the control room, leaving the Michaels children to meet the others of the clan. Yan'ya was the only female Yautja, standing easily at eight feet tall, she was the largest of the clan. Caltair was about the same height as Yo'Shuk and very talkative while Thar, Thain's height, was the quiet one. The three Yautja had been specially chosen to suit the hybrids and the way Yan'ya picked on her clan mates, Xhara new she had a new best friend right away.
past...
Sodan placed the last of his skulls on top of the ever growing pile of trophies. Chrysoberyls glittered from the walls of the cave in which Sodan kept his prizes, having created an opening to a cave left untouched in centuries.
The Yautja warrior leaned up against a warm, muddy slanting ledge covered in earthy greens and soft moss, he was busy musing to himself over the day's events. Casting a gaze towards one particular skull, Sodan's thoughts lingered over the female 'ooman Lo'Sha' and the odd qualities that made her different than what he had been taught about humans. While the soft meat was only considered prey to the Yautja, Lo'Sha fascinated Sodan and so he had let her live, he would study her more, perhaps even give her a few lessons on how to control her mind speech.
With this thought in mind, Sodan decided to perform such a task in the late of the evening, bored with the fact he had no more interesting prey to hunt. He left the confines of the cave and made his way through the trees toward the refugee camp, not bothering to use his cloaking since it was lightly raining out anyway.
Sodan was known as a 'lone wolf', being around the one-hundred and fiftyish mark in age (he couldn't remember the exact number), he had participated in several hunts and decided to go off on his own. Yautja on the homeworld knew him for his rebellious nature, always breaking the rules but not enough to get into too much trouble.
Lionasha was fuming at the screen of her laptop, stuck with a few assignments to work on, she was sitting in a room by herself with only a little light illuminating the area. Mingh was busy with her patients as usual, and often stayed in the infirmary long into the night. Busy with her work, Lionasha didn't mind the solitude to leave her concentration at its best. All that could be heard was the constant clicking on the laptop and the soft pattering of rain on the roof, and her occasional cursing. She was studying the maps on the screen, squinting her eyes and gaining a rather annoying headache trying to map out different locations for the area they were in.
Sitting back with a sigh, she brushed the damp hair out of her face and stood to move to the open window and curse the uncomfortable level of humidity. That's when the hair on the back of her neck stood up, causing her to whip around with a start.
"You scared the shit out of me!" She complained out loud, a hand at her heart, she stared at Sodan leaning up against the wall.
-Curious expression- he commented with humor in the message.
"You can't just appear out of thin air, you know". Lionasha scolded and went to sit back down in front of her laptop.
-I didn't. You didn't notice when I came in- Sodan sent the thought with slight irritation. -You scare easily- he added, moving to stand slightly behind her and see what she was working on, tapping some keys on his arm computer to get a better view of her laptop screen.
"I would be scared, I was dealing with those Red Bracelett bastards all the time", Lionasha mumbled, squinting at her work again.
-Don't waste your time with fear, I'm here now- Lionasha's fingers stopped moving, he didn't mean it to be, but she couldn't help but warm at the comment, Sodan made more irritated noises at her thoughts. -Stop what you are doing and give me your attentions- he ordered, Lionasha shook her head.
"I can't, I have to get this done".
-What are you trying to do?- He inquired, having the appropriate view now.
"Trying to find where we are exactly on this map. I always hated Geography class", she complained. Sodan pushed Lionasha on her chair over slightly and crouched in front of the laptop, running his talons over the keys speedily, and within seconds completed what Lionasha had been struggling to do. He stood and pulled Lionasha back to her original spot, with her staring stupidly at the screen.
"How the hell did you do that?!" She asked incrediously, "that would've taken me forever to figure out!"
-When I want your attentions, you do not ignore me- Sodan said irritably, leaving no room for argument. -I am offering to teach you to use mind speech, I will not offer again-
"Fine! I accept!" Lionasha said with a huff and watched as Sodan seated himself lazily on the floor, her eyes roaming over his (while oddly colored to her), well-sculpted body.
-First of all, you need to learn not to broadcast too loudly, I will not tolerate those thoughts- Lionasha blushed furiously as she seated herself directly opposite to Sodan on the floor, she looked up at his expressionless mask.
"Why do you wear that thing all the time?" She asked and didn't need to elaborate since he caught what she meant.
-Your atmosphere is difficult to breath in, your air is too thin and is full of poisonous chemicals- he explained.
"Oh, you mean the pollution?"
-If that is what you call it- He pulled on a couple of wires on the mask and slowly removed it, Lionasha recoiled and looked away.
-Not what I was expecting- She thought to herself, although she had sent the thought clearly.
-Sorry to disappoint- Sodan sent the sarcastic thought, his mandibles clicking irritably. Lionasha carefully looked back towards him, full of apologies, and studied his very un-human-like face. She couldn't help but stare into his yellowy-green eyes that were focused on her, it was the strangest color she had ever seen. -Are you finished?- Sodan asked after a minute of silent study of each other, Lionasha nodded, her face breaking into a smile.
"I get why you don't speak English out loud, now. That was rude of me", she added quietly.
-Yes, you are- Sodan sent in reply, but returned to his original reason for being there.
Over the next hour, Sodan had Lionasha's mind worn out by having her practice mind speech. Sodan had often commented on how narrow-minded and stupid 'oomans' were, but received no snappish replies as the young woman respectfully payed attention.
AN: Just a note, the next chapter I would plan on having an actual mating scene, but I'm not quite sure how to write it out just yet, considering there are younger readers out there, and we are only allowed to be so graphic. Also, if I can ever get a stupid driver downloaded for my scanner, I've drawn out scenes from this fic, and would like to show some of them off...one in particular my sister finds hard to look at because it's the mating scene between Sodan and Lo'Sha...the pic is not X-rated even though both characters are completely nude. But once again, I warn that this isn't something I'd show to anyone if you can't handle the subject.