Disclaimer: I don't own aliens, but I do own all of my characters and this whole story.
Chapter 3
The Hunt
(So how many bugs are missing?) Snarl asked as the nine xenomorphs including her trudged through the jungle.
(Six xenomorphs,) Sonar said empathizing xenomorphs.
(Why wasn't there a praetorian with them?) Scar asked.
(I don't know,) Sonar said. (I think the Queen's gotten distrustful of the praetorians. I mean after the Chaos incident and-)
(Half-Jaw,) Scar interrupted.
(Yeah,) Sonar nodded.
(Come on,) Snarl said racing past them. Scar growled and took off after her.
(Don't go too far,) Sonar called after them.
(Yes, mother,) Scar called back before disappearing into the plant life.
That girl is a bad influence on him, Sonar thought.
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The two of them ran ahead a few yards before Snarl slowed down and walked beside him. Scar glanced over at her. (What's up?)
(I don't like this,) Snarl said.
(This being?)
(I don't like the thought of living as a xenomorph,) she clarified.
(You'll get used to it,) Scar said. (I tried to run away from the hive on my first day there.)
(Yeah, but you were there because the Queen let you be there,) Snarl said. (I feel like an unwelcome guest. Besides I don't think I could handle sitting by and watching the bugs kill humans again.)
They walked on in silence for a few moments before Snarl asked. (Do you regret letting those soldiers get killed?)
Scar looked away from her while he contemplated his answer. (Not as much as I would if I had let them destroy the hive. I mean, Xena and Sonar are my friends and so is the Queen I guess. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be alive.)
(You really think the Queen thinks of you as a friend?) Snarl asked. (Maybe she saw how useful you were and just decided to keep you. She certainly doesn't seem to like me.)
(Oh, stop worrying,) Scar said cheerfully. (Everything will work out, you'll see.)
Scar stopped at looked at the bushes. (We got company.)
(What is it?) Snarl asked stopping and looking into the jungle.
(Komoslothes,) he said.
Snarl took a step back. She hadn't ever faced any of the reptilian cats and her one encounter against them as a human had frightened her slightly. Scar on the other hand was gazing at the bushes contemptuously. The big cats had once almost killed him.
(Shouldn't we call Sonar?) Snarl asked.
(No, I think there are only four of them,) Scar said. (We can take them.)
(How do you know?) Snarl asked with a quiver of fear. (I've never fought these things.)
(Don't worry they're-)
One of the big cats erupted from the jungle before he could finish his sentence. His tail moved forward and pierced its chest. The cat roared and went down as its brethren emerged from the bushes. Two of them were now facing Scar. The young Xenomorph charged toward them.
Snarl watched the three combatants fight. It seemed even though the cats had superior numbers, two of them just weren't enough. She was so distracted by the fight she didn't hear the Komosloth behind her until it roared and pounced. She was knocked to the floor and the cat's weight kept her there. It opened its mouth to deliver the killing blow to the back of her neck.
(Snarl!) Scar shouted as he saw what was happening. He gripped the necks of the two cats he was fighting with and held them away, while he lashed out with his foot and hit the head of the fourth cat. The blow dazed it enough for Snarl to shove it off her, but it regained its senses a moment later.
Snarl growled and slashed the cat's face, leaving considerable cuts in the Komosloth's flesh. Snarl slashed with her other hand. The cat roared in pain and tried to lash out with its paw, but Snarl easily dodged the blow and returned one of her own.
From the sounds of roaring behind her, Scar's opponents had broken free of his grip. Snarl let up her relentless clawing and her tail shot toward her enemy. The cat dodged by sidestepping and her tail stabbed into the dirt. The cat pounced and Snarl dodged to the side spinning to face the other direction. The pouncing cat collided with one of the ones fighting Scar and they fell into a heap on the ground.
Both Scar and Snarl struck the downed cats with their tails. That just left one more. That one cat turned to run away and they watched it disappear into the bushes.
(Well, I don't want to sound like an adrenaline junkie,) Snarl said. (But that was kind of fun.)
Scar was about to agree when Sonar's voice interrupted. (Hey, you kids, better get back here,)
(Why? What is it?) Scar asked.
(We've found the search team,) Sonar replied grimly. (I don't know how you guys missed them. It's kind of hectic.)
(We're kind of distracted. We're coming,) Scar said turning back with Snarl following him.
