Well, time for another chapter! Glad everyone seemed to like the first instalment of this tale! Anyway, I'm going to take a while going through Drake's early life, but hopefully it will be entertaining. I'll just deal with the main points.

Also, I think my friend (who until such time as it is deemed appropriate for details to be disclosed, shall remain anonymous) deserves some credit for this story, for coming up with the idea and helping me develop the story.

So anyway, enjoy!

Yautja, Predator and all related characters and trademarks are © 20th Century Fox.

Author's Note: > Translated from Yautja language.

THE CHILD'S FATE

"Kura'Tha, what you are suggesting is radical, dangerous, unorthodox and..."

"Elders..."

Scarface and three Elders were standing in the clan temple. The walls were adorned with murals and carved images of Yautja, Xenomorphs and many other monstrous creatures.

In one of the corners sat the boy Scarface had saved a few days ago, unable to understand what was being said by the alien warriors before him.

"What else is to be done with this boy?"

"That is no concern of ours. No humans have ever grown under the tutelage of a Yautja…"

"Show me a law that says this boy cannot be the first!"

The Elders were silent for a moment.

"There is…no law against your intentions… " One of them admitted. "But you cannot expect us to allow something like this so lightly. "

"What else can we do?"

"Kura'Tha, this is not as simple as you make it seem! The Yautja have barely had any contact with these Earthers in thousands of years. How do we know the boy could even survive amongst a Yautja clan?"

"How do we know he could not, if we do not try?"

"Kura'Tha, why does the boy's fate so concern you, in any case?"

Scarface was silent for a moment.

"…It was my prey that murdered this youngling's family. They are dead because I failed to destroy those who would have murdered them. Had I acted more quickly, they may have lived."

"You blame yourself for something for which you could not possibly be responsible."

"I may not have put my hand to this boy's parents, but my failure to act makes me at least partially responsible for their fate."

At this, the Elders were silent, so Scarface continued:

"Elders, as a Yautja warrior, I am bound by our code of honour. You know this. If this youngling has no protection, it is at least partly my fault and I must take responsibility…"

"Do not lecture us on our laws, Kura'Tha. You must understand that this is a complex and…unique situation."

"Are you saying that our laws of honour do not extend to…"

"You are twisting my words, Kura'Tha! But…you are correct. This is an intelligent being of which we speak."

"Elders, we Yautja started the civilisation of humans eons ago. It was our technology that first allowed them to reach the stars. But still, these humans…they are just starting out. They are capable of more than they imagine. This…this child…I sense the spirit of the warrior within him. You have said it yourself; no human has grown under the tutelage of a Yautja. But perhaps this child can be the first. Perhaps this could be the humans' first step toward become a great warrior race."

For a long, anxious moment, the Elders remained silent, contemplating what Scarface had said.

"Very well," They said at last, " But the boy is too young to be raised amongst Yautja. You must remember that these Earthers are fragile beings."

"I am aware of that, Elders."

"But…you are right in what you say. We shall consider this. Return in one hour, and we shall make our decision."

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An hour later, Scarface again stood in the temple, as the Elders slowly entered the room.

"We have considered this matter long and hard," One of them began, "And the decision has been made."

After a few anxious seconds, the second Elder stepped forward.

"We have decided…to allow you to raise this child as a Yautja…but not on the home world. The boy shall be raised on his own planet, but, after convening with the Council of Ancients…"

Scarface was stunned. He had known this to be an unusual situation, but…the Ancients?

"…We have decided," The Elder continued, " That in our eyes, and theirs, he shall be treated as any other Yautja. He is now of the age to begin his training. As with all Yautja, in ten years he must return for the Kiande Amedha trial. But he is still to live amongst his kind until that day."

The third and final Elder stepped forward, but with a grave tone in his voice.

"But if either you or the boy reveal the presence of the Yautja to other humans…the punishment shall be the same as that of any Yautja. "

The first one stepped forth again.

" And now," He said, " All that is needed, Kura'Tha, is for you to agree to these terms."

Scarface nodded.

" I agree."

And so it begins! I'll be jumping a few years into the future before the next chapter.

Also, in case anyone else wants to know, the "English" Scarface was speaking before wasn't English- it was a translator built into his mask.

I know, this chapter was kind of short. But there will be longer chapters, I promise.