Finally, this chapter is over and special thanks to elven_prophecy for editing the action scenes, it turned out much better than I imagined.
Actually this chapter feels like a standalone short story during the last Ice age, about 30,000 years ago.
Before anything else, I want to make a note on the terms I'm using (explained in the Glossary at the end of the chapter). I based these dialect (both Yaksa and Nara) in ancient languages. most prominent being Sanskrit, as is the closest to Proto-Indo European which is the oldest spoken speech known. Others are the canon Yautja language created by Steve Perry in the AvP novels and finally in some Mesoamerican dialect.
I want to remark two words:
First is the name I give to the species: Yaksa, in sanskrit is the name of a nature spirit, keeper of the forest and sometimes, they kill humans. It is pronounced yaksha, and in chinese: Iao-tcha, wich is similar to Steve Perry's Yautja. In The Last Hunt, a OWLF agent misspronounces the word and turned it into Yautja, making it the refered word for how the humans call the Predators, much like Gojira became Godzilla in the 1998 movie.
The second is gHomon, which is a PIE reconstructed word for Human (from gHom: Humus, dirt or Earth. gHomon, made of dirt), and in my interpretation is pronounced Who-oman, similar to the ooman used by Perry.
All this in an atempt to reconcile Canon with real life facts, making my Predator expanded universe more realistic. Now... Enjoy it.
- o -
Bal'RajKitran looked behind him at the frightened female gHomon, sitting on one of the shuttle seats. He had carried her back to his ship because she was terrified and didn't move when he shaked slightly, trembling with her gaze fixed on nothing and repeating the word he had heard before: Nadanu.
He concluded that this was the reason why the woman had V'sm'rti. She'd been unconscious when he'd found her, her frailness but a mask. There was strength and bravery in her, unaware of what she had achieved. He had witnessed her succeed where others had failed. While his paws settled on the controls of the craft, his mind wandered to that last hunt on Hmon, that green-blue planet and to the events that had led the old warrior to adopt what many Yaksa considered an inferior race.
- o -
Two Nak'Stras prior.
The b'jakosa detached from the Man'Daca in high orbit with a dull thump and headed towards the planet, turbulence shook the one craft violently as it came into contact with the upper atmosphere. Sensors on the hull warned its occupant of the rise in temperature, but Bal didn't flinch. Expert talons moved deftly over the control panel, on the exterior of the ship, three petal-like air flaps deployed and from its inner side thrusters activated, slowing down the pod.
Bal'RajKitran was sure that his arrival had not been discovered, since it was R'tri on this side of the planet. The shuttle landed in a forested mountain valley near a wide river. To the north, ice covered half the continent, but at this latitude the climate was fair. He could track heat more accurately than on warmer Akhe'tabh.
The vegetation of this region was mainly composed of giant evergreen. Below the canopy, protected from the wind and snow, was a lush shrub layer consisting of ferns and berry bushes. Bal kept to the trees minimizing his tracks as much as possible by hopping from branch to branch. The inhabitants of this world, the gHomon were known hunters, and scattered throughout the region.
Bal switched on the HUD, the thermal sensors on his mask scanned the area and located a heat source north of his position, a yellow-white spot in the blue-purple background surrounded by another four red and orange signals.
The integrated targeting system marked it with a red triangle and displayed heading and distance info on the HUD. He headed there using the trees and assessed the situation.
Four gHomon were chatting around a campfire, the smallest specimen talked waving his hands and pointing to the sky. The rest listened quietly as they sharpened their spears. Bal recorded and translated their language, their mannerisms, their voices. It was practical to have as many samples of them as possible, potential prey was more apt to be attracted or distracted by the sounds of their own.
-"What do you think was that light that fell from the sky, Ketur?" the little gHomon asked in his tongue, addressing the one who seemed to be their leader.
It was a remarkable specimen, his skin covered in tattoos, all of them were except the one speaking. Bal recalled the ritual markings of their own people, where the blooded warriors, those who had completed their first hunt and were allowed to hunt, marked themselves with the blood of their prey.
-"You ask too many questions, Little one," Ketur responded to his young apprentice.
-"It didn't look like one of Vasri's spears," the young man insisted, "Maybe we should…?"
-"We need to bring food, Balat. Surely Mahmuni will explain it to us tomorrow." Ketur ended the conversation, and then turned to another hunter, "Tiva, are you sure you've seen a pack of Gou around here?"
The gHomon Bal deduced, was a R'ga -a tracker -replied, "There were tracks near the forest," Tiva stared into the flames and prodded the fire "They are sleeping under the trees now, and by the morning they will find their way to the meadow."
-"Good," Ketur drawled, "then we follow the same plan," He glanced at each man
-"Balat, you will distract," he nodded at the hunter before his eyes moved on to Tiva and Kavu, "You will both attack from the right, I from the left," they nodded simultaneously and Ketur took a deep breath.
-"Like Nariwa, we separate one of them, we will succeed," Ketur explained.
It wasn't long after they all approved the plan that the hunters arranged themselves for sleep except for one, who kept watch and tended to the fire. They're cautious, good, he thought, and rested high on the tree. He would see how they would perform the next morning, he was curious.
As soon as Su'rya opened his eye, the four set out towards a place where a pack of Kha'Dgas were. He followed after them, activating his cloaking, and keeping to the trees.
Bal watched as the gHomon smeared mud from the river all over their bodies, disguising their scent, the leader then dropped blades of grass and checked the direction of the wind.
He clicked with satisfaction, they were canny for such a primitive race, they knew very well what they were doing. Although the mud reduced much of their infrared mark, it didn't make them completely invisible to Bal, he can still see their heartbeats, four signatures pulsing like waves caused by a stone in a pond. The smallest of them put a Kha'Dga pelt on and dropped on all fours. He approached the herd cautiously, mimicking the prey's calls.
The beasts turned towards them though it was one of their calf's braying, a large male called in response, inciting it to come back to the safety of the herd. Balat continued mooing but he stayed where he was.
The bull then broke from the group and walked towards him, Bal saw that the trick worked, the other three hunters stalked in a circle. Balat backed away, pulling the bull further away from the safety of the herd, straight into the trap. Kavu, Ketur, and Tiva followed the plan, Bal saw their tracks as the grassland flattened in their wake.
Ketur made a bird's call, the signal to strike. The three rose from the tall grass and attacked at the same time with their bone-tipped spears. Two of the projectiles pierced the Kha'Dga's side while the third, thrown by Kavu, hit the hump.
The animal shrieked and snorted in rage, shaking its great horned head, spinning in place, dangerous hooves pounded the ground. Ketur and the others prepared their second set of spears.
-"Balat! Now!" He yelled.
The Gao huffed, a mixture of mucus and blood spurting from his nostrils. He looked up at the calf, feeling that he was in immediate danger but at that moment, Balat pushed aside the hide and took his spear. The bull prepared to face the new threat, scratched the floor with one of its front legs and snorted furiously as it charged at the boy.
-"Balat! Do it! Do it now!" Ketur insisted.
Balat threw his weapon, it ricocheted off the hard head of the animal, which stopped momentarily. It shook its massive head, stunned, and bellowed as it foamed at the mouth. Balat froze, he had failed in his first attempt and there wasn't any time to get his second spear. He dropped to the ground and curled up, trying to protect himself from the animal's heavy hooves.
Ketur came running to help him, putting himself between the Kha'Dga and the boy. After unsuccessfully trying to ram Ketur, the horned beast made an unexpected turn, kicking at him with its hind legs.
The experienced gHomon landed and his back and rolled aside without hesitation. It was a wise move, since the Kha'Dga horned at him and slammed its head into the ground, barely missing where Ketur was a heartbeat before. The male rose to its hind legs and bellowed, intending to crush the hunter.
-"Ketur! Watch out!" Kavu and Tiva shouted at unison.
Ketur rose to his knees, leaning his spear against the ground, the animal dropped with all its weight. The weapon pierced the auroch's chest and plunged about a quarter of its length. Bal momentarily changed his vision to X-ray and could see the stone point cleanly pierce the male's R'daya.
The massive bull bellowed, its lungs filling with Thwei . Its tongue lolled out of its mouth, dripping drool and blood, gasping for breath until it finally died. Kavu moved closer as Tiva helped Ketur up.
He walked over to the younger one, who was getting up and brushing dirt and grass off his clothes and matted hair. Before Ketur said anything, Balat apologized:
-"I'm Sorry, Ketur," he said, looking down, shame-faced.
Ketur noticed the yellow thread running down his apprentice's right leg, Balat had urinated out of fear.
-"You have a lot to learn," the older male clapped him on the back, "Master your fears, Balat, there is work to be done," Ketur told him in a fatherly tone as he, Kevu and Tiva drew their stone knives. "The head will be my trophy."
From up the tree where he was perched, Bal was actually impressed, that gHomon had faced the horned Kha'Dga with only a primitive stone-tipped wooden pole and had survived. He would make a good trophy, he wasn't really sure about the other two but given their similar build, he was confident that the challenge would be interesting.
Bal deduced that the young man named Balat was still an unblood, not an accomplished hunter. There was no challenge there. Apparently this had been the youth's manhood trial and he hadn't succeeded. Bal's people were not so forgiving of defeat, he better would have met the black warrior than living in shame of having failed.
Bal waited while the gHomon finished butchering and skinning the animal.
-"Tiva, go looking for wood," ordered Ketur and then he addressed the young man, "Balat, return to the camp and tell them about the gao, we will need help to hunt the rest of them and carry the meat back."
-"Yes, Ketur," the young man said, grabbing his things and taking off. The R'ga headed into the forest while Ketur and Kavu armed the dryer with bamboo poles and cut the meat into fillets.
Bal followed the now lone hunter staying in the trees and watched as Tiva collected loose, dry branches and bark from a fallen hollowed out tree he had found. He froze in the process of bending and straightened suddenly, turning about to scan the treetops, as if he knew he was being watched.
Tiva's hearing was very good, and he heard the unfamiliar movement of leaves and the slight rustle of a branch, he instantly became alert. The Vakra roamed the forest and liked to jump on their unsuspecting prey from the trees. He scanned his surroundings and saw nothing, just the thick green of the tops. His stone knife was in his hand, he wouldn't die without a fight.
Bal mimicked the bird whistle that Ketur had used as a signal. Tiva turned to the source of the sound and advanced cautiously, whistling in response.
-"Ketur?" He asked in a whisper and heard a strange clicking in answer, similar to that produced by the red-headed, little green bird that hit the wood with its beak fast and hard when looking for grubs.
"It's just a bird," he said and exhaled a breath in relief. At that moment he heard the dull sound of something heavy hitting the ground.
He whirled around, his eyes widening at the magical display happening not far from him. A strange blue fire sizzled in the air and out of nowhere, a tall man appeared -or so he thought - his face covered by an odd shiny mask. For a heartbeat he thought that Vasri himself was standing before him, before realizing that Isya's imposing son did not have greenish-yellow skin like Makari's.
Bal growled slightly and drew two blades from his arm. Tiva clenched his flint knife and braced himself for the fight. He only had time to scream before the blades dug into his chest and everything turned to darkness.
- o -
The scream reverberated through the forest, alerting Kavu and Ketur, who came running.
-"Over there!" Ketur said, after he caught sight of Tiva's stone knife on the spongy forest floor. He walked over and picked it up, it was stained with blood.
-"Tiva!" Kavu called, "Tiva!"
-"There is something there," Ketur whispered, and took out his spear. Behind him Kavu did the same.
Perched on a branch, Bal watched the gHomon looking for his dead friend, now hanging upside down from a rope. Kavu stepped underneath the body, and as he looked up, a few drops of his partner's blood fell on his face.
-"Aghhh, Ketur, over here," he yelled, wiping his face with the back of his hand and then pointing up.
-"By Isya! Who did this?" he prayed.
Bal clicked in response.
Ketur reacted instinctively and threw his spear. The sharped bone-tipped weapon seemed to stop in midair. Bal roared in a mixture of surprise and anger, he had not expected the gHomon to have seen him, the active camouflage did not make him totally invisible but gave the distortion effect created by the heat. Ketur was indeed a cunning individual.
-"By Isya, what sorcery is this?" Kavu exclaimed, his eyes wide as Bal's imposing shape became visible in a shower of blue sparks.
The spear had pierced the Nara's leg... No, not a Nara. Ketur thought, his hands had claws, and his face was covered by a shiny mask, fiery fangs from an unknown creature attached to. It reminded Ketur of an upright vakra. It tore the spear from its leg and dropped the weapon to the ground, then jumped from the tree, landing right between the two hunters.
Bal felt a mixture of emotions, anger the dominant one, the gHomon called Ketur was surprisingly fast. There had been no hesitation, he had simply reacted and had taken the Yaksa off guard. This gHomon would be a worthy trophy. He didn't remember the last time he had been wounded on a kv'var.
He threw himself into the frenzy of the battle. The one called Kavu would give him no problems, and he dealt with him first. A pathetic attempt to impale him was made but Bal dodged the primitive weapon, twirling like a dancer, ever advancing on the hunter. The gHomon unsheathed his stone knife just as he plunged his Dah'kte into his soft belly, lifting him up so that he was face to face with his killer.
Kavu spit out blood and it splattered against his mask. The human had enough strength left in him to raise his knife and plunge it into Bal's unprotected shoulder. The Yaksa snarled and retracted his blades, Kavu's lax body dropped unceremoniously to the ground. He used his foot to turn the corpse onto his stomach. Sharp claws dug into the base of the spine and pulled the bones out in one swift motion, the Kapa', still attached to the end of it, danced as Bal waved his prize.
He hung the trophy on his back and kicked the body aside and turned to face Ketur; finally, the one-on-one fight would begin. Bal tore the stone dagger from his shoulder and threw it to the ground.
Just one more thing, the gHomon deserved it. Bal disconnected the power lines from his mask, grayish steam hissed from the tubes. He took the mask by the bottom, pulling it away from his face and moved his jaws, loosening them up.
Ketur clenched his weapon tightly, in his life he had seen many terrifying beasts, but the one in front of him really took first place. It had yellow eyes sunken deep into black sockets, four fanged jaws encircling a drooling mouth full of sharp little teeth.
-"K-Kee-tRrrrrr," Bal mimicked Tiva's voice, taunting him.
-"You know my name VakraNara…" the old hunter nodded, "Good, tell Antaka who had sent you," Ketur added as he grabbed his spear, phosphorescent green blood gleamed at its tip. In his other hand, he held a stone knife with an elk antler handle.
Bal growled, flaring his mandibles and spreading his arms in defiance. He drew a short staff from his back, pressed a button and sharp points emerged from both ends of the staff, turning it into a double-tipped spear.
-"H-Hhee-ad… my Ttr-trophy," Bal said with Ketur's voice, twirling his spear expertly.
Ketur's eyes widened briefly, but he attacked first, instincts driving him forward. The VakraNara moves fast but he's injured, he thought. If he managed to further incapacitate him, he could subdue him.
Bal leapt towards the gHomon, falling behind him, the pain in his thigh a minor inconvenience. He twirled his combistick and stabbed forward. Ketur evaded and rolled away expertly. Beady eyes narrowed as the inferior creature mocked him.
-"Too fast for you, Vakra?" Ketur taunted.
-"M'rkata," Bal cursed, he had fast reflexes indeed.
The human straightened and launched his spear at him, Bal snatched it in mid-air and to the astonishment of the primitive being, broke the implement in half by clenching his paw into a fist.
-"Y-you have a lot tooo leaRrrn," Bal used Ketur's own words.
-"So do you, Beast," the M'rkata replied, holding his knife, "Now, this is personal."
The Yaksa tilted his head, his dreads sliding off a shoulder as he watched the gHomon taking a fighting stance. Close combat was it? Bal pressed a button and his combistick retracted within itself, he hung it on his place and activated his Dah'kte instead. This indeed made it more personal. A growl rumbled from his chest as he circled the gHomon with his arms stretched out.
Ketur sliced at his midsection, and hopped backwards nimbly as the dual blades slashed back, The hunter was visibly smaller than the beast-man and moved a lot faster, cutting into the thick green skin. He wasn't doing near enough damage, and dodging the monster was starting to take its toll. Sweat rolled down his back, his heart pounded like a war drum in his ears.
He took a chance and dove for the midsection, using his shoulder to knock the air out of the VakraNara. This close, he buried his elk knife to the hilt into the side of the monster. He roared like a great cat, the sound sending birds scattering to the realm of Belu. For half a heartbeat, Ketur thought he had won and then pain exploded in his back, the likes of which he had never experienced before.
He dropped to the ground like a rock in water, he heard something crack inside as he was kicked hard. He flew away until his back hit a tree, blood exploded from his mouth.
Ketur made an attempt at standing up, but failed. He placed a hand against his side, he felt as though he was on fire.
-"You can…" He coughed up blood, "keep that," he took a shuddering breath. He had two options left to him now, he could sit there and wait to die or he could die fighting. l'm not going to die like an animal, Ketur thought, the gods will laugh at me if I do.
He screamed as he surged to his feet, blood leaking liberally from his mouth.
-"Trophy," Bal mimicked Ketur's voice and pulled out the knife from his side. Phosphorescent liquid spurted from the wound as he advanced towards the now standing hunter clutching his abdomen. He tossed the blade back to Ketur who caught it in midair.
The hunter understood. The Tiger-man won't fight with an unarmed opponent. It had the upper hand, the strength and the chance to kill but for some reason it wouldn't. Ketur likened it to a hunter who wouldn't kill a calf or a fawn. He gripped the knife tightly, if he would have to die, it would be fighting.
- o -
Bal finished with the skins and put all his attention on Ketur's Kapa'. The gHomon had fought with strength and honor. Paya's practice had been served, the wound received was easily treated by his Chi'kitsa or field medikit.
He used an extractor to clean up all flesh and matter from the skull and coated it with a layer of polycarbonate compound. After his work was done he placed the body on the ground, along with his knife and the broken spear. He had considered taking the stone blade as a trophy but he decided to let the warrior be buried or cremated with it when his people found him. The other two hunters were hung upside down nearby.
He would wait for when the young one came back with the rest of their hunters and follow them, seeing if there were more of them worthy as warriors.
Bal didn't have to wait long. His mask picked up the heat signal of five more gHomon heading for the camp.
- o -
A whisper behind him brought Bal'RajKitran back from his memories. N'vara mumbled a few unintelligible words, and then jumped excited from the seat.
-"I remember… I remember what had happened!" She shouted "I remember who I am!"
- o -
Yaksa words:
Akhe'tabh - Hunting ground/Hunting planet
Bal'RajKitran - Powerful king of clear mind.
b'jakosa - Drop pod.
Chi'kitsa - Medikit
Dah'kte - Wrist-blades.
gHomon - (Pr: Who-o-mon), Inhabitant of Earth. Earthling, Human.
Hmon - (Pr. Hmm-mon) Planet Earth.
Kapa' - Skull, Head.
Kha'dga - Wild Beast, cattle.
Man'Daca - Yaksa scout ship.
M'rkata - Monkey-like (Insult).
Nak'Stra - Lunar cycle, Month.
R'daya - Heart
R'ga - Tracker
R'tri - Night
Su'rya - Sun
Thwei - Blood.
V'sm'rti - Memory loss, amnesia.
Yaksa - (Pr. Iao-tcha) Predators. How they call themselves.
Nara words:
Antaka - Death, Lord of the Underworld
Balat - Single-minded (Name, Pr. Ba-halat) He's Ketur's apprentice.
Belu - Eagle, Lord of the skies.
Gou - Auroch (Bos primigenius)
Makari - Crocodile (Crocodylus sp.)
Munayah - Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus), Big Dipper constellation.
Nadanu - Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea), Leo constellation.
Nara - Humanity, how they call themselves.
Nariwa - Wolf (Canis lupus), Canis Majoris constellation.
Vakra - Tiger, Sabretooth, Leopard or any big cat
VakraNara - Tiger-man, Beast-man.
Ketur - Lead-Hunter (Name, Pr. Kee-Tr). He's Netr's brother.
Kavu - Stalker (Name. Pr. Ka-voo), another hunter.
Tiva - Tracker (Name. Pr. Ti-waa), He 's the hunting party's tracker.