The morning was hot and humid. The Suns beat down on my sweating body as my mother stood before me,
"Today's lesson is about sacrifices. As Yautja, we live for the hunt. We aspire for predatory greatness! All in the name of Paya, for she blesses the clan. For her glory we must also aspire for brotherhood. To protect our own brings us more honor than even the largest trophy. This is why I am honored for my victory against the ic'jit." Mother explained, "sacrifices is how I met your father and sacrifices is how your father remains a yin'tekai jehdin after his death."
Mother picked up a gleaming serrated sword, throwing another one towards me,
"Let's practice your forms and I will tell you a story."
Mother stood next to me, we began the first forms of Cetanu N'ritja.
"Over one thousand suns ago, there was a Yautja called Skaal. Recently blooded, he was cocky, self centered and undisciplined." Mother and I moved together to make a strike with our weapons, "when mating season came, the Yautjian lou-dte kale rejected him. They were fearful that his cocky ways would pass to their offspring. No matter what Skaal hunted, no matter what he did, his brothers left him behind and lou-dte kale ignored him."
"So what did Skaal do?" I asked curiously.
"He made a sacrifice. He decided to change his ways. He traveled to Vi'nal. The land of great monsters with four other Yauja. In saving a brother, he sacrificed his right hand to a creature that attempted to eat his brother in battle. Upon returning, he was given an honorable status, his brothers returned to him and he had many mates and pups."
"But it doesn't always end like that, does it?" Atorah asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"No, my sweet. It does not."
"Great and honorable Sirrah, you are needed at the high Chancellor Chamber." Mother and I turned our heads to an Overseer who had just walked into our training area.
"What is so important that you must interrupt my daughters training?"
"It is urgent." The overseer pressed. Mother glanced down at me,
"Stay here." She ordered and hurried to follow the overseer.
A disturbed feeling grew inside of me. Something was just not right. Then I remembered what I saw last night. The two large foreigners, speaking quietly about my mother. I felt worry bubble in my chest. I cleared my mind. Mother told me to stay here. What kind of Yautja would I be if I disobeyed her? For about an hour more I trained and practiced my forms and my mother had still not returned.
I can't do this.
I put the sword away and anxiously left our private training area to head towards the Chancellor Chamber.
I passed through the markets and turned the opposite way from the Commanders chamber and the the docks. Just as I turned the corner, not really watching where I was going and my face collided with the body of another Yautja. I fell backward, landing on my side with a pained gasp. I winced at the feeling of pressure on my training bruises.
"Pauking Ooman!" An angry voice spat. I cringed at the voice of Cuda cursing at me. I looked up at him, his eyes filled with their usual resentment at me and his chest rising and falling with anger. Cuda quickly reached down and grabbed my arm, I clawed at his hand, suddenly fearful. Trying to pry off his large fingers as he hoisted me to my feet.
"Ow!" I hissed. Suddenly his face was near mine, his mandibles splayed out in fury,
"Why the pauk did you run into me?" He spat. "Don't you ever watch where you're going!?"
"Let me go!" I finally ripped his fingers off of my bruised arm and pushed away from him. My palms seemed to burn at the touch of his skin. I tried to storm past him, the chamber only a few minutes away. I could even see it's dome top over the buildings ahead of us.
But Cuda had my arm again as I tried to leave.
"Where are you running off to?" He glared down at me.
Why did he want to know? What business of his is this? I tugged my arm. But his iron grip, much stronger than my own had me in place.
"Why do you need to know?" I narrowed my eyes in a glare. Cuda scoffed as if I said something ridiculously stupid.
"Because you ran into me." He yanked me even closer to him. The heat of his body radiating near my skin made me nervous. His yellow eyes stared down at me heatedly. I looked away defiantly,
"My mother was called to the council chambers...its been over an hour." I bit out. Cuda's mandibles twitched, his eyes now on the dome of the council chamber in the distance. He still had my arm but was lost in deep thought. He stood to his full height, no longer trying to dominate me with his height.
"I will escort you there." He declared as if he were doing me some huge favor.
"H'ko thank you." I rolled my eyes at him. Cuda growled,
"Either I escort you there, or I throw you over my shoulder and escort you by force." He threatened.
I growled in annoyance. All of a sudden the biggest bully in my world wanted to get all touchy and run my life personally. I closed my eyes,
"I'll probably regret this...Fine..."
Cuda gave me a haughty smirk, one mandible rising and showing off his sharp teeth as if he just accomplished something great.
I followed behind him at first. My eyes on the ground in thought. Honest with myself, I'm afraid. Those large foreigners coupled with my mother being called to the council chamber just Didn't sit right with me. It's not like I'd never seen a foreigner before but these Yautja. They were large and as black as night. Only Rah could compare with such color.
I looked in front of me to see Cuda looking down at me curiously. When our eyes met his expression quickly turned sour and he snapped his eyes away from me.
"Why are you doing this?" I blurted out. Cuda kept walking. Silent for a moment,
"My father was called to the chamber as well."
C'jit. Then this had to be really important. I thought to myself.
Cuda stopped at the corner, before one would turn to see the courtyard and stairs before entering the chamber. Our ears were already picking up voices in front of us. Much more urgent sounding than the noise of Yautja going about their daily lives behind us.
I was prepared to turn when I felt the tips of Cuda's claws, gentle, against my collarbone, the pads of his fingers, pushing me back into the wall. I was honestly confused by the gentle touch, until I heard him rumble,
"Stay here."
He wasn't asking, it was an order.
He peeked around the corner, his expression turning unreadable.
"Cuda?" I whispered, "Cuda, what do you see?"
ic'jit - Bad blood
yin'tekai jehdin - Honored One/Individual
Cetanu N'ritja - The form for the Yautjian God of Death
Lou-dte kale - Female/childmaker
Pauking/Pauk - Fucking/Fuck
H'ko - No