The rage on Maut's face would have made me smile if the rage was directed at anyone else but us and Cuda. The Black Yautja stared down Cuda with murderous intent. His glowing eyes sparkled red and his mandibles twisted in brooding fury.

"He didn't expect to be challenged, did he?" Mother chuffed in amusement.

"He's going to kill him." I gasped. Commander chuckled...actually chuckled at my comment,

"Do you doubt my training half-breed?" He pointed to my mother, "Sirrah, tell her of my skills." My mother chuckled with him,

"Do not doubt your Commander's training." She affirmed.

But their words did not comfort me. At all.

"I need to see Cuda." I pleaded. I turned towards Commander, "Please." Commander grew silent. Thinking and looking me straight in the eye. Finally he spoke,

"You have my permission."

The words barely left him when I rushed off towards the armory. Maut's angry gaze followed me. But thankfully he stayed on his side of the arena.

Cuda prepared his wrist blades with Rah's help. The rules were clear, no advanced technology. Only wrist blades and swords or spears. This would make sure the fight was fair.

"Are you sure about this brother?" Rah asked while adjusting Cuda's shoulder plate.

"I am." Cuda responded confidently. He shrugged his shoulders to test his shoulder plates. Since training his muscles had grown and stiffened.

"Tell me...What are you not admitting to me?" Rah chuffed he was half teasing but also serious. Cuda sighed, there was a lot he wasn't saying.

"It's nothing..." Rah looked at Cuda in surprise. What a blatant lie he just told. I am unsure if it is all pheromones Rah. Is what he really wanted to say to his friend. But Rah huffed instead, he knew his friend, his battle brother. This wasn't just "nothing". This was about Atorah.

Rah fully believed Atorah was worth fighting for. Hell, he'd be the one in the arena with Maut if Cuda hasn't spoken up so quickly. Cuda's constant ragging on Atorah had to be deeper than what he portrayed, especially since the pheromones were now causing him to risk his life for her.

"Brother, I know you're not telling me everything...but Atorah is going to want to know...why?"

"It's none of her business." He growled.

"It's about her." Rah countered, "I understand pheromones but this...you've never liked her! Now you might die for her?"

Cuda finally growled and snapped at Rah,

"She doesn't need to know why. You don't need to know why. No one needs to know why! This is about honor. About preserving our clan name. How would we look letting our greatest warrior's daughter just walk into the hands of savages? Atorah means nothing here. Understand? She's nothing to me! I...!"

Cuda went silent. Atorah stood at the entrance of the armory. There she was, hair fanning her face and rolling passed her shoulders. She was beautifully dressed and despite his irrational, rolling anger he couldn't help but see her beauty. Half human or not. He could no longer deny to himself that he was attracted to her. His pride however, wouldn't admit it to anyone else. Not to Rah. Not to his father and not even to her.

What the pauk is happening to me?

Cuda could see tears welling up in Atorah's eyes. Despite the fact that his kind couldn't cry and that he'd seen her cry a thousand times before because of him, it struck him in an unpleasant way that he was the cause of this upset.

He was a coward. He couldn't even work up the courage to say her name.

"Atorah." It was Rah instead who said it. But before he could say anything else she had run off. Cuda could feel his friend's piercing gaze on him. "I'll go after her." Rah said. Cuda still didn't speak. His eyes started towards the weapons rack. He felt like he was in a small shock.

"Brother," Rah said at the entrance, Cuda's eyes lifted back to him. "...you better win this. Or I'll deal with you after Maut for what you've done." Cuda narrowed his eyes.

But he knew Rah.

And Rah was not joking.

I'm so happy that you all enjoy my story!

Everything has been great on my end! Just getting back into writing! Got a little bit of Rah vs Cuda for Atorah's heart here! And now some serious romantic conflict between Cuda and Atorah!

What did you think?