A month of strenuous training took over Atorah's life. Her chores were dropped weeks after the tournament with Maut. And her mornings consisted of endurance runs, followed by sparring and practicing her forms, followed by studying medicines, plants and weapons and ending with a hunts for dinner. Her mother had her life consumed with the Yautja ways in preparation for the most important test of her life.

The Chiva.

The Chiva is a Yautja's ultimate birthright. It was the one thing that made all honored Yautja equal. They all had to go through this test no matter their chosen lifestyle. Trader, leader, hunter or brood-mother. They all did it.

Atorah was unsurprisingly excited for the idea of her own trial. A month ago Cuda had engaged in battle against an abusive suitor. As much as she appreciated his odd choice to defend her, Atorah wanted more than anything to just fight for herself.

Speaking of Cuda, Atorah had not seen him for over a month. Since she left the arena after talking to him, he seemed to have completely vanished. Every thought of him brought on feelings of deep confusion and angst. In the back of her mind was knowing that a certain Yautja was walking around with cultural rights to court her before anyone else. Against her better sense she still couldn't help feeling slightly abandoned over the fact that Cuda seemed entirely uninterested in those rights.

Again. What was I to expect?

Rah still visited her often. In fact there were quiet rumors being spread that he was courting her instead of Cuda. The rumors were greatly exaggerated. She still had blossoming feelings for the popular Yautja and at times, it felt like Rah were reciprocating those feelings when they were alone. But at now point did she feel like this was a serious courtship.

Rah started training under her Uncle Tu'puk less than a week after the tournament. There was apparently a rift between him and Cuda. Words were exchanged. Only Paya knows about what and the two had not spoken. Atorah caught small glimpses of his training regime. But from what she's seen, Rah would be a formidable opponent for anyone who tried to challenge him.

The morning air on their planet was starting to slightly chill. For their clan, adapting to all types of weather was seen as the strongest quality of a Yautja. Atorah's tanned skin and her warm blooded nature worked in her favor here. She pulled on a thin fur coat and pulled the furry hood over her head. It was still fairly dark outside, which was normal and fear of the dark was not something she was known for.

Atorah jogged out into the 'wildlands'. The wooded, undeveloped outside of their small clan home on their giant planet. Very few dangerous beings lived so closely to the Yautja compound. Less they be hunted.

Atorah's thoughts drifted back to Cuda. She honestly didn't want to think about him. His behavior was just too weird for her to take and she was still hurting over what he said before his battle with Maut. But his absence only made her more curious. Atorah jogged back to the compound. She worked her way through the bustling market and arrived near the Commander's headquarters but at a reasonable distance. There were two entrances, one with a grand stairway to the front doors and the other near the gardens. No one could be seen near the front so she sneaked quietly to the back.

At first there was, again, no one, to be seen. But her sensitive ears picked up on whispers deeper into the gardens. Atorah followed the whispers through the maze of large herbs, flowers and bushes. A large hedge covered in thorny black rose like flowers now separated her from whoever was talking on the other side. Conveniently there was a small hole in the hedge that she could peak through.

Atorah suppressed a gasp. Her lips slightly parted at the sight of Cuda. Standing in his eight foot glory accompanied by a female Yautja. They were simply talking, but the two were standing awfully close. More-so, the female was standing closer to him than he was to her. Cuda somehow looked older. More matured. Atorah was aware that Yautja matured faster than she ever would, but the clear maturity in Cuda's figure was shocking. Maybe it was from not seeing him for so long.

The female Yautja was unfamiliar to her. 7ft and a brilliant dark green. If such a color were even possible. Golden markings lined her sides, legs and face. Jewelry adorned the tusks on her mandibles. Her breasts were immaculate. Covered by a thin strip of leather while her lower form was covered by a long, furry loin cloth hide, held together by gold circlets. She was their age, but obviously from a family of great wealth and power. This was all she could see with the leaves of the bush obscuring her vision. But already Atorah was feeling inferior to the beautiful Yautja.

"What is stopping you from mating me right now Cuda?" The tall female leaned into him, her tusk scrapped his. Cuda stood rigidly still, as she touched him so intimately with her mandibles, "you know you want to." She flirted.

Atorah could smell the heavy h'dui'se (musk) that the female gave off. It was sweet and powerful. If she could smell it, so could Cuda, but ten times stronger. Atorah held her breath, was this was going to get really inappropriate for her to watch or? Turn her away, Turn her away, Turn her away,

Why am I even hoping that Cuda would turn her away? What business of it is mine?

"Are you thinking about...her?" The female teased, "the one you told me about?" Atorah's eyes shot back up into the hole.

"Mo." Cuda quickly hissed.

"Gooood." The female hissed back, "it doesn't matter who she is anyway. All Yautja females are inferior to me."

Atorah scowled. More egotistical bullshit.

"After my Chiva I will choose a female. Attempting to mate you now will just ruin the fun." Cuda gently caressed the female's chin with two long fingers. In that one move Atorah felt unwanted jealousy. Cuda looked so dominate and controlled in that position. She didn't want to listen to this anymore, she didn't want to be there anymore, it was a mistake to come to this place.

Atorah managed to leave undetected. That is until she collided with the body of Rah upon leaving the arched gateway of the garden.

"Oh!" Atorah yelped in surprise. Rah instinctively took a small jump back, equally startled that Atorah had run into him.

"Paya." Rah smirked in amusement, "slow down. What are you running from?" Then his eyes looked back to where she had emerged from, his mandibles clicked together in realization, "or, what have you done would be a better question?"

"Do you think of me as a trouble maker?" Atorah crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "I've done nothing. Yet." She smirked with him.

Rah laughed. Something that sounded like a mix between a snarl and growl. Shaking his head as the tube like dreads flowed with his movements. His large, clawed hand softly caressed her back. A touch that made the smile slowly vanish from her face. She looked up at him into a curious look. Less than a year ago she never imagined that Rah would be looking down at her in such a way. Yet he was. He reached down and grabbed her hand. An awkward action since he was 2-3 feet taller than her,

"Come." He encouraged her to follow him somewhere.

"I shouldn't. I am supposed to be training." She shyly told him. Rah's mandibles lifted in a smile,

"Consider it like training. It is only for a moment." Atorah still hesitated. Rah's shoulders lowered, "I have seen how hard you work. Admissions for the Chiva are in half a cycle. Come. We can enjoy ourselves for a few hours."

"And if my mother punishes is for this?" Atorah whined.

"Then it will be worth it."

Rah led Atorah outside of the clan compound and to Cetanu's Cave. Atorah had heard of it before, but never got to visit it herself.

Until now.

The cave was glowing. Brightly glowing blue stalactites covered the sides and ceiling of the entire cave. Plants that huddled into themselves as she moved close to them burned a bright green color. It was like entering another agaj'ya (realm).

It was beautiful.

Rah's silver eyes could see in the glowing cave much better than Atorah's could. He watched her as she marveled at the cave.

She was beautiful.

Atorah looked to Rah, "Thank you."

"For?"

Atorah paused, she could hear his curious clicking as he waited for her answer. She was unsure if she could say this without sounding completely stupid or weak, but she spoke anyway.

"For making me feel like I belong."