Atorah awoke with a start. She bolted upright and immediately grabbed her burning shoulder.
"Ah!" She complained with a hiss.
"Atorah." That was Rah's voice. She felt large clawed hands covered in soft, scaled skin envelop her her shoulders. "Are you hurting? I can ask for more salve." The Yautja asked her gently.
"T'uhtell."
"Is alive. But in critical condition. She may not make it for another night."
"Let's hope so." Atorah said darkly.
Rah chuckled, before gently pushing Atorah back down on her cot, "rest."
Atorah grabbed his hand, "where is Cuda?"
Rah trilled, "does it matter?"
"When will you two stop bickering? You were mei'hswei."
"And we still are. Even mei'hswei have fights." Rah sighed, "to answer your question, he is currently arguing with T'uhtell's father. He demanded your arrest last night."
"Ridiculous." Atorah mumbled, "T'uhtell attacked me after submitting. I defended myself."
"Correct. But he is demanding your arrest under the argument that you are not Yautja and therefor should not have been allowed to test for Chiva."
Atorah groaned in irritation, "that family and their pure blood beliefs are relentless! I am just as much a Yautja as T'uhtell. I bested her in combat! Ow!" Atorah gripped her shoulder.
"Your pain relief must be wearing off." Rah gently pushed her back again, "rest, sain'ja (warrior), you deserve it."
Cuda fumed as T'uhtell's father slandered Atorah.
"That abomination is a stain on our Yautja culture." the Elder hissed.
"That abomination, won against your pup in a fair match." Cuda's father responded calmly. As his son was in no condition to respond to the elder, less he wanted to be publicly whipped for dishonoring an elder.
"You would defend this, outsider?"
"She is no outsider. She was born on this planet, of a Yautja mother. She only knows Yautja ways and has Yautja blood. We are not savages here. While many Yautja clans would have destroyed her, we have obviously cultivated a strong warrior."
Cuda heard the whooshing of nearby doors. Atorah's uncle Tu'Puk and mother came hurrying into the Medical Ward.
The Elder snarled at Sirrah,
"You, slut!" He roared, "did you open your legs to any Ooman you ran across!?"
Tu'Puk reacted viscerally at the insult to his sister. He reached out and shoved the Elder on the shoulder. Initiating a challenge.
The Elder reacted with a roar.
"How dare you! Abominations! All of you!" The Elder roared before coming to blows with Tu'Puk. Fists flew as they wrestled for control and dominance. Commander Cota, Cuda and Sirrah merely stood, waiting for the two to calm. When there seemed no end in sight to their fighting, overseers were called to separate them. It took six overseers to separate the two brawling Yautja.
The Elder glared at Sirrah, "you've tainted the bloodline of Yautja preserved for millions of years. You will answer to Cetanu one day."
Sirrah sneered, "our family worships Paya."
The Elder snarled again before taking his leave.
"You would think, as one of the most civilized of our kind that we have evolved past blood purity." Sirrah hissed, "now, where is my pup?"
"I can take you to her." Cuda told Sirrah.
"I need to speak with Cota." Tu'Puk told them. As Cuda and Sirrah headed to Atorah's room, Tu'Puk spoke, "what will be done about T'uhtell?"
Cota watched as his son and Sirrah rounded the corner and sighed, "the council has taken over on the matter. It is out of my hands." Cota hissed, "If it were my decision, she would be labeled called ic'jit (bad blood) and banished."
"At least we are in agreement." Tu'Puk nodded.
"The important thing is, Atorah will move on for her Chiva. I just hope she's ready."
Rah had just finished applying a layer of salve to Atorah's stab wound when Sirrah and Cuda entered the room.
"Oh my sweet Atorah." Sirrah hurried to her side.
"Mother, I'm alright." Atorah nuzzled her mother's crown with her forehead.
"Cuda."
"Rah."
The two males gave each other a curt nod.
Cuda cautiously sat on the edge of Atorah's cot, his claws itching to comfort her physically but with Sirrah here he wouldn't dare touch her.
"I am so very proud of you." Sirrah spoke, "now comes the truly hard part."
"Was fighting T'uhtell not hard for me?" Atorah huffed our a laugh.
"Obviously not. My training is far superior to that of her spoiled brat family." Sirrah huffed, remembering the Elder insulting her. "Now is the time you must focus on the Chiva. Rest now, they will be calling out Chiva locations tomorrow."
Sirrah quickly looked between Rah and Cuda. She almost rolled her eyes at Cuda practically looking like a lost pup.
"Rah." Rah straightened immediately, "escort me back to the city." She ordered.
Rah looked between her and Atorah, mandibles squeezes near his mouth in apprehension, "y-yes Great Sirrah." He gave Atorah a soft squeeze on her uninsured shoulder and headed towards the doors, "Follow me."
"Goodbye mother." Atorah gave her a weak smile. Sirrah purred her goodbye.
When the two had left, Cuda merely stared at Atorah for a minute. His large hand wrapped around her much smaller tanned ankle. He gave it a gentle squeeze and purred.
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel like I've been stabbed."
Cuda chuckled, tusks clicked together in amusement.
"You took it well." He teased.
Atorah's shoulder was now just a dull ache thanks to the pain relieving salve. She sat up to face Cuda. Only she had to slightly look up at him as he looked down at her.
"Do you wish to talk about it?" Cuda spoke quietly.
"I would like to."
"You should heal first."
"I am not weak in mind or body. I want to speak with you." Atorah pressed.
Cuda nodded. His nerves were suddenly back like never before. He could defeat warriors all day without a single harsh breath but now his heart was racing and his breathing had to be purposely slowed to hide his nervousness.
"Were you truly going to court T'uhtell if she won today?"
Cuda flinched at her question. A bit dumbfounded, he growled,
"Of course not. I cannot stand that lou-dte kale." Cuda paused as he prepared to say about a dozen more curse words. Atorah had an amused look on her face. Cuda sighed, "my...feelings for you are not based on how many battles you win. Or how many pups you can have. I am still exploring these feelings that are so unlike our culture," Cuda leaned into her, "but I am fairly sure that I like you, because you are you."
"What am I Then?" Atorah asked him softly.
"Youre Resilient and strong for one. No weakling could accomplish what you have. You're compassionate, merciful and Kind. You could have killed T'uhtell to secure your win. Despite her hatred of you, you chose not to. But you believe in justice. You defended yourself accordingly from her attack. You're forgiving. Else I wouldn't be standing here speaking my feelings to you. Truly, I should be honored that you're giving me your attention at all."
"You were very cruel." Atorah said.
"And am atoning for it." Cuda smirked. A mandible lifted to display his good intentions. Cuda leaned into her more, his mandibles could touch her hair if she let him. Cuda's voice was low, a purr in his chest shook her. "But do you know what else draws me in to you?"
Atorah shivered, "What?"
"Your unmatched beauty."
Atorah's cheeks heated and she took a deep breath. Cuda's musk had filled the room and her body was suddenly responding. He could smell her attraction to him and his purring only grew more persistent.
"Cuda."
"I cannot help how I feel. But if you do not want my pursuits, I will stop pursuing. But I cannot stop what I feel for you."
Atorah snaked her hands past his large shoulders to caress the back of his neck, one finger lightly playing with a dread, making him growl in excitement.
"I feel it too." She admitted, "and I do not want you to stop."