Twenty-Nine

Ki'vei-ta hissed viciously as she lashed her arm up to block her opponent's strike, her mandibles flaring as she pulled her arm back and threw a hard punch to the side of the other Yautja's head. Her foe staggered back, bending her knees slightly as she crossed her arms to block another slashing strike from the Matriarch, who took advantage of her opponent's guard and shifted her center of gravity, kicking into her knees and knocking her off balance, sending her tumbling down to the floor. She fell hard, dazed as the Matriarch loomed over her, her armor gleaming in the low light of the kehrite. Issuing a deep growl, Ki'vei-ta stepped away from her fallen sparring partner and turned, stalking away from the battle arena where she'd been blowing off some steam. She tossed her mane of jeweled tendrils, tucking her mandibles close. At her approach, a small group of younger males scattered and slunk out of her path, giving her a wide berth. She hissed warningly at them as she passed, hammering the message in. She recognized a few of the males here; four or five of them were some of her own offspring. However, she had little time for them nowadays. It was very rare that she socialized with any of her male progeny. A few held the exalted exception in the rule as highly skilled and powerful Yautja who brought much honor to the Clan, but once a male pup reached a certain age, he was expelled from the nursing ward and forbidden reentry.

The enormous training hall was always filled with sparring Yautja, but all had immediately paused in their activities the second Ki'vei-ta and her guards entered. The Matriarch trained only with her female guards. If a male were truly foolish enough to challenge her, she would happily put him in his place. It had happened before and she had no doubt it would happen again.

She approached the door and a young, freshly Blooded male raised his gaze, leering up at her briefly before dropping his gaze again. But this was enough; Ki'vei-ta's mandibles spread wide and she let out a vicious, high-pitched snarl as she lashed out quicker than he could react, grabbing his neck and smashing him against the wall. She hurled him bodily to the ground and he hit with a sickening thud, laying still but for his labored breathing. It had happened so quickly, he hadn't had any time to react. The Matriarch glared furiously at his motionless form and quickly calmed herself. To allow her anger to go any further was unwise and she watched as this brazen and freshly humbled young male picked himself up off the floor, struggling to his feet and staggering away from her. The message was loud and very clear. She stood tall, her hands clenched at her sides as she tucked her mandibles in tightly against her mouth. She whirled and stalked out, followed by her guards. They rarely got involved unless she requested this of them; she felt better in her situation by handling her problems herself. In her mind, this presented a much stronger, more capable leader in the Clan.

However, now, Ki'vei-ta turned and ordered her guards to disperse. She was going to head into the central guidance chamber and too many bodies distorted the hologram. The other females backed up away from her, bowing respectfully as they moved away, further down the corridor. They were returning to the upper decks where the females typically resided. Around this time of season, many of the females still had sucklings to care for. Ki'vei-ta would normally have been caring for a suckling as well, but she had failed in conceiving this season. It wasn't the first time it had happened; female Yautja didn't conceive easily and it took at least a couple of matings to increase the odds in their favor. She'd already birthed a hundred and twenty-four sucklings in her five hundred years of breeding age. That wasn't a bad number for any female and she had nothing to be ashamed of. Even still, in the seasons where a mating failed, it still felt strange to have no such responsibility to care for.

She proceeded down an exceptionally darkened corridor, following the steps she knew by heart as she ascended a flight of stairs, moving into a vast, circular room. The door shut behind her and she proceeded to the center, placing her hand on the upright circular register and activating the shimmering blue hologram that swirled through the air around her, forming a perfect, miniature replica of the galaxy. She watched it spinning slowly a moment before touching it delicately, zooming in exponentially until she reached their spacial location. The hologram expanded outward and surrounded her completely, allowing her to view their location and all the heavenly bodies near it with near perfect accuracy. She wandered past the tiny image of the Clan ship floating in the nothingness and took note of the nearest Hunting planets. She was able to read this information and estimate roughly ten more days before they'd be within range to replenish the food supply. As she walked, the image moved with her, adjusting so that she became the center of the hologram. After only a few steps, she was nearing their home world's location. They were closer to it now than they'd been in a long time. She often considered whether or not it was appropriate to return just yet. The planet was in a state of higher-than-normal volcanic activity, now too dangerous for even the Yautja to inhabit for a while. There were currently only a few dozen individuals living in a settlement on the surface of the planet as they monitored the activity of the planet's core. Once the planet calmed down and it was safe enough to land, Ki'vei-ta planned to return for a period. No word yet, however, and she was forced to wait a while longer.

She heard the sound of the door opening and her eyes narrowed as she turned, her spines raising and her tendrils swishing over her shoulders. She settled when she recognized the Yautja standing there.

"You are fully aware that I dislike this odd tendency of yours, Sechinde." she growled.

" I do not consciously do this to aggravate you." he said with a bow, keeping his head lowered, "I had a premonition you would be here."

"Am I becoming predictable in my advanced age?" she asked, turning around and facing the projection of the home world again.

"Not at all. I simply know what to look for." Sechinde answered, approaching her warily and giving her a respectful distance as he paused several feet away, watching the hologram with interest. Ki'vei-ta eyed him suspiciously, but settled when she saw him keeping his distance. Of all the Yautja on this ship, males especially, Ki'vei-ta minded his company the least. Sechinde maintained a very healthy, expansive respect for her and never once allowed it to waver. Regardless of what was happening, he always kept his place.

They studied the hologram together, occasionally wandering to different angles to move it to different places on the map. Ki'vei-ta already knew he'd come for the same reason she had. They both were concerned about the impending and mysterious outbreaks, certainly. However, their actual reasons for retreating to this restricted place few were allowed to tread were quite different.

"It is rare we seek the solitude of this place simultaneously." she pointed out, "I shall hazard a guess that you came for the same purpose I did?"

Sechinde rumbled deeply, tossing his nearly gray tendrils with a huff, "It is believable." he agreed, "But I do not lack for sufficient company."

"And of course there shall be idle talk the likes of which I despise?" she growled, eying him from her side of the room as she watched a small dead planet on the map spin past her and out of sight through the wall.

"I shall speak nothing of the Avian if you forbid it." he told her, following the course of a massive comet whose trajectory he could see would comfortably miss their massive ship.

"Your fascination for her is intriguing." she said, "We are alone, Sechinde. Tell me honestly; why do you fight so hard to protect that suckling?"

"The Matriarch of the Sev'kai requesting candidness? This is truly a momentous event, Ki'vei-ta." he said with an amused upward twitch of his mandibles. She drew near him and growled softly, fully conveying her annoyance with his obtuse sense of humor, "Now, Sechinde."

"Mind your elders, Ki'vei-ta." he said, unable to resist one final quip, knowing full well he could get away with it. His eyes narrowed, "I have told you before; the Avian race was host to one of the most thrilling Hunts I had partaken in my lifetime. The memories are as vivid as the day they occurred."

"You fight to protect the Avian, or so it appears. Why is she so special to you?"

"She is a remnant of bygone times, Ki'vei-ta. However, I do not protect her. Her fate is decided by the Paya, not by me. I have simply set down a path for her, fraught with as many obstacles as any of our own young face. Whether or not she chooses to walk upon it is her own choice."

Ki'vei-ta fixed him with a stern glare, "And your involvement means nothing, then? I do not believe you, Sechinde."

"I have done what I wish and no more. Had I desired to protect her, I would not have meted out her exile like I did."

"I received the message from Thwei'ja," Ki'vei-ta said in reference to her oldest offspring, "His choice to pursue her was valid. He was able to locate her and return with her before she compromised us. What was your judgment?"

Sechinde looked over at her, "Twenty rotations on N-yuicte. Just challenging enough for a creature of her stature."

"While it seems befitting, it also seems to me that you still defend her."

"I do not defend the Avian. I defend the memories of the Hunt and the potential to partake in such a Hunt once more. She is the key toward achieving that end once again. The possibility is what I defend."

Ki'vei-ta eyed him softly, taking note of how, again, his tone changed whenever the subject was brought up. Something about his Hunt with the Avians always drew him into his thoughts, and she often suspected there was more to his tales of that Hunt than he cared to let on. She wasn't sure what it was and doubted she'd ever know. She knew better than to ask him too much further, but she had to admit, the way he spoke of them piqued her interest. She hadn't Hunted in many, many seasons. As a Youngblood, she had Hunted vigorously on several worlds with other females. When she'd completed her chiva and been cleared to breed, she'd laid down her Hunting armor and weapons as all females do so that she might have time to bear the offspring that were vital to the Clan. She had trophies of her own and she treasured them, as they were all she would ever possess, or need to possess. She let out a deep, huffing sigh, "Permit me to confide in you, Sechinde." she said, "At such an advanced age, even I still feel the indescribable pull of the Hunt. There are times I wish to follow it."

Sechinde turned to her, silent for a moment as he watched her. She faced off to the side, not looking at him with her arms folded around her middle, a position she often took when deep in thought. She shook her head, "Many of my guards will occasionally join Hunting groups. I could never leave on a Hunt. My duties within the Clan never end. I am always needed here to guide the females and keep order within the males."

"I believe Va-sh'ri chose well." Sechinde said quietly in mention of the former Matriarch and Ki'vei-ta's bearer.

"I do as well. I am blessed by the Paya with the strength needed to lead such a large Clan to honor."

Sechinde hesitated and approached her carefully, pausing a few steps short of her. He reminded himself again, as he did at the back of his mind every time he was near her, to be respectful of her. He may have had a vast age difference on her, but she had a good four inches of height over him, to say nothing of her immense strength she kept well hidden beneath her lean physique. Ki'vei-ta initially flared her tusks at his approach, but her hiss died in her throat and she tucked her mandibles back in, reminding herself that he meant no disrespect or potential harm to her. As the oldest Yautja aboard the ship, she held a great deal of respect for him, but not only because of his age or his skill. She had known him an incredibly long time and they had been through much together.

"Do you happen to recall our first encounter?" she asked bemusedly.

"As clearly as the day it happened," he answered, "One Hunting pack encountering the unexpected meeting of a pack of freshly Blooded female Yautja. A trespass on claimed territory. I recall my anger and the blade of your weapon clearly." he said with a deep, clicking chuckle.

"As do I. I stepped forward to challenge your threat to my pack. I did not immediately recognize you as Sev'kai. We were ready to fight to the death."

Sechinde rumbled softly in his chest, "Your fire was impressive, even then, Ki'vei-ta."

Truly, they had indeed been through much. It hadn't been long after their first meeting when Ki'vei-ta had been cleared by the council to mate that season. She'd watched several males take notice of, and battle one another for her. A female strong enough to pass her chiva so quickly was surely a prize worth battling for to produce truly strong and honorable offspring, and she of course, would only select the best. However, she'd been surprised to see Sechinde appear before her, his presence alone enough to deter most of the younger males vying for her attention. His aura was so intimidating that in the process of their courting, he'd only had to fight off two other males foolish enough to challenge him. At first, Ki'vei-ta had been wary of him, recalling their near miss at a vicious altercation not long before. However, in fighting a more exuberant male who refused to back down from his claim, he had readily proved to her that he was in excellent condition as a fighter and maintained his claim over her until there were no more challenges. Throughout the course of their mating, she had fought hard against him, as she was expected and had been instructed to do. Unable to succeed in driving him away, the coupling had been successful and she'd greeted Thwei'ja as her firstborn the following season. They didn't interact much outside of the breeding season until the time came for the previous Matriarch to pass on her role. As Va-sh'ri's health deteriorated rapidly, she called upon Ki'vei-ta to step forward. The mantle of leadership was usually passed on through the successor ending the life of the previous leader. Ki'vei-ta, at just over five hundred years of age, had taken the life of her Bearer and inherited the position of Matriarch from her. This was very different from how it was usually done. Normally, the strongest chosen females battled one another for the role, to weed out the weakest of them who would become the new guards. Ki'vei-ta had been chosen above all of that, creating deep controversy and concern.

"It was not until I became Matriarch that I came to understand the true honor you lived by, Sechinde." Ki'vei-ta admitted to him, "Va-sh'ri made a very rash and risky decision by breaking tradition the way she did."

Sechinde nodded, "You are correct. The peace was quite fragile, then."

Ki'vei-ta stepped toward him, now standing nearly side by side with him as she faced the opposite direction, "I would have taken control and calmed the anxieties of the Clan with the shift in leadership," she said quietly, "However, were it not for your involvement, the process would have taken much longer, indeed."

Sechinde glanced sidelong at her, recalling the incident well. Many of the Clan were nervous about such a sudden turn of events. Some were unwilling to follow such a blatant break of long-held traditions like that. As Ki'vei-ta had stepped forward to claim her place, many Yautja had rather loudly vocalized their disagreement in the matter, and one female had even stepped forward to challenge Ki'vei-ta's place as Matriarch. Sechinde had watched as the challenger had been met, battled ferociously and then defeated before the spectating Yautja, but this seemed to only increase the tension. He had made his choice then. Having greatly respected Va-sh'ri and now seeing her progeny take her place, Sechinde had known even then what became of such unrest if left unchecked.

"You should have stood by and allowed me to deal with the challenging females," Ki'vei-ta scolded softly, though there was no real backing behind her words, "You should not have done that. You should have simply observed as you have always done. Instead, you saw the unrest growing more unstable and I recall it so clearly as you moved out of alignment with the males and roared loudly enough to silence the entire hall instantaneously. I must admit, I was quite surprised, Sechinde."

" What petty shame is this upon you, that you challenge the new Matriarch of the Clan!? The Paya guide us without fail and this time, they have guided us in a new direction! A new Leader has been chosen. You defy the Matriarch, you defy the Paya. I choose to stand with her. Continue to resist the decision of the fallen Matriarch and you all shall battle me! Stand before me, all dissidents of the Clan!"

Ki'vei-ta, still standing nearly shoulder to shoulder with him, chuckled mirthfully as she shook her head slowly, causing him to glance at her curiously, "And do you know? None of them did. Not one Yautja took your challenge. I expected at least one to try."

"You had been selected." Sechinde said simply, "I will follow you loyally, as I have always done."

"Even if I were to lead our Clan to certain death?" she mumbled.

"You are a worthy Matriarch, Ki'vei-ta. I trust the Paya to guide your decisions and bring us honor. Just as it has always been."

She glanced over at him, "I need neither assistance, nor advice from you, Sechinde. I request both to uphold the deep respect I hold for you."

Sechinde nodded, clicking his tusks softly, "I am requested and so shall follow through to the best of my ability." he answered.

Ki'vei-ta turned fully so she faced him and he nearly followed the gesture, maintaining a slight angle away from her so as not to make direct eye contact. She leaned forward just a bit and nudged the side of his face with hers, the soft rumble in her chest forming into a purr. A similar sound from him echoed hers as he returned the gesture, nuzzling his mandibles against the side of her face in an affectionate manner. This was not the first time they had engaged in this kind of intimacy, but with how uncommon such displays typically were, it was just less trouble to indulge in them in private, away from others uninvolved in their situation. It was still several months until breeding season began; that wasn't the point of this. They knew their scents would linger; there was no hiding their proximity once they left this room. Sechinde had seen it happen only once before in his entire life, the formation of a bond of sorts between a male and female Yautja. Like them, it had been a pair of much more experienced Elders who spent an unusual amount of time in the company of the other. He had found it strange of course, and never once questioned their decision. And of course, he'd never even imagined it would ever happen to him. Yautja, as a quirk of their evolution to maintain genetic variety, did not take permanent mates like so many other species did. It just wasn't something they practiced. But this didn't bar bonds from occasionally forming. He knew little of it, or the circumstances that enabled it to happen, only that when it did occur, it seemed to happen exclusively to Elders. Neither of them had really even noticed when it truly began, just that the time they spent together seemed to grow longer each time.

It wasn't a serious issue, really. They'd partaken in hundreds of successful collective breeding seasons and claimed hundreds more Yautja as their descendents. Their bloodlines were as safe as they could get. Sechinde had given up trying to make sense of it and over time, had simply come to appreciate these quiet moments with her while they had them. At this point, he couldn't even remember which of them had initiated the first experimental approach. Usually, for a male Yautja to be this close to a female was at best daft, and at worst, deadly. However, the sound of her contented purr calmed whatever natural caution he might have maintained.

Ki'vei-ta had given up hiding how she favored Sechinde during breeding seasons, initially dismissing it as simply choosing the strongest and most honorable sire for her young. However, she had eventually come to notice how she became less aggressive in his company as time went on, to the point where he became a figure in her council to whose thoughts she would listen above others. The majority of her offspring had been sired by Sechinde, and though she wasn't the only female he approached during breeding seasons, she was always the first he sought. She knew that their situation was highly unusual, but she wasn't complaining about it. Hostility flowed through her veins toward any and all males who discredited her honor or her standing as Matriarch of the Clan. But Sechinde had accepted her from the very start and remained her most loyal warrior. He was far, far older than she was, and she knew that she would live to oversee his honorable burial ceremony. There was no avoiding the fact that one day, the Paya would call him to them, forcing him to leave her behind until the call came for her. Hopefully, the both of them would be found worthy enough to Hunt together in the lands of the high ones. So until then, while they were entirely alone, she swore to give in and enjoy his presence while she had it, and while there were no others around to question their actions. Surrounded by others of the Clan, they were warriors of the same alignment. Alone, well...she wasn't sure what to call it, but it didn't feel entirely wrong. His scent was so familiar, so comforting, so strange, but something she didn't really care to fight. She felt the ends of his tusks graze against the vulnerable flesh of her throat and her breath hitched on reflex. But she didn't move otherwise, trusting him implicitly.

They pulled away, still purring and Ki'vei-ta rested her forehead against his, her eyes closed contentedly. Nothing needed to be said. Neither of them felt the urge to speak. Just quietly enjoying the others' company. These moments were few and far between and they couldn't last. Ki'vei-ta knew that all she could do was savor them while she had them before she would inevitably have to return. She was aware that the others were suspicious of something, though she was confident they didn't know what. The lower ranked Yautja knew better than to question their Matriarch, so long as she led them in a positive direction. What she did in her down time was her own business. But of course, she would leave the holographic chamber carrying heavy reminders of Sechinde's scent, and he hers, as they always did. Perhaps this was one reason that rare bonds always seemed to form between Elder Yautja, since they weren't likely to be questioned.

Sechinde watched her silently as she stepped back, staring off to the side almost solemnly. She had a faraway look in her eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

"Are you well?" he asked her quietly.

"I am. Do you sometimes feel that this should not happen?"

"Of course. But this is because it usually does not happen. It is a rather uncommon situation. Thus, should you order me to do so, I shall never approach you again." he told her, completely steadfast in his declaration. Ki'vei-ta was undoubtedly strong, certainly stronger than he was, as well as faster and younger besides. If he crossed boundaries with her in any way, she'd be justified to see fit in slashing his throat without a second thought if she felt so inclined. The balance they maintained was critical, and so was his respect and healthy awareness of her.

"I approached, Sechinde. You did not. And I could not give such an order. I do not hold much faith in my own decision in that regard. I do not know what to call it, and while I feel that in some respects it is wrong, I do not object to it."

"Nor do I."

Ki'vei-ta nodded in agreement and moved to shut off the holographic image, "How much time has elapsed for the Avian's exile?"

Sechinde rumbled deeply in thought, "Thwei'ja deposited her on N-yuicte roughly six rotations before now." he said, curious to her sudden mention of the Avian, arguably her least favorite topic. Ki'vei-ta clicked her tusks thoughtfully, "And her vitals?"

"Still functional. The bracer has not recorded a lapse in her activity."

"She lives on, then. N-yuicte is not a simple Hunting world to traverse."

"Would it be prudent to send a scout to observe her progress?"

"No, that will not be necessary. Her exile is still in effect. She has some time left to go and we shall see if she can survive her ordeal."

She fell silent for a moment, and Sechinde watched her carefully. She was compartmentalizing. It was understandable. He didn't fully understand the situation either. But his standing wasn't as vital as hers and they both knew it. If she were questioned too much, there could be severe unrest within the Clan. Everything that happened would have to be treated with care.

"I shall take my leave, Ki'vei-ta." he told her.

"The Avian perturbs me, Sechinde," she bit out, her mood suddenly souring. Sechinde could detect the change instantly in her through her scent and his spines rose in sudden caution. Ki'vei-ta turned slowly, her eyes dark, "Refrain from mentioning her around me."

He nodded in assent and stepped back slowly, instinctively knowing that to be near her now was extremely dangerous. For any reason, her mood was darkening and he knew he had to leave. Sechinde turned away, leaving quietly, lest he incur her wrath.

Ki'vei-ta watched him leave, left alone in the chamber in the darkness. She stayed there a while, thinking deeply and contemplating. In a short while, she would be forced to return to her duties, as well as talks about the Avian that she despised so much. But for now, the silence was deafening, the sound of the powerful engines even swallowed up in the thickness of it.

She relished it.

/ooo/

Warkha felt that it had been entirely too long since he'd returned to the Clan ship. In all actuality, he should have returned to the Ki'vai, but he chose to dock at the Clan ship of the Sev'kai instead. He spent more time with them and was more familiar with their ship. As he stepped into the loading bay, he was aware of others preparing their ships staring at him. He issued them a sharp warning growl that immediately won him aversion. Torquing his mandibles furiously, he stamped forward, heading further into the ship. He'd been stared at, attacked, and shunned his whole life and still relished the day he'd finally become strong enough to retaliate against the disrespectful gazes. But now, he was too preoccupied to bother with petty fights such as that.

His meeting with the Illmorein had taken far too long. On top of that, in the middle of his journey back, he'd been ordered by the council to divert to a neighboring Hunting world where four deserted Bad Bloods had taken up residence. They had spread out within their chosen territory and it had taken Warkha five whole rotations to track down and kill each one. With each kill, he became more and more incensed. By the time he reached the final disgraced Yautja, he'd all but entirely ripped his head from his body with his bare hands. Through all of this, he felt his blood boiling with barely controlled rage and aggression, and the unyielding itch for a fight. But not just any fight.

He'd been denied his desire to engage the Avian in battle for too long. He wanted to challenge her and fight against her as he would any worthy opponent. She'd lasted this long; she must be worthy. If not, he'd kill her, simple as that. But he highly doubted she was unworthy. And just the thought of meeting her in battle was enough to flush his system with pure adrenaline. He hadn't felt this rush of anticipation in so long that he'd actually grown fearful that he would never feel it again, that the Hunt would never hold the same level of intensity again for him.

He made his way into the central gathering hall. He knew that Thwei'ja's pack had to have returned by now. If they had, the Avian would surely be with them. He entered into the massive hall and saw dozens of Yautja milling about. The night hours were close to effect; a Clan Hunt had taken place recently and many of the Clan's warriors were likely preparing to bed down for the night. Warkha wondered at first if he'd missed them, but he spied what he was searching for as he eyed a table on the opposite end. He saw the brothers sitting there, talking over a drink. However, Thwei'ja was missing, and, more importantly, so was the Avian. Warkha felt his rage boiling to the surface as he realized she wasn't with the three brothers for a change and he stormed forward. The eldest, Than'ja, looked up sharply at his approach. The normally quiet Yautja issued a warning snarl, flaring his mandibles as he stood, his younger brothers following suit. Warkha was so keyed up by this point that he knew he'd probably be capable of taking all three young males on at once. However, to engage in such a mass fight in the main hall was a grave matter and all four of them would receive serious punishment for such a battle outside of the kehrite.

"Your group is rather small at the moment." Warkha remarked to Than'ja, eying him and his brothers angrily. Kar'kha's spines bristled and Ikthya'de stood with his shoulders tense, just waiting for the moment he'd need to strike. Than'ja clacked his tusks loudly, "State your business with us, Arbitrator. What transgression have we committed that you visit us personally?"

Warkha felt his own spines raising in aggravation as Than'ja tested his motives. The healer was intelligent.

"I was simply curious to where the Avian has disappeared to," he said as calmly as he could manage, "I had hoped to speak with her."

Ikthya'de let out a low, displeased growl, "Luar'ka will not return for a while, Arbitrator." he ground out, "She is in exile."

Warkha's eyes widened and he flared his tusks with a snarl, "Exile?!"

Than'ja regarded him sternly, "Yes. While we had spent time on N-'ithya, she deserted us briefly on her own Hunt, against the wishes of our pack leader. Elder Sechinde ordered her to spend twenty rotations on N-yuicte as punishment."

Ikthya'de's eyes flashed and he stepped forward, "You have no business in this affair, Warkha." he hissed warningly.

Warkha ignored the obvious prod as he pulled his mandibles back against his face, his eyes narrowing, "She disobeyed a pack leader, did she? This is quite disappointing. I had believed her to be far more honorable than this. Perhaps she is less worthy an opponent than I thought."

Even Warkha jumped when Ikthya'de let out a shrill hissing snarl and stalked forward, his golden eyes flaming. Than'ja rumbled deep in his chest, growling warningly at his brother, but too late to stop him. Kar'kha held his ground, braced for any kind of fight he may have to stop. This was a bad time for this to happen.

Warkha stared down at the incensed Yautja before him. Ikthya'de was only a few inches shorter than he was, but the look of pure malice in his eyes was almost enough to set the Arbitrator off.

Almost.

"Warkha," Ikthya'de hissed, "I will not tolerate you smudging her honor while she is not present to defend it herself."

Warkha leered angrily at him, "You defend the honor of the Avian?" he sneered, "To say so little of the honor you hold for yourself."

It happened too fast. Ikthya'de snarled, shoving Warkha back, the smear against his own honor on top of the absent Luar'ka's too much for his patience to bear. Than'ja barked in warning as Warkha smashed his fist against Ikthya'de's skull, throwing him to the ground. He rolled with the impact, scrambling back to his feet as Warkha lunged at him again. Ikthya'de crashed into him, shoving him back as Warkha buried his claws deep into his opponent's throat, snarling furiously at the younger Yautja.

Than'ja looked around warily as onlooking Yautja began to take notice of the fight. Some, mostly Youngbloods, were roaring and jeering support of the fight, while older males became guarded, judging the situation. Fights outside of the kehrite were forbidden for a reason. With so many short tempered predators in one place and nowhere to go outside the Clan ship, cohesiveness needed to be maintained at all costs. Any Yautja caught battling outside of the training rooms were usually punished severely. The occasional little spat here and there was fine, but this was likely going to turn into a full on death match.

Warkha managed to grab Ikthya'de's tendrils close to the base, twisting his head down at an angle as the younger Yautja let out a snarling yelp at the sudden painful yank. However, Ikthya'de shifted his weight and used the new angle to brace himself, slamming his fist against Warkha's chest, driving the wind out of him and loosening his grip. The smaller Yautja twisted out of his grip, causing Warkha's talons to rake deeply against the fleshy tendrils as he did. As he recovered from the unexpected blow, Ikthya'de straightened up, grabbing his foe's shoulders and bashing his skull fiercely against Warkha's, driving him back further. Warkha recovered quickly from this and charged forward with a bellow, tusks flared widely as his fist connected with his opponent's face, his other hand going around to snatch his throat again. Having learned from last time, Ikthya'de hissed and threw himself backward, dragging Warkha with him as he twisted and used his own momentum to hurl the white Yautja to the floor. Warkha landed hard and his arms went up to block Ikthya'de's fist coming down toward his face as the younger Yautja pummeled him furiously. The arbitrator roared viciously and brought his leg up, catching his knee against Ikthya'de's chest and lifting his upper body up to bash his elbow against his face, knocking him aside. Again, he was amazed at the younger Yauja's ability to recover from such heavy blows as he shook his head and snarled, throwing another punch to Warkha's head. Warkha lowered his skull, the blow smashing against his crest with a sickening crack. His arm shot up to block another blow and used the momentum of the shot to push himself back, rolling to his side and crouching a short distance away. Ikthya'de straightened to his feet, keeping an eye on the newly acquired distance as the two circled one another, growling furiously. Both were bleeding from the many blows they'd traded, but Warkha had to admit this young warrior was much stronger than he appeared, and often acted.

It was now that Warkha realized this had gotten out of hand. The crowd of spectators was quite large by this point and he knew to drag it out further would not end well for either of them. His end goal was ultimately the Avian, not her pack.

"You fight quite well, Youngblood." he growled out. Ikthya'de said nothing, staring him down darkly with his lower mandibles hanging slack in clear aggression. He blinked in surprise when the white Yautja suddenly straightened up and backed away, his posture relaxing. Without another word, he withdrew into the crowd, shoving his way through the onlooking Yautja and ignoring the growls and snarls he earned as he did so. Ikthya'de barked angrily and would've followed him but for Than'ja grabbing his arm, "No, mei'hswei, you must cease. Warkha ended the fight for a reason." he hissed quietly.

Ikthya'de glared at his twin as he struggled to calm his temper. His chest heaved, his blood pounded in his ears and the adrenaline surged through his body as he turned his head back to watch Warkha vanish through a corridor at the end of the great hall. His shoulders sagged in annoyance as he realized Than'ja was right; had any other arbitrators been in the vicinity during that fight, there was no doubt the both of them would have been dragged off to the lower levels and imprisoned for a time. If they remained in the hall, the chance was actually still there. It was always possible that more arbitrators had been summoned by onlookers.

The three brothers turned and, amidst the many chattering Yautja now keyed up over the brawl and arguing amongst themselves, left the hall quickly, seeking silence in which to talk quietly. This was found within the healing ward where Than'ja watched as Ikthya'de tended to his own injuries, as was expected. Kar'kha, sitting a short ways away, chuffed softly and shook his head, "Yet again, your temper and rage became your better, mei'hswei." he admonished.

"Your impulsive decision was the ultimate cause of this." Ikthya'de spat back at his younger brother, baring his teeth.

Kar'kha flared his three remaining tusks, "Your obsession over that suckling is hardly a secret, Ikthya'de!" he shouted.

"Explain the absence of this rational judgment the night you dragged her to the ship, Kar'kha!"

"Ki'cte!" Than'ja roared, smashing his fist down so hard against the table that a jagged crack formed along the edge of the stone where he'd struck. Both brothers stared at him as he stood before them, his entire body rigid, his tendrils draped over his shoulders and his mandibles flared wider than they were sure they'd ever seen him flare them. They both shut up then, falling silent and sitting still. Than'ja rarely lost his temper and it was best to obey whenever he did. The eldest brother let out a huffing sigh, sitting down across from Kar'kha, his head drooping.

"Do either of you have any idea how serious this is?" he grumbled.

Ikthya'de rumbled deeply in his chest, his tusks clicking in thought, "I do. To think that Warkha has become obsessed over Luar'ka."

"It is much deeper than that," Than'ja said, "He desires to fight her. He may attempt to Hunt her. But that is not even the most serious."

"What are you saying?" Kar'kha asked sternly.

"Her tracker shows she still lives on N-yuicte. She has four rotations left to her exile. She has essentially survived. We are departing soon with Thwei'ja to retrieve either her, or her remains should anything unexpected occur. Once we have found her, do you understand what will happen?"

Ikthya'de raised his head, his eyes dark as he nodded, "Once she has returned, our ability to protect her further will come to an end." he said, "She will have become strong enough to survive exile; she can no longer hide."

Than'ja nodded, facing Kar'kha, "We can stand for her, no longer."

Ikthya'de straightened up, his eyes bright, "This is momentous, Than'ja. She has absorbed much. I am curious to watch her further developments. But more importantly, I am quite eager to observe her first true hunt as a Blooded warrior."

Kar'kha chittered quietly in thought, "First, she must survive her exile, mei'hswei."

Than'ja stood, rolling his shoulders as he tossed his head and stretched. He sighed heavily, "We may as well proceed then." he said, turning to them, "Let us go and retrieve our packmate, shall we?"

A/N: This delay was far too long, I know. I just moved into a new apartment and my internet connection isn't the best. I'm sitting at a restaurant while I'm updating. I hope to have more updates more regularly soon once I'm settled in. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and a little look into the lives of some of the guys.