The hecking saga continues! A big Thank You to Khalthar, the world's best beta reader! YOU ROCK, MAN!

No sexy-sex in this chapter, just some harmless (mostly) nudity.

Chapter 34

"Ice" to Meet You!

(Elder H'chak Luar-ke POV)

My sons are returning to the Clan ship today. I both anticipate and dread their arrival. R'ka Thwei, my honored son and a most fearsome Arbitrator, told me of Setg'in's troubles and I will admit, it was hard to accept that one of my youngest sons, whom I was sure had died all those years ago, is still alive and well. Mostly well. According to R'ka, Setg'in is scarred from his trials and blind in one eye.

My son, Kha'bj-te, is also alive and well; a Pauk-de miracle if you ask me. That hot-blooded pup has always had a mysterious pull of misfortune in his wake, while maintaining a strange sort of luck in surviving the strangest occurrences. He is as he is named; Reckless with life and death.

More then this, my three sons are returning with… three Pyode Amedha and two Llonng Sain'ja.

Ever since that revelation, I have been preparing the case for their joining our Clan. R'ka reminded me of the Ooman woman who assisted Set'gin and earned the mark of our Clan, the one whom I gave a weapon of her one.

Apparently, her sister, an Ooman who somehow killed a Queen Kainde Amedha, has also earned the mark of our Clan. More astonishing then this… this Ooman, named Rosy, is the mother of a Llonng Sain'ja.

"This is unprecedented! Who knows what will happen if we allow more Oomans into our Clan!" Elder Jedhin, crosses his arms in indignation and mistrust. With good reason, after all, the last time our Clan allowed an Ooman into our ranks… it did not end well.

"Now, now, Th'syra, may I remind you that they have all gone through trials that any normal hunter of our standards would have struggled to survive?" Elder Chakt-ra, my own friend and a more positive thinker, protests, stands to his full height as his graying hair crests slightly.

I rub my temples tiredly, as my two fellow Elders continue to argue among themselves, trying to not lose my patience. I have already lost my temper more then once during this discussion.

We are a relatively small Clan, with only 30 different bloodlines. We three Elders are the oldest, and (sometimes) the wisest. My portion of the Clan, my own family, has often been labeled as troublemakers, with outright criminals manifesting through my blood. Jedhin trusts me personally, but not my family, nor does he believe in my judgment when it comes to my family. He doesn't even trust in R'ka Thwei, although R'ka has proven himself a beacon and a pillar of honor time and time again. Chakt-ra has always been a much more… light-hearted individual, choosing to believe in the strength and honor of the Clan, rather then allow suspicions to weigh on his soul.

Personally, I trust both of my Clan brothers without question. Jedhin's suspicious nature has often been to our benefit, as has Chakt-ra's buoyant spirit. The three of us bring a unique quality of leadership to the Clan.

Trouble-makers like Kha'bj-te and even Setg'in, before he was presumed dead, were harmless when compared to others, like my son Zabin, who committed several crimes against the Clan, including killing an Elder, one who was my friend.

R'ka is my pride and joy, the first born of my soul mate, Kwei Halkrath, the Mighty huntress who chose me as her first coupling. She fought long and hard, and in doing so, gained a great deal of my respect and… desire.

She died, many years ago, before R'ka became an Arbitrator. Her death has always been a mystery, and I suspect this is the reason R'ka became an Arbitrator to begin with. He does it for his mother, who lived with nothing but honor and strength in her blood, who died without even the chance for vengeance in her name.

Finally, my Clan brothers are nodding in agreement and we have an accord.

"Fine! I will give these newcomers a chance. Mark my words carefully, if those Oomans and the Llonng Sain'ja put even one claw out of line, they are done! Banished, exiled or executed! Is that clear?" Jedhin growls in warning.

"You have made your stance very, very clear on this matter, my brother." I reply wryly as we stand together.

At this moment, my wrist communicator beeps and R'ka's image comes up.

"My Honored father, we are here."

"Good. Wait until we have assembled the Clan. I will call when we are ready for you." I reply.

It's time to meet my new Clan members.

8~8~8~8~8~8~8

(Youngblood Ju'dha N'ritja POV- R'ka's youngest full-blooded sister)

Sweat drips down my brow as I face off with an opponent twice my size. The opponent in question is my best friend and rival, Guan Thwei, the tallest of the Youngblood warriors. We have been fighting for hours, it seems, and I've gotten nowhere near beating her! Fatigue threatens my strategy, but I know I can beat her this time!

With a swift dash, I duck under her swinging fist and smash into her side, trying to throw her off balance. Instead, she whirls on her heel, using my momentum against me…again.

"Pauk!" I screech ungracefully as I land face first into the dust. However, I'm able to roll, using my momentum to get back on my feet, I rush again, but Guan clicks reprovingly, shoving me face first into the ground again.

"You keep doing this to yourself! How many times will you try to rely on your reckless behavior instead of using your head?" She scolds me, smashing a foot into my rump. However, I was counting on this, and I wait until she leans into that foot. With a smirk, I give a sudden roll, throwing her off-balance at last. As she wobbles, I waste no time as I scramble into a crouch and launch myself into her with the last of my strength, finally knocking her down. Her life is now in my hands and I grin down at her triumphantly.

"You're wrong! I do use my head!...I just don't let anyone know it." I chuckle as I pin her down, finally, finally!

She smirks in approval and I hop off, wiping sweat off my brow and puffing with pride.

"Great job, Ju'dha. I think there may be hope for you yet." She smacks my rump with her towel and I give an embarrassing yip.

"Why would you do that?" I snarl, rubbing my smarting ass.

"So you don't get too cocky! I'll get you next time, so you better train harder!" Guan sneers good-naturedly at me.

At this moment, we heard the chime of the gongs. One, two, three chimes sounds out.

A Clan meeting has been called.

"We better get going." Guan frowns. I frown too. What is the meaning of this?

I wonder absently if my brother, R'ka Thwei, has returned. Did he bring back Kha'bj-te?

I try not to think about the possibility of bad news.

The Clan ship has a large, coliseum-like auditorium in the very center, for Clan meetings, and Guan and I rush headlong to it, taking all the shortcuts we know, and managing just barely to beat the crowd. There are about 200 members in our Clan. It is easy to remember how small we are when we are all gathered together.

At the center of the coliseum, stand the three Elders with their guard. I try not to blush as I look over one of the guards in particular. Guan nudges me impatiently, muttering, "Keep your musk to yourself!"

I growl in response, but sullenly remove my gaze from the strong looking warrior. All Clan members have gathered and murmur among themselves.

My father, Elder H'chak Luar-ke, raises his staff, signaling silence.

What he announces nearly makes the Clan erupt in chaos.

I feel shock, gladness, and also a sense of dread at his words.

My brother R'ka is returning with Kha'bj-te and… Setg'in. My heart aches at the thought. Setg'in is returning, from the dead it feels.

But not just them.

Llonng Sain'ja, fierce, legendary warriors, are accompanying them, as are three Pyode Amedhas.

Elder Jedhin calls for silence with authoritative rage, effectively shutting up anyone who dares to try to speak.

They explain the situation more fully, and now, there is only partial chaos. Of course, the majority of it comes from my own family. I sigh in regret as they roar protest. Father silences them with a roar of his own, announcing that the newcomers will be judged, fairly and as any Yautja would be, and that if they were unworthy, they would be cast out… but if they did indeed prove to be formidable enough to become part our Clan, anyone who dared to touch them unlawfully would be executed without question.

This seems to pacify everyone, and then, the door to the east opens.

There is absolute dead silence, as R'ka Thwei steps into view, followed by Kha'bj-te, Setg'in… or, whom I think is Setg'in. I try not to stare in shock; my brother has changed so much! He is so full of scars; I almost would not recognize him.

Behind them come the Pyode Amedha, two small females with fluffy hair, and an average male with… with hair like fire.

Only the male does not bear the mark. The females don't look that intimidating.

And then, the moment everyone was waiting for…

I stare in amazement. And a sense of disappointment. Everyone has heard of the draconian race. They were myths! A Legend told time and again to inspire warriors to be more!

…

I snarl in disgust.

These female Llonng are tiny compared to me! They aren't even as tall as a full-grown Male Yautja! Nothing at all like the legends I grew up hearing about.

My sentiment rings with the Clan, and a sense of hostility hovers in the air.

Lastly, a Blooded female warrior walks behind them, almost like a rear guard.

I recognize her. She is Lar'ja Guan, the daughter of the High Priestess Ikthya-de, a member of an Ally Clan, the Nracha-dte Luar-ke.

She had gone missing seasons ago… What is she doing with them?

The Clan murmurs now, as all five of the newcomers stand before the Elders.

R'ka holds out his hand, saluting us all. Everyone grows silent, listening to his words.

"I am the Arbitrator, R'ka Thwei! I have hunted many Badbloods! I have destroyed many hives! If anyone dares question my judgment, let them speak now!"

There is not a word spoken, although I see shifts of movement. As no one challenges R'ka, he nods in satisfaction and continues. I only half listen at this point, drinking everything in.

My attention wanders back to my father's guard and Guan huffs in annoyance.

"Have you no self control?!" She hisses.

8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8

(Kanani POV)

This is it. This is happening. Holy hell, why am I so nervous? I'm even more nervous then when I had started school! (That didn't last long, by the way)

Spiky told Sabra and I that it would be best for us to inhabit our in between forms, so that we could show our heritage, to let everyone know that we are undoubtedly what we claim to be. So here I am, wings folded, tail swishing with expectation, and a cold chill of nervous butterflies in my belly.

As I armor up, I decide to go find Sabra, to make sure she's ok. I mean, she just barely got back into a family again; this has got to be stressful.

"Sabra!" I call out, pricking my ears.

"Over here, 'Nani!" She shouts in return. I walk into the room and immediately throw up my arm over my eyes, screeching in anguish. She was stark. Naked.

"What the hell!" I scream. "Where are your clothes, lady?!"

"Oh, well, I was thinking, 'Damsel hardly ever wears anything', and then I thought maybe that was like, a culture thing, so I thought, "Hey! I would fit right in if I just went without clothes!" Saba replies to me brightly.

I drop my arm, staring at her in the face as she gives me a cute, sincere grin and a proud thumbs-up. Her perky boobs jiggle with the movement.

"Pretty clever, right? So maybe you should follow my example and- Kanani? You ok? Why are you banging your head on the wall?"

"I'm trying to smash out the picture in my head of your boobs jiggling!" I reply in what sounds kinda like a croak.

Sabra just laughs daintily, "Oh honey, that's not how that works! You won't lose images, just brain cells!"

…

What did that fucking lab do to her?

I stop bashing my head on the wall and clear my throat, trying to ignore the fact that she blatantly insulted my intelligence.

"The Spikster did say to Armor up, not strip down. Because, you know, some Yautja might have a problem with us, in which case we may have to fight. And it's better to cover up in that case, so, you know, your body parts aren't immediately targeted and torn off."

"Well, I don't really see what good clothes will do, but if that will make you happy!" Sabra smiles brightly as she turns to the clothes she had previously stripped off.

Then again, she hardly has modest stuff to begin with; she may as well be naked. Sheesh…

Anywho, after that's all sorted out, we join the others at the ship's exit/entrance.

Spikey is looking super fierce in his polished armor. Kemp looks pretty slick too, with his armor and soldier gear.

In fact, I'd say we all look read…the question is…Are we actually ready?

…

Probably not, but to perfectly honest, I was never ready for any of this.

We walk out of the ship for the first time in many weeks, and immediately, I'm taken by the sheer vastness of the Clan ship.

It is a complete work of art, and I hear Kemp murmur, "Holy fuck, this is better than Star Trek!"

I almost giggle. In spite of his gruff attitude, he is such a nerd

We follow Spiky to a device that looks similar to an elevator. I get the feeling that 'up' and 'down' aren't the only two directions that it can go. We're moving along, and I notice that it is really warm. About the same temperature as it was in Spiky's ship, maybe slightly warmer.

Then, we stop and Spiky looks back at us before opening the door, "This is the Clan Gathering room. Everyone is waiting, including the Elders. All of you must be respectful. In fact, say nothing, unless spoken to, and do nothing unless actions are required of you. Understand?"

"Aye-aye, Cap'n!" Sabra sounds like she is grinning from behind her mask, her wings folded a little lazily.

"Yes Sir!" is Kemp's response, reminding us all that he was a soldier.

"We got it, Spiky Pants." Lex replies saucily as mom and I nod our affirmation.

Spiky takes a deep breath, and I think he mumbles a prayer as the door opens and we walk through this hallway into a giant room that looks like a roman coliseum… if ancient romans had had alien technology, anyways.

I almost baulk at how many Yautja there are packed into the stadium, and… they are definitely all look at us. There is a tense energy in the air.

I don't like it. I don't like it at all. As we line up like players for a game of dodge ball, Spiky speaks to the Clan, asserting his dominance, or something. As he speaks for us, advocating our induction into the Clan, I inhale a weird scent… a hostile scent, and my eyes spot what I believe is the source… there is one Yautja that stands out. I think it's a male, and they are maskless. Now, I know, I know, these alien fuckers have faces that are kind'a hard to read, but not this one. Everything about him screams hostility.

His expression grows darker and darker, the more R'ka talks, and as he reaches the point where he is talking about our trophies, this absolute ding-dong gives a snarl that rings out, and he hops from his seat, landing in the center with us. I go rigid as he approaches Spiky, snarling, "R'ka Thwei! You have grown too arrogant and soft, from all your time out in the stars! These Pyode Amedha and these supposed Llonng Sain'ja are obviously weak and unfit for our Clan!"

R'ka draws himself up, cresting his dreads and puffing his enormous chest as he snarls, "I am well aware of your small-minded opinions, Yeyin. You are only one voice among many. And you think too highly of your groundless claims! You have not seen what I have seen."

"Then why don't you show me, brother!"

So… apparently, this guy is one of Spiky's half brothers that he is always going on about. One without honor.

However, the intruding Yautja makes to rush my father figure and instinct snaps inside me as I realize the danger Spiky is in.

Without thinking, without warning at all, I use my wings to give me momentum as I dart in front of spiky, inhaling and letting loose an absolute barrage of ice, right in the fucker's face. He still stumbles forward and again, I don't think. All I know is I want this fucker away from my family. So, I shove him away, with all the strength I can muster. He stumbles back and slips on a chunk of ice, right on his ass.

"Why don't you chill the fuck out, man!?" I growl.

There is a profound uproar, and suddenly, Spiky snarls, "Kanani, what did you do."

Yeyin stands to his feet, looking waaaaaay too smug. Her grins at me and smirks," I do believe that was a challenge. I accept."

…

Fuck. What have I gotten myself into?

Oh my gosh, you guys are alive! (tears) I am so happy, and also super glad you enjoyed the previous chapter. I hope this is one is also to your satisfaction! The next one is in the process of being written, and as always, a HUGE thanks to Khalthar, who pulled through for this story, as he has from the beginning! Thanks dude!

SHOUT OUT TO THE REVIEWERS!

WhiteWolfWoman: :D Yes, thank you so much for that observation, it made for a pretty hilarious opening scene! Thank you so much for still being here!

Guest: Hello, I am sorry about your password troubles, those do suck. Thanks for making the effort to review anyway! I am glad you enjoyed the chapter, and i hope your password troubles are resolved soon!

Royal Lioness: Super happy I made you laugh, hopefully I can keep the jokes and awkward situations rolling!

nightshade6335: I am happy to be writing this story again, thank you so much for your review!

Ronniefanficfan 18: Aw, (Hugs back) i can't take all the credit for the unpredictability. It was Khalthar's idea to begin with that Larja should be involved with one of the other couples. I am glad you are still there, thank you for reviewing, and for sticking around!

TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ, FAV'D, REVIEWED and PUT THIS STORY ON ALERT, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will continue to try to improve on my writing while continuing this story. :)