Kartok sighed deeply as he opened the door of his home hours later. He was so tired but his stomach growled angrily at him in hunger. He walked down the corridor and to his kitchen area where surprisingly, a delicious smell of cooked meats and vegetables wafted through the air. He entered the room and froze at the sight.

Anita was humming to herself as she stirred a stew of some kind above the alien stove. Her hair was tied by a thin leather string, pinned in a messy bun on top of her head.

She didn't realize he came home and as she hummed and cooked, he watched her. She looked so natural in the kitchen, cooking his meals every night, helping him in and out of his Awv'asa, cleaning his home and bearing his...

"Oh i didn't hear you come in!" She says seeing him standing at the door, glaring at the floor.

His head shot up and he nods while she put the pot on the table and gathered up two bowls.

"I was hungry so I made dinner." She says.

"I would have ordered your to anyway." He says sitting. She glared at him and hummed. Kartok saw her reluctance to join and nodded to the seat across from him.

"Come sit. Eat." He says. Eyebrow raised, she sat down across from him, spooning stew into her bowl and began to eat.

While they are, Kartok couldn't stop looking at her. Her face was bright and calm and her messy bun began to droop to the back of her head as she ate her soup, licking her lips now and then when the soup would dribble out of her mouth. He watched her tongue dart out slowly, licking her lips slowly. His mandibles twitched as he glares at her lips, his own tongue slithering out and licking the corners of his mandibles. Oh Paya did he want to feel those lips, that tongue-

"How is your father doing?" She asks suddenly, bringing him from his stupor.

"He is well. My brother will be going on the hunt this year."

"Oh... is that a good thing?..."

"It is. He is of age and he must prove himself to wear the mark of our clan." He says proudly.

"...I hope he does well." She mumbles.

"Indeed..." he says.

After the two finished dinner, Anita cleaned the table and dishes while Kartok sharpened his weapons in his weapons room. She was ordered not to go in unless given permission. And even if she was permitted inside it would mean she had accepted the chance to be a hunter trainee. That would be a great to become one with the clan, to prove herself worthy of the respect and honor of fighting alongside her yautja kin.

But Anita knew better. She wasn't strong enough to hunt people, it would make her no better than the bastard who slaughtered the boys and stole her from her home. She still felt her blood boil when she thought of that yautja scum. Where is he now? Is he stealing more innocent people from Earth? She wished she was strong enough and had the chance to kill him for what he had done. But no, she was just a slave to a yautja, which meant to serve and obey. Like she fucking would.

As she mumbled to herself about the evil yautja, Kartok walked back in the room and saw her angry expression. Her little nose wrinkled and her brows knit together angrily. Her lips were constantly moving either with words or incoherently babbling. He clicked in amusement and crossed his big arms, watching as she grumbled to herself a bit more before she noticed his presence.

When she saw him, he motioned her over and she followed him down the corridor to his room and sat down on the bed. He watched her walk in and stand beside his side. It was well past night and time for bed, so he motioned for her to her little nest of furs. She huffed and slipped under a fur, snuggling in a relaxed ball and sighing contently. Kartok watched her fall asleep and frowned at the conversation he had with his father not long ago.

You must get rid of that thing son.

She has the potential for training.

I will not allow my son to be associated with a ooman!

Luckily it is no longer your decision father.

Kartok!

He growled to himself as he removed his cloth and netting, slipping into his bed and covering his waist with a fur before closing his eyes. Unfortunately sleep did not come to him that night and when it did, he dreamt of Anita.

She was kneeling in front of him, chains on her neck and body and she was covered in blood. She looked up at him and begged for mercy, yet he did nothing to help her. Instead, he released his wrist blades and swung, seeing a single tear falling from her cheeks as he swung.

He jolted awake and panted heavily, sweat coming off of him and his dreads bouncing quickly, falling in his face. When his heart slowed, he looked to Anita's bed and blinked in surprise.

She was standing on the far side of the room, shaking as she stared at him with pure angry fear. He then noticed four large cuts on her arms and the top in her gown. He shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed, looking over at her.

"What were you doing on my furs?"

"...you were thrashing around. I thought you were having a nightmare or something." She says holding her arm and glaring at him. He sighed deeply and nodded.

"Do not get back on my furs unless told to. Understand?"

"If you tell me to, I won't do it anyway..." she says quietly and walked to the bathroom, sliding the door shut to clean her wounds. She came out minutes later with strips of fabric around her arms and a cold glare on her face as she curled back into her furs and turning her back to him. He sighed once more and pulled the furs up, laying back down. He couldn't sleep the rest of the night