*Thank you Thank you Thank you for all the reviews! They help a lot and influence me to keep going. So I worked to bring you Chapter 5 Tadaaa! Enjoy *
Chapter Five- Hurt/Comfort
Two Months Later-
I returned from a hunt and added the rabbits and turkey to the food pile. I slipped into a passageway to return my weapons. Removing the bow from around my chest I hid it and the arrows under my furs, just in case. One knife also went with it while its partner stayed at my side.
I scurried down a hallway looking for Nalani. At a little over two months old Nalani proved to be an inquisitive creature. She was curious about everything and anything. Her nature was truly inspirational, especially for a xenomorph.
One thing we both enjoyed doing was star gazing. It was through this that we had developed a friendship. We would sit out in the open and look up and connect the dots. It was harder for Nalani than myself but she found it an entertaining game.
While on my hunt I noticed the sun was setting and there were not any clouds in the sky, good conditions for the activity.
I couldn't find her in any of the normal locations so I searched the training rooms. Most of them were empty.
Then, while in a smaller tunnel, I heard hisses and screams ahead. I hurried forward to see the action.
I cautiously stuck my head into the chamber and immediately pulled it back to avoid getting my head chopped up by a flying tail blade.
Two warriors thrashed about the tight chamber. The cramped conditions forced them to fight literally face to face. One of them jumped over the other and while in the air attempted to reach down and claw at the other. It managed to make contact but didn't do much damage.
While in the air the xenomorph raised its head and noticed my watching from the safety of the tunnel.
Maia, It said as it spiraled into a landing on the other side of its opponent.
"Good evening Garran" I chuckled at his friendly greeting while he battled with a much obviously older warrior. Seeing Garran all thoughts of finding Nalani left my mind. There would be other nights.
Once more Garran clashed his tail with the praetorian, then pushing the tail behind him he completely dismissed the fight and instead came to stand before me. The tunnel was raised off of the chamber floor so even as I crouched within I met Garran at head level.
In the short time of his existence Garran had morphed from a slimy chestburster into a praetorian. His cranium was ridged and long after the smooth face as was the classic praetorian. He stood on his hind legs with his large tail curving behind him. At its tip stood the sharp blade. Spikes and tubes grew tall off of his shoulder blades. They helped him look bigger and more ferocious as well as aiding in breathing adaptability if necessary. When he stood tall he reached seven feet in height but he still had a bit of growing to do that would come with age.
His body fully formed he trained often to hone his skills and increase his mental strength. He could also now understand xenomorph so I didn't have to constantly use the hive link.
"I didn't mean to interrupt" I said as Garran promptly ended the match. Saliva dripped from his mouth after the fight. I now realized who his teacher was.
"My apologies Emil" I added. Emil was now fully mature both physically and mentally. He stood at a good eight feet. In xenomorph years he was technically older than me.
You should know better than to distract a student Maia, Emil scolded.
I puffed out my chest and bottom lip in a pout. "But Emil I was just watching. This is clearly not entirely my fault." He laughed at that. I sensed his seriousness of battle fade.
Indeed, he said coming forward next to Garran. As he passed his trainee he bumped his hard in the side. Emil being bigger, Garran stumbled slightly. Emil laughed again. I noticed that with his maturity came a deeper voice in my head. He didn't sound like a joking youngster anymore.
Garran growled low at Emil because of the push. His lips brushed away from his teeth in a snarl. I laughed.
Well, Garran began, how was I not to be distracted by Maia's presence? She is hard to ignore.
Heat rose to my cheeks. I hoped they couldn't tell.
Was that your attempt at a compliment or an insult? Emil asked.
A compliment of course! Garran quickly shouted. He was clearly offended. I admit I had worried for a second there.
Emil scoffed. Well it was weak. He said. Garran bristled at the comment.
Oh you think you can do better? Garran yelled. He growled loudly at the same time.
Yes I can. Here, I'll give you an example. Emil looked hard at me. Your presence alone shocks our senses dear Maia. Even a warrior is not strong enough to resist your pull. How one so flattering enter my chamber of all others I do not know, but however an excited thrill runs through me none the less.
I remained at the tunnels edge with my mouth hanging wide like a gasping fish. "That was amazing Emil. Where did you hear that?" I asked.
Why Maia I created it on spot just for you, he said slightly offended.
"Surely not" I challenged.
Certainly. Check if you like. I pressed my mind into his and he let me enter. There I found no lie, only truth. I was amazed.
"I have never before heard a xenomorph speak so beautifully Emil."
Thank you Maia. He said. Garran was growling rather loudly and had been for the past couple of minutes. Now young Garran are you so upset that I have pleased Maia so well?
Garran just snarled at him and made to turn away. But I wasn't ready for him to go yet. I left from my place at the entrance and ran around him to block his path. He hissed.
"Please don't be mad Garran." I pleaded. "Emil is just joking right?" I received no answer. I stepped closer to him. I could feel a small field of anger pulsing off him. He truly was upset. I fought against all common sense and rushed to him. In this state he could slice through me and not even care but I hugged him anyway.
He stilled at my touch. I tightened my grasp around his smooth face. He pressed against me, enjoying my contact. The anger evaporated. I hushed and crooned to him in my mind. His purr rumbled in his chest. I felt one of his hands start to pull against my back in the start of a return hug.
Abruptly mother was in all of our heads. Garran and I jumped apart in surprise.
Children, she said. She sounded exasperated and worried. I could only imagine what had happened. Had the yautja returned again? Byron has lost himself. The infection has taken hold of his mind. He is running wild through our hive. He is a threat to all and must be stopped. End him. Now.
Byron had returned from a scouting trip a number of days ago and in the time since then he had not been acting himself. I had suspected he had caught some sort of sickness. Unfortunately I was right.
Without hesitation the three of us sprang into action. Emil shot through a larger tube while Garran followed me through the one I had entered from.
At each intersection I checked each way for any signs of Byron. I didn't know him very personally but I knew he had a mate and was a good warrior.
With no sign of him Garran and I continued straight forward. Eventually we came to a room and I leapt across and tried to enter the next tunnel quickly.
If Byron was truly lost than he was as wild and violent as a normal xenomorph. He was never deadlier than at this moment.
As I leapt through the air trying to rush on a sharp pain pierced my upper forearm. I hissed but did not let the pain show.
Garran hurried to me and stood in front of me. One arm was outstretched protectively and his tail curled around behind me so that he could completely surround me.
Before us stood Byron. Garran hissed loudly but Byron roared at him full forced. Not only was he wild but furious as well. Byron jumped onto the ceiling and then jumped down in a full on attack at Garran. Garran threw his tail at Byron but the warrior dodged.
Byron whipped his tail at me then, and I ducked to avoid it. I felt the brush of wind against my face due to its close proximity. His tail snapped back to him. He shouted at me, loud and terrifying. I was one of those screams meant to frighten and disorient you. I made my bones quake. My ears rang with it shrieking sound. The walls vibrated with it.
I reminded myself to stay focused if I wanted to live.
Assuming I was disoriented Byron stupidly came straight for me. I bounded out of the way and struck him in the head with my blade.
I release a howl of my own. I felt my lips curl back from my teeth, trying to be threatening. I hissed like a cat and opened my jaws wide adding to the effect. My nose crinkled so I was truly hissing and not just smiling.
With me on one side and Garran on the other we managed to corner Byron against a wall. He didn't like that one bit. He ran at me. I had my knife unshielded and I dropped to the ground under him. As he sailed above me I forced my knife up. The blade struck a gash on his underside. I hurried away from the flying acidic blood.
He released a blood curdling scream and circled back at me. Before he reached me Garran launched himself at Byron. The two tumbled away from me, tails clashing. All I could think was please don't let Garran be hurt.
I heard Byron wail as Garran blade sliced off his left arm. Blood flowed onto the floor. Garran became animalistic as well. He lunged at Byron over and over. He clawed and bit and attacked until Byron was a green mess.
Eventually, Byron's body went still under Garran's form. Garran stopped but never took his gaze off of the crazed xenomorph. I stepped forward and swiftly brought my blade down hard, decapitation Byron to make sure he was truly dead.
My breathing was heavy. I lifted my gaze from the bloody remain to Garran. His head was only a foot above me as he remained bent over Byron. His face was covered in blood. His fangs shone with it. It dripped from his inner mouth and out the sides of his jaw. His entire front, including his talons and tail, was stained with it.
I was panting from the cardio and from the fear. Adrenalin will do that to you.
Garran was silent.
Ever so slowly he backed away from me.
I…don't look Maia. I don't want you to see me like this! He said. His voice was quivering.
"Garran" I said.
No! I don't want to scare you! Please Maia!
"Garran, you saved my life. You protected me." I stared hard at him. "I am not afraid." My voice was sturdy and strong. Bonus points for me.
Eventually Garran hit the wall and could not back up any farther. I walked to him. I tried to find a place that was not covered in xenomorph blood. If I touched him and touched the blood my hand would burn off. His back had been away from the violence so I tame to his side and rubbed his back.
He was especially ridged. I knew that purring or simple reassuring wouldn't work here. He genuinely believed I was terrified and nothing would change his mind. He was trying to show he wouldn't harm me and instead of letting him I had followed him.
So I went to the extremes. I hummed. I let my vocals chords ring like only a human can. I hadn't hummed since I was a little girl.
Garran's head focused on me. I felt his shock in my head.
However, it worked. He relaxed and sank to the floor in a crouch. I followed, still rubbing his back reassuringly. But he was still too tense and too nervous for my liking. So I opened my mouth and sang.
I don't know if I sing well. I haven't sung in such a long time and there's no one ells here to tell me if I suck or not. But xenomorphs can't sing. They do not know how a song can raise armies, tell legends, or sooth a baby.
And so I sang. I let my voice ring and echo through the hive like no other sound before. It did not shake the walls with its might. My voice did not touch every mind like a mental call. And yet the resonating frequency was everywhere. It surrounded us. It was the embrace I so wanted to give Garran but couldn't.
I felt his reaction in my mind. I felt him relish each moment. I felt his pride that I and I could do this. I felt his wonder at hearing such a sound for the first time. I felt him call it "beautiful".
We sat there together in that cavern for many minutes. I sang to the dark dragon before me, the beast who had murdered to save me and was now petrified of scaring me away. We sat there with the sizzling corpse in the corner. We sat there in the music.
When I knew Garran had completely calmed down I closed my mouth and the song ended.
Garran and I remained on the floor against the wall as drone soon entered and cleaned up the mess that used to be their protector. I had eyes only for Garran.
It was finally sinking in.
Garran was still young and in training. He could have easily lost this battle. But he had bravely fought against Byron so that I would not be harmed. He had stood before me and protected me. Garran had let me cut away at Byron so I could feel accomplished and triumphant as well but in the heat of the fight it was Garran who had taken the blows and delivered them tenfold.
I could not find words as Fatima scooped me off the ground and wrapped her tail around Garran's arm so he would follow as she brought us away from the carnage. She led us to a pool of water that was rarely used.
She bent to dip me in but I quickly said "No".
I will not tell if you don't, she said. I nodded and she dropped me into the fresh water. I dove under and swam deeper only to reemerge once I desperately need a breath.
Fatima was trying to push Garran in but he stood firm.
Her curses traveled across the ponds surface to my ears. I had never heard Fatima curse before.
Get in there! She shouted.
No, Garran said.
She cannot touch you until you are cleaned off. Do you want the blood to burn her arm off? Fatima screeched. Garran was taken back. Without another words he entered the pond. He swam deep to rinse himself clean. I felt his swim under me deeper still.
When he surfaced his muzzle along with the rest of him was clean. I swam up to him and hung onto him. His tail acted as a powerful rudder and he swam easily.
Without warning he dove beneath me and then came back up strait under me. I was nestled right between his should blades.
I had never even dreamed of riding a xenomorph. He swam to land and did not stop to let me dismount but rather walked straight out of the water and into a connecting tunnel.
Fatima gawked at us. She had never seen anything like it.
Garran's strong muscled moved beneath my body. With each step I could feel them flex against my thighs and hands. I was seated between his bones and the rigid skeleton kept me firmly in place. His crest towered above me and I sunk lower against him. I rubbed my cheek against his spine.
With his cranium above me, back beneath me, and shoulder spikes/tubes around me he surrounded me. Garran was everywhere. There was one more place I could have felt him.
I opened my mind and pushed into his. For a moment he hesitated then welcomed me in. He felt me against him. He loved the lack of space between us. Garran liked knowing where I was and knowing that here he could definitely keep me safe.
It was also an act of possession. I was riding him for mother's sake, but I didn't let him know I had "heard" that.
I sensed his thrill when I snuggled closer into him and welcomed the feeling of his body against mine. And oh yes, it felt good.
As hard and boney as Garran was he was utterly comfortable. I wanted to remain with him like this forever, bodies and minds connected.
*So, tell me what you guys think of Garran? What about Garran and Maia? Oh and to all of you who added my story to their favorite, it's okay you can go ahead…REVIEW!*
