Predator: Tales of The Blooded
Hunter: Grievous
Date: December 12, 2012
Location: Some jungle planet in an unknown galaxy.
I pulled out a throwing disc as I signaled to Shadow. He climbed higher into the tree and aimed his spear gun at the Xenomorph, a Ravager to be precise.
The plan was simple; I injure it's arms so it can't attack, Shadow shoots it's legs, and Raze goes for the finishing blow to the throat. Now all we needed to do was put the plan into motion and all will go according to-.
"YeeHaw!" I heard Raze holler as he descended upon the tall creature, ramming his staff into it's head. I sigh and hold my head in my hand. I look towards Shadow, he has a similar reaction.
"Come on! We can't let him get killed by that thing." I shout towards Shadow.
"Why?" Shadow asks.
"I don't know." But my actions betray my words, I would always die for my clan brothers. I throw the disc, aiming high towards the throat. Shadow's spears embed themselves in the lower abdomen, he's still aiming for the legs.
"Damn it Raze! We had a plan!" I scream at him, pulling out my own bladed staff.
"Who cares! This is a whole lot more fun!" He laughs as the Ravager swings him around trying to dislodge the large Predator.
"NOT THE POI-" I was slammed into a tree by the creatures tail.
I stagger to my feet, my chest burns but I have to finish this before I lay down. My vision is blurred by my helmet, so I remove it. I see Raze still attached to the Alien but he's obviously losing his grip. I signal to Shadow and pull out my Maul.
I spin the weapon around and slice at it's leg cutting it in half. The guard of the hive falls to the ground, squirming in the dirt. Along with it, tumbles Raze rather unceremoniously.
Shadow puts a few more spears in it's gut making it more docile. We call it a "sleepy end", Predator humor, we actually do have it.
Raze stands up and extends his twin bolt casters. "Do I still get last dibs?"
I look at him incredulously.
"No, Shadow you take it." I say to the smaller hunter, he with the typical nonchalant-ness of our clan...embeds a spear in the cranium of the beast.
"Aww, I wanted it." Raze says. He puts his casters back down.
I look at our little group. Raze stands slightly taller than most of our species and much more bulk on his frame, probably why he's such a brawler on these hunting trips. He has the twin bolt caster from when his brother, his biological brother, was killed during the manhood ritual.
Shadow however is a much smaller Predator with a fighting style more accented towards sniper tactics than most hunter. He also has a slightly darker skin color, made only more obvious by the crimson cloth that hangs from his waist. I notice him staring at the corpse.
"Hey Shadow, what's up?" Raze asks. Shadow seems slightly hesitant to ask.
"Isn't this a Ravager?"
"Yes." I answer him with little effort, we're taught from newborns the type of Xenomorphs we shall hunt.
"Well...don't they usually guard a Queen?" He says.
The realization hits me, I search the surrounding forest for movement, I see Raze doing the same with his casters out. I hear nothing, I see nothing in the thick brush, I know those senses betray me by the way the air moves around us.
The air has that thick feeling to it when death draws near. It smells of the feral rage and single-mindedness that our greatest prey holds with them from hatching to death. I see movement finally.
It's quiet now, the Queen comes from the blackness of the hell it made in this world. It hisses at us, our breathing hitches. Only the most experienced hunters hold this reflex for survival at bay when encountering Queens. We aim our weapons as we take more steps away from the menacing thing before us.
It looks at us, through the eyeless visage as it growls. I shiver, can't help it. It's soulless breath is foul in the small clearing. We are hunters and we shall not flee but with just three of us, we may not all make it to see our victory. I expect at least one of us will not make it off this planet on his own two legs. It will be a good death.
I hold on to my smart-disc, Raze has his casters aimed at the behemoth before him, and Shadow steadies his shaking breath to take aim. If you put together our years of experience after our individual manhood rituals, you'd barely have ten years.
The creature roars to the heavens, as if to mock the very gods, and charges us. We hold together.
When a blur rushes by my head, along with a sound. A spear appears in the forehead of the alien Queen, it bellows it's final breath as it falls to the floor and slides not but five feet in front on me. We whirl around and see a tall hunter in rusted armor, and a crimson cloak. He chuckles.
"Looks like you boys needed a hand." He says stepping past our group with the utmost respect for us, even with our inexperience. He is named Zeus by the humans so long ago.
"We did sir, we are sor-" I begin but his raised hand stops me.
"Think nothing of it, I just wish this yearling we are supposed to call a Queen Xenomorph could have given me an actual challenge." He speaks of the creature as if it's a waste of time, as he retrieves his staff.
" I suggest we gather our trophies and head back to camp. The sun sets on this world and we don't want to miss the celebration of our hunt do we." He says turning around.
"Mmmmm, roasted meat." Raze says with no embarrassment what so ever. Zeus once again chuckles.