Nei'hin woke after a while and ate once more. Two meals in a day was a luxury back on the ice planet but he felt he needed the energy. He grabbed a bit more and walked to were the kid was in the cage. He was curled up sleeping so Nei'hin decided not to wake him. Walking off to the medical area, he checked on the traitor. He would survive this ordeal, but whether he lives after the clan brings him to justice was another matter.
Going through the armory, the supply was light and minimal. Traitors usually did not have much gear, they were shunned from clans and had to make their own or steal it from other hunters. The weapons were old and dull. Gathering a whetstone, he started to sharpen the weapons. He had time to spare while the ship returned to the clan ship.
He heard the kid stir and went to see him. The little sucker was lying in the cage and watched Nei'hin approach…
"What is your name suckling?"….. the kid shook his head, "I have none, but they call me Nipper". Nei'hin looked thoughtful for a moment, "you are a bit young to be away from your mother, was one of these hunters your father?". Nipper shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I just remember being taken away from my mother by these men, the one that you didn't kill has always been kindest but that's all. I only just hide and keep away. I was afraid that you were going to kill me too." Nei'hin's anger bubbled, "You were taken? From your mother?" Nei'hin baulked. The female predator was a sight to behold and a terror to deal with when in heat but to take on a maternal one is suicidal. "What happened, did she die trying to keep you from them?" Nipper shook his head, "she was in chains, all the mothers are, and there are lots of other babies too. When you are old enough, you are taken, that's what they tell me…unless you're a female child.. then I don't know." Nei'hin went pale with concern… "you are safe. I will find your mother and free her. We will be at my clan's ship soon. Nei'hin opened the cage and let out the suckling. "Go sleep in one of the rooms, but do not be alarmed when we dock. I will need to explain this to my clan. You will accompany me but I cannot guarantee your safety either." Nipper nodded and made his way to the bedroom and laid down, hiding under the cover.
The traitor ship docked with the clan ship and as it did, clan guardsmen came on board and took the still sedated traitor away. Nei'hin carried out Nipper perched on his shoulder and walked towards the Elder waiting in the dock.
Dismounting Nipper, Nei'hin bowed and as he did, Nipper mimicked the bow to the Elder. The Elder cocked his head curiously, "I don't recall there being any females on the ice planet, explain the child? Your communication indicated no... sucklings" Nei'hin bowed lower, "apologies for my oversight, but he is a hostage of the traitors." The elder gently pulled the child closer and looked at his features. "He appears to be mixed blood. Not pure Yuatja…curious…" he looked into the boy's eyes… "you appear to have ooman in your parentage…" The Elder signaled a guard over, "take this child to the nursery with the other sucklings, he is malnourished." Nipper looked over to Nei'hin frightened. "Nei'hin nodded to the youngster. "Be brave, you will be safe now". The guard took Nipper away. Nei'hin watched for a moment before looking back at the Elder.
The Elder cocked his head again. "Curious..." He narrowed his eyes looking at Nei'hin more intensely.
"Elder, I need to talk to you, about this mission; there is more to it…." The Elder waved his hand submissively before smiling. "Your father wants to see you. You can explain it to him." Nei'hin slightly nodded, he did not feel like seeing his father now of all times.
Nei'hin walked through the ship, seeing nothing had changed before entering his father's room for the first time and noticed the lack of furnishings or trophies.. his father standing with his back to him, looking into space. Nei'hin bowed as his father turned around and approached him. As he got closer, Nei'hin stood straight and looked him in the eyes. His father, Ramses gaped, mandibles slightly flaring. Nei'hin had changed….matured… now standing as tall as him, his frame lean and powerful, his skin color now black as the dragons with a white streak across his now icy blue eyes that bore into his own. Ramses cocked his head, "You have now matured into your adult coat, congratulations…we will celebrate soon… But now to the mission…"
Nei'hin nodded and his father started to discuss the mission, detailing aspects and any fallbacks. All the while, Nei'hin stood silent, listening. Ramses suddenly felt like he was talking to a wall. "Did you hear me?" Ramses looked at him hard. He suddenly felt like he was in a presence of a stranger, he was used to the talkative and problematic Nei'hin, not this silent stranger. He glanced at him coolly and realized that Nei'hin was looking at him …calculating. He felt an underlying threat but ignored it. Finally, his son was now worthy; a warrior. Nei'hin, saw the gleam in his fathers' eyes and replied. "Get in disguised and alone, find out more and destroy the hive. Bring back the traitors if alive…"
"Anything else?" Ramses felt guarded.
Nei'hin paused, choosing his words. "On the traitor's ship there is a suckling, which the Elder at the dock has placed in the nursery. He was taken from his mother, but from what it sounds like, is that the traitors have captured females and is breeding with them. Possibly to create their own clan..? But Elder says that Nipper is of mixed race." Nei'hin thought about it more.
Ramses scoffed "Nipper?" Ramses snorted… "Nevertheless, traitors breeding.. And with hostages is a crime. Did Nipper say where he was from or the location?" Nei'hin shook his head. Ramses narrowed his eyes… "If you find out more, we will investigate… You may go now…I will organize the ritual before you leave…" Nei'hin bowed and walked away.
Nei'hin decided to see how Nipper was going and visited the nursery. He had never been before as it wasn't an area that many men dared to go. As he walked in, a large female swollen with young brushed past him and looked at him disdainfully before sitting on a nearby lounge. He noticed other females walking around in varying stages of pregnancy or playing with the young. He spied Nipper sitting by himself quietly eating some fruit, when he saw Nei'hin, he waved. Nei'hin smiled back and walked over and sat with him. At first Nipper seemed a bit hesitant but soon relaxed as Nei'hin talked to him about things. Some of the females started to look at the Nei'hin with interest, curious about the male with a suckling. It was uncommon for them to see a male looking after one so young.
A young female, barely into her breeding age came over. She nodded to Nei'hin and announced herself…"I am K'Tai… I am curious to see a male nurture one so young… please do tell me why?". Nei'hin nodded to her, "I am Nei'hin Thwei, I am the guardian of Nipper until I find his mother." K'Tai looked at Nipper and purred softly, "Nei'hin, I would be happy to care for the young until you return. I am eager for the experience and would like to see you again…." She smiled softly, she obviously knew of Nei'hin and by offering to look after Nipper, she was securing another visit and a possible pairing in future.
Some of the more mature females within hearing range tittered softly. Young females were always so bold and eager for their first mate, but Nei'hin was son of the Elder; an attractive mate that would guarantee strong offspring. That alone would pique the interest of any female.
Nei'hin bowed politely, "Thank you for your offer." He towered over her now, but soon she would mature and suddenly dwarf him. He introduced Nipper to K'Tai, both nodding to each other in respect. "Nipper, K'Tai will look after you while I find your mother; I will be back after I have completed this mission" Nodding to both before he walked away.
One of the elder females came over and placed her hand on K'Tai's shoulder. "You shouldn't let males get the honey so easily. They need to earn it, hunt for it, it's the only way we breed strong children. We have many responsibilities, its best not to think about breeding at such a young age." K'Tai purred, "But he is Nei'hin and he has the look of greatness, I want to bear many great children. I will be Matriarch and he will be mine." The elder smiled softly, "you may be in line to be Matriarch one day, but there are more important things to be concerned about then breeding with a hot male." K'Tai blushed at the thought and smiled dreamily….But you will be mine….
Nei'hin walked back to the dock and shook his head. K'Tai was too young in his tastes and her act was too bold, but he gave her credit for trying to secure her future, he could see what she wanted. K'Tai's offer was not because she wanted the experience of raising a child, but a guarantee that he would return and to be seen in a more desirable role.
Inside the ship, he saw the engineers going over the engines and support systems. Guards hurried about carrying food, water, armor and weapons. A clerk of the Elders hastened his way to him, trying to catch his eye and waving him over. Nei'hin approached him and the clerk bowed low, Nei'hin nodded in response. "Nei'hin, the Elders are almost ready to honor your transition to maturity and have requested that you come to the central hall, so please follow me and I will announce you."
The ceremony of transitioning to maturity was an odd one. It was informal yet held importance within the ranks of males. It had no proper title as it was just a rite of passage. But once one had been through, you were seen anew, for the first time amongst the Elders. Gone is the immature whelp and now stood the paragon of a warrior. Nei'hin was ushered into a side room and was bathed and dressed in a ceremonial white loin cloth, his dreads were smoothed out and cleaned. As he approached the Hall's large doors, he wished he was back home on the ice planet, his thoughts then interrupted by the announcer calling his name.
He entered a pitch black room with a single spotlight in the center and stood under it, bowing low before standing proudly. As he raised his chin in pride, he heard soft gasps and turned his head ever so slightly as to the admiring audience. He squared his jawline and gazed into the dark, his blue eyes blazing. The spotlight made it difficult to see who was sitting in the shadows.
In the darkness, Ramses sat quietly, proud of his son seeing he had now matured. He could see in the darkness of the approving nods from elders and some of the females that tended to the matriarch, whispering amongst and gasping at him. But it was the Matriarch herself that gave Ramses pause. As if sensing someone was thinking of her; She looked over at Ramses and nodded approvingly. His red eyes met her ice blue eyes and he felt a surge of lust for her, a sweet memory came to mind. As if sharing the same thought she smiled coyly and looked back at the male lit in the spotlight and settled back into her dias, deep in thought. Her son was now an adult.
K'Tai stood behind the Matriarch, holding Nipper's hand and squeezed it tightly with assurance but it did not stop her heart from beating any faster. Nei'hin appeared ethereal in the spotlight and the light danced over his body. K'Tai could not take her eyes away from his toned muscular body and his long dreadlocks. The white streak across his eyes gleamed, making his eyes iridescent. Heart pounding and the warmth in her loins growing, she ached for him. Why did I have to be so damn young? If I was more mature, he would see me as a mate. K'Tai sighed softly and covered her mouth so that none could hear her.
A horn blew and signaled from Nei'hin to have his first battle cry as an adult. Inhaling deep, he roared loud and deep, his arms outstretching, every muscle in his body taut before slowly stopping. The lights came on in the room and Nei'hin saw his crowd, silent and bowed. He panted slightly and locked eyes with K'Tai.
K'Tai's heart stopped and felt herself become wet for the first time and let slip a little moan, which she quickly stifled and blushed.
Nei'hin bowed again and then walked away, his long dreads making a glorious wave as he turned and K'Tai's eyes hunted him as he walked away. Nei'hin knew for sure now that K'Tai desired him but the feeling made him felt cold inside. I shouldn't have led her on so much, she is too young.
He had been on the ship for only a couple of hours but it had already felt too long. It was time to get on with the mission. He returned to the side room and changed back into his armor and pulled his cloak close. It was unneeded and unnecessary for the mission, but he felt good for just having it…
The ship now ready to go and cleared of the engineers waited in the docks for him. He climbed on board and sat in the cockpit and started the engines. The computer indicated that it was approved to take off and Nei'hin took off with a roar of the engines and into space.
Setting the ship on autopilot, he leant back into the seat and thought of the ice planet…somewhere between his thoughts; he drifted into sleep and dreamt of a ooman woman. She had visited Nei'hin before in his dreams, it was always the same … her arms outstretched to him, calling him in the ooman language. He tried to reach her, but could not make it, her pale hand just out of range and her black hair whipping around in a frenzy… Stranger… the words echoed from her, her voice soft yet sensuous. The echoing got louder and he saw darkness creep towards him. Unable to move, he scrambled for her hand and the approaching darkness engulfed him.