T.P.C. chapter three
Wow, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Hope you like it, I had fun writing it. Disclaimer!
Disclaimer: Do I even need to say that this guy doesn't own crap?
Nrak'ytara's stupor was interrupted Dah'nagara's coughs and gags.
"C'jit, the air!"
She lifted her wrist device quickly changing the environmental settings. She let out a sigh of relief when Dah'nagara's coughing stopped. How could she be so stupid! Of course he would have trouble breathing their air. While she herself felt uncomfortable breathing the air she set it to, he came first. With his developing lungs, it shouldn't take long for him to adapt, so until then they'll bear through it. Satisfied that he was now alright she followed after the others, going deeper into the ship. Coming into the ships main room, they stopped to see another Yautja waiting for them. He was another male, coming in around 7'2". The mask he wore was sharp with the bones of fingertips decorating were his head spikes would be. He walked towards them.
"Nyak'de, the environment settings were changed. Is something wrong-"
He stopped when he noticed her holding the child. Although his mask hid his face, Nrak'ytara could feel his eyes narrow.
"What is that?" Her own eyes narrowed.
"Na'deha, this is Dah'nagara, brother to Al'nagara."
The growl he let out nearly made her lose control, but she just managed not to tear off his mandibles.
"Is there a problem with that?" He was only too eager to voice his opinion.
"How can you take that thing as your-"
His mistake.
The blow to his face was so strong it sent the proud warrior across the room into the wall. The sight of it all sent Dah'nagara into a fit of giggles. Hult'ah and Al'nagara joined him in laughing. Vor'mekta as usual stayed silent. Even Nrak'yatara joined in the laughing. Hul'tah took a step forward.
"The suckling may be Ooman, but he still knows when you've been put in your place."
If he wasn't wearing his mask, Na'deha would have killed him with a glare alone. His glare returned to Nrak'ytara as she came towards him.
"Whether you like it or not, Dah'nagara is my son, and frankly, I don't care what you think about it. When the boy grows you and Vor'mekta will train him. Until then, if you so much as look at him, I will string you up by your insides and feed your eyes to the K'yipsas! Understand!"
He hesitated for only a second before answering.
"Yes."
"Good, you're dismissed."
He stood and quickly left the room. When he did Al'nagara walked up to his mother.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to allow him to train Dah'nagara?"
She let out a sigh.
"No, but you and I both know he's the best trainer in the clan." Vor'mekta crossed his arms. "Aside from you Vor'mekta." His arms uncrossed.
"Al'nagara, bring Dah'nagara to one of the healing units. He can stay there until we find him a room on the clan ship. We should arrive there in a few hours. Have Doz look after him until then."
"Yes Lei-jadhi." Taking his brother into his arms he made his way down one of the hallways. He stopped at one of the many doors. Before he entered he looked back down the empty hall releasing a shrill whistle from his throat. After a few seconds the sound of feet could be heard coming towards them. He knelt to receive the embrace of the hell hound, minding the spikes. After patting his head for another moment he stood up and looked down at the smaller creature.
"Doz, patrol."
The loyal hound wasted no time. He paced back and force in front of the door his master stood at. Nodding his thanks, Al'nagara entered the room. It was spacious and circular with ten different healing pods around the walls of the room. Walking to one of them he set Dah'nagara down. As he tried to pull away, the little human suckling grabbed onto his finger as hard as he could. He chuckled at the humans efforts. He closed the cover to the pod.
"Sleep well, Dah'nagara."
Before he closed the door he looked back again.
"Sleep well, mei'hswei."
-0-
"Lei-jadhi, what's a bad blood?"
The cheiftess looked down at the child nearing eight seasons. Not even a cycle and he already adapted to their language perfectly, making the clicks with his teeth and tongue. The cheiftess thought for a moment, putting together an answer that he might understand. She decided to ask him a question first.
"Where did you hear that?"
"I heard the others talk about it. One of the hunters boasted about killing a bad blood. Are they prey Lei-jadhi?"
"Yes, a very dangerous prey. They are Yautja like us but they are bad. They hurt others for no reason. They have no honor little one. This is why we hunt them."
"The whole clan?"
"Yes. The Blood Hunter Clan has made it their sworn duty to hunt down every last bad blood. As the chief I must lead them in this everlasting hunt. You will hunt them too little one."
He straightened when he heard this.
"Really?"
She couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.
"Yes even you. When you can prove that you can handle it." He nearly jumped with excitement.
"I'm ready Lei-jadhi! I can do it!" She chuckled again.
"Slow down. You will get your chance. Now go play with the others."
She smiled as she watched him run off. Her heart swelled with pride at his eagerness to join the hunt. Then she nearly fainted when she realized he'd be fighting bad bloods.
'What have I gotten him into?' she thought exasperated.
-0-
Pain coursed through his body as his back connected to the wall. Dah'nagara slowly rose to his feet, the fourteen seasoned adolescent having difficulty ignoring the pain. The three teenage Yautja in front of him laughed at his struggles, the largest one in front cracked his knuckles.
"Pathetic Ooman, any true prey would shake off such a blow easily."
The human glared at them with pure hate.
"I am not prey," he deadpanned. They laughed more.
"No, you're not even that. You're c'jit that needs to be scraped off a boot."
They laughed more as they started walking towards him. Dah'nagara prepared himself for what he knew was coming. The first one threw a punch which he ducked easily. He delivered a kick to his knee before bouncing off the wall and rolling between the group's legs. Putting his foot on the back of one of their knees and grabbing a fist of his dreadlocks he yanked the Yautja to the ground, punching him straight in the eye. Before he could rise, the other two grabbed him and threw him into the wall again were they continued to kick him across the room. The one he knocked to the ground stood back up, stalked towards his pain filled body, grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground.
"You piece of C'jit! You will pay for that."
Before he could do anything, a large hand grabbed his wrist. Dah'nagara could hear the bones crack before he was dropped. The male grabbed his hand growling in pain. Before he could do anything else, his face was met with a fist that knocked him out instantly. His two friends backed up in surprise and fear.
"Get this useless pyode amedha out of my sight."
The two scrambled to grab their fallen friend by the shoulders and drag him away. The unknown Yautja approached Dah'nagara and knelt down.
"Are you alright?"
He got a good look at his savior. It was a female Yautja barely out of her adolescent years. She was shorter than his mother but not by much. Her smooth curves and chest only added to her femininity. He blushed at where his eyes wandered and quickly stood from his position on the floor.
"Yes! Ugh yeah, yes I'm fine." To his endless embarrassment she laughed at him, which only added to his blush. He was thankful that they couldn't see color, until he remembered they could still see heat.
"Well?" His thoughts stopped.
"Ugh, well what?"
"Well are you going to tell me your name?" He would die if he became any more embarrassed.
"Um, D-Dah'nagara, my name is Dah'nagara." She smiled at him. Before backing up and turning down one of the hallways.
"W-Wait!" She looked back.
"A-Aren't you going to tell me your name?" She smiled again.
"P'kya'uha."
P'kya'uha, he liked that name. He was once again brought out of his thoughts when he saw that she was leaving. Quickly forgetting his earlier embarrassment he started to run after her.
-0-
"No! You have to be faster! You can't keep trying the same way! Change your tactic! Now, do it again!"
Sixteen year old Dah'nagara stood back up from his spot on the ground. His fingers gripped his training spear tightly. Vor'mekta casually held his as their gazes locked. Not hesitating for a second, Dah'nagara charged his paring partner. The Yautja prepared for the roll he knew was coming. Instead of rolling, the human brought the spear bearing down on his head. It was blocked easily, and was followed by a swipe to his now exposed side. Vor'mekta was actually surprised when his opponents spear suddenly changed direction. The tip was pressed against his chin. Dah'nagara grinned at his victory until he was grabbed by the back of the neck and tossed to the ground. A blade was pressed to his throat.
"You are dead Ooman," Na'deha spat in his face before rising. Dah'nagara glared at him.
"You cheated."
"You think a bad blood will play fair? Never fight with honor unless facing a true opponent. Otherwise you will die, which you surely will." He turned his back on him, not bothering with the respectful sign of backing away first. Dah'nagara let out his own growl before standing.
"You and I are not enemies Na'deha!" He didn't turn back to him.
"But you haven't proven worthy of being a true opponent." He continued walking. "Nor will you ever."
Dah'nagara quickly left the training room disappearing down the hall.
"Na'deha." He turned, surprised at hearing Vor'mekta's voice. He rarely ever spoke and he never showed emotion. Even now his body language gave nothing away.
"What?"
"Why do you speak to him in such a way?"
Na'deha scoffed. He should have known that's what this would be about.
"It is my task to train him, and that is what I am doing. You should do the same. You are too soft on him."
"Maybe so, but he is barely sixteen seasons and he can beat me in a spar."
"Ha! What does that say about your skills?"
The next moment, Na'deha was being held by his neck and was thrown against the wall.
"Remember your place, Na'deha." Even now his voice betrayed no emotion. "He is not the weakling you think him to be. If you disagree, find out for yourself."
With that, Vor'mekta left down one of the halls. Na'deha looked to the ground for a moment before picking himself up and walking down the hall Dah'nagara disappeared through.
"That arrogant, self-absorbed, piece of C'jit!" Dah'nagara ranted as he paced on the cat walk of the clan ships mostly empty main training hall. Hul'tah and Al'nagara, with a drink in his hand, watched him vent. Doz sat at his master's feet, oblivious to the whole thing. The other few Yautja there were training in different places of the hall.
"Who is he to say I am not worthy? That bastard's rank is so low, Doz could replace him!" The hell hound let out a soft grunt at the mention of his name. Hul'tah let out a sigh before speaking.
"You can't take anything he says too seriously. He's just bitter."
"But why? Why take it out on me? Because I'm Human? I had just beaten Vor'mekta in a spar! He couldn't do that if Vor'mekta had his arms cut off!" Al'nagara coughed up his drink.
"You did what?! Even I couldn't beat Vor'mekta!"
"Neither could I," added Hul'tah. "The only one who could was Nrak'ytara."
"Do you think he held back?"
"My brother never holds back. Dah'nagara could only have beaten him with his own skill."
"Do you think we could get back on track here?" asked Dah'nagara, not caring for being talked about like he wasn't in the room.
"Right sorry, as I was saying-"he didn't get to finish before Na'deha came out of nowhere and threw Dah'nagara off the catwalk, then jumping off after him. Everyone in the room turned when they heard them both land.
"If you think yourself worthy of being my opponent then prove it! Prove to me you are worthy to be Yautja!"
Dah'nagara didn't get a chance to respond before he charged. He rolled to the side but was thrown off his feet by a blow to his back. Long being used to being thrown, he turned it into a roll unsheathing the single 1'4" wrist blade on his right hand. Unfortunately he didn't have his combi stick with him. He immediately ran forward, locking blades with Na'deha's blades. They stood locked for a moment until Dah'nagara was forced to his knees. Acting quickly, he fell to his back throwing Na'deha off balance. As the older worrier fell forward, the human brought his legs to his chest, his hands on the ground beneath him and he slammed both feet firmly into his face. He grinned when he heard a mandible crack. He took the chance to rise to his feet and plant a fist into the already broken mandible. Na'deha retaliated with his own fist which sent him across the room and into the wall. Na'deha cracked his mandible back into place and released a roar of rage. Dah'nagara rose again, lifted his blade and stepped into a guarded position. The other Yautja formed a circle around them roaring for them to tear each other apart.
They didn't disappoint as they charged each other full force. With speed only capable of by the best of humans, Dah'nagara slid beneath his legs tearing at his ankle with his blade. As Na'deha turned to face him, he used his foe's momentum to slash his side, his glowing green blood splattered onto a cheering Yautja. Before Na'deha could recover, a blade was shoved into his wrist, severing the blades from their scabbard. Another slash to his knee, then the other, as he fell the blade was plunged into his shoulder, all before his own blades hit the ground. Lying on his back, the blade was ripped from his should and the point touched his forehead threatening to plunge into his brain. Dah'nagara looked down at his foe.
"Say it." Na'deha looked at the human above him with a blank expression.
"I yield."
The entire room was silent as Dah'nagara left the room without another word, leaving Na'deha to pick himself off the floor and stare at his retreating back.
-0-
"Stay on guard. Kainde amedha are not to be underestimated," Hul'tah stated from the front of the group. Hul'tah, Dah'nagara, P'kya'uha, and two other Yautja marched through the dark halls of the human research facility. The whole place reeked of iron and sulfur. What parts of the halls that weren't covered in blood where filled with holes from acid burns or bullets.
"What happened here?" asked the human, bile rising in his throat when he saw the walls coated with red.
"The humans here were researching the Kainde amedha," P'kya'uha answered him. She readjusted the long rifle on her back while looking around. "They didn't expect a praetorian to show up."
"How did it get here?" one of the younger Yautja asked. Hul'tah answered him this time.
"We believe it was living in the jungles, until it was attracted here by the other Kainde amedha. To the human's credit, their containment systems would have worked this time."
"So why are we here?" the last one asked.
"Fighting Kainde amedha is a good way to prepare you for Bad bloods. Almost as smart and just as dangerous. If you survive here then we will know you're ready to join our ranks. P'kya'uha and I will observe and make sure you don't end up dead. We have few enough members as it is."
It was true. With just over a hundred members, the Blood Hunter clan was relatively small.
"Any questions?" Dah'nagara stepped forward.
"When do we start?"
Now. Two Kainde amedha shot up from the floor beneath them grabing Dah'nagara and one of the other unblooded bringing them both down to the lower levels. They fell through the vents as a pile of bodies until crashing into a room below. When the two serpents stood a spear pierced their heads, pinning both of them to the wall. Their black bodies struggled for a moment before going limp. Dah'nagara turned to see his hunting brother relax from his throwing position.
"Nice throw."
"Thanks."
The tail plunging through the Yautja's face and through his mask kept him from speaking more. Glowing blood covered Dah'nagara's training mask as he watched the Kainde amedha remove its tail from his fallen brother. Looking closely at it, he saw that it was a worrier. Its black hide was thicker and its head crest was larger. It screeched at him as the eighteen year old extended his combi stick. It jumped at him but he rolled to the side sticking his spear into its shoulder. If it felt the pain, it didn't show it. It merely struck him with the side of its tail knocking him to the ground. It jumped onto him pinning his right arm before he could lift his wrist blade. He moved his head to the side as the tail pierced the ground were his head was a second ago. He saw that his combi stick lay next to him. The creature above him curled its lips back in a snarl. Knowing what was coming he grabbed the spear collapsing it before bringing it next to his head, bracing it against the floor. As the black serpent went to end him he extended the spear, plunging it through the creature's mouth and out through the back of its skull. He pushed it off him before the blood could drop on him. Rising to his feet, Dah'nagara looked at his fallen prey and released all of his remaining adrenalin in a primal scream. His scream was met by screeching. He turned to see two Kainde amedha drones walk out of the shadows. He drew his wrist blade.
"You two want to go? Then bring it on!"
A loud bang sounded from behind followed by a low hiss. He turned around and saw the form of a large Kainde amedha with a very large head crest. The praetorian.
"Oh pauk."
P'kya'uha ran through the halls desperate to find her friend, the others trailing behind her. Their infrared sight leading them into a large room. What the saw took their breath away. Two drones lay prone on the ground, one with its tail missing. Two more drones were pinned to the wall by a spear. A worrier with a spear in its head and a Yautja with his face missing were on the far side of the room. The praetorian lay dead in the middle of the room with a severed Kainde amedha tail plunged into its head. A cough brought their attention to the corner of the room.
"Dah'nagara!" she shouted. She ran to her human friend, looking him over for injuries. Blood leaked from his mouth, he held his hand to his shoulder were a Kainde amedha tail had pierced him, his training mask on the ground next to him was broken beyond repair.
"What took you so long?" he managed to choke out with a smile on his bloodied face. She laughed at his attempt at humor. Hul'tah walked up to him taking another glance at the bodies around them, including the fallen Yautja.
"Couldn't save him. Caught us by surprise."
Hul'tah looked back to the human, his mandibles forming a smile.
"I think you're ready."
-0-
Zesh sat on the high branch of a tree, putting away the last of his tools as he finished cleaning his newly acquired Yautja skull. The bad blood looked at the bone in his hand. A smile came to his face as he remembered the terrified look on the hunter's face. He was brought from his thoughts when a twig snapped. He rose to his feet faster than someone of his size should be able to, his spear extended in his hand. He scanned the forest for the possible prey until the blast from a plasma caster destroyed the branch he was on. He was so surprised he forgot to brace himself for the fall and his body slammed hard against the ground. He got to his feet again firing a blast from his own cast to where the first had come from, only to have it explode as a third shot was fired from a different direction. The bad blood franticly looked for where the fire had come from, seeing nothing and only hearing the sound of a bird whistle.
"Where the Pauk are you!" he screamed. Another whistle sounded from behind him, this definitely not from a bird. He turned to find what looked like a dwarf Yautja. It wore the usual armor over netting mesh. It held a short sword in its hand and a caster on its shoulder. The mask was what caught his attention. The forehead was smaller, on its cheeks were two circular objects like what he would see on a human's mask whenever there was something bad in the air, and the dreadlocks seemed rubbery and lifeless. He growled at the strange creature, charging at it with his spear raised. He was intercepted by a log slamming into his side and knocking him to the ground. Another log fell from above, threatening to crush him. He rolled out of the way and onto his feet.
'Pauk! How did he manage to set this up without me noticing?!'
The discharge of a plasma caster caused an explosion at his feet, the force knocking him back into a tree. The blow jarred his shoulder and his arm went numb. He collapsed to the ground in a heap of pain, his head ringing from the explosion. Before he could stand a spear pinned him to the tree. Zesh let out a screech of pain. He couldn't remove the spear as his other arm was still numb from the blast. He looked up to see the mask of the strange creature staring back at him.
"WHAT THE PAUK ARE YOU?!"
The creature raised its hand removing the mask from its face. That's when he realized it was removing a helmet from its head. It pulled it off to show the face of a human who couldn't possibly be older than eighteen seasons.
"How? How can an Ooman, a prey species, take me down?" Zesh's eyes widened as the human began to speak his language.
"I am Dah'nagara, worrier of the blood hunter clan."
Zesh laughed. Now it all made sense.
"I see. You aren't true Yautja nor are you Ooman. You're a reject, like the rest of your clan, banished from the home world. But then, it isn't your home world."
Dah'nagara watched him with an unchanging, blank expression. The bad blood before him continued to laugh.
"Admit it Ooman. You're a freak amongst your own kind. You're no better than me."
"I know."
His eyes didn't get the chance to widen before the sword was plunged into his skull.
-0-
Dah'nagara groaned in pain as the wolf's horn plunged into his thigh. He swiped his wrist blade through the bone before plunging the sword in his left hand into the creature's furry neck. The now twenty-two seasoned human plucked the horn from his thigh. He held the red covered horn up to examine.
'Will make for a decent trophy,' he thought as he glanced around at the pack of horned wolves he had just hunted. After cleaning his wound and trophy, Dah'nagara looked at the sun seeing that it was only midday. Deciding he had enough time he made his way to the nearby human colony, being sure to take off his helmet first.
'I could use a drink.'
Please review and tell me what you think. Taranodongirl1, sorry for making you cry.