The Yautja Boys
Chapter Seven – Capture and Escape
By Blackdawn
Pain. Water. Breathe. Pulling. The pain…stop…
"Hulij-hswei's…" a frantic voice resonated with deep distress as Hulij-hswei shot forward. Spewing out water from his asphyxiated throat, choking as the rest of the unwanted fluid exited his lungs. Head pounding with his heartbeat in crippling pain. Jehdin-Pyode was holding his mask in one arm and him in the other while he shakily latched onto the wall of the subterranean riverbank. Remembering seeing colors never seen before, then felt pain inside his head.
Unprepared the water was going to be this frigid. Once the throbbing sensation hit his head wound is when viewing random colors and not even realizing he was drowning until Jehdin-Pyode had plucked him out of the water and yanked off his mask. Apparent the facial equipment was damaged as it wasn't pressurizing right, henceforth the water seeping in.
He thought having the wound cauterized hurt, but the sudden drop in temperature from the icy waters hitting the back of his head sent his mind and body into shock. The heating system on his awu-asa was active and working, why he felt cold to the core was unclear. Unless unaware of a malfunction in the readings.
Not even realizing having passed out until awakened byJehdin-Pyode. His pupil's worried voice carrying an echo around them.
"Hulij-hswei," Jehdin-Pyode said yet again "do you need to stay here? I can slip pass the second set of entries easily myself and grab theN'tk."
Having forced heavy eyes open. AllHulij-hswei wanted was to sleep for days under warm furs. "No." His groan sluggish and weak. Trying to calm his breathing in order to steady the rhythmic beating on his brain. "I'm not dying in this tomb alone." The freezing waters caused his shaking to intensify. "Just, give me another shot."
Jehdin-Pyode created a ripple as he stepped back, his shoulders tensed, and top mandibles wavered. Surprised. "Are you sure about that? Is it safe to take that many?"
Hulij-hswei went to growl, had turned and his taloned footing slipped, sending his head dunking back under the water again where he was fished back out and howled in gurgles yelling. "Just do it!"
Making sure he was completely attached to the wall this time. Hanging on with his feet dangling while the ginormous Yautja that was Jehdin-Pyode stepped around with ease. It took only moments for another stab in the back and the pain in his pulsating head subsided. Knowing the severity was dire. Curtesy of Kaail-Halkrath lopping off half his head and would have been his entire head if not for thinking quickly on his feet when ducking the death blow. But couldn't help the situation right now.
Wholly scorning males with only one partner. Everything associated with their mate became overly personal.
But he had to hold out a little bit longer. Being so close to siring one more pup. Just one more pup before he died.
"Why are you so cold?" questioned Jehdin-Pyode. Handing Hulij-hswei his mask back. "I can see your body temperature dropping without a bio-mask."
Giving a slow shake of his head replying, "I don't know" and continued back to swimming. Heedful not to dip his head underwater for the time being due to his malfunctioning mask and now found the pain manageable but was still freezing.
Then he asked in a shudder, "Does it get any warmer further into the temple?"
"Yes," Jehdin-Pyode assured quickly. "The fauna for the enclosure is heated by artificial light, that's how vegetation grows down here."
Before Hulij-hswei knew it, they were coming up to the second set of sentries. Worry settled in for concern of dunking his head back underwater, that he would go into shock and drown, or panic and break the surface too early, signaling their presence.
"I can carry you under the water."Jehdin-Pyode piped up when noticing the distressed expression pinched across Hulij-hswei's face.
Hulij-hswei swallowed his pride and was quick to nod in approval then braced Jehdin-Pyode.
"Ready?" was asked byJehdin-Pyode.
Shaking not only in approval, but also out of fear. Fear over the condition of his head but shoved the sensation into his gut.
Hastily panting, "Hurry up with it."
Jehdin-Pyode wasted no time as he went under.
The pain not as bad as predicted but was still causing Hulij-hswei's vision to spin and shut his eyes tightly in retaliation while chanting the mesh'in'ga – The Battle Dreamtime – a type of mantra to himself to calm his nerves when instincts started tapping at the back of his beating brain to get him to break the surface. Lungs began aching quicker than anticipated and still found himself fighting againstJehdin-Pyode. When Jehdin-Pyode refused to let go is when panic settled in. His throat opened and water started pouring in, causing the struggle where he fought and kicked back. Then suddenly felt air and gasped, ripping off his mask. Cold struck him. Shaking even more causing his head to throb and hammer.
That's when Jehdin-Pyode pulled him to his massive chest. Warmth struck him and attached himself in its linger. Another few moments later was elated to hear. "We're here."
He pulled himself out of the water and was exhilarated from the surrounding enveloping warmth. There was heat down here, wonderful heat, and he soaked it up. Laying down on his side where he curled into a ball to try and conserve it.
"We don't have much time,"Jehdin-Pyode injected harshly. "The rotation for the new shift will find the sentries shortly."
Nodding, Hulij-hswei forced himself to move and was helped to his feet. "Is there another area they're held in or is this it?" Hulij-hswei asked, looking around.
"This is it."
The chasm wasn't that spacious. With this being a temple, had half expected statues of Priests and Priestesses, fallen warriors, Paya himself. Bowing in respect to ascending brethren or roaring in triumphant for success of the ultimate Hunt. No. It was just a simple stone cavity. Etched and jagged. Going further deeper into a void of heat and stale, uncirculated air, with spots of fauna growing here and there.
Jehdin-Pyode spoke softly with caution, "The problem now is neither of us can camouflage ourselves under the main heating tubes. My spots stand out and now your body temperature has dropped. We're going to have to evade and shield behind the angular positioning of the cavern walls."
A weak nod extended fromHulij-hswei, feeling nauseous from his dizzy vision.
Hulij-hswei found himself ecstatic to be inching along the walls. The porous surface surprisingly not ice cold and the humid atmosphere fairly teeming with heat the further they traversed in. Giving him time to heat back up again. Then was stock still when it came into view, being bigger than he thought, coming up to his knee.
The blasted bird did not notice either of them when it stepped into view.
A large, feathery crown of gold displayed above its small head with sizeable three-clawed toes, tucked in wings and long flowing tail feathers of white. There was an additional set of small taloned arms on this species, each arm lined with a row of feathers, positioned under its breast plate that it used to crawl forward with to support its abnormally larger breast plate. The tip of its beak formed into a curved point with small, jagged teeth running along its top, overlapping bill.
Jehdin-Pyode gave out a soft coo Hulij-hswei didn't know any Yautja could make and the N'tk slowly came there way. Jehdin-Pyode tossing bits of V'ornt root onto the ground gained the feathered creature's interest and it hurried over to consume the offering and shortly afterwards had settled down to roost.
Jehdin-Pyode made quick work of hopping on the bird. Sure to wrap one arm around its wings while the remaining free hand charged with retaining the beak closed.
Not one sound arose from the creature.
"Hurry with theV'ornt," came in a swift breathe from Jehdin-Pyode.
Hulij-hswei quickly and quietly removed the container from his belt and dipped his talons into the semifluid, careful to rub the substance inside the bird's mouth.
"Give it everything" Jehdin-Pyode continued "make sure it's completely out so it doesn't wake when it hits the water. It's shallow breathing while sleeping will keep it from drowning, but we have to be quick to surface again."
Doing as instructed, Hulij-hswei slathered every bit into its mouth then pulled the vines out to wrap around its body. Tying its feet to its belly, arms to its breast and wings to its sides then fashioning a grip at the top of the makeshift harness.
"That went easier than I thought," said Hulij-hswei as he looked over the limp head of the bird. Now hanging from Jehdin-Pyode's side.
Jehdin-Pyode added, "catching them is the easy part. The hard part is the bird not drowning or waking, then no one finding the bodies we left and not being spotted by the sentries here, including the new shift."
They turned back to leave and Hulij-hswei froze, realizing he had to go back in the water and Jehdin-Pyode noticed his wavering.
"Hulij-hswei," the giant Yautja questioned as he peered down. "Do you need help again?"
"No," Hulij-hswei shot back. "I think I'll be fine. Just needed to heat up again."
The water sent another chill through his core but not as severe as before. When it came back to going underwater his head still hurt but was coherent enough that he could quickly pull himself along the bottom, and quickly he did. In a hurry to get out of the temple and in the sun to warm himself.
Moving along the bottom involved having well-trained lungs as they had to remain under water until completely out of view at a curve in the river system that would keep their heat signatures completely out of sight. Jehdin-Pyode took the forward position to use his speed and speedily he made haste, yanking himself through the water and took off.
They required speed on their side to keep the N'tk from drowning. Rounding the bend and the bird was lifted above water, still unconscious and hoping so from the root still in its system and not because it was dead.
Coming around another bend, Hulij-hswei jumped when a dead face was looking at him, then calmed himself. Reminding oneself the face belonging to the body were one of the Temple Guards they had killed earlier. Having dragged the corpses further inside and dumped their remains into a pile.
As Jehdin-Pyode stated, there were only two. Hulij-hswei and his pupil had been perched on the rock face above, the bulking younger Jehdin-Pyode dropped down, slamming onto one guard and slung the helpless body across the way, hitting the other where he dropped down and finished the work by slitting their throats. Happy they were Temple Guards instead of Sentries like Jehdin-Pyode had originally confirmed. Temple Guards normally consisted of males who protected their Clan Leader whereas Sentries were normally female to guard their own brooding ranks.
Either way, he was glad they were male and not female. Being in no physical condition to take on one female Sentry, let alone two.
Jehdin-Pyode stopped dead in his tracks to vomit. "That cool water was keeping my fever down," he slurred as drool and vomit dipped from his mandibles.
Hulij-hswei stayed observant, watching Jehdin-Pyode take four more steps, stopped, swayed, and threw up again. This time more intense than previously.
"How far, away…is the drop point?" Jehdin-Pyode asked faintly and out of breath.
"A far journey for you in your condition," Hulij-hswei promptly responded.
Despite having gone back to the camp site, they were running low on medicine after two days of traveling. The tied N'tk, hanging off Jehdin-Pyode's side even protesting the long journey. Their travels would have been lighter if not for bringing their trophies along, all Yautja skulls. But both males agreed unanimously to not leave their prizes behind to retrieve another time.
It was night now and Hulij-hswei was under Jehdin-Pyode's hot arm, assisting the sickly male in standing upright. Trying to help trek the rugged terrain when Hulij-hswei's gauntlet clicked and beeped, indicating he had received a message.
Once on the visor of his mask, he discovered it from his clan leader, Kwei-dto, - Sly Wood - an ugly pup sucker missing his left eye, top of his left mandible and half the left side of his face. Cleaved off by his own father. Whenever he spoke, words slurred as he couldn't properly form sentences due to his partially missing mouth.
Dissatisfaction came about Hulij-hswei. Bitterness and anger carried in his tone as he cursed aloud of the slurred message "Fuckers. Little shits are trying to leave early" he spat.
"Far?" was the only thing Jehdin-Pyode could manage through his dry throat. Torn apart from his vomiting on top of an overheating head. The infection from the now hatched eggs under his skin finally reaching his spine and made their way into his brain, causing swelling which led to his severe headaches.
Jehdin-Pyode lurched over to vomit again, but nothing came out. All he was doing was dry heaving now. Then he settled back onto Hulij-hswei's frame,and a long, eerie sound resonated from Jehdin-Pyode. He was in agony.
While Hulij-hswei was wrought in pain himself, between half his missing head and back still skewered. He was more concerned over his pupil who started babbling nonsense. Forming unfinished words in a garbled mesh. Jehdin-Pyode was going to die of a brain aneurysm if he couldn't secure the required medicine for him.
"Almost there," Hulij-hswei hastened in a grunt as he repositioned Jehdin-Pyode on his shoulders to get the giant ready to move again. "You see that ridge? The drop site is just over that ridge, but you have to keep moving. Okay?"
All Jehdin-Pyode could muster from his debilitated state was a weak nod of swaying legs. Not even turning to look down at the body under his.
"What is that?" Kwei-dto exclaimed from behind his mask. Looking toward Hulij-hswei while standing next to the ramp as other clan members were rummaging around inside the drop ship. He and Jehdin-Pyode being the last to arrive.
"This is, Jehdin-Pyode," Hulij-hswei introduced quickly. Holding sure ground against his clan leader.
Getting more male competition onboard was going to be difficult. And depending on their great clan leader's mood, could be dangerous. Kwei-dto had been trying to win over the attention of Tsha'ri for seasons. Now she finally brought herself in season for the first time since joining their clan and Kwei-dto had been ravenous in making sure he alone was to sire a pup through her.
"Pitiful name I have ever heard," Kwei-dto racked loudly. Even his laugh was perforated and unnaturally high-pitched from his disability.
Hulij-hswei nodded to the ranking male before taunted slowly "Why are you leaving already?" furnishing a heaving grunt "Got tired of the mission?"
Kwei-dto hissed angrily at the remark that jabbed at his pride "Kaail-Halkrath is in the area" he said, "I'm not losing my life over a mission."
"You don't have to worry about him now." A short rumble rolled out of Hulij-hswei. Bobbing his head up to the heavy Jehdin-Pyode who was now groaning, yielding ragged breaths and had positioned his heavy frame completely over Hulij-hswei's aching and burning back. "Jehdin-Pyode took care of him with Kaail-Halkrath's own sword."
"Lies," his clan leader bellowed bitterly.
"You cheat at this mission by having outside help" Kwei-dto gesturing his head to the N'tk "then lie about your creature defeating Kaail-Halkrath that looks like it's about to meet Cetanu shortly." The testosterone fueled male's stance shifted to a defensive posture as his chest puffed out.
"My recordings will say otherwise," replied Hulij-hswei. Readying himself for a battle when seeing his clan leader's body heat rise. Noticeably his tendrils fluctuating in pulsating heat patterns.
Damn buck was ready to breed right now.
"If you have plans to bring that thing on my vessel, forget it. Who knows what kind of diseases it has to be meeting its u'sl-kwe." Kwei-dto started, swaying angrily from his stance by the ramp and was steadily moving forward.
"His name is, Jehdin-Pyode" Hulij-hswei spat defensively "he's been infected with parasitic eggs and is the reason Kaail-Halkrath was sent here. He's killed members of his clan with his bare hands. He can be an asset to us."
Kwei-dto let out a deep growl as he unsheathed his wrist blades and aimed his plasmacaster at them. "I'm still not letting that sick thing on board."
Hulij-hswei beamed inwardly. Having Kwei-dto cornered now and replied craftily in a low monotone, "You want to be the one to tell Tsha'ri she had a victor to her mission, and you refused to let that Yautja onboard?"
Kwei-dto fell silent upon that remark before exerting a rage-filled howl once the notion settled. Then growled in irritation, "Just keep that thing away from me, and don't expect me to tend to it."
Once they finally boarded, it was like a veiled signal went off in Jehdin-Pyode. The young male hastily untied the N'tk from his hip, letting it drop, then collapsed himself. His body contacted the floor creating a loud echoing BOOM that emanated throughout the hull. Even sending a vibration through the floor and up Hulij-hswei's knees.
The sudden transfer of weight off his back made Hulij-hswei collapse to his hands and knees and felt relieved. He made it. He survived an encounter with Kaail-Halkrath and lived to tell the tale. And for the first time in his century old life now had a pupil to train under him.
Not knowing that when he stepped foot on these lands his Hunt would be so eventful.
This chapter took a bit longer as I was updating on my proper dialogue. Still not there yet.
Thanks to animaignea for naming Tsha'ri. And thanks to Darwin for helping me better my dialogue, she's no longer active here on FF but is active over on Fiction Press publishing her books if you would like to check out either of her works. I'm gonna get these links working sooner or later.
Next chapter: The Crew - Jehdin-Pyode meets the crew.
Chapter Eight I'm going to make a short crossover story between "The Yautja Boys" and "The Hunter's Way" involving Kaail-Halkrath. Nothing lengthy, just a look into his life as an Enforcer and how chaotic things get tracking down Jehdin-Pyode as Kaail-Halkrath is seeking revenge for the Bad Blood having bested him, but his plans on revenge takes a different turn than he anticipated.