The settlement was bustling with activity, nearly everyone busy with packing, or perfecting, or bartering goods at the last minute. In what seemed like such a short time, the month had come and gone. However, not a moment was wasted. Time was a valuable tool, never to be tossed away carelessly, but rather sharpened and mastered through patience, speed, and a clear mind.

Nina sat in her room, rummaging through the pair of bags she had brought from Earth with her during her hasty packing, her newly made, cleanly polished mask resting beside her. Before taking the trial, it was tradition for a Yautja to craft their own mask instead of using the ones passed down to practice with. Even Sain'ja's mask now had three diagonal streaks across the left side of the visor to make it appear to have been slashed by some animal with remarkable claws. Nina's own was narrower- better suited for her human face- and very simplistic like the one she wore before. If she survived this though, she intended to improve the design. Inside, she had engraved a small design to the side that was barely noticeable even if someone decided to examine the mask; the initials of her human name, a reminder to herself of her other half.

In her first, larger bag, her dark green duffel- military issued, were mainly items she wouldn't need any more, not here; a few of her old clothes, a pair of tennis shoes and some boots, essentials to bathe and groom herself with. She only pulled her hair brush out of these. Searching further, she found some of the medals she had earned as a cadet. Although Sain'ja didn't really understand the concept at first, Nina had been more than happy to still show them off a time or two. However, these wouldn't get her anywhere where she was going.

She checked her second bag. It could practically be referred to as a sack really, a dull tannish brown and with a rough fabric, but it held her most valuable of items. She already had her dog tag securely fastened around her neck, but some things were just too good to be left behind. First and foremost, neatly held together by a rubber band, was a small collection of photographs.

…Maybe it wouldn't hurt to waste a little time…

These few images told her story, even though she would probably be the only one she'd share it with anymore. Nina didn't believe the Yautja's were ones for reminiscing.

The first one she carefully drew out nearly forced her to draw a deep breath in; in it she was only a baby, barely any hair on her head yet, sitting in a high chair on the porch of her old home, apparently bashing a teething toy in front of her. Both of her parents sat side by side on the wooden porch swing, smiling and in each other's arms. Nina quickly shuffled the photo behind the rest.

Another maddening memory; this one of her as a three year old toddling in the snow in her backyard. Mac, Blain, and Hawkins had visited her father for Christmas that year, and she had barely been old enough to remember it. More than likely they had come to help console him and give them some company after her mother's passing. In the image, her father was faking a scowl and rolling his eyes upward as he was pelted with snowballs by Hawkins.

There was a couple more of just her and Dutch, posed during practices, one of her sitting in a boat, during a fishing trip.

The photos skipped past her first few teenage years, those days discarded and forgotten by everyone but the people involved in what occurred during that brief time.

The next image was of herself, Nick, Colton, and Corin. Since their disappearance had caused them to miss the last few days of school and nearly half of the summer, their families and some of the trainers had welcomed them back and treated the four to a small cookout. This was, of course, after a few weeks of interrogation and closure.

Following this was another Christmas picture. Nick had invited Nina and Corin to his family's annual trip to a ski resort in Indiana. The three sat in their cold weather gear, huddled up beside a fireplace in the lodge. Melting snowflakes covered their outfits and flushed from the frost faces. Upon returning to Earth, Nina had allowed herself to grow closer and closer to people again. Surprisingly enough, she didn't regret it.

There were quite a few images like this one; spending the weekends at some of the museums and shops near the academy, celebrating birthdays and holidays together, rooting for one another at sports and other events.

Here was one during the last year of her time as a cadet, taken at the military ball. It had taken a lot of convincing, but finally Nina had agreed to go with Corin to it. Having nothing formal to wear, she had borrowed one of his older sister's dresses; a soft navy blue thing that was a little snug around the waist and flowed gracefully to the floor from then on, covered in sparkling silver glitter.

"The next thing we'll know, you'll be talking about the latest boy bands and the gossip in fashion magazines," Colton had chided her teasingly upon seeing her and Corin enter the gym that night. She could still hear him mildly tssking at her in mock disappointment, "Really Nina, we thought you were better than this. You've resorted yourself to actually acting like a girl,"

Shaking her head, Nina put the photos away, hidden in the very bottom of her duffel. She did the same for the majority of the items in the sack. In the end, only a handful of fangs and small bones taken as trophies were left. She attached her mask to her face and adjusted it to normal vision after strapping the sack to her belt. Her weapons and supplies were ready.

When she heard Sain'ja call for her, she knew it was time to go. She got up from the bed and strode out the door without looking back. She avoided the blank gaze of human skulls and skins-especially considering one of them might've belonged to Mike- that she was forced to pass and followed Sain'ja out of the building.

Most of the other Yautja heading out were already by the ship, waiting patiently to depart. Unblooded children played and wrestled nearby, obviously hanging around in order to see the ship take off. Goodbyes weren't ever really said unless the people saying them were closely bonded to one another or a hunter truly believed they wouldn't be returning.

Once everyone who was leaving had arrived, Sain'ja left to join the other Elites. Nina got with a group of newly Blooded warriors and a few Youngbloods. They would meet up again once inside. The Adjudicators watched on as everyone lined up in two rows facing one another on either side of the boarding ramp, got down on one knee, opposite fist to the ground, and bowed in respect.

All was silent as first some of the Adjudicators boarded the ship, followed by a couple of the Clan Leaders, training masters, Elites, and so on down the ranks. Nina was among the last on and heard the whoosh of now trapped air as the door sealed shut behind her.

Unlike most of the other clans who were vastly known for their skill and honor, and therefore had the ability to get the newest models of ships and equipment, most in the Jungle Hunter Clan much more preferred the classic and traditional styles. The walls of the ship seemed to glow a bright amber color, illuminating the intricate carvings and hieroglyphs set in them. The door frames were wide and arched at the top, leading to several pathways throughout the ship, practically creating a maze. A warm fog from below nearly came up to her waist, making any chance of actually seeing the floor close zero.

Nina felt a large hand rub gently against her shoulder blades and looked back to spot Sain'ja. Had he been waiting for her the whole time? The ship rumbled slightly as it took off and Nina was glad he was helping support her. She had almost forgotten the ship's rough and shaky movements as it ascended or descended from the last time she was on one. Soon enough, the ride became smoother.

"Thanks," she said quietly. He nodded in turn.

Sain'ja led her through the winding passages of the ship. It was large enough to carry at least somewhere around one to two hundred passengers, but miraculously required very few crew members. It was leveled off by decks; Clan Leaders and over important figures in society resided in individual quarters at the top, those who couldn't participate in the hunt or were least honorable were located on the bottom deck, where public baths and such were. Having gained enough prestige, and being both female and human, Nina would stay with Sain'ja and some of the other succeeding warriors on the middle decks, where the quarters would fit up to six Yautja. That, at least, was a relief; she didn't exactly relish the thought of stripping down in front of anyone, whether or not they were a different species.

Sain'ja left her in their quarters after pointing out which bunk they'd be sharing and told her he'd be back soon, stating he needed to speak with some of the other Elites. They wouldn't be stopping on the world where the Rite of Passage would take place just yet. First they would head to Yautja Prime to trade for supplies they might need and pick up any extra passengers.

Now alone, Nina took this time to examine her new surroundings. When she and the others had returned to Earth, they had shared a room similar to this, but on a much smaller vessel. On the three walls opposing one with the entrance, one double bunk was built securely into the wall, a ladder of sorts carved beside them. There were two doors leading in opposite directions on the far end of the room. One led to a small chamber where weapons and trophies could be fastened and with enough room maybe a pair of people could spar. She took her Combistick off of her belt and placed it on one of the wall hangers.

The second door led to the wash room. A large tub-it might as well have been classified as a deep, small pool- that smelled of strong chemicals was dug into the floor in the center of the room. There was a drain and some piping set in the farthest corner that worked as a shower. A few shelves lined the walls, with towels and bottles of various oils and cleansers on top of them.

She nearly groaned. Privacy never seemed to be a well enough used word in the Yautja dictionary. All she could do now was hope there was another girl staying in these quarters so at least it wouldn't be as embarrassing and awkward. Sure, humans had bathed in groups over the years- in the army, in the times back in Ancient Greece, at some carpenter centers- but Nina had to admit, it didn't settle at all right with her. On the bright side, maybe her roommates wouldn't bring it up.

Her exploration ended and those worries pushed aside for another time, she climbed up onto her bunk, required to take longer strides up the ladder due to the Yautja sized gaps in between the spaces. The bunk was harder than the one back in Sain'ja's home, but still pretty nice. She laid back and stared at the ceiling, then the door, then back again.

Her eyes began to shut as the ship started to rock her into oblivion. The warm air seemed to have a relaxing, therapeutic effect. Maybe it would be wise to rest for a little bit…

"Uncle Dutch? Dutch? You home?" A thirteen year-old Nina asked to the wind as she opened the door to their house. It was just as she'd left it on her way to school that morning; somewhat cluttered, but homey. Only when coming off the bus and seeing it that afternoon, only a sense of finality and dread filled her heart. She had known, even then, her feelings like this were never wrong.

As expected, there was no answer. She explored the house, just to be sure; the garage, the bedrooms, the basement, and finally the kitchen. Typically, when Dutch was out, he'd leave a note on the fridge. Sometimes there'd be a short list of chores or exercises for her. This time, however, there was a brochure of the Washington DC Military Academy and a letter, not to her, but to some instructor, about her recommendation to the academy. For a moment, she stood there, stunned, and then opened the brochure. A small piece of paper fell out of it. There was Dutch's handwriting, clear as day.

TO DO LIST:

-Read the brochure

-Eat dinner

-Pack up (I've got a duffel set out for you on your bed)

-Get the debit card and any other cash left behind

-Take the subways to DC

-Head to the Washington Monument (Be there by 18:30 and be careful. A friend will be waiting for you)

There was one other thing written on the list. "Good luck."

Good luck? It didn't take a genius to know that Dutch had left her and wanted her to leave this place for some academy that had never been discussed before, and all he had to say was "Good luck?"

She began to take deep, heavy breathes. She was on her own. Alone. Again! Tears threatened to pour from her eyes at any second. The paper crumpled in her grasp as she bit the inside of her lip enough for it to bleed.

Slamming the papers down on the kitchen counter, Nina stormed off into the living room and threw herself down on the couch, sobbing. How could he do this? Why would he do this? It wasn't right. Worst of all, it wasn't like Dutch and she knew it, so she also knew it had to be because of something important, maybe to both of their safeties.

She waited one full hour, just in case he might still come back, but nothing.

No more tears, she thought, pushing herself up, you're a fighter. Get up and follow orders. That was the moment she truly lost her ability and drive to feel; the moment she refused herself to care for other people and let them into her life.

Sniffling, she got up and did as told. First she skimmed and pocketed the brochure while a bowl of canned raviolis cooked in the microwave. She would have to read it more thoroughly later, perhaps on the subway trip. She ate that food along with some leftover coleslaw, not like she had much of an appetite for anything anyway though.

When packing, she didn't grab much in the way of clothes, knowing she'd be handed a uniform almost as soon as she walked in. She just stuffed a jacket, some T-shirts, a few pairs of pants and shorts, and then underwear into the duffle with little concern for them getting wrinkled or not. There was a hat from Hard Rock Cafe she loved to wear, but it wasn't a necessity and would probably only take up room. Besides, what good would it be if she wasn't going to go out anywhere?

Two sets of pajamas, a box of hair ties, another pair of tennis shoes. That took care of clothing and accessories.

Stuffed animals and toys? What was she? Five? She would be made the laughing stock of the academy if she brought anything like that with her. However, there were a few novels she loved to read, so she shoved them in the pack. She robbed her small bank of its contents. In the bathroom, she grabbed her brush, toothbrush, and toothpaste.

In the living room once more, she passed row after row of scrap books and military books. She grabbed one on survival tips, another on edible foods out in the wild and how to acquire them, a third that was Dutch's team's personal journal about life as a soldier. A section for each member was inside it, including her father. Shifting through the scrapbooks quickly, she grabbed a picture here and there; never staring at them for what she felt was too long. Standing on her toes, she reached their jug of emergency funds and looted it clean.

In Dutch's room, she took the wallet set on top of the nightstand. Inside was the last of the money they had on them and the debit card. She could use it; usually she was the one who went out to get the groceries. Turning she looked at their weapons case and frowned. Nina hated the thought of just leaving them here, but what more was there to do?

Looking at the clock, she saw that she had some time left. That had gone quicker than expected. However, she couldn't stay here anymore. The longer she stayed, the harder it would be to let go of this life. She busied herself with filling a rolling suitcase with canned and boxed foods that had never been opened. It was better not to let them go to waste.

All items in hand, she walked out of her-…what was once her home, and headed down to the nearest Salvation Army and dropped off the food, ignoring the questionable looks as to why she was on her own with luggage in the first place and accepting thanks with a mild demeanor. She left without a word right to the downtown subways…

Sain'ja had just come back to the room to find Nina sound asleep on the bunk above his own. He had no more business to attend to for a while, sojust leaned back on his own bed and closed his eyes. After a short time, he heard her tossing around. When it continued, he stood up and looked at her. She was shaking her head into her pillow and gripping onto the blanket she laid on tightly in a balled fist. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Whatever she was dreaming of, it wasn't pleasant for her.

He had caught her sleeping like this from time to time, and when she woke up she seemed to be in a state of anxiety until she managed to calm herself down again. Eventually, he managed to convince her to tell him what they were, and she simply stated, "just nightmares." Nightmares, as she had explained, were bad dreams. Hers seemed to be about bad memories or visions of what might have happened in the past. It seemed to help her to talk about it, and he was interested in them because he didn't think Yautja ever had nightmares. He certainly couldn't remember any. Their occurrences seemed to get fewer and fewer, but obviously, they still hadn't gone away entirely.

Tilting his head, Sain'ja wondered if he should wake her up or not. It was better for her to rest, yes, but how much would she get if she stayed like this the whole time? Stepping up on the first few steps of the ladder, he reached up and shook her shoulder gently, a soft purr erupting from his throat. Her eyes shot open and she looked at him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Everything ok?" he asked. She nodded. He still didn't believe it. Slowly and carefully, he got on the bunk with her and she moved to make room. He stared at her for a second, then said, "You know you're a very good liar." Nina smirked and earned herself a gentle rap on the head, followed by a soft trill. He rubbed the back of her neck, feeling her grow less tense.

Absently, Nina moved closer to him. Right then, she needed to know someone was there. "It was nothing, just another bad dream."

"Of what?" he insisted.

"A memory, back when I was little. Just before I began training as a cadet." She stopped there, unsure of how to explain it. Sain'ja knew Dutch had left, but she had never gone into detail about it.

There was a moment of silence. Feeling that was all he would get out of her now, he let go and began climbing back down. "Go back to sleep. We might land at any time," Before going back to bed, he pointed a finger at her accusingly, "But we are not done here."

Nina grinned, "Naturally," then tried to sleep once more.