Author's Note: For those who didn't get the news from my DA, I had an incident with my flash drive recently and lost all the notes I had for my fanfiction, thankfully however I know exactly what I was doing with most of them and was able to remember/rewrite everything I have planned for my most important works like "Dangerous Kind" and "Haven".
Warning: Javelin's POV, Xeira mischief and a party
Disclaimer: I own OCs only.
Haven
Javelin counted each surviving Youngblood. Including the Elders there had been a total of twenty warriors sent down to the planet, of them he counted twelve making a proud return. Not bad for the Deathworm trial, not bad at all. The Elder was especially glad that both Lex and Scar had made it through.
The ship was settling down and Wrath was making the last checks that no one had left any of their weapons or gear in the native city while Crusade finalized transport of the trade goods.
When the ship's hull opened Javelin was surprised when one of the more experienced hunters rushed up to him bearing news.
"Jaev'len." He greeted with a respectful nod, "You are needed in the East section of the ship! It's the old Queen, she escaped!"
"Xeira!" Javelin repeated, "How is that possible? How did she get out?"
The messenger nodded his head back to the ship, "One of the young warriors came forward and told us a friend of his was…showing off." He shrugged
"Pauk!" Javelin swore, "Make sure everyone gets aboard safely, I will handle this!"
Before the other Yautja could respond the Elder took off towards the East section where it didn't take too long to find where exactly the Queen was. She had herself holed up in a crevice and a group of Yautja, scientists and warriors alike had gathered. If anyone got too close Javelin could see Xeira's tail flash from her hiding place and strike out warnings to come no further. The air was filled with her angry hisses.
Javelin shoved his way through the crowd. A warrior or two grabbed at his arms, trying to tell him it was too dangerous, that the Queen needed to be executed before she killed someone. Javelin shook them off. As he reached the point of no return, Xeira's tail flashed from the darkness.
Javelin jumped to the side. "Xeira!" He shouted. The Queen screeched once very loudly, but then went silent.
From the crevice her crown poked through, "Jaaaarrrrooowwww?" Her double jaws snapped at the air a moment before she cautiously stepped further out. Xeira stopped and hissed at the other Yautja.
"Back, back!" Javelin ordered. As the others backed away, the hard meat Queen came closer until she was fully out of her hole…and close enough that if she attacked with her double jaws Javelin would be snapped in half.
A warrior growled out a warning, but Javelin ignored him. Instead he slowly lifted his hand to touch Xeira's snout. The hard meat made a cooing noise and her tail swayed. Then Xeira bumped him, knocking the Elder back a step. Javelin laughed and pushed her snout back, her tail thumped against the floor.
"Its okay, she won't hurt anyone." Javelin called over his shoulder. "Just don't get too close. Clear the halls ahead, its time to get her back to the science wing."
"Wait!" All heads turned to see Wrath and Crusade approaching. They stopped when Xeira began hissing at them, but the other two Elders exchanged glances and then looked at Javelin. "I have an idea." Crusade said
That night a gathering was called in honor of the young hunters, those that had to prove themselves against the Deathworm, and those who had passed without a doubt the original Kainde Amedha Chiva alike. The whole clan was present, except of course the one called Thug who was identified as the one responsible for Xeira's escape. The other Yautja that had been present, Strike, was off the hook for his, lack of true involvement, really he'd only been there to try and talk Thug out of it.
Javelin patted Xeira's side. The Queen was nervous about the number of Yautja present, and honestly Javelin did not think this was as good of an idea as his fellow Elders did. The plan was too have the two of them come out after the dance and…play a few games. Javelin didn't like this. Xeira wasn't a pet, and probably would not like the idea of being treated as such if she realized that was what was going on.
Outside, a group of higher-ranking warriors were performing a hunting dance. Traditionally this was all that was done during the celebration, followed by a full night of music, drinks and dance. Javelin shook his head and looked at Xeira, he'd never been a partier himself and usually ended up taking off on his own. "What do you say if when this is over, I take you back and spend the night in the science wing?"
Xeira made a curious chirp, and waved her tail
Large drums banged a beat which the hunter's kept in pace with, using their whole bodies in the dance. A group of the dancers held the still unused plating of the Tik-pyak to represent the creature, while second group dressed in all black to distinguish themselves as being the hard meats. A final group wore armor and acted out the parts of the Youngbloods as they hunted.
Javelin smiled lightly when he looked into the crowd of spectators and spotted Lex in the group, she was leaning against Scar as she watched, laughing and smiling as the performance played out the hunts.
The 'Kainde Amedha' leapt up at their cues, and attacked the hunters, slowly being beaten down. Once defeated the dancers removed some of their black clothing and ran to the side to pick up armor and take places as hunters.
Then it came down to the fight with the Deathworm. The group representing the large creature acted as a unit, with the leading making the most movement as the head, carefully constructed to look like the Deathworm they moved with grace into the battle field.
A few of the hunters went down, feigning death in honor of the lost warriors.
Those that remained fought in dance. The battle looked pretty even until the smallest of the group of hunters mimicked the move that Lex had used to bring down the beast. The crowd erupted into roars of appreciation. Javelin stood up and beckoned Xeira with him. The Queen cocked her head at him, but began to follow.
To his surprise it went well. The Elder picked up play weapons and tossed them in the air at Xeira, who would catch and destroy them with her double jaws. Xeira lashed out with her tail at him playfully. The Clan watched in amazement. As he had many times before, Javelin wondered if there was a possibility that the two species could one day develop a new relationship other than just Predator and Prey.
Finally Crusade gave Javelin the signal to take Xeira away. Right on time, the Queen seemed to bore of the games, or just be tired out and all but dragged Javelin away. He led her back to the science wing where they were greeted with the angry screeches of the younger Queen. Looked like she expected Xeira to come back with an army of Yautja born children to free her, or something. The two Queens hissed at each other until Xeira began to snarl and the other Queen backed down. Javelin opened Xeira's cage and she went in without protest to lie down. Javelin closed it behind her, promising to return after a few drinks and headed back up to the party.
In human terms, the gathering had become what was called a 'rave'. Youngbloods and older warriors alike danced to beats played by minstrels on drums and stringed instruments. Javelin made his way trough the group to the beverages and the other Elders.
"That wasn't so bad, was it Jaev'len?" Crusade inquired thumping him on the back.
"Not as bad as I had feared, but still…" He replied taking a drink, "Next Youngblood trial you will not convince me to do it again.'
"And why not?" Wrath asked.
Javelin shook his head, "I don't want to, I don't think Xeira would appreciate it again."
The Elders chatted for a few minutes and shaded several more drinks before Wrath's boys Dodge and Burn came over to talk to their father. Crusade excused himself to go find his son Scar so he could properly congratulate him for proving himself. Javelin decided now would be a good time to leave.
As he made his way back out, he caught sight of Lex and Scar in the opposite direction Crusade had left to search for him. They were dancing together quite spiritedly. Javelin hated to break them up, but he tapped Scar on the shoulder, "Your father is looking for you." He told him. Scar nodded and brushed his claws over Lex's face apologetically before he went off to find Crusade.
Javelin patted Lex on the back "Congratulations." He told her. The human warrior was the closest thing he had to a child, and so he gave her his blessing as all the fathers in the clan were doing to their sons.
"Thank you." Lex answered and took his hand, shaking it gently "Thank you for everything."
Javelin pulled her closer, into a gentle embrace and excused himself. He hated parties, and needed to get back to Xeira like he promised. Behind his back another set of eyes was watching Lex intently. Cold, calculating, eyes full of grudging respect, and malice…
Author's end note: As I said earlier I lost all my notes so I no longer have my list of Yautja words which I believe had the Yautja word for 'alcohol'. If I can find it again I'll edit and repost this chapter with it, but until I do, you may not see any unfamiliar Yautja dialogue for a while. The Hunting Dance is inspired by Chinese Lion Dances.