Author's Note: It hasn't been going to well for me the last couple of weeks, my MP3 player broke, so did my original Flashdrive that had all my stuff for my fanfiction, and now I've lost my back up file too. I apologize if any of my chapters appear short or rushed, but I've become pretty paranoid now.
Warning: Dart's POV, intentionally short chapter.
Disclaimer: I only own the OCs.

Haven

What Dart hated the most about Scar was how close they had been to becoming friends.

As pups no one cared about whose father was who, or what position they had in the clan. Back then everyone was your friend; rivalries didn't begin until the hunt. Or at least that was how it used to go.

Dart's father was never a highly respected Yautja, and maybe that was what had caused his anger. His mother was a bit insane, having never fully recovered from the trauma of losing the first child she'd ever carried. The poor pup was caught between the physical abuse of his father and mad ravings of his mother after his father had beat her as well. Dart found his youth full of terrible memories that he hid from by playing with the other pups, Scar in particular.

It was about the same time his father was marked as a Bad Blood that Scar's father became chief.

In truth, Dart didn't have any real reason to hate Scar, other than the pure simple truth that he was jealous. Dart's father killed his mother and abandoned him, all he ever got was looks of pity and whispers. Scar's father became chief, and all the other pups praised him like he himself had gotten the position.

What about me? Don't I deserve some sort of recognition for what I've suffered and how far I've come?

Dart certainly thought so, but apparently the only ones that agreed were Tool and Thug. Tool owed Dart his life for sparing him in a fight that should have ended with the albino's death, and Thug was another son of a Bad Blood who also knew what it was like to be dishonored for his father's crimes. Scar had no idea…

And yet everything seemed to go so well for him and his friends, even the ooman warrior Lex. Dart hated to admit that without her, a lot more of them would have been killed by the Deathworm, but even more he hated to know Scar loved her, and the feeling was mutual.

But this led to an opportunity.

Traditionally mating rituals took place back on the home world where the males who fight each other, sometimes to the death to impress the females, but on the occasion a female would try to pick a mate for herself. Rarely did this work since other males could move in win her from her chosen one.

Scar could initiate the mating ritual with Lex on the ship since they were already together, but he hadn't. Why not? Was he afraid? Dart contemplated this many times before he decided to go through with his plan.

He'd take Lex from Scar, and make his rival live in utter agony knowing that the one he loved was with someone else.

Dart was approaching her now. In a non-Yautja way, he supposed she was attractive, and of course she'd proven herself to be quite strong. For a fleeting moment, Dart wondered if he could have genuine feelings for her life like Scar did, like how most mated couples developed them over time.

Dart reached forward and grabbed Lex by the shoulder and dragged her toward him, once she was against his chest he ran his mandibles over her face. She pushed away from him.

"What the Hell are you doing!" She shouted in her strange natural language. She was angry, that much Dart could understand.

"Wut da Heil ahr uoo do'ng?" he repeated pulling her close again.

She pushed away, this time eyes all turned to them, surprised whispers ran through the crowd and an angry roar sounded from across the room. Scar stomped angrily in their direction. Wrath also shoved his way through the crowd.

Perfect.

"What's going on here!" Wrath demanded.

"What's it look like?" Dart replied, sounding as obvious as possible, "I changed my mind about the ooman. I want her to be my mate."

"WHAT!" Lex cried stepping away from him, "Oh Hell no! I'm not ready for any sort of-"

She was cut off by Wrath, "I'm afraid you have no choice, the law is clear that females belong to whoever claims them, unless defeated by a challenger."

"Then I challenge!" Scar snapped quickly.

"Really?" Dart snarled, "I was beginning to think you weren't interested in her." He chuckled pulling Lex to his chest again. Scar snarled and rushed at him. Wrath stepped between them.

"This is not where we settle this!" The elder growled. "Come along, the Kehrite will have to suffice."

Lex glanced around wildly in confusion as the Yautja started to head towards the training area. "Wait! Wrath what's happening!"

"You have more than one suitor." He explained, "Yautja can only have one mate and so now Dart and Scar will fight to prove themselves the one worthy for you."

Lex's heart skipped a beat, "Fight?"

Dart smiled "To the death."

Author's end note: Once again I apologize for shortness, but yeah, paranoia. Better short than nothing, right?

Editor's Note: My apologies as well. From now on I will be keeping copies of her notes on my flashdrive as well so there's a chance we might still get things done.