Here's the next chapter! Enjoy :)
The three of them walked for the next seven minutes. Before they came to a stop at some station in front of some large odd oval shaped pods.
There were several of these pods. And many of them were all on what looked like some strange tracks of sorts. Only these pods hovered above these tracks and didn't look like they were connected to anything.
My-hai-da stepped through what Aurora originally thought was glass. Only to be surprised when it rippled and parted as the older yautja stepped through it and onto the pod.
Air'ik lightly grasped Aurora's hand and slowly led her through.
It felt strange to her, like stepping through a giant bubble.
It was quite spacious inside the pod. Like it could easily fit about ten grown yautja in there. The three of them stood off to the side for a few moments. Not long after did three more yautja enter the pod. Two males and one large female.
It still never ceases to amaze Aurora how much bigger the females were. Most of them towered at least another foot over most of the adult males.
The three new yautja didn't really pay them any mind though. They were all in the pod because they wanted to get to their desired locations.
After another couple minutes, the pod took off.
Aurora looked around amazed as they quickly jettisoned out of the station. It was such a smooth ride, like you were barely moving. She left the two males side and looked out at all the passing surroundings.
To her, it was like taking a quick tour or look at a town our city from the view of a moving train or monorail.
"This is so cool." She said aloud to herself.
Air'ik and his father heard her pretty clearly though. And were a bit amused at her childlike wonder towards their tech. But then, for an ooman this would be considered amazing. Something many of her kind may still not see for another several generations or so.
So, they stood back and let her enjoy herself. While they made their way to the Elders Council.
Which won't be much longer now. They should be there in a few short minutes.
They only stopped once on the way at another station to let off the other three yautja that shared the pod with them. And after another four minutes, they made it to their destination.
The pod came to a stop within a large building. Air'ik and his father led her off the pod and they headed to what appeared to be an elevator.
The small group got in and My'hai-da pressed one of the buttons. The elevator door slid shut and they took off. Apparently, the elevators here moved a little quicker than the ones back on Earth.
Because it didn't take long until they came to a full stop and the door slid open again to allow them all out.
It opened to a rather narrow hallway. The three of them trekked down the poorly lit hall until they turned a corner. Then they came to a brief stop at a set of doors.
After a few moments, the twin doors slid open. And My-hai-da led them in.
The room was large and in front of them was a large, long table. At the table, sat six very important looking yautja. Most of them were clearly up there in age with greying dreadlocks. But still looked no less imposing or intimidating.
And behind them was a giant window that looked out into the world below.
The three approached the Elders. They came to a stop at the center of the room. My'hai-da put his fist to his chest and did a deep bow. Air'ik did the same and Aurora followed suit to be respectful.
"So, this is the ooman warrior. She is smaller than what we expected." Came the gravelly voice of one of the Elders.
"Yes, Elder R'ka. But as you know, one should never be fooled by one's appearance. They are the ones that end up surprising us the most." My'hai-da stated.
Elder R'ka grinned, he and My'hai-da go way back. He was one of the much younger elders in the group. They used to be hunt brothers and went on a few hunts together.
To this day, they were still good friends. He also knew My'hai-da's ooman mother and knew her well. She too was rather on the small side, if memory serves him correctly.
"Still, how do we know that it wasn't just simply pure luck that this ooman had during these hunts?" Another Elder quipped.
My'hai-da turned his gaze to the other Elder that spoke. It was Elder Bry'r. He was one of the older ones and one of the two Elders that was not as easily impressed or enthused to have a human carry their mark.
Aurora clenched her fists. Luck? Luck!? How dare this pompous asshole say it was mere luck. Maybe one time she would've considered it luck. But all the other times, how can he sit there and say those were luck.
"Luck? I fail to see the relevance of it being luck. Are you going to claim any future hunts I partake in and come back successful as luck too?" Aurora snapped.
She's unsure where the boldness suddenly came from. But she couldn't stand to just stand there and let them criticize her and not say anything.
Elder Bry'r let out an irritated growl. But another Elder held up his hand to silence him.
That same Elder stood up and rounded the table and approached them.
Air'ik tensed up beside Aurora, a part of him wanted to step in front of her for protection. But he knew it would cause for insult to interrupt an Elder.
He came to a stop in front of Aurora, who couldn't take her eyes off of him. Compared to the rest, this guy looked as ancient as they come. His dreads were more grey than black and his complexion duller do to advanced age.
Yet, he still had muscle tone to him. He wore a thick, red flowy cape and had small skull decorations around his neck and lining his belt.
"Your name, is Aurora, yes?" He asked in a low gravelly voice.
He even sounded like an old man.
"Yes, Elder. It is." She replied.
A soft smile lit up his dull features.
"You remind me of her. My old friend. She too was very outspoken and determined. And like you, she proved time and time again against all odds that she had earned her right to be known as a warrior." He said.
Elder Luien'zah, he was the eldest of them and it was his word that stood above everyone else's when it came to making major decisions. He was considered the head Elder as you will.
He also was friends with both My'hai-da's father and mother. And knew from personal experience that some oomans do have the courage and will of a yautja. My'hai-da's mother was a shining example.
She even saved his life once during a hunt when he was a youngblood. Not long after My'hai-da's father marked her and brought her to home world and introduced them.
My'hai-da's father, Cyn'tak and Luien'zah were still youngbloods at the time. They just completed their own Chiva, shortly before Cyn'tak went to Earth for his first ooman hunt.
They were still practically teenagers then. But since My'hai-da's mother, Elizabeth saved Luien'zah from a hard meat warrior's deathly blow that would've proved fatal, he has held her in high regards ever since.
"As you know, Elder Luien'zah, you saw the recordings yourself. Can you really come to any deduction that points to it all simply being blind luck as Elder Bry'r claims?
We all saw how she even took down that one large genetically engineered kainde amedha that was larger, stronger, and smarter than the rest.
And she did so by utilizing the skills and intellect she already possessed. We've also seen how quick she is on her feet and resourceful she is in tight situations.
All of these traits are the make of a warrior. You know this as well as I." Air'ik stated.
"We have also made sure that the hard meats didn't escape the facility and cause chaos in the surrounding populace. And destroyed the compound and all the evidence of the genetically modified abominations that my kind created so that no one will attempt to recreate them ever again.
Still, I didn't come here to argue or sway anyone's decisions." Aurora stated.
Elder Luien'zah cocked his head slightly.
"Then why is it your here, young one? What answers are you looking to find or get out of this meeting?" Elder Luien'zah inquired.
"I came here to seek acceptance. But now I know it's not something you can demand of others because of the actions you took that brought you here. It's by letting them decide for themselves on whether or not the individual should be given a chance of acceptance.
I don't need anyone telling me what I can and cannot do. It's not their decision to do so. But it is their choice on whether or not to accept the efforts the individual makes that gets them here." Aurora stated.
Some of the Elders were taken aback by her answers. And most of them quite impressed. Even Elder Try'sa who like Elder Bry'r was not privy to having a human among their clan can't deny he was impressed by her words.
"I must say, in all my years, I've never heard such words of wisdom and from one of a youngblood status at that." Elder Luien'zah commented.
"And for that I say, welcome, Aurora to our clan." Elder Luien'zah added.
Then he placed his fist to his chest and bowed to her. The other Elders at the table followed suit. Each one stood up placed their hands over their chests and bowed. Though Elder Bry'r was reluctant to do so.
Aurora smiled and returned the gesture with a bow of her own.
"Thank you, Elders." She said.
My'hai-da and Air'ik smiled, they too put their fists to their chest and bowed.
She was glad that this meeting turned out the way it did. Aurora also felt honored to meet these well proclaimed yautja leaders. She can see how they earned their titles. They have proven themselves the strongest and wisest throughout the years to earn their titles as leaders and Elders.
Aurora felt lighter than air as they made their way back down to the pods to take them back home. She couldn't get rid of the small smile on her face as they rode the pod all the way back.
She stood off to the side, watching as everything zipped by on the outside. Then felt a hand go around her shoulders. Her smile widened as she turned her gaze up to her mate.
Air'ik smiled back at her; Aurora could see how proud he was of her. In his eyes, this was another trial she partook in and passed with flying colors. Because it wasn't always easy seeking approval from the Elders. Yet, she had managed just that.
Aurora wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his torso. He circled his arms around her back, as they stood there watching the town zip by beneath them.
My'hai-da watched them from the corner of his eye. Happy that his most stubborn son finally found someone special to share his life with.
Well, Aurora finally met the Elders. It may have been rocky at first. But she held her own and proved she was worthy to live among them.
I also wanted to give the clan a name. But looking through the list of clans, I really couldn't decide on one. I initially either wanted to go with the Jungle Hunter Clan(Predator) or the Lost Tribe Clan(Predator 2).
But upon reading the descriptions of the clans it doesn't appear that Jungle Hunters hunt in town or cities. But I didn't feel right going with the Lost Tribe a.k.a city hunters because when I picture Air'ik's description, his features look more like that of the jungle hunter's description and not the city hunter's description.
So, for now, I'm not sure if I'm going to put a name on their clan for this story.
Until Next Time ;)