Author's Notes: I'm sorry for taking so long, but real life gets in the way sometimes. I'm hanging in there, and I am still working on this. I discuss a lot of ideas with Khalthar, and we try to work together to make this story something that is worth reading. Even as I post this, the next chapter has already been started. I won't make any promises on when I can post though… the best takes time, and that what this story is getting… my best!
Once they went inside, Lilith gawked around in sheer disbelief! This place was like a school room cafeteria on drugs! She would swear that it was four super-sized lunchrooms stuck together in to one huge dinner hall. She could see that there were fireplaces scattered everywhere, and there were a lot of Predators in here eating. After staring around stupidly for a moment, she followed Gwen over to a table where Scar quickly took a seat. She could see that Gwen had even figured out how to close the umbrella, and had it in some kind of leather pocket or pouch on her left thigh. Gwen then told Slobber to lie beside the table and stay there.
"Just wait here, Lilith. I'll return with a seat for you," Guan instructed before she headed to the back of the huge cafeteria.
Lilith watched as Scar took a seat on the other side of the table, and Lilith was about to climb in to the chair across from him when she heard a voice behind her.
"What do you want in exchange for that pathetic and stupid ooman?"
"First, her name is Lilith, and she is not pathetic, or stupid! Second, she's only a pup, so beware your words… Unblood," Setg'in warned dangerously.
"I couldn't possibly care any less about the ooman's gender or name. If it's still a pup, then I'll keep the stupid thing until it isn't a pup, then I'll turn it loose, and hunt it for the skull. So all I care about is the price."
When she heard the second statement from behind her Lilith turned and looked to see who it was. This Predator wasn't even as tall as Scar, and didn't have anywhere near the muscles that Scar had either. She knew from seeing several other Predators, and from hearing Scar himself, that he was kind of scrawny for a Predator. But the one in front of her, with light green skin, and a yellow belly wasn't much taller than she was, and that made him a serious runt!
'As short as he is, I wouldn't have any problems racking him a good one,' Lilith thought vindictively as she glared at the Predator.
"Let me tell you something Unblood! I don't know who you are, and I don't care who you think you are. It is forbidden for an Unblood to journey to the ooman world for a hunt. Lilith isn't available at any price, so if you want an ooman trophy, I suggest that you focus on surviving your Chiva first!" Setg'in answered firmly as he flared his dreadlocks and mandibles in silent warning.
"If it's already here, then I won't need to go to the ooman world, now will I? Besides, that thing won't be a pup forever, and I can wait until it's old enough to hunt, and collect my trophy then," came the smug reply.
"Speak such things about my pup that I've accepted into my home again, and I will be collecting your skull Unblood!" Guan said in a deep menacing growl from behind the much smaller male. "If there's anything left of it when I get through with you."
Lilith actually snickered loudly as the Predator hastily stepped back away from Gwen, and made to leave the area completely. Gwen dropped the booster chair into the seat, and quickly started looking her over, and Lilith wasn't too happy about the examination.
"Did he get the chance to harm her?" Gaun demanded of her son as she examined Lilith for injuries.
"He never touched her. If he had… I'd have killed him," Setg'in replied in angry confidence.
Lilith wasn't really paying any attention to what was being said, because she was watching the other Predator go into the bathroom. She huffed in irritation as Gwen picked her up and stuck her in that damned booster chair which she was really beginning to hate.
Lilith twisted around in her chair until she was looking at the bathroom door. Suddenly, she got a mischievous idea, and turned back to Gwen with a sly grin. She held up her hand in a signal to wait, and slid out of her chair.
Hopping out of the booster chair, Lilith sprawled on the floor when she landed. She quickly sprang to her feet, darted over to the bathroom, and stood by the door, listening carefully. When she heard the sounds of the jerk taking a dump, Lilith grinned in delight. Her eyes darted around to make sure no one was close enough to stop her. Then, she tucked in her lips, put both palms against her mouth, and began to blow… hard!
Somehow, the way the huge cafeteria was built made the already loud farting noise seem even louder! The harder she blew, the harder she pressed her hands against her mouth. The result was a staggered and broken up noise that had all of the Unbloods in the hall laughing loudly. There were even quite a few Youngbloods in the hall that still had the sick sense of humor that accompanied their youth, and they too had begun to laugh raucously.
Lilith stood there, going through one breath after another, until she heard the sound of the weird toilet being flushed. She quickly stopped what she was doing and ran back to her seat, which she immediately climbed into. She looked over at Gwen who was staring at her with disgust clear in her expression when the bathroom door opened, and the male Unblood came out. Lilith twisted to her left in her seat to watch him closely.
"That… that wasn't me," Th'syra-thwei said softly when he saw that everyone in the dinning hall was looking at him.
Lilith immediately clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at the obviously embarrassed Predator.
Setg'in was about to say something when a rather large male, almost as big as Hulij-bpe walked over to the waste closet with a curious tilt to his head.
With the door still open, the larger male stuck his head in and quickly pulled it back out while fanning his face. "Are you sure that wasn't you? Because there's no one else in there, although it smells like a whole pack of Ancients just emptied their bowels."
"But… but it wasn't me," the unblood stammered softly in humiliation.
""If it wasn't you… then who could it have been? Because there is still no one else in there," the Warrior asked in a tone of apparent confusion.
"I don't know who it was… but I didn't do it!" the unblood yelled in protest.
"Well it sure sounded like that unbelievable noise came from here. So what could have caused it?" the Warrior persisted.
"I don't know … but it wasn't me!" the unblooded male finished in a shout of shame before running from the cafeteria.
A thoroughly satisfied snickering laugh emerged from Lilith as she watched the overgrown jerk leave in a hurry. The smirk on her face said it all. She couldn't have planned for that to go any better than it had. She had no idea who this Predator was, but he had sure done a number on that jerk who had wanted to buy her for some stupid reason. Then, she saw that the strange Predator was coming over to their table. Lilith smiled brightly and shot him a 'thumbs up' while nodding her head in approval.
Chi'ytei-de-thei (Embrace of Death) stopped and stared at the ooman who was baring her teeth at him. He'd overheard every comment that had been made regarding this ooman pup, but he still wasn't going to allow a female pup to challenge him in such a way… especially after he'd just helped her to be rid of a very arrogant individual.
"Is that ooman creature challenging me?" He demanded suspiciously.
"No she isn't. When I was imprinted with one of the primary ooman languages a few days ago, I learned that the face she is making is an ooman expression of pleasure or happiness. Given the way she's acting, I think she appreciates your actions just now," Guan answered readily.
Lilith quickly nodded her head while pointing at Gwen with her left thumb.
Chi'ytei-de-thei nodded his head briefly to the ooman before turning his attention to Setg'in. "I see you've passed your Chiva… how did it go?"
"Very different from what was expected. My brothers and I returned with one skull each. We might have claimed more, but some oomans took a pup into the Temple of Passage with them…" Setg'in began.
"What? Why would they be so dishonorable as to take a pup with them?" Chi'ytei-de-thei interrupted in surprise.
"I don't know, but as soon as we learned of Lilith's presence, we did what we could to protect her," Setg'in said as he indicated Lilith. "Things could have gone better, but they could have gone much worse too."
Chi'ytei-de-thei glanced at Lilith, before looking back at Setg'in. "If this is the ooman pup who was in the Temple, then what's she doing here?"
"Join us, and I'll explain," Setg'in said before looking over at his mother. "This is my mother, Guan-kv'var-de. Mother, this is one of my former class mates, and a good friend of mine, the Blooded Warrior Chi'ytei-de-thei."
"I am honored to meet you Chi'ytei-de-thei," Guan said as she instantly appraised the Warrior.
Lilith was also looking at the Predator. She thought that he was almost as tall as Thingy, but she couldn't be sure, because she'd never seen them together. The strange thing was the way his muscles stood out. He wasn't exactly 'Arnold' pumped, but it was like there wasn't any fat on him at all. His skin was a very dark grey that faded to a light grey on his stomach. That light grey was almost perfectly matched by the color of his armor, and it made him look really good. The only decoration that he wore was a necklace made of inch long teeth from something or other that was the color of smoky steel.
"I would have to say that the honor is mine, Guan-kv'var-de. Setg'in has said much about you. There aren't a great many females who actively hunt, and fewer still who have the skull of an abomination among their trophies," Chi'ytei-de-thei said in a respectful tone.
Lilith suddenly felt her blood run cold while at the same time; a chill ran down her spine as she finally realized what that one Predator had wanted her for.
'He wanted to chase me down, and kill me just like Scar and the others did with the people in the pyramid. He wants to kill me for my skull!' She thought as she glared at the doorway to the cafeteria. In one way, she never wanted to see him again, but in another, she hoped that he would come back so she could teach that fang faced freak a lesson he'd never forget!
Guan smelled the fear that was quickly replaced with anger and saw that Lilith was glaring towards the door the Unblood had fled through. "Relax, Lilith. He will not touch you unless he craves a very painful death, because I will kill him the instant he tries," she said reassuringly.
"I agree with her, little ooman. You shouldn't be concerned about that arrogant snot. The odds are heavily against him surviving his Chiva. Even Setg'in going alone was given odds that were a hundred times better. I'll make quite a bit of money after having wagered heavily on his success," Chi'ytei-de-thei said smugly.
"My success?" Setg'in demanded quickly. "What about my brothers? They were successful as well."
"Now that is good news!" Chi'ytei-de-thei said with a smile. "I think I was the only one who wagered that all three of you would survive. Most believed that you would be injured or killed, and that Hulij-bpe would die trying to assist or avenge you."
"You are aware that many of the Elders do not approve of placing bets on who will survive their Chiva, aren't you?" Guan asked in a disapproving tone.
"Of course I am, Honored Elder. I don't usually bet on such things, but being that I count all three of your sons as my friends, I am familiar with their skills and strengths well enough to be certain that they would be victorious. Setg'in is very small for a Warrior, and he has neither the strength nor the endurance of others, but his intelligence and cunning more than compensate for that lack. He may not have the brawn, but he does possess the brains!" Chi'ytei-de-thei replied easily with more than a hint of pride in his tone as he talked about his friends.
"That is very true. I have also found that Setg'in tends to conceal much of his actual intelligence, so most don't really understand just how smart he really is," Guan agreed readily. "Come, join us. I would be pleased to spend some time with one of Setg'in's friends. It will give me the opportunity to see what type of person he chooses for a friend."
Lilith watched quietly while the big Predator walked around the table and sat down next to Scar. He immediately began telling Gwen about his life, how he'd met Scar, Celtic, and Rave. He also talked about their training classes and a whole lot of other things too.
'Jeez! Does this guy ever shut up? He's a total chatter box! Hey wait… that's a good name for him… Chatter!' Lilith thought with a grin while she listened to several stories about Chatter and Scar.
Several of Chatter's stories later, Lilith's attention was diverted when Celtic sat down next to her.
"I must be in plenty of time since the food hasn't arrived yet," Hulij-bpe declared as he sat down before looking across the table. "Chi'ytei-de-thei! I haven't seen you in a long time. Where have you been keeping yourself?"
"I've been around for the past couple of years. I've spent time with both of your brothers. The reason you haven't seen me is because I want nothing to do with the company you've been keeping," Chi'ytei-de-thei said before he raised his hand and spread his fingers in a gesture to wait. "I know that you see them as your friends, but I want nothing to do with them. When you are with them, I will not be around."
"You expect me to choose between my friends?" Hulij-bpe asked in a hurt growl of disbelief.
"No; I do not. You are my friend, and I will always consider you to be my friend, but I simply don't like the company you keep. It's nothing against you; I just don't want to be around them," Chi'ytei-de-thei said plainly.
"That's no different from me or Nihkou'te. We don't like to be around them either. So how is this any different?" Setg'in asked his brother.
"I guess it isn't," Hulij-bpe answered sullenly.
"Now that you understand things… why don't we simply enjoy the coming meal?" Chi'ytei-de-thei suggested easily.
Lilith saw Celtic nod his head, before he looked up quickly. Turning to see what he was looking at, she saw that a lot of food was being brought to the table. The Predator bringing the food was a girl who wasn't even as tall as Scar. The Predator set all the food on the table, along with a bunch of plates. When the Predator put a plate in front of her, Lilith reached forward and started grabbing the kinds of stuff that she liked and putting it on her plate.
Thwei-de-guan (Bloody night) froze when she realized that something was seriously amiss at this table. Like all of those who were now out of their teens, she was acting as a server in a meal hall to learn proper respect along with how, and when to show that respect. One small part of her duties were to ensure that only those who had faced the Hard Meat were to receive the dried flesh that was sometimes harvested from the processed bodies. Although she had no clue as to what this small creature might be, she was certain that allowing the creature to eat Hard Meat flesh was not to be allowed.
"My apologies Elder, but this creature must not eat dried Hard Meat unless it has faced them in battle," Thwei-de-guan said as she grabbed a strip of dried meat that the creature was about to shove in its mouth.
Lilith's mind raced as soon as the Predator grabbed the piece of weird jerky that she'd been about to munch on. She knew that she couldn't grab Celtic's knife without getting into some serious trouble for it, and Gwen wasn't close enough for her to get that one either. Deciding on the only other option she had, Lilith lunged forward half out of her seat and bit down on the Predator's hand. She felt it when the Predator immediately grabbed her by the hair and tried to pull her off. The pain in her scalp only made Lilith bite down harder until she tasted something that she was sure was the Predator's blood.
Guan froze for a brief instant. She had been reaching out to force the young female to allow Lilith to continue eating while she explained the situation, but what she now saw in front of her was obviously going to turn into a true fight. Instead of grabbing one of the female's wrists, she quickly caught both of them in a firm grip.
"Both of you let go… now!" Guan growled angrily.
Lilith heard Gwen's growled order, and knew that she was pissed, but she wasn't about to just give up her food without a fight. Then when she felt the Predator let go of her hair, and saw the piece of jerky get released, she opened her mouth, and instantly snatched her hand back to look at the jerky still clenched in her left fist.
"First… Lilith, what have I told you about fighting at a table for meals?" Guan demanded sharply.
Guan's eyes bulged in the sockets when Lilith only glared at the serving girl and presented the middle finger of her right hand as she took an angry bite of dried Hard Meat while still having a mouth full of the serving girl's blood. Guan immediately brought her right fist down on the table with a very loud crash while glaring at Lilith angrily.
Lilith darted a quick glance at Gwen when she hit the table. Narrowed eyes, flared dreadlocks, and spread mandibles told her that Gwen was really pissed! She flinched back in her chair and held the strip of jerky close to her chest protectively.
"Now that I have your attention… I will ask you again… what have I told you about fighting at a table for meals?" Guan said as she repeated her demand.
Lilith shook her head, before pointing at the Predator who had grabbed her.
"I am well aware of what she did; however, you should have given me a chance to explain things to her. She was merely trying to do as she has been instructed. Dried Hard Meat is reserved as a special delicacy, which is only for those who have faced them. As small as you are, most would not think that you have faced them, and they certainly wouldn't think that you had actually attacked one of them. You and I know better, as do my sons, but this girl knows nothing of you, and she is only trying to do what isrequired of her. Biting her like that was unwarranted," Guan lectured sternly.
"Now I want you to wipe her blood out of your mouth immediately, and don't ever fight at a meal table again! If there is a problem, or something happens, then you will let me deal with it… is that understood?" Guan finished firmly.
Lilith nodded her head and still gripping the piece of jerky in her left hand, she quickly wiped her mouth out using the inside of the neck of her shirt with her right. Then, she looked back up at Gwen who seemed to be much less angry.
Guan looked over the young female who was there in order to learn responsibility, and respect by serving her Elders. It was an honorable task that all Yautja performed so that they might gain the knowledge of proper respect. She could see the young female bristling with anger, and could easily scent the rage that was barely being contained. That the female wasn't pursuing her anger spoke very well of her self discipline.
"What is your name Young One, and how old are you?" Guan asked politely.
"I am Thwei-de-guan of The Burning Mountain Clan, and I am twenty six," the server answered while struggling with her rage over the incident.
"Well, Thwei-de-guan. I will tell you that Lilith is an ooman, and that she has faced the Hard Meat, so she is properly entitled to enjoy the results of that battle. Although she hasn't killed one yet, that is through no fault of her own. She is still a pup, and is probably about half your age, but she is very cunning and intelligent in spite of that. I have brought her here to celebrate her overwhelming victory against a nest of three hundred and seventeen Tunnel Runners, which she successfully cleansed using only her intelligence, a Yaut Hound, and ooman items which consisted of playthings! Lilith was found in a Temple Of Passage during a Chiva, and before that, she was in the hands of bad-bloods who apparently starved her. The reason I tell you this is because I want you to understand that Lilith… was only trying to protect her food. Be glad that you didn't get the treatment I did the other night when I thought she was eating too fast. I took her plate so I could get her to slow down. She took my brother's knife and tried to stab me with it," Setg'in said as he interrupted his mother.
"I'm surprised she didn't take it just now," Hulij-bpe muttered loudly while glaring at Lilith suspiciously.
Because he was sitting right next to her, Lilith couldn't help but hear that muttered comment. She quickly turned to Celtic, and gave him a nice wet raspberry, before using her right hand to act as if she were going to snatch his knife.
Hulij-bpe instantly covered the hilt of his knife to keep Lilith from getting it. That was when he saw her smirk at him. "That is not funny!" He said leaning closer to her.
Suddenly, Hulij-bpe's eyes shot wide as Lilith stuck out her right index finger and slowly moved as if she were deliberately going to touch one of his weapons.
"Lilith! Stop teasing him, and eat!" Guan instructed firmly.
Guan turned her attention back to Thwei-de-guan before directing a warning glance at Setg'in. "As I was saying before I was interrupted. Lilith is cooperative in most of the things I've asked of her. The only occasions in which I've seen her become violent is when she feels threatened, humiliated, or when food is taken away from her. She refuses to speak unless she is being strongly influenced by chemicals or other means. It is suspected that her silence is caused by the bad-bloods who starved her, and mistreated her in other ways as well. I am telling you this, so you'll understand why I am apologizing in her place," Guan said firmly.
"I fully understand Elder. I too know what it means to be in the hands of a bad-blood, because my mother was executed for being such," Thwei-de-guan replied heavily while casting another look at Lilith.
Guan narrowed her eyes as she appraised the younger female. At roughly six nok, or six and a half ooman feet tall, the young female clearly had quite a bit of growing to do physically. The muscular development wasn't fully there either, but she could tell that this one would turn out to be of average height, and build. She knew that The Burning Mountain Clan wasn't as large or as well known as some, but it was still big enough that there would be many members she didn't know or recognize.
"When was your bearer executed?" Guan asked simply.
"Four and a half years ago. It was during my second year serving in this hall," Thwei-de-guan replied.
"You've been serving in this hall for over five years? Why?" Guan demanded aghast.
"My mother is dead. I have no idea who my father was, and therefore no one to complete my training, or instruct me further," Thwei-de-guan answered angrily.
"Is there a problem here, Honored Warrior?" asked the warrior in charge of the hall as he approached.
"Not as such, no. However, I wish to know when this female's duties are over for the day," Guan answered quickly.
"This is the last table she was to serve before being released until tomorrow."
"Then, I request that she join us now. She is a member of my Clan, and I have seen that she's learned her responsibilities well," Guan said firmly.
"As you say Honored Warrior. I and several others have been wondering why she was still assigned to be serving here," the Warrior supplied with a nod before walking away.
Thwei-de-guan gaped at the Elder female in shock. She knew that she could eat as much as she wanted while serving in the dinning hall, so long as she didn't try to sample any dried Hard Meat. The decree of this Elder meant that she no longer had that means to feed herself. Although she still had the home, which had been owned by her mother prior to that one's execution, she had no actual hunting skills yet, and so had no idea how she was going to feed herself.
"Sit down, Thwei-de-guan… join us for this meal. My eldest son will not be able to join us, so you may have his plate. Since you have no one to complete your training, and I am the obviously the first Elder of your Clan to learn of your plight, the responsibility to supervise the completion of your training is now mine," Guan instructed firmly.
Guan watched in silence as the young female sat down slowly. She could see Thwei-de-guan breathing quite heavily, and could easily pick up a large amount of stress in the female's scent. She was immediately able to identify that particular scent, because she could constantly smell it on Lilith. Suddenly, Guan realized what part of the cause might be.
"I am going to guess that you have no older siblings to assist you," Guan stated almost casually.
"I have no siblings at all Elder," Thwei-de-guan answered in a sullen tone.
"I understand. Suffice to say that your situation will be remedied. I am not certain how just yet, but a solution will be found. Until then, I will be acting as your instructing Elder. My Hunt Sisters will be joining us shortly. My eldest son, and my Lifemate aren't able to join us, but I have informed them of Lilith's success during her First Hunt, and they are both pleased with her achievement…" Guan began in an understanding tone.
"You're telling me that… she, that the ooman cleansed a nest of tunnel runners during her First Hunt?" Thwei-de-guan exclaimed in shock.
Thwei-de-guan knew that tunnel runners were small, fast, cunning, and that they were considered to be excellent prey for young warriors who were learning how to hunt. But to have killed off an entire nest of them was something that she would only have expected from a more experienced warrior. That this ooman had done so during her first time hunting said a lot. She could see that everyone at the table except her and the ooman were Blooded, which meant that this female warrior was experienced in battle. It was a huge relief to her that this Elder was willing to see to her instruction, because she knew that while females didn't have to become Blooded Warriors, there were much greater opportunities available to those who were Blooded.
"Yes, she did. The task of dealing with the tunnel runners was actually Setg'in's, but Lilith apparently had other ideas. Although the results are something that I am very proud of, I am not at all pleased that Lilith assumed this task before I was able to give her the proper training that I feel she needs. If she had waited until I believed that she was ready, she most likely would not have been injured. Lilith has been injured though, so it's fortunate that my Hunt Sisters will be joining us, since all three are noted Healers," Guan replied easily.
"You would do well to heed the instructions of this Elder, Thwei-de-guan. Although I was not privileged to be taught by her, I am aware of some of her past exploits. While you might be preparing to pass your Chiva, she might also do some training to pass her final test to become an Arbitrator. I will tell you now, that there are very few Warriors who can count the skull of an abomination among their trophies. But she has claimed one prior to becoming an Arbitrator, and that should tell you much!" Chi'ytei-de-thei said with a grin.
Thwei-de-guan stared at Chi'ytei-de-thei for a moment before swallowing hard and gaping at the Elder she was now sitting at the same table with. She appraised the Elder female with a quick but thorough glance, and was very surprised that she could see so few scars other than the Blooding mark! She knew very well that only the most skilled and capable Warriors were ever given a chance to become an Arbitrator, so how had this female come to be considered for such an exalted responsibility while only having a few small scars to show her for her battle prowess? She couldn't understand how such a thing might be possible… unless… unless this female was so incredibly skilled that no enemy had been able to really touch her!
With that one startling revelation, Thwei-de-guan suddenly realized that her prospects for the future were looking much better than ever before. This female had to be a highly respected and very accomplished Warrior to have battled against an U'darahja and emerged victorious without even a decent scar to show for such a dangerous battle. The possibility of being supervised by such a Warrior during the remainder of her training made her heart pound, and her blood race.
"Before your training continues from this point, I would know one thing from you. Do you wish to take the Chiva? It isn't required for a female, but having passed does make a difference," Guan asked firmly.
Excitement coursed through Thwei-de-guan's veins, and her voice shook with emotion as she gave her answer. "Yes, Honored Elder. I do wish to face the trial."
"Very well, from this point forward, that is what you will be trained for. I will see to it that you are properly prepared for such an outcome. There will be no turning back from this point. You have said that you wish to face the trial; so I will see to it that you are properly trained and ready for it. Know this; I will not tolerate failure! If you fail at a particular task, then you will be made to repeat it as often as needed until I am satisfied that you have mastered that task. Is that understood?" Guan declared bluntly.
"Perfectly understood Elder," Thwei-de-guan answered instantly. She couldn't help the feeling of relief that flooded through her as realized that Guan would not be one to simply show her something once, and then leave it to her to figure out. This female was one who would be strict enough to ensure her success, and that would ensure a decent future for her.
Thwei-de-guan let out a deep breath of relief and looked over at the ooman named Lilith who was casting surreptitious glares in her direction. She could understand some of the ooman's animosity, but not all of it. She figured that the only honorable thing to do would be to clear the air between them.
"My apologies Ooman Warrior, I wasn't aware that you had faced the Hard Meat in battle. I was only trying to fulfill my responsibilities and keep the dried Hard Meat away from those who are not entitled to it. Now that I know you are entitled to have it, I will not interfere in such a way again," Thwei-de-guan said sincerely.
"Lilith is not a Warrior yet. Although she has faced the Hard Meat in combat, she has not been Blooded," Guan said while staring at the Unblood sitting next to Chi'ytei-de-thei.
"I mean no disrespect to you Elder, but if she has faced the Hard Meat in battle, and cleansed an entire nest of tunnel runners, then she is more of a Warrior than I, and therefore is entitled to be addressed as such by me," Thwei-de-guan replied quickly.
"That is true Young One. Your honor and sense of respect serve you well. I had not considered things from your position. For now, eat what you will. My Hunt Sisters will arrive soon, and since they are all renowned Healers, I will also have one of them to see to your hand where Lilith bit you," Guan stated in approval as she noticed that the young female's hand was still bleeding slightly.
Lilith had been watching this Predator carefully, but once Gwen had told her to join them it all became a different story. Now Lilith was watching like a hawk. She wasn't at all happy about this turn of events, because as far as she was concerned… this wasnot turning out to be a very good day at all!
First, there was the way she'd messed with their armor last night, although they seemed to be glad that she had. Then, there was the grumpy bitch that got pissed at her for smelling some flowers. She had taken Scar's job away from him by killing all the space rats, and then she'd hit him with a Roman Candle. That was before she had ticked Gwen off by playing a joke with that can of Slime. She knew that she had really made Gwen pissed by taking her knife, and stabbing Miss Grouch in the leg, and now she had done something else she'd been told not to do… fighting at the table. Everything added up to what she knew was going to be one hell of a beating once Gwen got her home.
'Okay so I screwed up with the joke. It wasn't like I was trying to piss her off… it just sort of happened. That's like with that armor stuff they wear. I was only trying to do something nice for them, but I screwed that up too. The rest of the stuff wasn't my fault though! I can't help it if that bitch got mad just because I wanted to smell those flowers. She didn't have to pull my shirt up like that either!' Lilith thought angrily.
Lilith glared at the young female Predator who had joined them. 'I don't care what Gwen says… if she tries to take anything else away from me, I'll make sure she regrets it!' She thought with rising anger as she grabbed a handful of stuff off the tray of food and put it on her plate.
Lilith was so busy glaring at the young female that she wasn't fully paying attention to what she was doing. That was how she dropped the slice of meat on the floor. Instantly, she was jumping out of the booster chair to land sprawling on the floor. Even as she recovered, she was grabbing up the dropped piece of meat, but before she could shove it into her mouth, someone grabbed her hand to stop her from eating it.
Guan saw Lilith drop the piece of meat that she'd been about to put on her plate. She had easily smelled the anger coming from the little ooman pup, and she was certain of at least part of the cause. She couldn't really blame Lilith for being in a foul mood because after all, being seriously disrespected by one, and then having another try to purchase her like she was some type of animal so that she could be later hunted was enough to make anyone ready to kill. She had expected some display of anger or even dismay from Lilith upon dropping the meat, but she wasn't prepared for what actually happened.
Guan saw Lilith get out of her seat while moving almost as fast as a leaping facehugger. She had no idea what the ooman's intentions were until Lilith moved to actually eat what she had dropped. As fast as Lilith was, Guan was faster as she moved to intercept the piece of errant food.
"Don't you dare bite me, Lilith!" Guan growled out when she saw how Lilith was going to react.
Guan could see the expression of incredible rage on Lilith's face, and she promptly lifted the pup and placed her back in her seat. Then, there was a brief struggle in which Guan had to forcibly take the piece of meat away from Lilith. Then, with a deft flick of her arm and wrist, Guan sent the piece of meat hurtling through the air the land in a waste disposal container along the wall. Once that was done, she quickly focused all of her attention on the ooman pup.
"Listen to me Lilith. I don't ever want to see or even hear of you doing such a thing again! I know that you have been made to starve to the point that it has even interfered with your growth, but I want you to understand that you will not go hungry here! If you want something, point to it, and it will be given to you. I don't ever want to see or hear of you eating something that has been contaminated in such a way again! I don't even allow Bakuub to eat directly off the floor or ground. Yes, she is considered an animal, but she lives in my house, and she is treated with respect. If I don't allow her to eat from the floor, because it is disgraceful, then you may be certain that I will not allow you to do so either! You are not such an animal! If a piece of food is dropped, then you are not to eat it!" Guan explained in a stern voice.
Lilith had tried to bite the hand that grabbed her, and that was when Gwen told her not to bite. Then she was jerked off the floor and plopped down into that weird booster seat. She bared her teeth in a silent snarl of rage and glared at the predator while trying to get her food back. That was when Gwen took it away from her and threw it in the trash can across the room. Even as mad as she was, Lilith couldn't help but be impressed by Gwen's aim. It was a perfect shot, and the Predator hadn't even beenlooking at the trash can!
Even as Lilith's mouth dropped open in anguish over the loss of the food that she wouldn't be able to get back, Gwen was putting her face up close and personal in a way that Lilith couldn't focus on anything else. That was when the Predator started talking to her. At first, Lilith had thought that it was just another lecture, but as Gwen continued, she began to realize that Gwen was only pissed because she'd been about to eat something off the floor.
At first, Lilith didn't think that it was a big deal. After all, she'd had to do a lot worse just to survive for the past four years. This hadn't been mostly eaten and then left to spoil, it hadn't landed in her own piss, shit, or even blood; so what did it matter? That was when she remembered something from before her time in the basement. She remembered her mother once scolding her about a piece of candy that had fallen from the wrapper to land on the living room carpet. She remembered being told that it was dirty and she wasn't supposed to eat anything that was dirty. Now Gwen was griping at her for the same thing.
'It's not fair! It doesn't matter if I try to be good… I'm still a worthless mistake!' Lilith thought sourly as she nodded her head.
No one at the table said anything as Guan placed another strip of R'jet meat on Lilith's plate, but Hulij-bpe was thinking a lot.
'Mother told Setg'in that Lilith has been starved for a long time… but… she was going to eat something off the floor! Being hungry is one thing, but surely Lilith hasn't been starved that badly… has she?' Hulij-bpe wondered in confusion.
Hulij-bpe glanced over at the little ooman sitting next to him, and saw that she was alternating between directing angry looks at his mother, and at the waste container where the dropped meat had been thrown. There was anger, stress and a lot of sadness in Lilith's scent, and he had a hard time understanding why that was.
'What can she be so angry about? Mother gave her another strip of meat to replace the one she dropped, so why is she still angry? This isn't right. I know Lilith has to be smart enough not to eat off the floor…. she has to be! She was smart enough to save Nihkou'te when I couldn't get there in time. Mother even said she used playthings to cleanse an entire nest of tunnel runners. That means she's a lot smarter than I am, because I know I wouldn't have figured out how to use playthings to kill a nest of tunnel runners,' Hulij-bpe thought curiously as he watched the little female resume eating.
Chi'ytei-de-thei watched the little ooman sitting to his friend's right. He could easily smell the anger of the ooman female, and he was a bit surprised at the intensity. Thick and pungent, the scent of Lilith's anger was more intense than he'd thought it would be. Now he understood that Lilith hadn't been angry at all when she'd bared her teeth at him, because there had been no scent of anger, and certainly not one as strong as what he now smelled. It was something that made him wonder about the little ooman. He had to admit that he didn't know much of anything about the oomans, except that they were reputedly devious, and cunning. Other than that dangerous reputation, he knew nothing about them. He thought that he might be able to learn more by associating with this one.
Thwei-de guan couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the ooman pup that seemed to have every advantage that she didn't. That was when she realized that the same female who was taking care of Lilith, was now going to assume responsibility for her, and her training. She would have every advantage she could hope for… training from an instructor who wouldn't merely give a lesson once before moving on to another, a sparring instructor who wasn't the least bit feeble, and honorable enough to ensure that she properly learned the correct postures to use during a strike or while defending from one.
Thwei-de-guan was watching the ooman for signs of resentment when three females sat down at the table to warm greetings from Guan, and respectful greetings from three of the table's occupants. The ooman remained silent and angry.
"I'm glad the three of you are here. While I am proud to say that Lilith was a stunning success during her First Hunt, she was also injured by one of the last tunnel runners she killed. That tunnel runner clawed her back quite respectably, so I'd like for one of you to look at it, and treat her. Lilith also bit this Unblooded female by the name of Thwei-de-guan, so that will need to be looked at as well, because she drew blood with those blunt teeth of hers." Guan said with a bit of pride as her Hunt Sisters sat down.
"This may have been Lilith's First Hunt among us, but how can you be certain that she hasn't hunted among the oomans?" Yeyinde asked interestedly.
"I can answer that one Elder. The shop keeper Thwei-de-thei-de asked Lilith if she'd ever hunted or had any training with a weapon, and she shook her head to signal 'no'. Considering the way she hunted the tunnel runners, I think she did very well." Setg'in said candidly.
"Of course Lilith did well! She cleansed a nest of more than three hundred of the vermin, and she did it using playthings!" Guan said defensively. "Considering that she has no training or experience, which means that she had to rely on her cunning and intelligence to eliminate those creatures…"
"Intelligence nothing! Getting those vermin to fight and kill members of their own nest was absolute brilliance! That is one tactic I will be sure to remember, because she had them fighting and killing each other all over the shop. I tell you now, that was the most amazing tactic I've ever seen employed. Lilith disturbed, taunted, and provoked them until they turned on each other in frustration and rage. I would never have thought of doing such a thing!" Setg'in exclaimed fervently with a wide grin.
That was when Yeyinde started laughing. "Now you are beginning to understand why oomans are considered to be highly dangerous. It's true that physically, they are much weaker, slower, and even fragile when compared to us. They have only a tenth of our life span if that much, and their weapons are all but useless against us. The one advantage the oomans have over us is their ingenuity… their cunning. They are able to devise tactics, strategies, and even weapons with almost no forethought or warning. That alone is what makes them incredibly dangerous. Even though she is still a mere pup, Lilith has that same intelligence and cunning."
"Those are well known facts my Sister, but now that Lilith is living among us, we may well learn other facts about her species in general, and her in particular. I for one am looking forward to it," Than-guan told Yeyinde before turning her attention to Guan.
"You said that Lilith is injured, and that she drew blood when biting this Unblooded female?" Than-guan asked intently.
"Yes," Guan admitted.
"Come! Both of you… Lilith… I need you to come with me to the waste closet so I can tend to your back," Than-guan snapped quickly.
"With respect Elder… I do not believe I need treatment for this injury. It is negligible, and I should have known that one as experienced as the Elder Guan would not allow the eating of dried Kainde Amedha by one who has not earned it," Thwei-de guan said with her eyes focused on the table.
"If you had been bitten on the ooman world, I might agree with you, but Lilith has been here for a few days now, and she has been in Paya's Center for Healing. That means that she's been exposed to any number of pathogens. I doubt those diseases could even bother her because of her different physiology, but she can still carry those pathogens," Than-guan stated firmly.
"As you say Elder," Thwei-de guan said before rising from the table to follow the Healer.
"Come Lilith, you can eat more when you return after I tend to your back. I know very well that you possess enough scars there to satisfy a whole hoard of Ancients, but I will not allow your wounds to become infected," Than guan instructed.
Lilith pointed at herself, then at Thwei-de guan and shook her head firmly.
Than guan cocked her head to the right as she tried to understand what was being said. Then, her eyes widened before she actually smiled.
"If you are trying to tell me that since Yautja pathogens and diseases are unable to affect you, that you need no treatment, then you are wrong. Had you been born on this world, and never been to your native planet, that might well be true. The fact is, you have not only been to your planet, but were raised there. That means that the bacteria and viruses from your world are already in your bloodstream, and while they have no effect on you at this moment, that can easily change. That is why you need to be treated," Than guan explained.
Lilith thought about it for a moment before she nodded her head with a huff of irritation and slid down from the booster chair to follow the Predator.
Lilith followed Thing-One into the bathroom, and knew that the Predator girl she'd decided to call 'May Day' was right behind her. She walked in warily because Thing-One was just standing there by a sink apparently waiting for her. The Predator was fiddling with some sort of dish thing that she'd pulled out of a kit on her thigh and unfolded. Once she had the weird looking satellite dish looking thing set up, she mixed some stuff up in it, and used some kind of little burner on the side to heat the stuff up. The result was a strange glowing blue paste that Lilith didn't really want anything to do with. She let out a breath of slight relief when Thing-One used all the stuff on May-day's hand. Lilith's relief was short lived, because Thing-One began mixing up some other stuff while looking straight at her.
Thwei-de-guan wondered why they were doing this in the waste closet, instead of at the table. Her question was answered when the healer ordered the ooman to turn around and bare her back. The ooman turned around and pulled up the covering on her torso. Even though she wasn't wearing any kind of mask, Thwei-de guan could clearly see the difference in heat from the bleeding wounds caused by the claws of the tunnel runner.
'That ooman's not even Blooded yet, and she'll already have scars to be proud of. I can't wait to go through the kind of training I can receive from that Honored Female.' Thwei-de guan thought in excitement.