Tomak, who was sitting with his back against the human headboard, snarled in anger.
He didn't understand why he purred for the vydral. He blamed it on his automatic response to when a female was upset. All yautja males understood that an upset female was potentially dangerous. Being a head taller than them, a female of his species could be in comparison to a wall of explosive strength if provoked. Thus, purring would wisely be a male's first response to pacify them. These situations rarely occurred, but when they did, delicate action was taken to prevent it from escalating further. So, although the vydral was in no way like a yautja female, her scent and distressed actions triggered his instincts to comfort.
"Vydral," he chuffed. For having the ability, she didn't act like one. If she truly were a vydral, she would have recognized what he was, and she most certainly wouldn't have hesitated to end him. And had he known what she could do, he would not have toyed with her as he had. She acted more like a human: scared, pathetic, and her tendrils were far too dark. He didn't know what she was, and he didn't care.
His anger returned as he recalled her touching him, which was done without invitation. He had not given her consent to be so bold as to touch him or enter in his space. She dared to threaten him also! If it wasn't for his present state, he would have leapt from the bed and snapped her neck!
"H'ko," he growled, closing his eyes, his dreadlocks swaying as he shook his head. He wouldn't have killed her. He couldn't now. She was untouchable. As much as he hated to admit it, the human, he decided, gave him the chance to hunt another day. It wasn't his time, not yet. He would have preferred a much grander end, one that his people would remember and whisper about amongst the other greats.
That was if he could repair his ship.
That was the complication. Even if he did heal from his wounds, it would put him back to square one. The odds were against him, for that he was certain. Had he killed the wench, finding parts wouldn't be risky, and in addition, he would have happily added another skull to his wall.
That wasn't the case however, instead he failed in both endeavors and now there was a human that had the power to alert their arbitrators of his presence. They'd kill and dissect him like he was nothing but a piece of meat or worse, they'd keep him alive, locked in a cage to be stared at like he was a valuable trinket to be shown off. "Disgraceful," he hissed in his language. Never had Tomak failed a hunt as he did yesterday, and he would pay dearly for his mistake.
Huffing in the air around him, he could no longer scent the human. She was long gone. If he was going to escape, now would be the time to do it. He may not get a second chance.
Taking a deep breath, he moved his good leg to hang over the pallet. Now was the test of strength. He slowly went to shift the leg that had been impaled, praying with every fiber of his being that he could walk, and immediately a pang of excruciating pain shot through his leg. The intensity of it was so great he slumped down. Rage filled his senses, and in an act of anger, he snarled, swiping his arm outward, sending one of the nearby lamps flying across the room. The sound of the smashing glass did nothing to release his pent-up fury, so he lifted his head and spread his mandibles wide as he roared, the volume of it shaking the very walls.
When his rage slowly subsided, he felt the weight of exhaustion replace it. His limbs for some unknown reason were getting heavier, as if he had to put more effort and strength into mere movements. While in this subdued state, Tomak closed his eyes, hoping to build up on his inner strength. As his mind drifted, he was brought back to an intense memory that required more of himself than he had originally thought.
He remembered the hot wind, blowing against him as he searched for his prospective prey. The red desert environment was harsh on his scales, as the sand and sun would make him itchy and uncomfortable. Growing up on his home planet, Yaut, he was accustomed to heat and high humidity, but he much preferred the jungle.
On this particular hunt, he was looking for a sand serpent that enjoyed burrowing underground in landscapes such as this. It was called the chrylo, a gigantism of coiling wrath. Although not having protective armor of any kind, it was known for its blurring speed and viscous mouth of rotating teeth that could amputate a limb in a split second if not careful. This was not his only problem however, as the sand serpent also had a tail with metallic like spikes that could leave even an experienced hunter decimated, and never to be heard from again.
Tomak never lost a fight against his prey before, and he didn't intend to do so now. Using his mask, he scanned the dry desert wasteland for signs of life, only for it to come back negative. He had scoured these sandy dunes all day with nothing to show. He growled softly, patience never being one of his strongest qualities.
He turned to look at the angle of the sun, knowing full well that night would soon be upon him, the perfect time for a chrylo ambush. If that's what it would come to, he would gladly meet it head on. The beast may have the advantage, but it wouldn't know that he too could see in the dark, and with his boundless vigor he just might have a chance. So, his young self used the remaining time he had, setting traps, and preparing for what was to come.
In the present, Tomak rumbled in remembrance, now realizing that there was nothing he could have done to prepare himself for what had come that fateful night. He should have gone back to the ship and waited till morning to try again, but instead it was his arrogance that cost him. Just like how his overconfidence thrust him into this pitiful situation. Had he actually used his head, he wouldn't have suffered then… or now.
As darkness surrounded him, he recalled the wind whispering that night, as if warning him to leave while he still had the chance. He wasn't good at listening either. This was his arena, his time, his victory.
His fists sifted through the cooling red sand, as he waited impatiently. It was then, the luminous stars in the sky caught his baited attention. Their light constricted his pupils as he watched them shine, each one taking their turn to dance. He thought about his ancestors who at one point in time, probably looked up at those very same stars. How proud they would be of him, at this critical moment in his life. This would be his biggest trophy yet, and like every hunt before, this would also test him, proving if he truly deserved the right to carry on his bloodline.
Now all he had to do was wait.
As the night carried on, Tomak's in tuned hearing discerned the difference in volume of a colony of nearby insects. Normally at this hour, they would be carrying on, testing their mating call in the open air, but now, it was as if they were muted. And when it became unbearably silent, he knew it was time. He took deep, calming breaths as he watched the horizon carefully. Nothing seemed different, but that could change very quickly. His eyes squinted thinking he saw faint movement in the distance, then one of his beacons that he had planted earlier lit in a silent proximity alert. His eyes darted to its intense light, while his heart sped up in excitement.
It was here and no doubt hungry.
Rising, from his crouched position, he unsheathed both of his double wrist blades, letting their metallic ring, echo through the air.
That's when he felt it; the ground shaking violently under his feet.
He waited for the signal, as his second and third beacon went off, the beast getting closer. Then when it hit his fourth, he could clearly make out the beast's shape as it hurtled beneath the sand towards him. The width of it was surely his height, larger than the average juvenile male. And when the monster chrylo hit his fifth and final beacon, an influx of electrical energy surged through the ground, electrocuting the beast.
Its muted shriek was his only warning before the colossal serpent, made its ugly appearance, skyrocketing the first half of its body up onto the surface.
The eruption of sand hailed down on him, like a downpour of stinging rain, covering him with the blood red dust.
Its five eyes searched angrily for the source of its pain, when it caught sight of the intruder. Opening its mouth wide, it roared its rage at the hunter.
Tomak snarled, answering the challenge, as he advanced, hoping to gut it while it was still tucked in its tunnel.
The chrylo had other plans.
As he neared its belly, his prey plunged downward, quickly burying itself under the sand. It's dangerous tail whipped about as it tunneled down further, almost knocking him to the ground. But before it could disappear entirely, Tomak stupidly dug his wrist blades into its flesh, snapping off a few of its spikes. The beast shrieked in pain and flung him up off the ground! The blades that kept him attached to its tail snapped as it descended, catapulting him through the air and into a sand dune.
Tomak growled softly, his muscles already sore from the altercation. Grunting, as he shakily rose to his knees, he quickly inspected the damage done to his gauntlets. Roughly swiping some of the yellow blood off, he managed to see the condition his blades were in. All that was left of them were blunt metal shards poking out from his gauntlets. They were useless to him now.
With a guttural growl, Tomak retracted what was left of the blades, and pulled out his combi-stick, a retractable spear that if used correctly could be a helpful aid. As he did so, he barely registered the movement to his right.
The chrylo sprung out from under the sand like a venomous viper, striking out to finish its prey!
Barely diving out of the way in time, Tomak watched in alarm as the beast's mouth engulfed the sand he was just crouched on. It could have swallowed him whole had he not been paying attention!
Realizing it had missed, the chrylo coiled its body, rising into a defensive position, it's bloodied tail hovering threateningly above its head. It then hissed, opening its mouth to reveal a mouthful of teeth, perfectly adapted to shred any material. This was a warning, that if provoked, it would fight unceasingly until one of them was dead.
Reaching up, Tomak tore his mask from his face and tossed it aside, as he faced off with the sand serpent. Stretching his mandibles, he roared challengingly to the beast, while simultaneously extending his combi-stick with the snap of his wrist.
His aggression triggered the chrylo's instincts and in the blink of an eye it struck.
As it lunged for him, Tomak leapt up, landing solidly on its head, before driving his spear forcefully into its center eye. With a monstrous cry, it writhed in pain and rolled its body, crushing him beneath its mass.
Completely unprepared for this sudden move, Tomak released his hold on the weapon as he flipped with the chrylo, the sand clawing at his back. He then bellowed out in agony feeling the insurmountable pressure crushing his chest cavity from the beast's cosmic weight. Helpless, he could only lie there flinching as he heard several consecutive cracking sounds that sucked the air right out of him.
When the chrylo finally lifted its massive body off of him, Tomak automatically wheezed, attempting to fill his depleted lungs. But as soon as he did, sharp merciless pangs burst forth from his chest.
With his ability to breathe practically disabled, and the throbbing pains radiating from all over, Tomak wouldn't have been able to tell if he was dying or not.
His bloodshot eyes snapped in the direction of the chrylo as it screeched angrily. Faintly turning his weighted head, he watched the beast shake his spear loose, the silver shaft falling silently onto the sand.
Mandibles flaring in anger, Tomak knew he had lost to an animal. His pride burned with hatred as he crawled pathetically in the opposite direction of his prey. Giving up was his only option if he was to survive. He needed to get some distance between them. He needed to get back to his ship.
But as he clawed his way to the nearest sand dune, he felt a waft of hot air sweep over his back. Just as he turned over, the crushing force of the chrylo's tail hit him full on. Three of its razor sharp spikes made contact, denting his armor. Cracking bone reverberated in his head, followed by the nonstop throbbing in his mandibles. When he saw the colossal tail arch upward, he quickly tried to roll away, but his ribs prevented him from doing so. The chrylo pounded its tail into him again, this time the spikes pierced through his armor, streaking across his collarbone. But that was nothing compared to the pain of a spike slicing through his dreads.
Sitting on the human pallet in the present, Tomak subconsciously reached up and held his shorter dreads, his mind running through the memories as if he was watching it happen all over again. And like a dream, he was pulled back into it, hearing the fear in his own voice as he hollered out for help from Paya.
As the chrylo hit him a third time, it heard his pained cries. Ceasing its merciless blows, the beast must have deemed it's meal to be weak enough to go in for the kill. Banking around, its long body following in line. It lowered its slender head to snake across the sand, its remaining four eyes focused on one target. Thick, black drool dripped down its viscous fangs as it opened wide to accept the delicacy that was before it.
Trembling from the shock and pain he endured, Tomak watched on, knowing his end was here. Unconsciously, swiping the coarse sand with his hand, his fingers touched something hard and smooth. He grabbed it firmly and uncovered it from the sand.
A chrylo spike, possibly one he had removed earlier. He turned his attention back to the approaching beast that was clearly hungry.
Interestingly enough, chrylo were known for their rotating teeth, but they were mostly used for burrowing deep under the surface. And as legend has it, it was said that chrylo preferred eating their prey whole, just to feel them struggle as they went down. Only then the prey would suffocate, as the beast's overlapping muscles constricted them, squeezing until they were nothing but a flattened mess.
The chrylo watched him carefully, and before he even blinked, the serpent struck out, violently engulfing the him in its large mouth.
Tomak roared as he felt jagged teeth dig into his flesh as the beast's tongue forced him down its tightening throat. As much as he wanted to quit and just accept his fate, something inside of him wouldn't submit. Ignoring his excruciating pain and sense of dread, Tomak stabbed the long spike through the serpent's esophagus. If he was going to die, he might as well take the beast with him!
Gagging uncontrollably, the chrylo thrashed about in a failed attempt to dislodge the sharp object in its throat.
Clinging with all his might to the saliva coated spike, lodged in the fleshy wall, Tomak suddenly felt its throat enclose around him, followed by a gush of liquid propelling him upward!
After successfully regurgitating what had brought it intense pain, the chrylo snarled in fury, now lifting its head toward the sky, its long pale body rising in tandem, like a growing wave building up in force to finish off its foe.
Hitting the ground painfully in a blanket of vomit, was not how Tomak imagined his fight with a chrylo to go. But as he watched the beast rise in an impressive and horrific display of power, he was forced to shakily rise to his unsteady feet. Gripping his soaked makeshift weapon, Tomak looked out and spotted a glimmer of his combi-stick hidden under the red sand, just yards away! This spike would only get him so far, he knew he needed something reliable, something sturdy, and something he was familiar with. His prominent brow lowered in a scowl.
As soon as the chrylo looked down at him from their thirty-foot height difference, Tomak reacted quickly, disregarding the immense torture emanating from his side as he raised his arm, and hurled the spike at its exposed belly. Spiraling perfectly through the air, like an arrow, the bony spear pierced through its hide.
Infuriated, the chrylo was prompted to nosedive with its mouth wide and snarling.
Tomak scrambled forward. Pumping his aching legs and pushing through the pain, he dove for the metal shaft. Harshly tumbling onto the gravelly sand, his calloused hands managed to snatch up the staff and hold it defensively in front of him as he crouched low.
It was too late for the monstrosity to adjust itself as it was already falling.
Anger flashed in Tomak's gold eyes as the oncoming force of the sand serpent's body blew a storm of hot wind and sand whirling in his face. The fierceness of the wind sent his dreads flying back as he knelt down, bringing his arms up high enough that when it swooped down over him, his spear sliced vigorously down its length.
The brunt force of keeping his spear plunged in its hide shook his body; every muscle in his arms, back, and legs spasming unbearably. The burning affliction they endured was so great he swore they would catch flames from the intensity.
Just as he thought he would collapse and give in from exhaustion, the serpent's body ceased movement, the spear had stopped just before reaching the spiky tail. Tomak sat tensely, with his combi-stick still firmly implanted in its gut, waiting for a merciless surprise attack.
When nothing came, he exhaled, his form drooping forward as he eased his weapon down, the massive body falling with it. Resisting the temptation to lie down, Tomak carefully stood, and limped over to chrylo to get a better view.
Around the corpse, bright yellow blood coated the sand as its insides had spilled out from its long gaping wound.
When his eyes took in the sight, he was elated! He had slayed the beast that had no doubt taken many warriors' lives! Despite two broken mandibles and several cracked ribs, Tomak lifted his head and roared, letting anyone in the vicinity know of his victory.
Opening his eyes, Tomak felt his chest swell in pride remembering that day. There were so many times he should have died and lost to his formidable adversary, but he didn't. It was because of his iron will that pushed him to live and to fight through his pain.
It was that same will power and endurance he needed now, if he was to escape his fate here. With somewhat healed wounds, he was not in worse shape now than he was then. He would conquer this trial nonetheless, even if it killed him.
Sitting up, Tomak hissed, forcing his once impaled leg to hang over the bedding. With quivering muscles, he placed both feet on the cold, hard-wood floor.
Taking a deep breath, Rae forced herself to overcome her fear and walk about the room. As much as she tried to fight it, her eyes continually traveled back to the wall decorated with skulls. One in particular caught her attention.
Giving in, she stepped closer to it, looking over it with her eyes. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Rae hesitantly reached out and felt the polished skull of a beast that could swallow her with ease. Actually, it was more of a skeleton than a skull. She blinked multiple times as her eyes traveled down its gigantic head to its spine that snaked down the wall, and even to the adjacent one as well. This thing was a monster, and the alien killed it.
The pads of her fingers ran down its opened jaw and felt the razor pointed tips of its teeth. She shivered as it pricked her thumb, almost puncturing her flesh with hardly any pressure. Her mind was conjuring up just how scary and dangerous it must have been alive.
She frowned in thought. Why wasn't he able to dispose of me like he did this? Talk about an easy target. Surely, she's not stronger than this beast. Her palm smoothed over the skull, before pulling back.
The alien, she recalled, had only used its bare hands to fight her. Did it do the same for all of these? It seemed unlikely, especially for the big one. He did in fact carry weapons, so those had to be for a purpose. He didn't hold onto them to put on a show, or at least she didn't think he did.
As she stood there, taking in the whole wall, she started noticing similarities between the monstrous skulls. Almost all of them had large fangs, and those that didn't had sharp horns or tusks. Each skull had something dangerous, something predatory about them.
But she didn't.
He couldn't have known about her ability, otherwise he might have used a weapon against her. But then again, that would make sense, he was trying to make it a bit more fair. Evening out the playing field.
But why me?! she frowned. He was there when she was on the chairlift, so what made him choose her instead of the guy she was with?
And being that she did in fact win that fight earlier, what did it mean for her? Would he let her go scot-free? Or did she have to worry about him initiating a round two, when he was all healed? Rae sighed anxiously. There was no telling what would happen.
Taking one last sweep of the room, her eyes noticed a seam in the wall adjacent to his bed. "What are you hiding?" she approached the anomaly.
It didn't slide open when she neared, like all the doors would, but it looked like it was meant to be opened. Extending her arm, Rae went to feel it. Her fingers barely touched its metallic surface before the panel hissed open.
Swallowing her trepidation, Rae was rewarded with a glorious sight. It was an armor stand and sitting on its racks were the alien's armor. It was a lighter color in comparison to the black armor he was wearing, and it struck Rae as being more regal, a being of great importance. On the other hand, his current attire comes across as more of a warning than anything else, possibly giving the message: Back away and don't make direct eye contact, or else.
Knowing she was too short to reach, Rae stood on her tippy toes, raising her arms to lift the mask off the stand. When she brought it back down to better examine, she was surprised by how light it was! For being of a strong, durable material, its weight was incredible. This was probably best, being that the alien was a hunter, he wouldn't want his armor to weigh him down or tire him out whilst in a treacherous encounter.
She frowned suddenly, her thumbs swiping over the eye lenses. She remembered him wearing something similar when he engaged with her. It was knocked off when he fell into the ravine. She straightened her gaze in realization. "I never took it with us," she whispered.
As she turned it over in her hands, she got more anxious with more questions bouncing around in her head: Did he need it to breathe? Is our air toxic to him? Is he dying right now? Why do I care?!
Rae was so conflicted. She was unsure about whether to save his life or let death run its course. Her mind flicked back to previous events, He saved my life, to some degree. He also tried to fight... somewhat fairly, if the size difference between them was considered fair. Her eyes then darted to the colossal snake-like skeleton on the walls. Technically that was far bigger than him, so perhaps size didn't matter in this case. Maybe the fight was fair, she grudgingly decided, which means the alien has some sense of.... She didn't know what to call it. Honor? Perhaps he had honor, if only a little bit. God, she hoped so.
Her father would have probably been ecstatic being in the presence of an off-world species. Being a God-fearing man, he would have deemed the alien to be an intelligent being, making his life as equal as theirs. His choice would have been easy. Rae could not say the same, but she knew for a fact that her conscience would leave her feeling guilty if she had the power to help and she purposefully chose not to.
She felt her phone buzz against her thigh. Digging deep in her pocket, she slipped it out, unlocking the screen with swift movements of her thumb.
A text from Naomi? she quickly skimmed over the message.
Naomi: I hope ur out of there Rae. It's all over the radio. They r sending the military for relief efforts and to investigate! Something about it not being an earthquake? Be safe! TTYL!
"The military?!" her voice echoed. It felt like a weight was crushing her chest, preventing her from taking a full breath. Her eyes filled with anxious and exhausted tears. They may not be looking for her, but if they did happen upon her, she had no doubts of where she'd end up.
She had to get out of here. Now.
Slipping the backpack, off her shoulders, Rae quickly knelt down and unzipped it, shoving the alien mask inside. Closing the bag once more, she rose, swinging it over her shoulders as she ran for the door.
Stopping briefly, she looked back over her shoulder at the wall of skulls. She then lifted her phone and took a snapshot. She did the same with the other rooms as she ran by. The army would most likely be led to his ship eventually, so once it was found, it would be confiscated. Who knew if she'd ever see anything like it again.
As she ran down the ramp, and onto the snowy ground, she was reminded of her situation at the house. Puffs of white air flowed evenly from her mouth as she kept her pace. It was clear to her that the fate of the alien would be the same as hers if soldiers found either of them. This left her with two options, she could either leave him behind to distract the soldiers long enough to give her a swift escape, or she could take him with her, slowing her down, and possibly being a general pain if they did get away.
Rae mentally sighed. She couldn't believe it, but she had already made up her mind.
Author's Note
This was actually a lot of fun to write, and I genuinely hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Many thanks for the feedback! I had a feeling Rae's backstory would be the most prominent curiosity. I cannot say I will be revealing my cards so soon, but I will allow a few bits and pieces of information that may satisfy your hunger for answers in upcoming chapters. But, in the meantime, give Tomak your love! The big guy needs it, though he would never admit it. At least... not yet. ;)