Chapter 5

Synopsis: Lex and Scar train for Lex's first hunt. Lex gets fitted for armor.

A month had passed. Both Lex and Scar's wounds were fully healed, and they trained almost daily. Unlike their first training session on the ship, Scar did not go gently on her anymore, nor was he concerned with causing her pain within reason. Lex knew, though, that this was imperative to completing her training successfully. Her first hunt on Yautja Prime would be tomorrow. Of course Scar would guide her, but the prey she was hunting would not hesitate to kill her if given the chance. Worse than alien prey species, she worried about other Yautja.

Initially the shock of allowing a human to join them faded. Lex learned that it was incredibly rare, with only a handful of very elderly Yautja having seen a human join them before. When news that Lex had killed multiple kiande amedha, including a queen, nearly all Yautja viewed her in awe and curiosity. The remainder of who didn't concerned her, and it concerned Scar even more.

"After training I cannot protect you," he reminded her in his own voice. They had worked extensively on his English, and Scar rarely needed the translator anymore. Lex was panting hard, dripping sweat and covered in bruises. They had been sparring for hours. Like every day before this one, Lex had not gotten a single successful blow on Scar, but she had gotten better at blocking his attacks.

"You won't need to protect me," Lex hissed before launching her attack. Scar smirked before he blocked her with ease. He was proud of her, and every day they spent together only made his affection for her grow.

"You are ready to hunt quatza-rij" Scar murmured as he counterattacked, smacking Lex hard against her calf. She yelped and buckled, panting hard. He did not enjoy causing her pain, but he knew if he went easy on her, the pain of losing her would be far greater. He would not allow that. Lex tried to ready herself for another attack, but Scar motioned for her to stop.

"Enough. You need rest. Tomorrow is your first hunt," he reminded her. Lex sighed with relief. She was already sore and tired.

"Follow me," Scar said. She did so, and was surprised when they turned a corner she had not previously been. The stone corridor led to a staircase descending deep underground. Lex felt slightly unnerved and curious. Scar grabbed a lit torch at the entrance and led her further and further into the ground. Sounds of metallic clanking reached her ears. They entered a stone room illuminated by the fire of a forge. A female Yautja pounded tirelessly on a strip of metal. She paused when she saw Lex and Scar. She clicked something to Scar, and he clicked back. Scar then bowed and turned to leave.

"Scar?" Lex asked, slightly anxious. He paused and waved his hand at her, then turned to leave. Lex faced the female Yautja who looked her up and down.

"So you are the ooman I hear so much about," the female Yautja murmured. Lex held her head high and nodded as the predator paced around her. She would not allow herself to look weak or nervous around anyone of Scar's kind, although this was the first time he'd left her alone with a stranger.

"You killed kiande amedha and saved R'akkar?" the stranger asked. That must be Scar's real name, Lex thought to herself. She repeated the pronunciation in her head several times. Lex nodded. The female Yautja clicked hollowly.

"So you met my other brothers too," she murmured. Lex's eyes widened.

"You're his sister? And those were his brothers… your brothers…" Lex trailed off. She suddenly felt sad.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Lex replied mildly. If the female Yautja was moved emotionally at all, she didn't show it. Instead she beckoned for Lex to follow her where she was sat upon a stool.

"I am Ahava," she said. Ahava took a sort of tape measure and ran it all along Lex's body, stopping in between measurements to write on a piece of parchment nearby.

"I did not believe it when I heard that R'akkar had taken an ooman for a mate. I thought it had been some mistake… But then I heard that the human had killed kiande amedha, the same one that had saved him. Then all the rumors made sense," Ahava rambled lazily as she continued her work. Lex was confused.

"We're not mates… what makes you think that?" Lex replied sheepishly. Ahava clicked in the same way Scar did when he laughed. She gave Lex a pointed look.

"Perhaps someone should tell him that. I think he is a fool. But he is young," Ahava sighed. A light smile played on the edges of Lex's lips. Typical older sister with her teenage brother dynamic, she thought. In many ways, Yautja weren't so different from humans. Lex also felt a flutter in her chest when she thought about Scar in that way. Does he like me like that? she wondered.

After several minutes Ahava finished, and led Lex down another corridor. It opened up into a large hot spring, with many naked female Yautja sitting along the edges or resting in the hot water.

"I will complete your armor, but in the meantime you must be prepared for your first ceremonial hunt. These females will make arrangements," Ahava said before politely excusing herself. Two female Yautja, one younger and one older, approached Lex. They seemed giddy around her and extremely curious. One of them did not speak much English, but the older looking one knew some.

"Come, first," she said. Lex undressed, feeling slightly awkward at being fully nude in the presence of an alien species, let alone strangers. Many were polite enough to look at her discreetly, but every female nearby was intensely curious to see a human in their entirety. So was the only human to see a naked Yautja. Oddly enough, Lex was surprised to find that anatomically they were almost identical from the neck down, and the surprise seemed to be mutual. Lex wondered if it were the same for males, and she blushed slightly as Scar came to mind. She shook her head and tried to focus elsewhere instead. Stop thinking about him, she told herself. Lex slid into the water, the heat relaxing her sore muscles immediately. That seemed to do the trick.

"You kill kiande amedha?" the older Yautja asked. Lex nodded, and the two females looked at each other as though they could not believe it. The younger Yautja lifted one of Lex's arms and clicked to the older one, gesturing with her hands.

"She say you are too small though," the older one replied. The younger Yautja put some sweet-smelling herbal mixture into Lex's hair and scrubbed with her claws.

"I am, I suppose," Lex replied. "My name is Lex. What are yours?"

"I am Enjuba and she is Suraba," the older one replied. "You are R'akkar's mate? Can even take ooman as mate?" she asked. Lex blushed and chuckled to herself in embarrassment.

"N-no, I'm not his mate… everyone keeps thinking we are though… and, I'm not sure. Has that ever happened before?" she replied. Lex felt almost giddy asking, her heartbeat quickening. The two females looked at each other once again in disbelief.

"No, not happened before. Why everyone thinks you are mate. R'akkar did not choose any mate. Rumor about him choosing ooman, nobody believe. Unheard of. We thought you two… I don't know. Surprised now," the older one explained as she motioned to Lex.

Lex had been practically inseparable from Scar since they reunited, even sleeping in the same bed together every night. He had started out giving her space, but usually she awoke to him wrapped around her in the morning. Scar explained it was that she was warm-blooded, unlike him, but Lex had grown used to it. In fact, she enjoyed the little physical contact they had. He was, after all, all she had now. Their relationship was close, and Lex noticed herself growing deeply attached to him. It seemed to be obvious to everyone else as well.

"R'akkar likes ooman," Suruba giggled. Lex blushed. He couldn't possibly, she told herself. Does he? Do I like him too? Lex did admit to herself that she found him oddly attractive. She brushed off the thoughts nonetheless, reminding herself that she would eventually return to earth, and having a crush on an alien that hunted humans for sport was a bit absurd to entertain.

"We saved each other's lives, and he is the only friend I have in my life now," Lex said.

"Now ooman has two more," Enjuba replied cheerfully. Lex smiled.

"Thank you." Suruba poured water over Lex's head and washed her hair carefully. She seemed somewhat baffled with what to do with it, the texture entirely foreign to her.

"I can't feel it like yours, you can touch it however you like. It won't hurt or anything," Lex told her. Suruba nodded and began to braid it instead; the women would occasionally braid other things, so it was the closest thing she knew to do to mimic the Yautja dreadlocks. Lastly, she clamped metallic rings onto the braids for decoration. The women chatted and enjoyed themselves with Lex feeling pampered. Several hours later Ahava entered the bathhouse and clicked something to them. Lex knew her armor was ready, and dried off before putting her clothing back on and following Ahava to the armory.

On the table lay her armor. It was nearly identical to Scar's, although much smaller, with the clan's marking on the cheek instead of the forehead. Lex stepped forward and brushed her fingers along the smooth metal.

"It's beautiful," she murmured. Ahava nodded and helped her to put it on properly. Lex looked at herself in the mirror. Aside from her size and the difference of her hair, she truly looked like a Yautja. I'm really one of them, she thought excitedly. Lex thanked Ahava before exiting the room. Scar was waiting at the end of the hall, inattentively waiting in boredom for her, she presumed. Lex did her best impression of a series of clicks which made his head turn.

Scar nearly stopped in his tracks as he looked her up and down. Lex felt her heart skip a beat. The predator towered over her, slowly pacing around her, analyzing every bit of her armor. She could feel his eyes boring into her. His hand reached out and grasped her hair, his fingers running through the braids and gently squeezing the metal decor. She could hear him purring softly, gutturally, almost like a car's engine. Smiling, she clicked a button on her arm.

She said 'do you like it,' but the translator turned her words into his alien tongue. Scar laughed warmly, amused by her use of the translation device. He put his hand on the cheek of her armor and said several sentences in his own tongue. Lex wished the translator worked in the opposite direction. Whatever he was saying, it was fervent. Suddenly, Lex took the mask off. It hissed before she let it hang at her side. Her gaze met his.

"Thank you, R'akkar," Lex murmured. Scar went rigid suddenly, his head cocking to the side as a low rumble exited his throat. He seemed genuinely surprised at the perfect pronunciation of his birth name. His clawed hand pulled her forehead to meet his.

"I like Scar… because it is what Lex calls me," he replied. Lex smiled.

"Okay. Scar it is," she replied.

"Come," he said. Lex followed him back to his chambers; it was late now, and they needed to rest before their hunt. Scar closed the door behind them and began helping Lex out of her armor. She had kept her bra and panties on, which was usually what she slept in. Scar always tried to give her privacy. They laid down on the bed, the moonlight slightly illuminating the dark room.

"Who told you my name," he growled playfully as they laid next to each other.

"Ahava… You didn't tell me you had a sister," Lex said. He groaned irritably.

"What?"

"She talks too much," he grumbled.

"You, uh… didn't tell me you had brothers either," Lex said softly. The yellow amber of Scar's eyes dimmed, his eyes growing dark and sad. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead closed it and sighed deeply. Lex reached a hand to his face, gently caressing it.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hugging him tightly. Scar wrapped his arm around her as well, thinking of his brothers fondly. He thought about speaking about them, but his heart grew heavy. Sleep beckoned him, and he did not want to disturb Lex the night before her hunt.

"I don't want that to happen to Lex," he murmured quietly. "Won't let happen again," he added, a little more aggressively. Lex looked into his eyes as she gently stroked his dreadlocks. Tentatively, she reached her head upwards and gently planted a kiss on his forehead. She could feel his heart beat erratically, his eyes flitting back and forth, searching hers.

"I know you won't," she whispered, snuggling into Scar's chest as she began to doze off. Maybe I like him too, she thought to herself. Scar held her tightly. Tomorrow she would risk her life, but tonight, she was his to hold.