136Ch. 17
The sun with the crisscross rings sat low in the sky, making its way higher in a leisurely pace. The sounds of the early morning here on this bizarre plant was oddly similar to Earth, just add in the mix of odd roars of a reptilian creature, clicking from some kind of plant grazing beast.
Usually, the sounds would have filled her ears and settled the thoughts in her mind. The early morning run Big Mama made them do every day was to help center their minds and ready their spirits for the upcoming lessons.
Yet, jogging up the path, huffing to keep up with the group that normally followed her around the chosen path. Mercy shook of her head and jogged to a stop, placing her hands on her knees panting hard, struggling to get more air to her lungs. She was winded from a jog she could normally do half asleep.
I'm ready to make you Mine She groans shaking her head again, making the new beads in her dreads clank together, reminding her further that, that night really did happen.
With a groan she placed her hands over her head and leaned back looking up at the dark purple and green sky of the early morning. Breathing deeply through her nose she huffed.
"Why did he have to go and say something like that." She muttered to herself. She was conflicted; like she should have seen it coming, he was Male and the whole point of this whole debacle, was for the Males to pick a female.
It just never crossed her mind that Ke'Nai of all Males would confess to her! It was...It was like a childhood best friend just suddenly spat out they loved you and wanted to be with you…at your wedding!
Like what the hell was one suppose to do with that information and why say it now! Yeah, maybe Mercy could say there was a bit...small bit, tiny bit, itsy-weeny bit of sexual tension.
But wasn't that just a game, for Ke'Nai to torment her with, invading her space, sniffing her?
Mercy huffed again and began jogging to catch up to her sisters. "How dare he change on me! This isn't how it was supposed to go."
"Really? Then how was it suppose to go?" A voice deep and smooth tutted in her ear.
With a loud screech Mercy pivoted on her toes and threw two jabs at the offender.
Ke'Nai bobbed and weaved the jabs with a laugh of surprise. "Hey look at you gettin good at this!"
She socked him in the mouth, his head jerked back his hand holding his mandibles while stumbling.
"Pauken cjit" He hunched over in shock, she landed such a cheap hit.
"You shit licking Bastard! Stop just popping out of nowhere!" Mercy squawked holding her chest glaring at him.
"You should always be on guard; I know your Mother would have told you that." He grumbled flexing his mandible, making Mercy frown in disgust.
"What do you want." She ignored the call out of her lack awareness as she started her jog again.
"Do I need a reason to visit my Intended?" He followed her, his large body and long legs easily keeping up.
Stopping again she tossed her head side to side before turning around. "Are you being like for real?" He stared at her before she corrected her terms. "Are you being serious?"
"Why would I not be?" He tilted his head stepping closer to her.
Stepping back, she snorts. "Because I know you-"
"Then you know I'm being "real." His top right mandible pulling up in a mocking smirk.
"I know you got to be joking!" She glared. "Where is this even coming from Ke'Nai? I don't have time for you to be adding mind games on top of everything else! I have too much at stake, too much to learn to ensure not only my life but Andy's as well, so this game going to need to sto-
Ke'Nai grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to him, she responded with kneeing him in his ribs, Ke'Nai just took the blow to grab at the back of her knee and hook the leg around his waist.
Leaning into her, until her back was bent, their hips touching, a deep reverberating purr silenced the wooded area around them.
Mercy blinked in shock, she never heard Ke'Nai purr like this. He did something softer the day he gave Andy Varvatos, but that ending with a click.
This purr was deep, low in his chest; the sound was raw in power as it rumbled along her skin, caressing her nerve endings. This was very different then the purrs of other Males, the closest relating thing she could reference was that of a crocodile's rumble.
The new non-human part of her mind told her this purr was not meant to calm and sooth but to coax, showing off his strength that he's the better Male.
"Before," he rumbled into her neck, "I was simply in denial." His hand was heavy and hot under her knee as he slides up his hand to her thigh, the hand on her lower back griping tighter pushing her closer, letting her feel his purr, his want of her. "This is no game Mercedes; I will make you mine."
A warm oddly smooth wetness met the skin of her neck, right over her jugular, a lick.
Mercy took a sharp breath in and shoved the hell of her right hand into the side of his jaw, propelling him away.
Ke'Nai allowed her to scrabble from him watching her take off in a dead sprint, but no matter how fast she ran, she could hear his rumbling throughout the wooded trails.
Taking in a deep breath, Ke'Nai rumbled louder, she always smelled so intoxicating, but her taste was his new favorite thing.
Mercy came bursting into the clearing with a huff and a pant as she lines in with her sisters, in front of Big Mama.
The all looked at her but said nothing, they all could smell Ke'Nai on her, it was so secret she didn't take the news of his wants to pursuit her well.
"Morning My Daughters, we will continue the weapons training. As you all know a challenge is up and coming and while I cannot give you the details. I can say it will deal with weapons." She looked all over them before continuing. "Master the weapon you choose, the faster you become familiar the easier the win."
She dismissed them with a wave and the sisters scattered about to grab a weapon or work with the weapons they were gifted.
Mercy went to the pile and reached for the bo-staff only for Big Mama to yank her from her hands. "Put that away, you are no good with it."
Pressing her lips together Mercy, "I understand Mother but that is why I am practicing! I suck at everything else." They been having this talk all week.
Big Mama grips Mercy by her chin making her look at her. "Know your own weakness and lean on your strength." She lets go and then grabs Mercy's hands placing them up to the human's face. "This is your strength."
"My...hands?" She said slowly erranding her a hit to the back of her head.
"Fists! Your Fists my Ooman Child, your fists are your strength!" Big Mama aspirated. "You are a Melee fighter."
"Ok…but there are no weapons like that he-." Big Mama placed something small and cylinder in her hands.
"Mar'cte is perspective and diligent, he gifted this to you long before it was needed." She praised him.
Big Mama forced Mercy to grip both ends of the cylinder and twist them in opposite directions. A metallic "shink" echoed as the ends of the cylinder burst open at the center, causing her to quickly pull her fists together before the mechanism latched onto her hands.
Before she could react, the ends crawled up her arms with the sound of gears whirring and locking into place, followed by a hiss of steam as they finally settled.
With a small "eh!" of surprise, Mercy looked down at her arms. The gauntlets gleamed with a beautiful, sparkling silver, segmented halfway past her elbows. As she twisted her wrists, she saw that the gauntlets formed gloves with sharp claws and brass knuckles, the tips curling into menacing points.
"This is called a Power glove, it gives a boost in punching strength for a Yautja but here" She taps the back of Mercy's hand, where segmented rods connect from her wrist to her knuckles. "I can see this will help enhance your strength."
"Here, squeeze your fist and then flex your arms. The wrist blades will deploy," Big Mama explained.
Following her instructions, Mercy yelped in surprise as three long, four-inch blades extended outward.
"Holy fuckin hell…. Mar'cte, gifted this to me?" Mercy blinked; never would she have thought this was what the cylinder held.
"Wait…how did you get this!" Mercy looked to her Mother who blinked at her.
"Can a Mother not search her own Daughter's room?" came the easy reply. "Good thing too; you were being stubborn and sitting on something that could have been useful to you."
The Yautja Mother, huffed before placing another gift in her young ooman daughter's hands. "Don't be stubborn with this one either, at least he was smart and made this compliment the gift you already own."
Mercy's breath caught as two more weapons were bestowed upon her, each etched with Viking runes and lined with amethyst. She watched as Big Mama picked up one of the weapons, humming in appreciation—it was a deadly-looking whip.
Segmented with a sharp body and a blade-like tip, Big Mama stepped back and faced a large boulder. With a quick flick of the whip, she cracked it against the stone, splitting it in half.
"Mmmm, yes, finely made," she murmured, coiling the whip and attaching it to Mercy's hip. "Finally, the last one. Ah, yes, definitely helpful for you."
Mother held out a pair of discs and, grabbing Mercy's left arm, tapped the wrist of the gauntlet. A small datapad flipped open. Mercy blinked as she watched Mother hold the discs to the datapad until they blinked in sync.
With a nod, Big Mama flicked one of the discs. In a swift, precise throw, it flew from her hand, slicing the top off the boulder before returning to her effortlessly.
"Mmmm, a whip to pull fleeing prey closer, gauntlets to enhance your punches, and two smart discs to chase down prey that's gotten too far," Big Mama explained.
Mercy watched as her Yautja mother attached the discs to her hip as well.
"You'll need to practice with these day and night," Big Mama continued. "The gauntlets are simple enough, but the blades they wield will take time to master, especially when it comes to hitting your target. The discs will be a challenge since they return to you, making them tricky to catch." She tapped Mercy's wrist. "And the whip, designed for grabbing and slicing. If you don't want to kill your target, you can use it to yank them back, but it will take some work."
Big Mama hummed in approval. "Your males know you well. One enhanced your strength, while the other compensates for your weakness in aim and speed."
"Males... with an 's'?" Mercy balked, shaking her head, but Mother cut her off.
"Enough with the excuses. You're behind. Now, practice!"
There was no room for argument. Failure during practice meant longer lessons and no dinner.
Mercy knew she would have to set aside her thoughts about the gifts and everything that happened during the jog for now.
Ok well fuck… Mercy lay in the dirt, staring up at the swaying trees, her heart pounding in her chest as anxiety twisted in her stomach. There was always nervousness and doubt before a challenge, the familiar question of "Am I fully prepared?" But this time, the anxiety was tenfold.
She rolled onto her hands and knees, trying to push back the feeling. She didn't feel ready for this challenge—more so than ever before. In the past, she'd always had a small sense of readiness, a confidence in her abilities.
Closing her eyes, she shifted to her knees and rotated her shoulders. She hadn't acclimated to the weapons as she'd hoped, and time was running out.
Most of the other sisters had long-range weapons they excelled at, and even those with bo-staffs could easily turn them into spears for throwing.
Rumors had been circulating about the next challenge—something related to hunting again. But this time, instead of herding the prey, it seemed they would have to strike it, wound it, maybe even capture it. The rumors weren't solid, but they made sense.
The Yautja were hunters—tracking and wounding prey for capture. But Mother had called her a Malee fighter. How was that supposed to help her now?
She couldn't throw hands at a creature; the whip nearly took a chuck out of her and the disc sliced the ever living fuck out of her thigh. Her fingers danced over the new scar on her left thigh, the challenge could be any day now, she needed to get a grip.
The training arena for Barracks 13 was empty the other sisters off doing who knows what, having gain some type of skill with their weapons, leaving Merry behind to practice more. Standing she dusted her knees, break was over, she had to figure this out.
"Maybe I can be of some assistance."
Looking over her shoulder she blinked in surprise, a honey brown hide with black markings like a python, eyes of a rattlesnake.
"Snape." She greeted Mar'cte in slight shock. She hadn't seen him since after the date.
The Male stood tall his arms behind his back, patience and waiting, it was only when she fully tuned to him giving him her attention that he stood forward.
"I find it easier when there is something that attacks back." He offered while coming to stand a few feet before her.
Mercy let her eyes travel down his form, taking him in. It only had been a few days a week maybe two at most. Yet it felt like she hasn't seen him for months, he even looked…buffer? His coloring more vibrant, the honey brown of his skin seemed to glimmer while the black markings so dark against the glow.
He even had a few new scars, brown eyes looked back up to the male that seemed to be preening, attracting her with this coloring, showing off new scars.
Mery bit back a smile, she wouldn't get over Male and their parading. "How have you been Snape."
He tilted his head in that cute way of not understanding her words, it made her smile widely. She hadn't seen that motion on a while. "That is a Ooman way of asking of my wellbeing."
She snorted lightly, she forgot how polite Mar'cte and his confusion of this bright her joy rather this the agitation it would have brought with Ke'Nai.
"Yeah, that what I'm asking."
"That is "small talk" I still cannot understand," He shook his head. "What use is that?"
"It's another form of greeting Snape." Mercy chuckles.
"A Greeting?" Mar'cte perked up, which made her eye him wearily,
"Yes, it's a way to greet someone, it's considered kind and polite to ask someone how they are doing." Her eyes narrowed as he seemed to huff up in excitement.
"Like a Hug!" He declared stepping forward quickly and enveloping her into a tight close hug.
Mercy laughed loudly, remembering his weird obsession for hugs, but for him to get this excited to learn "how are you" is a greeting and how it changed his perspective was just too funny.
"A hug is a Greeting and how are you is one as well." He states. "So, I can hug you asking how are you doing Mercedes."
"Hahahaha Yes very good." She nods into his arms, her own hands sliding up his back tapping at his shoulder's blades. "I'm doing good Snape, thank you."
He mimicked her tapping making her laugh some more, as she pulled back smiling widely, she looked up at him. His arms gave resistance, clearly not wanting to let go.
Mar'cte golden eyes was moving rapidly over her face before he gently tap his knuckle against the corner of her mouth. "And this is a smile, meaning you are happy."
Chuckling she nods taking a step back his arms now allowing her the space. "Yes, thank you I needed that."
"You needed to smile?" He asked her his claws tip holding onto her elbows lightly, not yet waiting to end the skin ship.
Keeping her smile Mercy changed the subject. "So, you said you can assist me with something?"
Stepping back and straighten his stance Mar'cte nods. "Yes, it clear to see you are struggling to use the gauntlets?"
"Ah, I'm that bad that words even made it back to you." Mercy rolled her eyes.
Mar'cte top left mandible twitch with a smirk. "I believe that you are not "bad" at this just not." He hummed. "thinking "outside the box" as you Oomans say."
"Ooh impressive word display." She mocks a snobbish clap.
"I was researching Ooman's culture when it comes to training, while it not much as I was hoping I did come cross that you Oomans like things called Games." Mar'cte crossed his arms taking a wide stance, forcing Mercy to keep her eyes on him and not the way his arm muscles flexed.
"Even calling some challenges games, and it was the best way I feel you can quickly grasp the use of your weapons."
"Oh? And what "ooman games" did you find?" Mercy leaned forward a bit, she was actually curious to know what a Yautja deemed worthy enough "game" that could be used as training.
"I feel this one is the easiest, and can be…'played' together with your Andy." This made Mercy perk up as he reached out behind him pulling something rolled up from his belt.
Rapidly blinking in disbelief. "Is this a frisbee?" she chuckled turning over the thin brightly colored disc.
"I feel with this game you can learn to catch you disc without…fear." He informed still coming to term that ooman did not response well to fear of getting hurt. Mar'cte let the back of his claw run over the scar at her left thigh, happy that she wasn't not moving away from his touches.
He's been doing everything he could to ensure he would be the only male approaching her, challenging the other Males that are noticing her, swiping the gifts other are trying to leave.
It was bad enough competing with that S'yuit-de of a Prince and with his declaration of making her his. Pissed off Mar'cte, he was the one putting in the work to ensure no one else tries to take her attention and then Ke'Nai thinks he can just come in and claim to his Mercede?
He was going to need to be around more often now, he tried backing off to give her time but that only allow Ke'Nai time to get in close to her.
Mercy was going to be his, and now with her ok with his touch he only needed to be around more, to let her see he was the better option.
"Well now I'm carouse, if this is for my disc what game did you find to help me with my gauntlets?" She looked up at him her brown eyes wide in anticipation.
Ke'Nai has never made her smile like this has he? So open to his touch? Mar'cte just needed to get her to see that, to see he is the better Male.
"Tag." He replied simply his mandibles curling in a to hold back his chuckles watching her face frown up in shocked surprise. Ooman's facial express was something he didn't think he would get use to, but by Paya did he enjoy watching her face.
"Tag?" She snorts out of all the games it was tag? She was going to play "Tag" with a Yautja. No way! "Like the chasing game?"
"Yes, the chasing game, I feel it will allow you think on your feet and start using what you forgot." He tapped his claw between her eyes, before reaching down and grabbing her hands letting her see the gauntlets.
"I made these for you, they are tailor to you and your style." He stared down at her, at a Ooman woman, not as a worthy prey to place her skull in his trophy room, but worthy of Standing by his side.
Staying with one mate isn't a Yautja thing, the only thing close was a Breeding Pair. A Pair that will always choose the same partner every season, but that only happened between two of the most Elite Male and Female and even then, that didn't last since Males were always competing to be the best.
But this new custom, new tradition where a Yautja will stay with the Female, was something even Mar'cte did not want and could noy understand. Oomans Males were seen a worthy prey the females were weaker and when carrying they were so vulnerable, the Yautja Males would have to stay with them longer to ensure their lines made it, to teach the new Breed of Yautja.
He did not believe in this, not until he saw her and her Thar'n-dha that strength she held to protected her Pyode Mei'hswei Andy. She is the one he can be a One Pair with.
"I have a style?" She asked in doubt pulling up her lip in a frown.
"Most certainly, it's a style that can not be taught." He stood tall squaring his shoulders.
"And that style is…?" She rolled her hand, Snape loved to drag things out.
"Creativity."
"…"
"Be real."
"I am being most...real."
"How is creativity a style?" She squawks tossing up her hands. "And more importantly how does that teach me how to use these gauntlets?"
"Your style is about using the world around you in inventive ways," he said, taking her hands and lifting them up. "But have you ever wondered what you could achieve if you were just a bit stronger? What if you could hit harder, push further?"
"You have the knack for thinking on your feet," he continued, his eyes gleaming with purpose. "Now, imagine combining that with everything you've learned about fighting, enhanced by these." He shook her hands, the weight of the words sinking in.
"There is more than one way to skin prey." He lets go of her hands and took a step back "Now, I do believe the saying is "Tag you are it."
"YOOOOOOO I UPDATED BEFORE THE END YEAR! That means I updated 3 times within the year! hahahahaha I actually did! thats awesome for me!
This chapter is shorter then normal, but I wanted to get something out before the end of the year. Almost this chapter went through many different forms lol I knew what I wanted but I couldn't get it out.
Thankfully I watched the new Alien: Romulus movie and I was once again reinspired with the world and I was able to pop this out.
So the Next chapter will be the once again with Mercy and Mar'cte I'm actually excited to write this one and Mar'cte makes me laugh, he defiantly not how I planned him to be but I loving how he's growing on me.
Please Drop a review! I love getting the review they inspire me, I read you all reviews over and over!
Until next time!