The First Hunter

Bet-Khar

We are not defined by our intentions or our thoughts. We are defined by what we do.

It does not matter what we think or how we feel. It primarily matters how we act. Surely, our actions are sometimes an extension of what we're thinking or feeling, but it's still the action itself that others will define us by. It's our actions that will always leave the lasting imprint on generations to come.

I observe as the conversation between my brother and the human unfolds. My gaze shifts between the two of them, lingering on the female's pale skin.

We are defined by the things we do when no one is watching. The female chose to live a life she did not want, just to keep others safe from harm. She gave the ultimate selfless sacrifice when she could have chosen to only be accountable for herself.

Her decision will no be taken lightly. I know my brother. He will do everything to keep his word. Even if that means going against the council or disappointing our father. Perhaps Zahraun and the human have more in common than that which divides them.

Zahraun points toward the passageway, motioning for the human to follow. The female's eyes meet mine, and I nod at her reassuringly.

Both Zahraun and I notice at the same time when she begins to carefully walk on her toes as though afraid to step on something. She wears no foot coverings. How had I miss that? Before I could blink Zahraun scoops her up ignoring her protests and I sigh. He is yet to learn how to handle this fragile creature.

I use my biomask to scan our surroundings. Not much has changed since we got here. The floor is bumpy with rocks and tree roots, and there are several small puddles of water along the narrow corridors. This place smells of mold and death.

My senses are heightened after years of training in hunting grounds. We are about sixteen feet below the surface. This place has a tunnel of another, making it difficult for victims to find an exit.

We slow down as we come to an intersection. To the right, we hear males having a heated argument. To the left, we hear a thump and a loud roar. We follow the direction of the roar, just to find Celtic with his sword in his hand as he bares his teeth in the darkness. Something rolls to the ground with a groan. Celtic stares down at it coldly and then meets Zahraun's gaze.

I manage to keep my face blank, until I get a closer look of the creature laying dead by Celtic's feet - a bad blood Yautja. How is this possible?

Celtic stares at the female in Zahraun's arms for a moment and ask "Leanne, are you unharmed?"

The human manages to nod, but tighten her arms around Zahraun's neck , staring at the bleeding Yautja on the ground.

"How many?" Zahraun asks, body tense with rage.

"Falcone is still alive." Celtic replies coldly.

"Soon the bad blood will wish he was not." Zarhaun says as he look at the female and then turns to me, "You will take the human to the Warship now. I will return once I'm done hunting."

He reaches out to hand over the female, and I raise my eyebrow, "Are you certain? I can hunt with Celtic", I offer. Zahraun shakes his head and gives me the female.

I gather the human in my arms, noticing how she immediately relaxes against my chest. Zahraun growls and I keep my expression blank. From the look of his bulging muscles, I know he doesn't want to leave her. However, the ongoing rivalry between the Falconer's clan and our clan has plagued our people for as long as I can remember. Their clan abducts innocent younglings, females and even humans for their dangerous game to hunt on other planets.

"Make him bleed", I tell Zahraun. He nods and I turn to leave.

It's getting dark. The sooner I can exit this place, the sooner I can return the human to safety. I sprint through the tunnels, well aware that the bad blood could be hunting us. Specially if he is aware that his clan-mate was killed by my brother. I am more than confident that I can defeat him however, I have to protect the female currently under my care.

I jump over fallen bodies and the human wince. The air gets warmer as I run, which means I am getting closer to the planet's surface. I probably only have 1 or 2 hours of daylight left. Being here when the temperature drops and the sun disappears is not a good idea. The creatures of this planet may hide underground to avoid the deadly heat, but when night comes, they will crawl up to the surface and feast on whatever they can find.

I use my wrist gauntlet to scan my surroundings and immediately find a closer exit. Distantly, I can hear footsteps, which could be an animal or one of the planet's inhabitants. I do not stop to see if I'm being followed. There is not time for that.

Before I could reach for the door, a large hairy creature appears out of thin air and sneers at me.

"This is not your territory, Yautja. I suggest you go back aboveground, where you belong."

The female in my arms begins to tremble in fear and I snap at the creature, "You know who I am. Think carefully about what you will do next."

The male steps back, eyes darting. He seems to recognize the clan mark on my bio-helmet and this time, there's a shard of fear in his voice.

"We found her first," he says, returning his attention to the female.

"Enough!" My movements are a blur as I throw my smart disk, cutting through the males head. It is a difficult weapon to use in such close quarters but I've had no choice. He falls immediately. I leap over the severed body to kick the door wide open. The human hold on to me tight, eyes closed in fear.

Within seconds we are aboveground. I use my wristband to call for my pod and it immediately appears in front of us. The human in my arms give a startled squeal at the sudden appearance but tighten her grip around my neck.

Once inside my ship, I secure the human on her seat and immediately take off.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"As alright as one can be, given the circumstances." She replies softly, and... I think she is ignoring me. Maybe she is still in shock.

"What are you thinking?" I ask, remembering how much she'd liked to talk when I piloted the ship back from earth. So much have changed since then. She didn't reply immediately so, I wait...

"Why did you save me, back on earth?"

Her question surprises me, and I ask "What do you mean?"

"You go to any extent to save me, just to give me to your brother, as if I'm some toy you got tired of playing?" Hot tears trailed down her face as she voiced what is inside her chest.

Her question is insulting. Her tears upset me to no end. Is this what she thinks of me? That I had thrown her away after all I had done to keep her safe?

"Listen carefully human, my privileges within my clan are very limited, for I am a Young Blood. I am yet to be seen as "worthy" in the eyes of my people. If the council finds out that I possess an illicit creature from a class four planet, I will be sent to prison, and you... I do not know what they will do to you."

The human stare at me in shock. "They can do that? Send you to prison, because you took me from my planet?"

"Yes. There is no other way to right this wrong. I am not yet of legal age to possess an off-world creature. And our intergalactic agreements forbids me from taking sapient beings as pets. I couldn't have let you die back on earth, but I cannot safely keep you by my side either... not when we reach my planet. This is why you were given to Zahraun. You must know human... everything I done, every rule I broke, it was all for you."