Hunting Games

2

The hike into the woods took a lot longer than I thought. Halkrath slept through most of it. He finally started stirring as I started up a mountain. He let out a yelp when he saw how far up the mountainside we were. I felt him grab onto his straps.

"Stop moving; I must keep my balance up here." I said scoldingly. "I'm serious, Halkrath, freeze!"

He finally stopped moving. I nodded and continued to walk forward. I carefully climbed up and over a boulder. Chief went around while Halkrath and I went up and over the mountains. We would meet up again on the other side.

"Okay, Halkrath, hand me the rope and rappel kit." I said. "We're going rappelling."

*Halkrath P.O.V.*

I dug into my mother's bag and pulled out her rappel kit. I passed it up to her. Then I pulled out her rope. I tilted as my momma pulled on her harness. I plopped down on my seat and tightened my harnesses even more. She reached over her shoulder for the rope.

"You strapped in, Halkrath?" She asked. "You're gonna need to hang on; we're gonna be going fast."

I let out a chirp of affirmation. I heard momma double the rope. She attached the rope to her harness. Then she stood backward at the edge of the cliff. She dug her boot treads into the dirt. Then she jumped back.

I flared my mandibles open in shock and shrieked as we fell a few feet. Momma said it's called hotdogging. She had her feet together and pushed off from the cliff face every couple of feet. Not that I could see, I had my hands over my dekna.

"You okay, Halkrath?" Momma asked.

"Sei-i, I'm fine." I replied. "I'm just hanging here."

I peeled my hands off my dekna. I gripped the straps of my harness and opened my dekna. My mandibles flared open, and I shrieked again. I felt momma stop again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked.

I paused and thought about telling her. I flexed my mandibles nervously. I clenched my fists and decided not to say anything. Mom says I will grow up into a big, scary guy. I'm not supposed to be scared of anything.

"I'm fine, momma." I said. "We need to keep moving."

Momma shrugged and kept hotdogging down the cliff. It took a while to reach the bottom. When we finally did, Momma stopped to put up her rope and harness stuff. I climbed out of my harness to help her. She smiled as I put the rope on its clip.

I stood by Mom as she finished packing. She looked at me and tilted her head. I shook my head, causing my trendils to snap through the air. Momma nodded and put the backpack on her back.

"Alright, you can walk for a while." She said, looking around. "But stay near me."

I nodded and grabbed a hold of her belt. We started walking again. I looked around as we walked. The mountains were huge. I flared my mandibles in surprise. My dekna widened in astonishment.

"Momma, why are these rocks so big?" I asked. "And why doesn't it daunt you?"

"What, course, I'm daunted; you think I like heights?" She replied. "Look, buddy; there's nothing natural about hotdogging down the side of a mountain; it's okay to be scared sometimes."

I stared up at her. The fiercest warrior I know is afraid of heights. But doesn't show it. She never lets anything stop her. I furrowed my brow in thought. Just a bit confused, I looked back up at my mom.

"Momma, is it okay for a Yautja to be afraid?" I asked, a little scared of her answer.

I watched as Mom tilted her head. Her brow scrunched up as she thought my question over. She stopped walking for a minute to pick me up and place me on a boulder. Now we were dekna to dekna. She had a solemn look on her face.

"Listen to me, my little sain'ja." She said in a severe tone of voice. "I cannot speak for the Yautja, but for oomans, fear is a common everyday occurrence."

I tilted my head. If momma was afraid of things, it is no crime if I am too. But it also seems silly to be scared of simple things, such as my fear when momma was hotdogging down the cliff face. I know she would never let me fall. She would instead fall than me.

Perhaps that is my fear. The loss of my momma. Sure, she didn't birth me. But she may as well have. My birth mother died protecting me and passed the job onto momma. I bowed my head to momma.

"Oh, you, c'mere." Momma said as she picked me up. "Mmm, you are the one who deserves the respect, my brave little sain'ja."

Momma bowed her head to me. So I reached up, pulled her head down, and nudged my forehead against hers. I purred and snuggled into her chest. She adjusted her grip and held me tight.

"Do you want to walk more, or do you want me to carry you?" Momma asked.

"I can walk some more." I replied.

Momma put me back down on the ground. We continued walking to, well, I don't know where. But momma seems to know. I paused for a second and watched Momma walk ahead a bit. Then she froze and snapped around.

"Halkrath, get over here right now!" She barked, panic in her voice.

I ran over and dove behind her legs. I peeked out and saw a vast Yautja. Momma was tense, ready to fight. I dashed in front of her. I spread my arms out, lowered my head, flared my mandibles, and snarled at her.

"My momma, I dare you to try and touch her!" I snarled.

The female flared her mandibles in shock. Then she started laughing. She pointed at my momma, then at me. I heard momma grumble something. Then she picked me up and placed me back behind her.

"Forgive the pup, please." She said. "He thinks he's a lot bigger than he is."

"I can see that, such a tough little pup." The female said. "I'll allow this show of ferocity; look, your father sent me to help you, Mollie."

I heard Momma make an exasperated huffing sound. Her getting help was not expected if I remember what momma told me. Typically, a warrior on a chiva is to fight on their own. Momma getting help is not a good sign.

"I thought you were on a chiva?" I asked, confused. "A great warrior is not supposed to get help on a chiva!"

"It is not chiva!" Momma barked. "The chief's mate asked me to protect you, like I told you."

I blinked in confusion. The female in front of Momma chittered and started purring. Momma loosened up and hunched her shoulders. Her head was bowed, and her fists were clenched. She was shaking with rage. I reached up and gripped her pants leg.

"I'm okay, Halkrath; I just need a moment." Momma stated as she took a deep breath. "Alright, let's move; we've spent enough time standing around; weyland-yutani can't be that far behind."