One More

Chapter 12



Amelia sat on a stool in Val'jek's private lab as he examined Hult'ah. After several scans, her mate checked the range of motion of the injured leg, eliciting several whines and yelps from the hound.



She pet the hound's smooth head and stroked his stumpy mandibles, cooing quietly.



She had already endured her mate's exam, which got her a needle in her arm to round out her nutrition and help "clean" her blood. Details from her mate went over her head, and she simply nodded and accepted the most basic explanation. Her blood needed tending once in a while.



"Can you help him?" She hoped so. The poor hound limped around in obvious pain after playing with the puppies.



"Yes, but he will never have full use of the leg." Val'jek let the hound roll onto his belly.



Hult'ah kept his lame leg off the ground, hobbling to her.



"His hip was not in place and grew around the injury." He clicked his tusks with a huff. "It will take time and many surgeries."



She nodded and lifted the hound to kiss his head. The hound mewled, fluttering his mandibles and wagging his tail. He loved kisses and attention.



"I have duties until your meal is scheduled. I could rise early and perform the first surgery." Her mate looked at her, waiting for her decision.



She bit her lip because it was unfair to her mate. The surgery would cut short their private farewell time, which was usually spent in bed. "If you don't mind. The leg pains Hult'ah and I don't want it to grow worse."



Her mate nodded his agreement. "When I return from my mission, he may be ready for the next surgery."



"Thank you, Val'jek. I'm sorry we're taking up so much of your time. I know you have important mission duties."



He cupped the back of her head with his large claw and tugged her closer. His mandibles fluttered and dragged down her face with a light caress. The gesture said more than any words could.



Hult'ah mewled with a swaying tail, demanding attention as well.



Val'jek chirped, sounding like a small bird, and released her to pat the hound. "He is spoiled by your affection already."



"He's not spoiled." At the lie, a smile tugged her lips and she kissed Hult'ah's head. "He's a very well mannered hound."



The hound panted and near wiggled out of her arms with excitement from the attention.



"I must return to my duties." He pat the hound once more and then embraced her briefly.



"I have one more question." She had more than that, but quelled the need to chatter with her busy mate. "Hult'ah is licking Odin, and it seems friendly, but Odin is balding and his skin is irritated. What should I do about it?"



"It is a good sign. The hound sees the puppies as litter mates, but you are lax in your care for him." He gave her a dubious look.



"Oh." She flushed. She had read Mah'sic's translated instructions twice. How could she have missed something?



"Litter mates clean buildup from tusks. He must have buildup so he licks Odin to encourage the puppy to return the favor." Examining the hound's back nubs, he clicked disapproval. He scraped off chunks of gray gunk with his claws to show her.



"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it wrong." She pet Hult'ah in apology.



Retrieving a rough cloth from one of his many storage units, he handed it to her. "Use that to remove the build up." He clicked at her as he would Mah'sic during a lesson. "If you do not manage this problem, his tusks will have no where to grow. They will compact and injure, or kill, your hound."



He gave her a short speech and demonstration, explaining proper care. Then he urged her to let Mah'sic examine her pets from time to time.



Embarrassed, she intended to take her mate's advice. If Hult'ah hadn't licked Odin near raw, she would have never known there was a problem.



When her mate left, she used the rough cloth to carefully remove the excess buildup. Hult'ah enjoyed the thorough process, purring and arching his back. "A year later and we still can't communicate fully," she mused. She didn't know how she was going to get along with Raz'ha without her mate.



#



Dinner was a bumpy ride of hiccups and good luck. She had wanted to cook the meal herself, but private quarters had no kitchen. Using the ship's kitchen was not done. Mah'sic, who she roped into setting up for the gathering, had balked at the idea. He had taken a list of desired food and drink to the kitchens. Everything had been delivered by young unbloods, much like their usual dinners.



The food was well prepared, and on time. The unbloods brought extra chairs as well, which she didn't think were necessary.



Then Val'jek entered with all four of his hunt brothers. She had expected one, or perhaps two at most.



Glad to have missed that blunder, she greeted the guests with her best smile and simple Yautja greetings. She had no clue how to entertain them, but they seemed content to make small talk with her mate and each other.



Mah'sic, quickly set out more plates and cups.



Cov'o arrived shortly after, seeming reluctant, but entered Val'jek's quarters. Father and son shared a trilled greeting in passing.



Raz'ha was late, and apologetic, bowing to both her and Val'jek.



Amelia, hurried to set the food platters on the table, but her path was blocked by a large tan Yautja. She struggled before recalling his name. "Bosch." She gave what she hoped was a friendly smile.



He took the platter from her hands with a growl.



"Ah, I was just going to put that on the table." She didn't think he looked inclined to give it back.



His mandibles clicked together. "Unbloods and slaves serve."



Amelia didn't quite grasp his meaning, but clearly he waited for her reply. "If you have a seat, we'll all eat in a moment." She wasn't sure he even understood English.



"No."



That wasn't helpful, she decided. "Please, let me have the tray back."



"No."



Ramsee chirped, approaching with Lukis. "Do not pester your hostess, Bosch. It is bad manners."



"It's all right, if I could just have my tray back. We can all sit to eat."



"What are you doing?" Ramsee asked Bosch in their language.



That was the last she fully grasped as the three warriors exchanged a rapid conversation about the tray, unbloods and slaves.



Raz'ha joined in the disagreement, chirping and shrugging.



Ramsee threw his arm aside with an annoyed, "No."



"I just need the tray, really. Raz'ha, a little help here." She nudged the green warrior.



"Honored warrior Bosch says that only unbloods and slaves serve." Raz'ha shrugged a shoulder, as if agreeing with the warrior holding her tray hostage.



"I am trying to explain this Ooman custom, but the old goat is being stubborn." Ramsee clicked something foul at the other warrior.



Bosch growled and stalked off with her tray. He placed it on the table and returned for another.



"I don't understand." Her frustration made her grumble.



"He believes you are either a slave or a mate. You cannot be both. To serve is to be a slave. If you are a mate, it is degrading." Ramsee huffed at Bosch.



Bosch huffed back.



"I think I understand now, but really, it's okay. Where I come from, we don't associate status with who sets out the food." She tried not to laugh as her frustration slipped away.



The warrior set out the food anyway, ignoring her protests.



She did understand, as absurd as the notion was to her. To the warriors, degrading a female was dishonorable, and anything broaching on dishonor was destroyed with extreme prejudice. She was grateful they considered her more than a pet.



Behind her, Val'jek brushed the small of her back with his palm. "What amuses you?"



"Alien customs." She smiled.



"Oh?" He led her to the table, seating her beside himself.



"I kind of like Bosch." She had intended to set out the food and fill the cups, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.



The guests joined them at the table and she realized her error in forgoing assigned seating. Mah'sic and Cov'o were inadvertently forced to sit beside each other. The two shared a look of mutual dislike before ignoring each other.



As they ate, Ramsee kept the mood light with humor. The warriors all shared old hunting stories, and showed off scars.



"I believe The Elder has the most elusive mark of battle. Come, let us see it." Ramsee chirped and the table rumbled and clicked with peaked interest.



Val'jek chirped, cocking his head.



"You've been preening over it all night. Don't be shy now. Those are Ooman teeth marks." Ramsee goaded her mate.



Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.



Val'jek trilled, then barked a deep laugh. He stood and held up his arm for everyone else to see her teeth marks.



The table erupted with trills and laughter. Several of his hunt brothers chirped at her. Lukis pat her back.



One grumbled.



"Bosch says it will not scar and does not count." Ramsee translated for her, though she understood the gist of it.



Raz'ha saved her from stuttering a lame reply. "She can practice on me until The Elder returns."



That was almost as embarrassing to have announced at the dinner table.



The meal finished and guests lingered for a short while, discussing hunts and trophies as warriors were prone to doing. Mah'sic suggested she present her puppies. Odin and Freya brought some amusement as she instructed the giant alien warriors how to properly pet an Ooman puppy. It was difficult to stifle her laughter but she managed. Barely.



The warriors merely clicked over Hult'ah's defective leg and inability to hunt her mammals. She gave the hound extra attention, and a few table scraps, as Odin and Freya were passed around.



With numerous bows and farewells, eventually their guests filed out of Val'jek's quarters.



Cov'o lingered, uncertain as he was upon entering.



"Would you like to speak with Val'jek?" She smiled, trying to reassure the warrior.



He shook his head, picking up her mask off the table.



She accepted the mask and put it on.



"May I speak with you, in private?" He sounded formal and antsy, claws fidgeting and twining together.



She nodded but Raz'ha chirped an inquiry. She shook her head and led Cov'o to the only private place available.



"Are you all right?" She asked once the door to her studio was closed.



Cov'o nodded, looking around her room, then he shook his head.



"I'm sure Val'jek will help, whatever is bothering you." She took a chance and touched his elbow.



"I approached at the banquet to see you." His mandibles twitched with his indecision.



"I see." She really didn't.



"I wanted to bargain with you but I have nothing my sire cannot provide." He shifted his weight. "I must beg a favor of you. I greatly need your assistance."



She blinked, stunned into silence.



He chirped, waiting for a reply.



"Maybe you should tell me this favor."



He nodded and chattered quickly, eager to unburden himself.



#



Val'jek thought the meal had gone well with casual banter and an acceptance of his mate. She had thrived exchanging chatter with his hunt brothers. He would make certain to repeat the evening for her in the future.



Now he was nervous. Amelia had fled into her studio with his offspring, Cov'o, and not returned for some time. He wanted to interrupt her meddling. He should be the one to enlighten her about his disgrace, not his offspring.



He waited, pacing outside the door, as Mah'sic and Raz'ha cleared away dishes from the table.



Mah'sic was silent, pretending not to notice their agitation.



Raz'ha was antsy, watching the door and grumbling. The warrior was assuming Cov'o wanted to mate Amelia but Val'jek knew better.



The door slid open and Cov'o stepped out first. His offspring didn't meet his eyes and clicked a farewell before fleeing Val'jek's quarters.



Amelia crept out of her studio.



Raz'ha clicked, approaching and sniffing her for musk.



Val'jek grunted. "I do not like it when you meddle."



"Pot meet kettle." She frowned at him.



Val'jek didn't understand her words, frustrating him more. He rumbled his displeasure.



"He came to me and we need to discuss it." She looked around. "In private."



Val'jek clicked his tusks together, not wanting to have the conversation.



Mah'sic retreated with barely a backward glance. Raz'ha lingered.



He clicked, impatient to have the ordeal finished.



"He wants me to help him by convincing you to help him."



"He need only ask me. He knows this." Val'jek didn't like this. She made it sound like his offspring was afraid to seek him out.



"No, he doesn't, Val'jek. He's sure you will refuse him. This is his last ditch effort before doing something stupid." She sighed, twining her fingers in her hair, then tried to cannibalize her lower lip.



His instincts told him he would not like this new development. "What is the problem?"



"It's complicated."



"It is best if you explain then." His patience waned.



"He had a child and the mother died. Now the child is with another female who doesn't provide care he approves of." She bit her lip.



"He needs to give a complaint to any priestess. Another female will be charged with caring for the suckling." His offspring did not need help for that.



"That's the thing. He doesn't want the child passed on to someone else. He wants to raise the child himself."



Raz'ha chirped his surprise but said nothing.



Val'jek felt a tightening of his chest. Cov'o had begged Amelia, a stranger, for help instead of coming to him.



"He wants me to convince you to help him get custody of his child." She hesitated. "He sounded sincere and if you want my opinion, I think you should, if you can."



"It is not a simple matter and I haven't the time. I leave in less than a cycle. It would take many cycles. Months." This was a mess. If only Cov'o had come to him sooner, he could lend his aid.



"When you return, maybe?" She pressed against his front and stroked his bicep.



"It may be a lost cause. Females raise sucklings. Males have no rights. We can complain about ill treatment but we cannot interfere." He clicked with frustration. His offspring should have rights to his suckling with the bearer deceased. It was too late to address before his mission.



"Couldn't you ask the High Priestess? If you both asked, maybe she would help," Amelia suggested. "Cov'o says she owes you favors."



"It is too complex."



She accepted that answer. "I told him I would pester you into meeting with him tonight."



"I will speak with him now." He squeezed her shoulders as she hugged him. She was full of questions that required answers, but first he had to see his offspring.



#



Upon opening the door, Cov'o shrank back, letting him inside. His quarters were smaller than Val'jek's but still large being an honored warrior.



Cov'o offered him a seat.



Val'jek sank down, feeling like a failure.



"I know your answer if you have come this soon." His offspring choked on a chirp, fiddling with his wrist guard.



"You know there is no time before my mission." Val'jek fidgeted too. "I will help when I return, if I can."



"If you can?" Cov'o looked away.



Loathing himself for Cov'o's disappointment, he pressed his eyes closed tightly before looking at his offspring again. "It is not simple. There is no precedent for a male to gain a suckling."



Cov'o's fists clenched. "You have had two."



"Arranged before conception." Shamed, it was his turn to look away.



His offspring growled in frustration. "You traded me to curry favor with my bearer. You must be able to assist."



"You believe that?" Val'jek snorted, realizing Amelia had been correct in her assessment.



"Everyone knows it." Cov'o stood and Val'jek followed. "Mah'sic is lacking so you keep him as apprentice because Priestess Raina offers no favor as my bearer does."



"Ellika curries my favor." Val'jek jerked Cov'o to face him. "She stole you from me."



"I do not believe you." His offspring yanked free of his hold, taking a step back.



"I had no choice but to give you up. If I took you back, I'd be labeled bad blood." He clicked in frustration. "There is no future while fleeing arbitrators."



"You said nothing of what happened." His offspring flared his mandibles in challenge. "You left me with strangers."



"I was forbidden from seeing you. Ellika thought I was going to kill her or steal you." Val'jek had intended to do both, at the time. In the end, he had put his offspring's best interest ahead of his anger and pain. Cov'o was not ill treated by his bearer. He could not destroy Cov'o's life for his unnatural need to bond with his pup.



His offspring lifted his chin in challenge. "If I ask her to confirm your words?"



"She will speak truth. She knows she was wrong and she did not intend harm. You were well cared for."



Cov'o clicked, looking away for a long moment before nodding.



They both sat down in charged silence.



"I wish to gain my offspring."



"Have you met the suckling?"



Cov'o nodded. "I visit her in the nursery. She is there each day, and most nights, unattended by her guardian."



"The suckling is female?" Val'jek felt his gut squeeze. The cause was near impossible then. A male he could argue that males knew like gender and his own offspring turned out just fine. But what did males know of raising a female?



Cov'o nodded. "Six cycles now and still she has not had her first hunt. I want to take her but her guardian denied me."



"Who is her guardian?"



"Cha, the younger sister of Me'na. She hunts for weeks and gives favor to her own offspring over mine. She is neglectful but not abusive. I could provide better."



Val'jek nodded in understanding. He had felt the same about Cov'o's handling. The female guardian was notorious as a fighter and hunter, but not for her skill. She was gruff and brutal. Me'na, by contrast, was skilled and well respected, but was known for taking up her sister's battles.



"You could challenge her for the offspring but her sister will claim the suckling."



Cov'o shook his head. "I do not wish to orphan more sucklings."



"It will take time and bartering. If you do claim the suckling, Cha's honor will be tarnished. She will fight to save her honor."



"It's possible then?"



"I do not know. When I return, we will find out," he chirped.



"If you do not return?" His offspring fidgeted again.



"Goad Me'na into a challenge. Best her with such a showing that her sister will know she cannot win. Perhaps she will value her life more than her honor." It was risky but the best way to attempt on Cov'o's own.



Cov'o nodded. "What shall I do while you are away?"



"Record Cha's short comings. Prove you are capable and bond with the suckling." Val'jek squeezed his shoulder. "Tell no one your intention. Do not let them prepare for your claim or there will be no hope."



"I will tell no one." Cov'o sagged.



"Understand you battle our society as a whole." He wanted to tell his pup everything would work out in his favor, but it would be a lie. Females have always raised the pups. Most males never gave offspring a second thought until they grew into blooded warriors.



"I understand. Thank you, Elder Val'jek." Cov'o bowed his head. "Give your mate my gratitude."



Val'jek hesitated and then hugged his offspring.



Cov'o paused, stiff in his embrace, then mimicked the gesture.



"You are welcome to come to me for aid, or share a meal. Amelia is not needed to convince me."



Cov'o nodded but said nothing.



Val'jek retreated, wishing his offspring truly believed his words.



#



He returned to his quarters to find his mate alone in their bed. Wordless, she watched him undress and join her.



"Are you all right?" She hugged him in greeting.



"I owe you an explanation." He created this mess and she deserved to know.



"Are you okay?" She pressed, touching his mandibles.



"I am heavy with my guilt."



"You don't have to tell me now. It can wait until you come back." Her voice was gentle. She rubbed his shoulder and cooed at him.



"I must." As painful as it was to bare his weaknesses, it was necessary.



"If you're sure." She was cautioning him.



"I do not know where to begin."



"At the start." Her delicate fingers traced the ridges down his face.



"I have always been strange, even as a suckling. I was more interested in science than hunting." His mandibles twitched, remembering the scrutiny and taunts from his unblood training class.



"That's not such a bad thing," his mate assured.



"I suppose it started here." He took her hand and dragged her palm over the scar down his chest. He had been displaying the mark proudly the day before. Now it was tainted with a touch of shame.



"Your scar." Her fingers brushed it, smoothing the healed wound.



"I was young, not yet an honored warrior, when I was charged with challenging a Bad Blood. He had murdered a female and her suckling. The suckling was mine so the duty fell to me."



She nodded. "You challenged him and won."



He had told her the story of the battle. It was his first Yautja trophy.



"I considered the challenge an opportunity to establish myself as skilled. After I took my trophy I saw the female's bearer." He rumbled, searching for the appropriate words. "She was stricken with grief for her offspring. She lashed out at me with her claws. Her reaction made me curious and I realized that I felt no grief."



He clicked, unsure his mate would understand when she was from such an emotional race. "I felt only distaste for the waste of life. I could not even recall the suckling I was avenging."



She said nothing but continued to touch him, offering a silent comfort.



"I wanted to feel a bond that evoked powerful emotions for myself. I sought out my offspring of all ages, but their bearers were reluctant to let me form an attachment. There was little I could do so I turned to studying other races where males bonded with their offspring."



"Like humans?"



"Yes, especially Oomans, but it was not enough. After many years, I became Elder and I was in a position to bargain with females."



"Bargain?" She raised a brow.



"I approached Ellika. She was a Priestess at the time, wise but timid with few fighting skill to take on other females. In secret, I offered to teach her combat skills if she would give me a suckling to keep."



"And that's how you got Cov'o?"



"Yes. We both held up our end of the bargain, for a time. I was able to explore the bond of parenting for many years, but then The High Priestess fell ill."



"And it was Ellika that took her place?"



"Replacing a High Priestess requires a vote of all Priestesses and Elders, but Ellika did not have the support of the Priestesses. They were suspicious of her when they discovered she was the one who gave me Cov'o." Thinking of the day still made him scrape his mandible tusks together in anger. "The votes became heated."



"How old was Cov'o?" She was frowning with her brows knitting together.



"Ten full cycles, but it is not the same as Ooman children." He clicked, for once not interested in the species differences.



She sat up. Surely she was not abandoning him now.



Alarmed by the prospect, his heart pounded in his chest.



"Shh," she murmured, splaying her hand on his head ridges.



He hadn't realized he was making a choked whining in his throat.



His mate moved closer and urged his arm out of her way. She laid along his side, throwing a leg over his hip. Propping her head up, she leaned in to kiss along his mandibles.



He relaxed, familiar with this position.



Small fingers caressed his ridges, dragging in a lulling rhythm. "I love you, no matter what."



"Bartering for offspring is a crime punishable by one hundred lashes." He didn't know why he said it, but it seemed necessary.



"So don't tell anyone." She placated him with a reassuring smile. Her fingers distracted him, moving lower beneath is jaw.



"She stole him from the nursery while I was voting in a meeting." His mandibles tightened with anguish. "I was voting for her. I argued for her. Not because of Cov'o but because I thought she was honest and wise."



"She betrayed you," Amelia supplied, her hand stilling. "You must have been angry."



"I was terrified when I could not find Cov'o, and the females refused to tell me what had happened. When I discovered the truth, I intended to kill her and flee with the pup."



"What stopped you?" She resumed her exploration with her fingers, dragging her blunt nails along his thick skin.



"She hid from me, then I was not permitted near her." He shifted restlessly. "When we finally spoke, I had come to my senses. I could not steal Cov'o's future by becoming a Bad Blood."



"I wouldn't blame you if you hated her." Hunching, she kissed his mandibles. "What she did to you both was cruel." Her voice pitched higher with her genuine empathy.



"I do not feel hate. Once, I cared for her but no longer. I know now that it was more than political gain that motivated her betrayal." It was no secret on the ship, but few placed the two scraps of knowledge together. "She could no longer bear sucklings and Cov'o had been her last. She cared for him well, though I could not see him for many cycles."



"Cov'o doesn't realize that, does he? He thinks you abandoned him."



"I realize that now. I never thought to discuss it with him and neither did Ellika, it seems. But I wonder how you knew his wants, with only a meeting, while I was unaware."



She sighed, tracing his tusks, and tilting her head as if in thought.



"Female intuition?" he asked. He had laughed the first time she explained that Ooman concept to him. While he could not prove the phenomenon with any scientific test, she had an uncanny ability to sense inconspicuous emotions.



"Perhaps because I am human," she offered quietly.



He stroked her fingers with his tusks, rumbling for her to continue.



"Mah'sic was the key. He is hurt and jealous that his mother is fond of Cov'o but not him. I think that's why they fight." She bit her lip and frowned down at him. "I was a little slow in making the connection, but it's not much of a leap to think the same could be said for Cov'o."



His brow lowered at the offensive implication. "I don't belittle Cov'o as Raina does to Mah'sic."



"That's not what I meant." Her thumb smoothed his brow with a firm stroke. "I mean Cov'o is jealous that Mah'sic has you, just as Mah'sic is jealous of Cov'o's female parent. They both were raised outside the norm and struggle with an emotional need for an absent parent. That's my guess anyway."



His sense of shame deepened. Val'jek had damaged his children with his unnatural want.



She looked down at him, her hair curtaining her face. "Val'jek, this is a sad story, but there is no shame in it."



Was that female intuition or was he that easy to read? He couldn't tell. "It is not finished." He looked away.



"Go on." Her encouragement was coupled with a soft voice and brush of her mouth.



"Ellika wanted forgiveness that I could not give." He rumbled, still struggling with the long ago betrayal. "She tried to barter for it. There was nothing I wanted until many years later."



Amelia nodded.



"She wanted an unpopular female to be a Priestess, but didn't want to alienate the Elders by ignoring a unanimous no vote. Ellika came to me with a deal. If I voted for the female, the female would give me a suckling to keep." He clicked. "I was weak and lonely."



"Priestess Raina?"



"I did not want her as a Priestess because she is much like a suckling in her politics, volatile and unreasonable. It was a bad choice, but I was weak. I wanted a suckling to fill the gap here." He pressed his fist to his chest. In those days there was a constant ache that no exams could record.



Her hand covered his fist, squeezing him firmly. "She was going to be a Priestess anyway though, right? Did it really matter if you got something out of it too?" She was trying to reassure him but as an Ooman, she could not understand the gravity of what he had done.



"Accepting bribes is a crime punishable by two hundred lashes, in addition to the hundred for bartering offspring. I would be demoted, possibly dishonored, if it is proven." His reputation would be tarnished forever but that was not the worst of it. "Ellika would have backed down with so many protests. Now, Raina will stand in the way of Cov'o's pursuit of his suckling."



"If she's fond of Cov'o, maybe she won't."



That alone couldn't forgive his actions. Priestess Raina was in a position of power, could one day become The High Priestess, because he had been weak. "She is spiteful against me and I will have to champion this cause before the council, not Cov'o. She fights against all my motions and suggestions. Few heeded her, but Cov'o's request will lend weight to her spite. Few will support him as is. If he loses, it will be my fault."



"You're jumping to far ahead. He has not lost yet." She hunched to kiss his mandibles again. "There is hope and time to work through the problem, but you cannot blame yourself. You didn't know this would happen."



He shook his head. "My want of sucklings is unnatural. If I had left my curiosity with my studies, Cov'o would not be faced with this hardship."



"You're right because he would not be alive, and neither would Mah'sic." She rubbed her cheek against his head ridge, her loose hair tickling his face. "I prefer them alive."



A weight eased from his chest as processed her logic. "I did not consider that."



"You should keep it in mind. To wish away your misdeeds is to wish away your children. Your actions are not so bad, from my human perspective." Her mouth touched a ridge along the crown of his forehead. "It is natural to want offspring. Every hunt and trophy is about creating life and then society denies you the fruits of your labors."



He could not wish away his offspring. Cov'o and Mah'sic were a part of him as much as Amelia. "You are correct in your Ooman wisdom."



She nodded with female superiority. "Of course I'm right. So enough of this sulking, you're too rational for it. You must speak with Mah'sic though."



He chirped, not understanding her meaning.



"He's almost as jealous as Cov'o. His mother publicly belittles him and wants nothing to do with him. You owe him an explanation. Help him understand that this is not his fault."



"When I return, I will make him understand."



"Tomorrow, before we leave." She narrowed her brows and frowned at him.



"Tomorrow." He rattled a huff, feeling like a scolded suckling.



"Good. Now that we have your horrible misdeeds out of the way," she smiled brightly, teasing him, "I have a present for you."



Val'jek wasn't certain he was ready to be merry, but he chirped for her anyway.



She climbed out of the bed and retrieved a small bundle from her storage unit, then hurried back to his side. She offered him a pleased grin, holding out her hand, presenting his gift in her palm. The bundle was small, wrapped in soft leather, and tied with a blue hair ribbon.



He was still uncertain of this gift giving custom. Yautja females only gave a gift to a male to signify a bond, then again during a mating ceremony. Usually it was a small offering from a kill and never again. Males gave many gifts from hunts, in hopes of mating, but Ooman females felt the need to continuously prove affection. He wanted her to understand that he knew she loved him.



Accepting the gift, he felt the solid weight and his curiosity peaked. Her gifts were often artistic, or intangible, since she did not risk a crowded bazaar alone.



"Open it." Her hands pressed his, urging him to do her bidding.



The ribbon untied easily and he set it aside. Unwrapping the leather, a round piece of metal gleamed in the dim light. The cool silver ring was small but made of quality metal. The front widened into what appeared to be a miniature replica of an Ooman skull. It grinned up at him with a set of fangs.



"Mah'sic helped me a lot by gathering the materials and running errands. The crafter had to cast the metal, but I made the design and sanded it down by hand. It's my first foray into metal work."



He trilled, looking at the decorative piece. The design was incongruent with true Ooman anatomy, but many times Amelia had assured him art was not science.



"It's for your middle finger. I measured the fit while you slept." She took the Ooman trinket and slid it on his middle finger. "Mah'sic says the metal is the strongest you have, and you won't have to worry about damaging it while hunting."



Chirping, he understood this gift now. She wanted him to carry her trinket with him, to remind him of her.



"You're quiet. Do you like it?"



"I am confused." He clicked his mandibles. "It's an Ooman skull, but you do not like it when I hunt your kind."



"It's not literal. It's sort of a human symbol for being a bad ass, a tough warrior." She stroked his finger around the skull. "And you don't have to kill anyone for it."



His chest puffed up and he rumbled a purr. His mate thought he was strong warrior. "I am honored to wear your trinket."



Her fingers twining with his claws, she smiled again. "Don't get me wrong. I really think Yautja should convert to symbolic trophies, but as a prey species can you blame me?"



"I love you."



"I love you too." She kissed him and coaxed him into a gentle mating.



He didn't want to leave her, but he would not be weak again. Honor and duty demanded he complete his mission. Heavy with his worry and his desire to remain, he held Amelia through the sleep cycle. His forgiving mate was a balm for his aches that no other could replace.



#



Thanks for reading!



Author's Notes:



Is Amelia feeling a little Mary Sue in this chapter? I can't tell, I think I'm too close to it on this one.



Many thanks to the reviewers, both the new and the familiar faces. I appreciate the time and effort after each chapter. It's late and I'm ready to curl up and pass out. Apologies for the short notes and thanks. BTW, good job to those of you who picked up on the impregnating business (don't worry, you'll get to see that one blow up later).



Thanks to the reviewers:



G: Thanks for the compliment and you got more!



moira hawthorne: Fun is good. :) Thanks for the repeated reviews. BTW, is there a story behind your name? I've been wondering about it.



SB Patterson: It took me a while to figure out how I could get wimpy Amelia to give her mate a challenge. I was rather pleased with her solution and I'm glad you were too. =P Thank you for the compliments and reviews.



Death God Dist: Yes, two thumbs up for the healing salve, otherwise mating two Yautja might get boring after a while. ;) Now that we have the Cov'o mystery out there, and semi-solved, I hope you are pleased with the twist. Next chapter we *finally* get to the Saracen ship, and more of Amelia's background. Almost forgot: thank you for all the reviews! :D



ichigokage: Raz'ha will get a bone soon, I promise. He will have her all to himself for a while. He's trying to be respectful at the moment for those pesky farewells. And I love classic predator. My husband has the action figure, but he has two left feet (literally, quality control issue with the manufacturer). I use him for Raz'ha inspiration. Thanks for the review! :)



torturequeen06: Thank you for the reviews and compliments. Sometimes I forget to tie in all my story lines, so it's good to hear it's working out for the last chapter. Hope you liked this chapter too. :)



Recordkeeper: Thank you for the reviews. :) Yes there was music. No there was no singing. Why? I'm a terrible, terrible writer when it comes to descriptions. There should be singing. They can form words, so they could sing. But again, I'm a terrible person / writer, so no singing is planned in this fic. Sorry. :( I hope the inter species erotica is enough to compensate for the lack of song.



I'm glad Amelia hasn't been called mary sue yet. I'm a little iffy that she might be venturing into that territory in chapter 12. She was a little too understanding, I think, maybe.



Recordkeeper (the sequel): All I have to say is: Good catch, and you'll have to wait for that one to blow up to get the clarified details.



Hale: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the story and like all the plot lines. Apologies for the long wait. :(