Fuzzies

= Chapter 16 - Honor =



Veriea awoke to the sound of a trilling giggle and something licking her face.



She groaned, inducing another bout of laughter. She rolled over and fell off the edge of her bed, dragging the sheets and the giggler over the edge as well. She winced as a squirming body, tangled in the blankets, landed heavily on her stomach, sending the air rushing out of her with a 'whoosh'. She yelped as two more bodies fly-tackled her.



“Alright! Alright! I'm up!” Veriea growled, half-heartedly swatting them away.



She froze as she heard deep chuckling nearby.



She hastily pulled the sheets from over her head, jumping to her feet and taking an offensive stance, thinking that Pe'ci'e'cha had returned. What she saw instead was Arbitrator Ker'e'aka looking over the scene with a mild amusement.



“Good morning. Young Tbi'e let me in. He didn't tell me you were still asleep though; I didn't mean to wake you.” He said, a mournful tone to his voice. It had only been two days since Kainde'a'ke'a's death.



“Um, that's alright. I should be up by now anyway. “ Veriea replied after a hastily head bow. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “I am sorry about Kainde'a'ke'a.” She added softly. The Arbitrator's eyes turned sad.



“As am I. It shames me that one of my own blood line could stray so far from the path of Honor; even more so that I had no idea of his intentions, despite being so close to him.”



“I am sorry for your losses, Arbitrator.” Veriea said, her eyes downcast.



“Please, do not use such formalities with me, young Ver'ei'a'ka'cha. Kainde'a'ke'a spoke of you often and thought very highly of you, even considered you as a daughter. As her Life Mate...widow...and considering what you have done for her – for our daughter – I consider you family also. Please, call me Ker'e.”



Veriea starred for a moment, stunned at what was being offered. She had expected anger. She had expected resentment. She had expected blame. But instead she had been handed the figurative olive branch. She bowed her head.



“I do not deserve such honor.” She whispered.



She heard a sigh and footsteps coming closer. A large hand forced her to look up into Ker'e'aka's amber eyes.



“Kainde'a'ke'a and Elder Ka'e'aka both told me that you were an unusually modest and shy one but I didn't believe him until now. For such a fierce warrior, who even Cetanu smiles upon, this humble demeanor is not very becoming of you. Why do you believe yourself so unworthy?”



“I fail to save her.”



There was no doubt who was being discussed.



“Because of you, I had the opportunity to say good by to Kainde'a'ke'a, to be secure in the knowledge that our child lives on and that the Bad Bloods who have taken her from me are dead. No other Yautja could have given me that; there is no need to fear you failed. You did all that was in your power to do and no one can blame you for that.”



“Then why does it still feel so terrible? I should be used to loss by now...but it still hurts. It never stops hurting.”



She was talking half to herself now and it was apparent to Ker'e'aka that this warrior, still barely more than a pup really, had suffered a loss such as this at least once before in her life. She was clearly distraught and he felt awkward, not used to dealing with females in this state, even as an Arbitrator.



What was upsetting her was not something he could conquer or remove to make things better; it was in her past, something he knew nothing about. So, as a father past and present, he did the only thing he could think of to comfort her, though he was slightly embarrassed as it was usually reserved for one's own offspring or mate.



He held her.



She stiffened immediately in his hold, still as a statue and for a moment he thought she might strike out at him. Then, all at once, she let herself go limp, leaning into him as if her life depended on his solid form being there. She trembled in his arms, not making a sound for a full minute.



Finally, Veriea pulled away, looking and felling very embarrassed.



“I'm sorry, Arbi-” Ker'e'aka gave a small growl, “-Ker'e, I forgot myself for a moment.” She fidgeted, getting the distinct impression that he knew she was only pretending to be ok. “Was there something you required of me?”



“Nothing more than your time. I believe you had a visit from the Ship Yard Director a day or so ago?” He asked, deciding to drop the issue for know.



“Yes.” Her slight growl was not lost on him.



“Then I believe these are yours.” He handed her a small bag and she looked inside. What she found were the 30 cred chips she had handed over to Pe'ci'e'cha.



“How?” Veriea looked up at the Arbitrator who wore a slightly smug grin.



“I happened to over hear the s'yuitde bragging about his 'skills' as a sales person in one of the local s'emp'ars and confiscated these from him. I believe your sire was giving him a thorough chewing out when I left them.”



“Thank you, these will make things easier for Tbi'e and I.”



“May I ask why you chose to give them up in the first place? It was no small amount.” Veriea looked him in the eyes.



“The other options available to me weren't acceptable. I wasn't going to fight him and put Tbi'e in danger and I wasn't going to give up my choice in mate.”



“He tried to coerce you to take him as a mate!” Ker'e'aka snarled.



“He seemed to think I could be bought.” Veriea clarified. “I only let him go intact because I wanted him out of my ship. Next time I meet him, he wont be so lucky.”



Nor when I next see him. The Arbitrator thought to himself. This was exactly the kind of corruption the Arbitrators tried to stomp out.



“He will be dealt with.” He said simply. “ I have been speaking with your Clan Elders and you Clan Leader; they believe that your recent services to the city deserve a reward.”



“I don't need anything in return. You've already returned my creds to me. I am content to simply continue my hunt and raise my child.” Veriea answered honestly.



Really, she preferred to be away from the home planet; away from those who would judge and belittle her.



“They want to make you an Honored Warrior.”



Veriea was speechless.



“An Honored? But – but I'm not even considered a Full Blooded Warrior yet; I haven't taken a mate.”



“It is not so much taking a mate that completes your initiation, it is contributing to the continuation of the race. They are male and female warriors who are unable to produce young, so they contribute by adopting orphans, like you have.”



They really wish to make me an Honored Warrior?” Veriea asked again, still stunned. Ker'e'aka chuckled.



“The ceremony will be held at noon tomorrow; come to the Hall of Archives on The Clan Ship. No awu'asa or weapons are allowed to be worn during the ceremony. You also need to provide a symbol by which you'd like to be known. As an Honored, you will be qualified to teach unbloods prior to their Chiva and can present them with your symbol, as well as that of their chosen Clan, on successful completion.”



The kits were playing on the bed behind her and as Ker'e'aka paused , she realized he would be able to see them if his hunting mask was on the correct vision mode.



“That's Dusk and Midnight. I found them in the jungle.” She explained.



“You found two Ch'pek't pups?” Ker'e'aka asked, stunned.



“Ch'pek't! They are Ch'pek't pups?”



“Well, they certainly look like miniatures of the Ch'pek't I have seen in my time.”



“But, they're the wrong colour...” Veriea mused, before remembering that yautja didn't really understand the concepts of colour, with their heat sensitive eye sight.



And then it started to make sense to her.



Only full grown Ch'pek't had been seen by the yautja. The pelts she had seen contained only light colours, primarily white; a colour that reflected heat and light. Which would make the animal light up like a Christmas tree in a yautja's vision.



But the kits and their mother both had extremely dark colouring. Colours that absorbed heat and light, rendering them effectively invisible to a yautja, unless they happened to be wearing their mask and had it in the correct vision mode needed to see them.



Given Ker'e'aka's observation, her theory made a lot of sense; many animals changed fur colour or even grew extra appendages in their maturity. The wonders of mother nature never ceased to amaze her. It also saddened her to realize that the kits mother must only have been a very young Ch'pek't, if her theory was true. She would not know for sure until Dusk and Midnight had matured themselves.



Ker'e'aka's chuckling broke Veriea from her thoughts.



“It seems you have disproved one of our myths, Veriea, and opened other mysteries to us. I would strongly suggest that you do not bring them outside until after the ceremony tomorrow, and that you mark them with your symbol. Some yautja might find the lure of such a novel pet – or trophy – too tempting if their carer is only a Young Blood. Good hunting to you, and I will see you tomorrow.”



He bowed his head in respect and let himself out, leaving Veriea to consider his words.



End Ch 16