Predator: A Hunter's Journey (ON HOLD)

Chapter 7 - Recovery

AN: Aaannnd, we're on to Chapter 7. Thank you so much for reading, everyone. Over 150 reads. I can't thank you guys enough! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Matt's POV

The first thing I notice when I begin to slowly regain consciousness is the pain. My stomach feels like it was torn out, diced and then unceremoniously thrown back into me. Not long after, I notice the smell of the room. This place smells like a hospital. It smells of disinfectant and whatever else they use in hospitals. The beeping comes next. Slow and rhythmic. Must be a heart monitor.

I open my eyes to see a gray, metal ceiling just like the one in the Matriarch's palace. I sit up, wincing in pain as the agonizing feeling in my stomach increases by a factor of ten. I blink trying to get my surroundings to come into focus. Against three of the walls are what I can only describe as pods. They look like a bed but with a glass lid on them. In the fourth wall is a door leading to who knows where. I must be in an infirmary, but not a human one. No, this a Yautja infirmary.  

As I sit on my pod, the door in the wall opposite me opens and an albino Yautja walks into the room. Spotting me sitting up, he hurries over to me and pulls something out from behind him. He holds it out in front of me, making me flinch. Eventually I open my eyes to see him looking intently at it. He spots me staring at him and his mandibles start to click rapidly. Something I presume must be their equivalent to laughter.

"Did you think I was going to kill you?" He asked after he calmed down.

"Y-yeah. I guess I wasn't expecting it." My voice is hoarse and my throat feels like sandpaper.

"Don't worry. I'm a healer. I'm forbidden to do harm to those under my care."

"So you're like one of our doctors?"

"Yes, I presume I am. Our methods are most likely different, though."

I sigh, lying back down onto the hard surface beneath me. Great, I've been on this planet less than a day and I've already nearly died once. How am I gonna survive out here on my own, possibly the only human on this whole planet. I look up at the Yautja staring down at me.

"Just give it to me straight, doc. How bad is it?"

"Doc? That isn't my name. I am Snow, and you will be fine. You lost a lot of blood and because we don't have any ooman blood, we had to let your body replenish it. That is why you were unconscious for so long. Your wound will heal but will leave a scar."

"Thanks man. Hey, how long was I out for?"

"About two ooman weeks so, one week here on Yautja Prime."

"Damn. And what about the guard I fought?"

"You killed him. In fact, The Matriarch wishes to speak to you about it."

Right on cue, the door opens and four royal guardsmen enter the room with the Matriarch entering behind them. Snow gets down on one knee and I give a quick salute to her. As she approaches, Snow stands and exits the room with the guards, leaving me and the Matriarch alone.

"What is your name, ooman?"

"Matthew Bowman, Honorable Matriarch"

"Most will have difficulty pronouncing your ooman name. From now on, you shall be addressed as nracha-dte. It means "relentless," for you do not give up easily, ooman.  It would seem that I was wrong about you. You shall be allowed to train for the upcoming Chiva. Do not disappoint me."

"Thank you, Honorable Matriarch. I won't disappoint you."

With a final nod, she leaves the room, leaving me with nothing but my pain and my thoughts.

Nearly a week later 

I'm beginning to get tired of sitting in this infirmary with nothing to do. Before I was almost killed, I hadn't had much of a chance to think about everything. Between getting abducted and the anxiety of meeting the matriarch, my mind was occupied. Now though, I have nothing to distract me from my thoughts. The thoughts of my dead team members and my family who are probably worried sick about me.

The physical pain from my stab wound is going away but it's just being replaced by emotional pain. I've become more irritable and less chatty in the past week. I even snapped at Snow yesterday. I'm eating less and I can see myself losing muscle by the day. The grief is starting to affect me.

I keep thinking to myself, "Why did it have to be me? Why did they have to spare me?" I don't understand. Why couldn't they have just killed me and made everything easier? It's unfair on me, unfair on the rest of my squad and it's unfair on my family and friends.

Eventually, I am healed enough to convince Snow to allow me to leave. He agrees, on the condition that I don't do anything too strenuous for another week or so. I'm still not in the best place, mentally, but getting to leave will definitely help.

I sit by the door, waiting for Skull to collect me. The door opens and I whip my head around to see who it is. It's not Skull. Judging by his looks, this must be one of the Matriarch's Elite Royal Guards. These guys are the real deal. They get the best equipment, the best living conditions and everything they could want. The guard spots me and approaches.

"Nracha-dte?"

"Yes? Who are you"

"That does not matter. I've been sent to collect you."

"What about Skull?"

"He could not be here. Now, come."

I stand up from my seat and follow the guard out of the infirmary into the strangely familiar corridors. Of course! I must've been in the Palace infirmary. That's why they look familiar. That means that Snow must be The Matriarch's personal doctor.

We reach a room near to the main entrance of the Palace and the guard stops outside. He opens the door and stands inside to reveal a decently sized room. It was modestly decorated but still looked comfortable enough. In the center of the room on the far wall, stood a huge bed covered in furs. I follow him in and look around.

On the wall to the left was another door that I think leads to a bathroom. On the wall to the right was a bunch of shelves for personal artifacts. From what I've heard of the Yautja from Skull, they don't really value material things other than their armor, weapons and hunting trophies.

"These will be your accommodations for the time being. The door is linked to your biometric data so only you and the guards will be able to open the door."

"Thank you. I appreciate this."

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

With that, he exits the room, once again leaving me alone. I've started to get used to the feeling of loneliness ever since I joined the military. It used to scare me but now, now it feels comforting.

Exhausted from everything that's happened so far, I flop down onto the bed and lie there. I wonder what will happen next. I feel my eyelids get heavy as I slowly begin to fall asleep, too tired to even dream.