AVP: The Intruder

Chapter 7

I hissed, growling in fury. Shaftin stiffened.

"Sorry!" she said. I curled my lip growling. This was getting ridiculous. I lashed my tail.

"Do you know what Mother wants?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Oh and thanks, for uh, cleaning my den and the deer." I said awkwardly. She nodded, waves of embarrassment flowing off her.

"Well, I wanted to apologize." she murmured. I nodded stiffly. We settled in the tunnel entrance where we could watch from above. Finally Mother started, but it was just about stepping up patrols around the humans. I sighed and Shaftin yawned. I wondered why I hadn't moved from here yet. I didn't like Shaftin, but I wasn't moving. I suddenly felt amusement from below us. Peering over the edge, I spotted Jaken looking up at us. His lips were peeled back in a grin and he was shaking with silent laughter. I paused, and then froze baring my teeth. He laughed in my mind and I snarled.

"You're dead! So freakin dead!" I hissed in fury. Jaken just shook his head grinning. I unsheathed my claws. Shaftin looked at me curiously. I shook my head. Jaken was going to pay. Once the meeting was over, I lunged at him, screeching. He leaped at me and we tussled. Everyone else was watching us in confusion. I bared my teeth at Jaken. He snickered.

"What are you two doing!?" exclaimed Mother. I hissed, shaking my head and bounded away. Behind me I heard Jaken laughing. Pacing my den I growled. That insolent wretch thought I liked Shaftin? How dare he! I didn't like her. The only reason I sat there was because it was too crowded down on the floor. Six poked his head in.

"Hey." he said. I just growled.

"So what was that all about?" he asked. I curled my lip.

"Jaken thinks I like Shaftin because I was sitting next to her at the meeting!" I spat. Six started laughing. I hissed in anger.

"Not you too!" I wailed. Six chuckled, tail twitching.

"Sorry, the idea is just too comical." he purred. I bared my teeth; if I had eyes I would be glaring at him. Six grinned and bounded out. That night, I paced my den anxiously. Shaftin had barely hatched and already causing trouble. It wasn't right. A low hiss sounded at the entrance.

"Fastclaw?" Ribhead poked her head in. I looked up.

"Hey Ribhead, what's up?" I asked. She slid into the den.

"I heard what Jaken and Six said to you." My face grew hot and I turned away, twitching my tail. (Can xenomorphs blush?) Ribhead purred and nudged me.

"Don't let them get to you, you're my best friend and they don't tease us." she said. I snorted.

"Well that's because you would beat the crap out of them if they did." I said chuckling. She nodded grinning. Yawning, I curled up onto my pelts as Ribhead left. I had a lot to think about.

The next few days, I avoided Jaken. I was mad. Ale'con and Jaken told me I was overacting. I didn't care, Jaken was being annoying. I spent my time away from Shaftin and Jaken. I would forgive him, though I always did. He knew that. I couldn't help it. We had been friends since we were born. I sighed. I was outside in the woods hunting. I wasn't having much luck, not unlike the others. So far, between us we had caught a small pig, two or three ferrets and a squirrel.

"Where is all the big game?" hissed Six. Gillian shrugged. I paced impatiently. Mother wouldn't be happy if we came home with barely enough food for a chestburster. Sighing, I turned to them.

"We can't go home until we catch more." I growled. Six bared his teeth.

"Who died and made you patrol leader?" he hissed. I arched my back. We were cold, tired and wet. All I wanted was to go and curl up in my nest and listen to the sounds of the Hive at night; patrols going out, Mothers voice sliding through our heads as she told stories to the chestbursters and young Xenos. We all listened, Mother didn't mind. But right now, we needed more food, or else we would be in trouble tomorrow. I headed away from the others, moving deeper into the woods. Sniffing the air, I finally located a faint deer scent and quickly moved following it. I called the others and we quickly located the deer. Rather, two deer. I quickly leaped on one clawing it with my tail and teeth, snarling. Gillian and Six took down the other. Happily we finally turned and ran home. I dropped the deer at Mothers feet.

"I apologize for the small amount of prey, it was scarce." I explained. Mother nodded and sniffed the deer. She nudged a squirrel at me.

"Go, eat and rest." she said. I dipped my head. I decided to go visit Six. We shared the squirrel and chitchatted about this and that. When I was done, I yawned and headed to my nest to sleep. I was tired.