Tah'kath was told as a pup that the eyes were a doorway leading to the soul. While responding to a kiande-amedha (xenomorph) attack on a human farming settlement, Tah'kath finds a surviving child whose eyes seem to hold the stars themselves. Against...
"Mother, I don't understand. Why must I go to training if this is happening? Everyone will know, and it hurts so much..!"
"Dahdtoudi, you cannot simply stay home from training because you have come into your first heat. From what I have read, pyode-amedha come into heat approximately once every thirty solar rotations, and it will last for approximately seven solar rotations. You will never make it to chiva if you do such a thing." Dahdtoudi sighed in frustration as she lay on her side and curled into herself, tucking her knees into her chest. I will make something to help with the pain, but you must go to training, is that clear?"
"Yes, mother." The pre-teen couldn't understand why her heat must be so much different compared to that of every other female on her planet. All that happened to them was they began to smell different than usual and became more aggressive. Her? No, she was a train wreck. Her hormones were elevated beyond a point of self-control, her mood fluctuated before anyone had a chance to prepare, she had hot-flashes, her head pounded, her back ached, her womb felt as though it were tearing itself to shreds inside of her, and to top it all off she was bleeding from a place she was convinced no one should ever bleed from, and it was so much she was sure she would die long before this misery ended. Even she could smell the scent of iron, so she knew everyone within 300 feet of her would be able to smell it as well.
Nevertheless, her mother insisted she would not die. She wasn't fond of her mood swings and eagerness to pick a fight with Zaiyu at the slightest amount of teasing or disagreement, but she knew it would pass. The girl couldn't control what was happening to her body. They would just have to wait it out and try to keep her satiated with various proteins and sweets As that seemed to be the only thing that curbed her anger. ———————————————————————— The end of the day arrived and Dahdtoudi finally entered the dwelling, mask in hand, and malice clear in her expression. If looks could kill, Daih'kea could only imagine how many young bloods would have suffered her wrath that day. The familiar metallic scent filled the air, and Dahdtoudi waited for Zaiyu to enter the gathering area behind her.
Daih'kea approached the two young bloods and waited to hear whatever news they had for her. "Dahdtoudi had some trouble today, mother." She cast her brother a look of hatred and betrayal; yet another victim of her death gaze. "Do you want to tell her or should I?" Dahdtoudi said nothing, only folded her arms protectively over her chest and stared at the floor. Zaiyu let out a frustrated breath before removing his weapons and stepping toward his quarters. "One of the larger females decided it would be fun to pin her in the bathing area and smear Dahdtoudi's face with her own blood."
Daih'kea's amber eyes widened in surprise, she had been expecting a number of things to leave her son's mouth, but that was definitely not one of them. "Paya...Dahdtoudi, is this true..?" Again the girl said nothing as she kept her eyes lowered, but Zaiyu continued.
"It gets better. Dahdtoudi thought it wise to run a dagger through the female's hand, managed to get away from her, but then stood over her head and let her blood drip down onto the female's face."
Daih'kea couldn't even think. All she could do was speak, but she couldn't control her words. "Dahdtoudi, what the pauk?!" ————————————————————————
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T'ahrou stared intently at Dahdtoudi's motionless body as she floated in the healing tank. Sensors were strapped to her in several areas to monitor mental, respiratory, and pulmonary functions. The primary concerns at this point were respiratory and mental functions because her lungs had been so full of water, and having gone several minutes without oxygen could lead to brain damage.
He had become immensely relieved that he had patched in her gauntlets vital readings to his own by hacking into it with her mask; at one point he considered severing the link, but he simply never got around to it. Now he was glad he'd procrastinated for so long.
"How will you explain this to the council?" T'ahrou was pulled from his thoughts as A'ytu questioned the Elder. "Regardless of the fact that she is your offspring, blood or not, he killed a clan member."
"He intervened in an attempted assassination of a clan member." The Elder's correcting tone only irritated A'ytu further.
"By killing Ochei..!"
"What would you have him do, A'ytu? Would you have him let the rogue go free? She may not have our blood in her veins, but she is Yautja. She will be blooded soon. Ochei went rogue, and T'ahrou only carried out the same judgement that an Enforcer would have."
"But he is no Enforcer!"
"Where exactly do your loyalties lie, healer?" A'ytu was silent now, careful to process his friend's words. "You have known and cared for Dahdtoudi since she was a pup. Ochei tried to take her life, and you are standing here over her unconscious body telling me that T'ahrou was in the wrong for saving her!"
"You know that is not what I am saying. I only meant that he could have gone about it in a better way..!"
"Ochei attacked him as well! Do you see the wound on his chest? From his shoulder to his abdomen! He defended himself! Not to forget that he is the only reason any of us knew something was happening to begin with!"
Senseless arguing, he thought, hurry and heal so you can prove yourself to these fools in the chiva. They will have no choice but to accept you into our ranks then.
