Author claims no rights to Predator/Aliens or any affiliated licenses. Thanks to all those that have patiently waited for an update. I know I have been sporadic at best, but your support is greatly appreciated!

Rated T, subject to go up.

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Silence crept between the pair while Gk'yaun removed his bio-mask from the clip on his armor. He placed it back on, noting every change in her temperature and the newest saturation of Ooman hormones, indicating both stress and small amounts of Adrenaline coursing through her circulatory system.

His mind returned to her odd Ooman gesture, this... 'hug'. As her strange eyes watched him closely, he considered that the term sounded strong. Stronger than this 'care'.

Gk'yaun had witnessed such a display between Oomans. Wrapping their thinner appendages around one another. This did convey... care according to the Ooman Kathy. However, he had also witnessed, first hand, its uses in combat as Oomans wrestled creatures larger or more ferocious than themselves. Or when they engaged in combat with one another. Therefore his comment had been wholly warranted, as the customs of the Oomans was not something he was intimately familiar with.

There was no true Yaujta equivalent to 'Care'. So he pondered the various uses of the word and how it might relate to him in some manner. Oomans were an interesting and highly confounding lot. It was part of the reason they had earned some respect amongst the old hunters, such as himself. They were more than they originally appeared to be. The Ooman Kathy, in his observation, was no different.

Though, certainly, not for her combat prowess. Oomans were not strong in a traditional sense, however, their swiftness of mind did make them worthy Prey.

When they had been Prey, he granted, now it was strictly forbidden.

However, the scans from his bio-mask indicated that the Ooman suffered no ill-effects from her assertion of 'Care'. This word, though translated to the best of his ability and even with the aid of technology, did not provide a clear understanding of what the Ooman wanted. He clicked his mandibles slightly, the broken jawline of his one mangled part ached minutely with the change in pressure in the living quarters. it was more suited for Ooman needs, given this one's honored status. The Ooman Kathy appeared not to notice that more oxygen was being diverted into the still air for her comfort. It would require Gk'yaun to don his mask more often.

Choosing not to create an opportunity for a miscommunication to cause the Ooman discomfort, Gk'yaun settled for the tilting his head slightly in acknowledgement of what she had said.

It appeared to be the correct choice as her strange Ooman mouth twitched upward. This was Ooman 'smiling', he knew from his previous interactions.

Was he, in turn, expected to reciprocate the gesture? It was common for warriors of all clans to share C'ntlip. To not partake could easily be considered an insult, unless the warrior was readying for a hunt or for moving from the status of youngblood into blooded.

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The wait, Kathy thinks, is a rather cruel thing. In silence, where no answers lay but only time, it causes her heart to pound painfully. The ache that mixes all too easily with shame, as it spread through her chest. Had it been the wrong thing to say? Had it been correct? She had no way of knowing. The urge to fidget made the hair on her arms stand on end as she forced it down.

Everything she'd accepted and everything she had rejected of her new life or her old, hung in the balance as his dark gaze stared at her. They were... literally from two separate worlds. It was not hard to over think this moment, or to judge it all incorrectly. It was humbling, terrifying, and a tad exhilarating. If she were wholly honest. And, she was desperately trying to be. However, parts of her human nature were inclined to hide. The parts that had kept her alive so far, and for the most part...intact. If she could be classified as 'intact'. She had fractured and come back, only to fracture again, until she was unsure if she was where or who she used to be.

But those thoughts lead to a path of madness that she was loathe to truly tread.

She blinked, drawing a ragged breath as she waited for him to say something. Anything. Some sort of click, hiss, rumble, or hell a whinny if it meant acknowledgement of her tender -and dare she say easily trampled- feelings.

Did she mentioned the easily trampled part? Because she felt pretty involved with everything so far, and if she somehow managed to get the alien equivalent of a 'friend-zone' speech, she might just lose what was left of her sanity.

That is, if the Yuajta even had 'friend -zone' speeches. Her mind suddenly conjured the image of what that would be like. When paired with the intimidating figure of the large Predator, and the smaller Predators, it quickly became something out of a horror film. The urge to laugh, caused a startled grunt combined with a growl to emerge from her throat.

It also caused Gk'yaun to shift away from her slightly. She could sense his change in stance, and Kathy froze in turn. Her eyes watched him, with mild concern. Was that... had that been something in his language?

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To Gk'yaun, it seemed as if his choice were in error.

It was never wise to anger a female. Of any species. His observations of such events never ended well for any male. Amongst his kind, provoking a female was akin to asking for the great God Cenatu to take you from existence.

Though the noise she emitted was not nearly as alarming as a female Yaujta's it was still the cautious side of his warrior Nature that had him square his body, ready for any assault that potentially might occur. Though the Ooman had not proven vicious nor dangerous before, it would only be a fool who lowered their guard near one. He had heard of her cunning, and seen Ooman warriors before.

However, his honor is bound in serving her, so even if she were to come at him with all her might, he already knew that he could withstand her blows. He would not touch her in any way, as it would be considered dishonorable to his already stained honor to do so. Having so recently been gifted the rarest chance at redemption, nothing would sway him from her side. Only death itself would pull the warrior from his rightful place of restoring what had been stolen from her... and the other Oomans, as well. Though his vow only extended, in truth, to the female before him.

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She blinked, feeling that this tender moment had quickly dwindled into something, somehow, more awkward than her first date at thirteen years old, where the boy had left halfway through the movie. It had been almost over by the time she'd noticed.

Yes, it was actually more awkward than that.

She cleared her throat, shuffling on her feet for a moment, as she downcast her eyes. An almost wince appeared on her face, and a mockery of a calm smile.

"You... um... you okay?"

Kathy titled her head, as she watched him carefully, her heart pounding slightly in her chest. She could feel the fingers on her left hand twitch. Her traitorous thoughts swirled, making her want to tap her foot in impatience at the same time that she didn't really want to move. It was like watching a slow-moving train wreck, fly off the rails, barrel down the way, hit a cow, and somehow, manage to get mud all over her face.

Honestly, it had never occurred to her, silly human that she was -when aliens hadn't even existed... a long while ago-, that she might be staring in her very own moment of 'How to Woo a Yaujta.'

She squeezed her eyes shut, to the point of bright flashes of light and pain, as she grit her teeth.

"I am without injury,' Gk'yaun replied in his rasping voice, with its familiar 'popping' sounds from his wounded mandible.

Kathy bit her lip, as she dug further into her tender feelings and exposed them once more to a creature she was sincerely hoping understood the subtle nuances of the delicate human psyche. However, she did notice that he wasn't appearing horribly offended, and that meant she hadn't inadvertently called his mother a whore. Which was a huge bonus in her book at the moment. Except that this moment cancelled that one out and minus an additional hundred points.

Gingerly, she opened her eyes, and noticed that he was still there, in this darkened room... on an alien ship... posed as he normally was. She let out a puff of air, as what remained of her ego deflated, marginally.

"Glad to hear it." She muttered, not feeling exactly charitable at the moment. Perhaps the fear, the hunger, and the overwhelming sense of impudent rage was effecting her more than she realized. Dejectedly, she turned her gaze away. The painful pin-pricks of tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

"Where do I sleep?" She asked quietly.

He clicked his mandibles, as his injured leg jerkily moved, as he turned. He gestured to a platform on the other wall. He appeared completely unchanged by her soul-baring confession. And, part of her, wished she could be angry at him for it. Or to hate him, before it was squashed by a deep sense of guilt and mild self-loathing. Of course he wouldn't get it. What had she been thinking? He wasn't... like her. Gk'yaun wasn't human and she was completely deluding herself to think otherwise.

She moved slowly toward the bed, and with very little grace, plopped her body down upon it. She gazed with disinterest at the metal walls, and the dim surroundings. Kathy already knew she would hardly sleep a wink here, even though she suddenly felt a bone-deep weariness. The predators were all around her, and she knew that all too well.

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What she did not account for, was the sense of easy boredom that could only be achieved around her scarred protector. Kathy sighed. A lot. She sighed as she turned over. She sighed as she stared at the ceiling. She sighed as twisted her body around in different ways to get comfortable.

"Is the accommodation not to your satisfaction?"

The low rumbling voice, nearly caused her to jump out of her skin. He had been silent for so long, that she had nearly forgotten about him, between her discomfort and her brain viciously reminding her what a fool she was.

"I'm fine," Kathy replied stoically, as she rolled to her other side, to stare at the barren wall.

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He scanned her with his bio-mask for the twelfth time in the current cycle, to be certain that the Ooman was at optimal health. Aside from some changes in her hormones, she appeared to be unharmed in any way. The silence did not bother the warrior in the slightest. He was used to such a thing, and had found a simple pleasure in it for many cycles now.

The warrior settled back at his post, waiting for the lull of the night activities of his clan ship to bring the memories of his in-blooded days. When he had prepared for his Chiva with vigor and pride, which were so often wasted on the young. However, despite his dishonorable choice, they belonged to him, those memories. The victories he had claimed with appendage, blade, and cunning.

"Gk;yaun," the strange flat tone of the Ooman Kathy cut through the silence once more.

"I am here." He replied, ready to serve her in any way she needed.

"How..." She started, then stopped for several of her Ooman heartbeats. He waited patiently, he had observed that Ooman's often spoke their thoughts.

He was not disappointed.

"How do Yuajta..," She trailed off again.

He clicked his mandibles, and nearly chuffed in amusement. This was an odd behavior, and one more suited to one much younger. It was enjoyable, to find such-

"Mate?"

The warrior's gaze honed in on the back of her Ooman head, as his mandible slackened slightly. Was the Ooman indicating further interest, aside from her repeated touching of his skin?