Disclaimer: I have no claims whatsoever on any of the predator movies. So do not sue for no money gains here.

Chapter Sixteen

Alpha follows Elder Scqn'e and Quenti to a group of mutated looking weeping willows where the elders are able to sit down on a root formation. Once seated, Elder Quenti with a stern look portraying the years of fighting asks,"You had the ooman. All you needed to do was flick your wrist. Why did you not finish her off? You know the rules of the challenge."

"I want a quick death," Alpha answers as he watches Tish hobble off.

"Who is planning to kill you?" Elder Scqn'e asks. "If I can not have the ooman, no one can."

"The ooman belongs to Za'Ruc for he earned the right during the hunt. Once he finds out what we did to his property, he will act accordingly. My death is guaranteed. Your fate is undetermined," Alpha explains as he straighten up looking into the weasel eyes of Elder Scqn'e.

"He would not dare kill one of us over an ooman," Elder Quenti exclaims not believing Alpha.

"It is not like she will survive long. Oomans are weak and unable to handle the heat. I forbid it!" Elder Scqn'e yells as he jumps to his feet with rage trembling his body.

"You can forbid all you want. Za'Ruc only does what he wants to do. We can not afford to make him mad. If you have not noticed yet, the ooman is no ordinary ooman," Alpha counters.

"So you thought keeping her alive will solve the problem? He is accountable to the council," Elder Quenti reminds Alpha of the warrior's position in society.

Alpha with pride in his voice of Za'Ruc's abilities announces, "You forget that he can kill us all without any of us knowing it. Why do you think he is such a great hunter? He is here because he wishes it. He has no loyalty to us. He has no fear of us."

Alpha bows his head in respect toward his Elders before he leaves. As Alpha turns to leave, he has to ball up his fists in order not to turn around again. He steadily storms off muttering to himself over what he heard upon his departure. He needs to say his good-byes so he heads to Poe's place. Most of all, he needs to know if Tish lives.

Elder Scqn'e watches Alpha leave shaking his head at what he has just been told. He turns to Quenti and inquires, "You are not taking what Alpha said seriously? All we have to do is send for his sire. He can handle him, right."

"I think we will have enough trouble with Za'Ruc. I do not think we should have to deal with Xuenjti also," Elder Quenti muses as he leans back up against the trunk of the tree. Who will cause more havoc-Za'Ruc or Xuenjti.

"What do you suggest we do," Elder Scqn'e questions.

"Find out how important this ooman is to Za'Ruc," Elder Quenti declares. He motions to a nearby Yautja to come to him. As soon as he comes, the elder orders him to find out all he can about the ooman.

Alpha is unable to see Poe for he is not there. Alpha is not brave enough to go to Za'Ruc's to see if Poe is there. So he will just have to deal with not knowing until he sees Za'Ruc.

Once Za'Ruc is sure that Tish is resting, he heads toward the secluded glen in the jungle. He knows that is where Alpha will be waiting.

Alpha walks to the glen with dread weighing down his shoulders. Upon entering he looks around one last time. It is not that large of an area when you think about it. A size of a normal training room. It is surrounded by thick timbers covered by a vast variety of ferns. His favorite is the spider web ferns. The incredible part of this glen is the canopy covering it. It is not too dense that it blocks out all light, but dense enough not to let the rain interrupt any training sessions. It saddens Alpha to know that there will be no more training for him. His hopes of being just as good as Za'Ruc are now crushed.

Alpha observes Za'Ruc entering the glen and it is like seeing him for the first time ever. Za'Ruc stands just over seven feet tall having a light tan coloring mottled with black spots. His brownish black dreadlocks reach the middle of his back and weighing around two hundred and fifty pounds of solid bulk with no fat on him. One look into his eyes of yellow tells you mess with me and die. Za'Ruc's walk does not give away his emotions which is a good trait to have. He is not carrying any weapons. That means it will be hand to hand combat. Pauk! At least with weapons there would be a sporting chance. It must be worse than I thought, Alpha muses.

Accepting the worse Alpha inquires as Za'Ruc approaches, "How is Tish doing?"

"Fortunately and no thanks to you, she lives. How could you do that to her? She was not ready to face them," Za'Ruc gives a short bark with his mandibles flared and his arms open wide.

"I had to obey Elder Quenti. I am not like you. My upbringing demands my respect for them. You must know that I would not let them kill her. She had to prove her worth. Just being yours was not working on Elder Scqn'e," Alpha explains as he assumes the fighting stance.

"You should have been her challenger, not oppose her. Did I not grant you the challenge, once I was sure she could handle our climate," Za'Ruc remarks giving Alpha a shove on the shoulder.

"They would not let her have one. Omega tried, but there was no time. Elder Scqn'e wanted blood. He wants to get to you through Tish. He figures you will buckle if Tish dies," Alpha acknowledge with a shove and a roar.

"Elder Scqn'e can challenge me all he wants. The end results will be the same, his death. No one takes what is mine without suffering the consequences. Have they forgotten that I do not play by their rules," Za'Ruc counters with a punch to Alpha's face.

"You knew this would happen when you made her your living trophy," Alpha mentions with a punch to Za'Ruc's midsection.

"That is why you were to protect her when I can not. We talked about this on the ship remember," Za'Ruc demands with a back hand to the face.

Thus sets the pace. Each of them taking turns, blow for blow, punch for punch. Alpha was afraid this was going to be a slow, painful death. He knows he deserves no less.

Omega and Poe quietly enter the glen to watch their two friends fight it out. They both look at each opponents to assess each for damages. The duo are sporting several bruises, cuts, and abrasions. Poe realizes that thus far Za'Ruc has been toying with Alpha and that soon the real damage will start to happen.

Za'Ruc arches his back and flares his mandibles before charging toward Alpha hitting head on in the solar plexus knocking them both on the ground. They roll, but Za'Ruc stays on top. He raises up enough in order to punch Alpha several times in the face. Za'Ruc manages to break several of Alpha's mandibles. Alpha manages to shove Za'Ruc off himself and stands to face his opponent. Alpha gets a kick to Za'Ruc's chest as he stands up. Alpha tries to do another kick, but Za'Ruc catches Alpha's leg in mid-kick and he twists it until it breaks. Alpha makes one last charge toward Za'Ruc who easily grabs Alpha in a headlock and snaps his neck. Za'Ruc grants Alpha is quick Thei-de.

Za'Ruc lowers Alpha's body to the ground and bows his head, mourning the death of his friend. Poe and Omega join Za'Ruc by their friend as well.

"It is over. We will take care of Alpha's body. You need to go home and see to Tish. You both have fulfilled your honor debts. It is time to move on," Poe claims to Za'Ruc placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We need to talk later about what is to transpire with the Elders," Za'Ruc sadly states.

As Poe and Omega take care of Alpha's remains by giving him a funeral pyre send off, Za'Ruc heads home with a heavy heart.

A dark cloud has fallen over the glen as if to reflect the mood among the men. The ground seems to soak up the blood as if to cleanse the area.

Poe and Omega head toward Elder Guaxlec so that they can meet at Za'Ruc's place later. They need to let him know about Alpha.

Tish wakes up once while Za'Ruc is gone. He was so considerate by opening the windows so that a gentle breeze with a scent of flora can enter the room. She knows that he and Alpha are meeting each other for the last time. She hopes that Alpha does not suffer much. Tish lays back down and tries to go back to sleep. She does not want to think too much about what is happening.

Za'Ruc goes straight to the bathing room to clean up. He refuses to see Tish while he is covered in Alpha's blood. It is bad enough that he is gone, but to have her feel responsible is out of the question.

After cleaning himself up, Za'Ruc stops in midstep to look upon Tish. She is such a vision just laying there curled up in fetal position wrapped around in the furs. Za'Ruc crawls onto the platform. He slowly pulls Tish up against him so as not to hurt her. He needs the comfort of her body to ease the tension from his body. To his surprise Tish grabs his wrist with her good arm and brings it up to her mouth and kisses it. So much strength in such a small hand amazes him to a point that he worries that his large size might hurt her smaller frame. She continues to hold his arm up against her chest. She is not sure how much comfort she is allowed to give him without offending him. There is so much she needs to learn about his culture.

Once the shock of what she has done wears off, Za'Ruc just starts to purr for her. Never before has anyone tried to comfort him. This is such a strange feeling. Many times he has mated with other females and he has never had the urge to return to the same female twice. Then this slip of a female-an ooman one at that-comes along and that is all he wants to do. He wants to return to her at the end of each day or hunt.

This promotes a problem for it is not wise to have a weakness. The enemy will use it against you if they get the chance. He has to think clearly when it comes to Tish. He has to protect her, but at the same time make sure that no one thinks she is more than his property. He has to make sure that he treats her just as anyone else treats their aseigan.

"What is troubling you? It is not Alpha, is it? I am sorry about that," Tish asks when she feels Za'Ruc tense up.

"I thought you were still asleep," Za'Ruc says.

"No, I am up and now answer the question," Tish insists rolling over.

"Ooman, you do not tell me what to do," Za'Ruc barks as he rolls onto his back.

"True. But I am concerned. Can you tell me anything at all," Tish speaks shyly.

"It is not your concern to question," Za'Ruc tells trying to keep space between them.

"It is my fault that you had to kill one of your friends today. I also know that this is not the end of it. I will always be at fault for one thing or another. I should just turn myself over to that Elder and be done with it," Tish states as she sits up on the platform and throws her legs over the edge fighting off the nauseous feeling.

"No! You will not do that. I forbid it. You are my aseigan and that is how you will stay. You do as I say and no one else can tell you any different," Za'Ruc commands as he grabs her arm.

Tish turns around to face him. She sees the determination in his eyes and she realizes that there is more here than meets the eye.

"Za'Ruc, I know that I am your weakness. For that alone I can cause you a lot of problems. I ask you now that if it comes down to your ways or me; I want you to choose your ways," Tish replies calmly and clearly.

"Why do you think that," Za'Ruc mentions.

"It is common practice to know your enemies weakness so that you can base your attack on it," Tish informs him.

"What gives you the idea that you are my weakness," Za'Ruc counters.

"Easy. They got Alpha to get me while you were busy. Alpha did not kill me like they wanted. You killed Alpha because he let you down. You have never had an aseigan before. You are not yourself since meeting me correct," Tish throws at him.

"No. I am not doing what is normal for me. True I have never had an aseigan before. That does not mean that I can not have you and continue my ways," Za'Ruc proposes.

"You can continue your ways. All I am saying is that do not let my safety cloud your judgment. I am not worth compromising your principles. Treat me as you would a pet. That way they can not hurt you through me," Tish cites.

"I will treat you like an aseigan outside of this shelter, but inside I will treat you anyway I wish. That means when you are outside, you can not defend yourself against anyone. You must take whatever they do to you. That means you can not look at them in the face ever. You speak only when asked to," Za'Ruc instructs.

Before Tish can say anything else, there is a knock on the door. Za'Ruc goes to answer it. Tish falls back onto the platform dizzy.

Poe, Omega and Elder Guaxlec are standing at the door. Za'Ruc shows them in and they all take a seat.

"I am sorry about Alpha. I know he was a good friend. About the council," Elder Guaxlec starts to say.

"That is alright. The council did it on purpose in order to get me away. It worked somewhat to their favor. I called you all here for one reason and one reason only. Tish," Za'Ruc interrupts.