19

As the week of mating season came to an end, things in the clan went back to normal. Hunters resumed leaving the planet, and clan life continued like all the adults hadn't just spent a week fucking each other.

I sat in the living area eating lunch that particular day, when Makane came in. He'd been with the Council all morning and set his armour down. I looked up from my food, and he looked back at me.

"Hey, how was your meeting?" I asked. He grunted and shook his dreads before coming and sitting beside me.

"It was tense." he replied simply, and accepted the half a sandwich I offered him. "What is this?"

"Sandwich, chicken and bacon. Why was the meeting tense? Is everything okay in the clan?"

Makane took a bite of the sandwich and clicked approvingly at the taste. It was different to the food he was used to, but it seemed some Earth meals were nicer than he expected.

"We have trouble with other clans." he said. I was intrigued now, I knew there were other clans on the planet but nobody had told me much about them.

"What is the problem?" I asked.

"Some yautja do now follow the Honour codes we uphold. They think of themselves as superior." Makane replied, leaning back with a huff.

"Like they kill other yautja?"

He nodded and stood up, expecting me to follow. We walked down the hall to his trophy room where he went into a chest and pulled out a large map.

"They kill yautja, and choose unequal opponents for the easy kill. It is dishonourable and shameful. They are the sort to kill the young of any species with no mercy." he explained as he spread the map out on the table. It was a map of Yautja Prime, similar to an Earth world map. He pointed a claw at a symbol in a large green-ish area, the symbol of the clan we were in, the Dto Clan, forest clan.

"We are here." Makane said and I nodded. I looked over the map to see multiple other clan symbols dotted around in significant areas. His finger moved to a clan symbol near the large ocean of the planet.

"That is one of our allies, the Jhu'da Clan. That is another ally, the Vayuh'ta Clan." he said, moving his finger to a clan symbol just in the sky of the map.

"What are the others? Are they allies too?" I asked. Makane shook her head.

"No. The N'ithya Clan prefers to stay neutral. The R'ka Clan and the Tarei'hsan Clan are the problem." he replied, pointing to the respective clans on the map. The N'ithya Clan were in the highlands, the R'ka Clan were settled within the volcanic ashlands, and the Tarei'hsan Clan were far into the scorching deserts.

"What's that one then?" I asked, pointing at a clan symbol in what looked like a big hole. Makane clicked softly, debating what to say.

"That is the Kjuhte Clan. The Void People. They are... different. They are more a legend, ancient yautja that used to exist." he said, gently pulling my hand away from pointing at the symbol. He kept hold of my hand, examining it for a moment before grunting and going back to the map.

"R'ka and Tarei'hsan refuse alliance, and often kill yautja who go into their territory, no matter age or rank. They are ic'jit." he continued. Bad Blood. Breakers of the Honour code that yautja lived by. It was slightly scary to think about, that they killed whoever they wanted.

"Have you not tried to talk to them or something?" I asked. Makane sighed and nodded.

"Messengers have been sent. Most returned injured, the last one didn't return. Lu'tekke wants to talk leader-to-leader. That was what the meeting was for." he replied, rolling up the map.

"As in the leader of those clans came here?"

"The Tarei'hsan leader refused, so we are to go to the desert to speak. The R'ka leader has not answered our communication yet."

"You're going to go then?" I asked, slightly concerned.

Makane looked at my expression and nodded, but his hand went to my hair.

"Yes, I am to go with Lu'tekke, Purre'de, and Weri'te. Ite'ri chose to stay here and lead the clan."

"When?"

"We leave at tomorrow's sunrise."

I was surprised it was so close even though it had only been decided today.

"Tomorrow? Don't you need to prepare?" I asked.

"We are always prepared. This meeting is not to turn violent, that is Lu'tekke's plan." Makane replied, stroking my hair. "I will return, Dee. Do not worry over it."

"Can I come?" I asked. His eyes widened slightly then narrowed.

"That is not wise. These clans are not accepting like us. They kill beings like you for entertainment." he said.

"Maybe if I came, it could help them see that things need to change-." I tried to say but Makane's mandibles flared in warning.

"You will not go. You will remain here where you are safe. If you wish for responsibilities, Ite'ri will give you tasks." he said sternly. I sighed, looking away.

He could see I wasn't happy with his answer, and he clicked softly before his mandibles rubbed against the side of my head.

"Dee, you are weak compared to yautja. It would be foolish to take you, even if I wish to keep you at my side at all times." he said quietly, his words giving me butterflies. He wasn't usually this expressive with words and feelings.

"I want to help. They shouldn't be killing whoever and whatever they want." I replied and he chittered.

"None of us want it, that is why we will go and speak. Just not you, you must be protected. You will stay." he said, his mandibles rubbing against my cheek now. I sighed again but his action was breaking my annoyance. I pressed a soft kiss on his bottom mandible, which he chittered at and tugged me closer to him. His claws gently trailed down my back to my sides and he let me kiss his mandibles again.

"My Dee, you are so pyode. You stay here for me." he mumbled, his mandibles parting as he deepened the kissing, his tongue going past my lips. The kiss was slow, his hands squeezing my hips and pulling me closer. I had to crane my neck up, and I moved my hands to his shoulders, touching his warm, textured skin.

I gasped as his hands slid down to my thighs, then lifted me up and began to walk out the trophy room and to the bedroom. I laughed softly as he lowered me down onto the bed and moved over me.