"Are you sure you are feeling well? You may go rest if you need to."

Rhage led Artemis down the hall towards something he wanted to show her. She had yet to find out what it was. The low lighting of the path helped her growing headache as they made their way through the ship.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really. I'm fine." Artemis gave Rhage a small smile of reassurance.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his face a picture of skepticism. The blue cape he wore helped to emphasize his broad shoulders that were relaxed, something she noticed when avoiding his eyes. She ignored his thousand yard stare as they passed a group of youths that quieted down as Rhage turned his attention to them. The group stopped when he said something to them.

One of the youths, a smaller male with dreadlocs that barely passed his jawline, eyed her with curiosity. He wore a green loincloth that contrasted against a tan hide with black speckles.

When Rhage addressed him, he stopped his open staring to turn to her mate. A few words later and the group was once again on their merry way. He grumbled a few incoherent words to himself and his shoulders relaxed again.

"What was that about?" Artemis glanced behind her shoulder to watch as the youths disappeared beyond a corner.

Rhage clicked his tusks together as they entered the lift. "They are curious. Pups do not get to see a human until their first trip to N'ithya."

She nodded, leaning against the metal wall. "That one kid was openly staring."

"Khur'je. He is Dhare's youngest. He approaching his test to earn his armor."

"They have more than one?" The doors slid open when they reached the floor Rhage had selected.

Her large mate palmed her lower back as he led her along the way. "Sei'i. Pups must earn their awu'asa and their bio-mask. A beast is selected for them to hunt. Successful ones are given their gear."

Artemis hadn't realized there was so much actual training involved, but then again, it made sense. They lived to hunt creatures for sport. There had to be intense training to make themselves strong and capable of enduring such a lifestyle. She often worried for Orion's fate should he fight them himself when he was old enough.

Part of her wanted him to stay a baby forever so she could enjoy his innocence as long as possible.

Childhood back home wasn't so...harsh.

"Mate," Rhage brought her from her thoughts as they stopped before a closed door. He knelt down so they were face to face, his hand caressing her cheek. "if you are not up this then it can be postponed, my flower."

Looking towards the door filled her with an excitement for the unknown. She couldn't help but wonder what he wanted to show her. Backing down because she had a terrible nightmare wouldn't prevent her from doing what she liked. It irritated her sometimes of just how protective Rhage could be with her. He meant the best but he was a little too much with it sometimes.

Taking his hand in hers, she offered yet another smile, "Babe, everything is fine. It was a bad dream. That's all."

"Alright." The Elder Yautja relented.

A smirk appeared on his face as he scanned his hand on the door panel. He moved to the side to let her enter first, as usual.

Oh, how chivalrous he was.

Voices she recognized drew her inside. They were sounds she thought she'd never hear again. There was a sight she thought she'd never see again. Her heart stuttered as she took in the sight of the two women seated in front of a large window.

Nervously, she patted her hair and straightened her clothes. She had decided to wear a pair of white pants and a flowy tank top with her hair drawn into a braid down her back. It had taken twenty minutes of fussing with her hair and the machine that made her clothes until she was satisfied. Even though she was never around humans, she still wanted to look presentable and nice.

The two women stopped laughing as Rhage and her approached, their attention entirely on Artemis in surprise.

One of them was a red-headed woman with yellow eyes and patches of light green scales on her neck and arms, her midriff exposing a rounded pregnant swell. She wore a simple outfit like many female Yautja, the color a nice yellow and white. A few scars marred her pale skin. The woman's hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

The second woman, a black woman with dark eyes and her hair done in dreadlocs sat next to her on the oversized couch. Like the red headed woman, she also wore the same outfit but it was green and flowy, the fabric almost transparent in some spots.

The three women looked at each other for a few moments before they squealed simultaneously and ran to hug each other in a huddle. They were too busy babbling to one another to notice their own mates by the door watching in surprise. Each of the Yautja watched their own mate interacting with the other women, talking to each other with amusement.

"A human!"

"Another human!"

"Holy shit! Hi!"

"Hi! Oh my god, it's so nice to see other people!"

Even though she tried to hold it back, Artemis felt her face heat up with the oncoming torrent. The waterworks began and she tried wiping at her cheeks as she pulled away from the group hug.

"I'm...um...sorry. It's nice to see a familiar face. Fellow humans, I mean." She kept wiping them even as she felt Rhage come up behind her and surround her with his warmth, gently purring. "No offense, babe." Turning her attention to him with a small smile.

"None taken."

That was when Artemis noticed the other two Yautja off to the side standing near each of the other women. One was almost as big as Rhage but dark green and black with long accessorized locs falling to his chest. He had piercing stormy purple eyes that were unearthly and vibrant. The big guy stood close to the redhead, a thick arm coming to pull her against his chest.

Looking to the other one she saw he was tan with green spots and slightly smaller than the green and black one. He wore golden cuffs in his chest length locs, the color pairing well with his golden eyes. Like the other one, he wore a red loincloth covering his genitals. This one was less hands on with his mate seeing how he stood beside her with his arms crossed.

"Artemis, these two females are from our ally clan, the Black Blade clan. They will be joining us for the Queen hunt. Their leader Rakar told me that he had humans within his clan. You need some companionship during the hunt." He let go of her to introduce the others in the room.

"My name is Leoni and this is my mate Drogaxe. This bitch right here is Mira with her mate Kar'tuk. It's so good to see another familiar face!" The redhead, Leoni, explained as she grinned.

Drogaxe and Kar'tuk grunted their hellos while Mira waved her hand with a big grin. "Girl, it's been too long and we need another in our friend group."

Artemis nodded quickly, "It's really nice to meet you guys. Truly."

The women started babbling once again with each other in excitement.

"Mate, I will return for you later. Do not push yourself too hard. You are with pup." Drogaxe pointed a finger at Leoni. She sighed loudly, folding her arms across her chest, her lips pursed.

"D, I'll be fine. Really. Go have fun with the boys. I need girl time." She shooed her huge mate away with a wave of her hand, the sight making Artemis snicker.

Seeing such a tiny woman, her height a mere five foot four, ordering around a nearly eight foot jacked alien reminded her of herself. Like a good puppy dog, Drogaxe relented and left with a chuff after muttering some choice words. Kar'tuk soon joined him after simply squeezing Mira's ass and giving her a heated look.

"Artemis, enjoy your time with your fellow humans. I will return as well once the meeting is concluded." Rhage tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he knelt before her.

"Oh," Artemis smiled, "I definitely will, babe. I'll be right where you left me."

After a few moments of Rhage standing there in silence, he whirled on his heel and left the room with his cape flowing regally behind him.

"Jesus Christ. You really chose one with rank, huh?" Joked Leoni, elbowing Mira playfully.

"Oh yeah, she did. Miss Artemis went and chose a clan leader as her alien husband. I like a woman with standards. It reminds me of myself." Chimed in Mira.

Artemis cleared her throat. "He chose me. Not the other way around."

Leoni returned to the plush couch she and Mira had been seated on, patting the empty space on the end cushion. Artemis wasted no time in taking her place on the couch to tell her story.

She told every detail, minus the ones where she and Rhage were intimate with one another. Recounting it all mixed her emotions into a chaotic mess but once she was done, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It felt good to tell a familiar face. One that would understand.

Two in this case.

"Wait...so you meet him for the first time and you immediately trust him? You don't freak out or anything?" Leoni sat up, a metal cup of something sweet smelling in her hand spilling a little with her sudden movement.

She had never really thought of it but she had. There wasn't another option that she could've thought of. It seemed like the right thing at the time. He had shown no reason for her to fear him — not even from what she heard the scientists talking about.

"Nnno...?" Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "He never gave me a reason to fear him."

"But what if it was a ruse? To trick you? Yautja are smarter than humans, so I wouldn't put it past one of them to trick us into thinking they're an ally before they turn and kill us." Mira twisted her lips. She leaned back in her own spot and picked at her neatly manicured nails.

"He would be a Bad Blood, then. A dishonorable Yautja." Artemis remembered the Code of Honor that their species lived by and how important it was. "Rhage was a gentleman from the start. H-He even repeatedly asked my permission to touch me; for anything. I didn't love him at first, but eventually I did. It took a lot to get entirely used to the idea that he is good for me and I'm good for him."

Leoni took a long drink from her cup before holding up a hand, "We're not trying to question you. We're just curious. I met my Drogaxe when he tried to kill me."

"Yeah, and Kar'tuk wiped out my entire squadron in the remote jungle of Costa Rica. Jones. Sanchez. More. All of them." Mira cast her eyes to the side, "It took years before I loved him. I tried to kill him several times. Somehow we had the classic enemies to lovers." She scoffed. The ginger patted her friend's hand in sympathy.

"Why did Drogaxe hunt you, Leoni?" Artemis couldn't imagine how Leoni could have overcome such a thing, either. It seemed all of them had a rough start.

"I was genetically altered in a Weyland-Yutani lab. They used Yautja DNA and blood in an attempt to create some bullshit super soldier." Leoni waved a hand over her scales and to her eyes. "Drogaxe busted in trying to kill me because I'm a hybrid. His clan used to have special units who would seek out hybrids and kill them to keep their stupid bloodline clean."

"That's fucked up."

"It is what it is. He smartly came to the right decision and we ended up falling in love." She shrugged, taking a longer draft of her drink.

Artemis stared at her own drink in contemplation. Her meeting and pairing with Rhage hadn't been like Leoni or Artemis's meeting with their mates. She felt lucky in a way.

"Artemis...I know we've been blabbing about our problems but you...you were forcibly impregnated. I'm sure that was horrible and if you need to talk about it we're here." Mira offered, sending her contact details to Artemis through her wrist gauntlet.

"Me, too. If you need more girl talk after this whole Queen hunt is done, don't be afraid to message us. We're a button press away." Clicking in the command on her own gauntlet, Leoni sent her details as well.

Artemis's beeped with the incoming added contacts. Her heart swelled with warm at the fact that she was gaining two friends. She would be less lonely.

"Thank you. I will be around as well." She smiled widely while giving them a one armed hug.

Leoni pulled a container out from under the couch with a mischievous smirk on her face. Her yellow eyes widened as she gave Mira a look, the other woman seeming to understand the unspoken words.

"We can't, Leoni. Kar'tuk and Drogaxe told us we're not allowed it anymore."

The ginger scoffed, "Drogaxe is not my boss and Kar'tuk isn't yours, either. They're our husbands. As the saying goes..."

Mira sighed, a smile of her own forming on her face, "A happy wife, a happy life."

"Exxxactly. Drogaxe will just get sucked off if he gets mad. That'll placate him. He'll forget about it." Continued Leoni.

Artemis looked into the box to see there were cubed red fruits inside. A delicious sweet mango-like smell drifted up.

"This smells amazing. What is it and why don't they want you to have any?" She eyed the two women suspiciously, her mind failing to connect the dots.

"It's called h'spaka. As for why they don't want us to have...well...you'll find out, girl."

Leoni and Mira both ate a few cubes while Artemis stared at it. "It won't affect me breastfeeding will it? I wouldn't want anything to—"

"It will be fine. I'm eating it while pregnant." Mira said once she swallowed. She flipped a braid behind her shoulder as she went for another serving.

A few more moments passed before Artemis said, "Fuck it" and ate a few portions herself. Immediately, her mouth was full of the juiciest and sweetest food she had ever tasted. A calming wave flowed through her body. Her nerves relaxed and she sunk into the couch.

"Now, let's discuss our sex lives. Who knew that fucking an alien could be so satisfying..."

Artemis snorted and joined in on the gossiping.

• • •

"It is settled. We have the teams set up and the roles assigned. Tomorrow we hunt."

The room filled with the grunts and growls of the two clan councils meeting as one. For hours they had discussed the finer details, such as who was assigned to what duty, which team they were a part of, and the logistics of transporting the Queen onto the drop ship. There she would be where the walls were reinforced and the restraints made of d'lex, a crystalline metal that was resistant to Kiande Amedha blood. Nothing could break it down.

With the Queen on board, the two clan ships would travel together to the planet that would be seeded. There they would let the Unblooded loose in their groups of three, their hunt siblings, and they would be forced to clear out a hive together. If they failed to work together as a cohesive unit and there was one mistake then they could die.

This was their trial to prove themselves a worthy hunter of the clan and become a blooded adult. Their days as a pup would be no more.

Rakar grunted across the table as the room began to clear out. His long grey and black locs fell forward to the table as he read over the drawn up and agreed to plans. The clan leader of the Black Blade clan was a seasoned warrior just like Rhage, but his fame was to securing peace in his clan.

For a couple thousand years his clan at been in a civil war between one another concerning petty differences, but it was Rakar who had settled them and forced peace with an iron fist. The Yautja had succeeded his sire to the throne and so he began to finish the war himself. Many decades had passed since then and there had been peace that had not been seen for generations. There was still some dissidents, but they were squashed upon discovery.

"Many cycles have passed since we have worked together, Rhage. I admit it is a pleasure to meet with you again after all this time." Rakar sat in his seat, vessel of c'ntlip in hand.

Rhage grunted as he sat in his. The meeting had been extensive and exhausting. This was one of those moments where he could feel his age creeping on him. It was...sobering.

"It is good to see you, old friend. I am glad to see you in good health still. Meeting you again in such circumstances is good." Rhage took a long draft of his own drink to mellow himself. The alcohol already loosened his muscles.

"Indeed. I pray that our Unblooded are successful in the coming chivas. Perhaps the gods have shown favor to some already."

"Cetanu will claim the unworthy." Rakar chuckled, his broad shoulders shaking. "They will fight or they will die."

Some would die, like always, but there were a good number that Rhage knew would come out alive. His previous youngest pup was taking part in this chiva. He had all the confidence that he would return a Blooded hunter. It was expected since he was the pup of the clan leader.

"Sei'i. Your humans took to mine immediately. They are hopefully bonding."

Rakar grumbled a few choice words, "I still dislike hybrids in my clan, but Leoni, mate of Drogaxe, proved herself worthy. Mira, the dark skinned ooman, was military. Those two have had multiple pups with their mates. As much as I dislike it, they are there to stay. Old age is catching up to me in my stubborn ways." The clan leader took a long draft and stood up, setting the empty cup on the table.

"My mate will find comfort in them I am sure. She has proven herself in her own ways, but I welcome her and her kind with open arms. I myself feel it catching up, but Rakar, let us welcome new things." Rhage rose to his feet to round the table and clap Rakar on the shoulder. "Fear not, my friend. In time you will grow to like them."

Rakar sighed, "In time. Sei'i. In time. Not today." With those as his parting words, he left.

Rhage turned to gaze out the window, letting his mind wander now that he was truly alone. There was hardly a moment where he could think on anything but the future and the present problems afoot. The longer he stood there, the more he couldn't keep Artemis and Orion out of his thoughts.

After some consideration he decided to go retrieve his mate for the night cycle. She would likely be tired after being with the other females all day.

He started to tap away at his wrist computer when he received a call from Dhare.

"You hailed me?" Rhage queried as he made his way to the door, already leaving the meeting room to go fetch his mate.

"This call concerns Artemis and the humans aboard." His eldest pup sounded tired through the voice comm. In the background he could hear the sound of human laughter. "Come to the Crèche. It seems one of visiting humans is a terrible influence."

"Terrible influence how?"

Rhage picked up his pace in the mostly empty halls, passing Yautja that nodded respectfully as they walked the opposite way. His nerves set on fire at what could possibly be the reason for Dhare's call and why the females were somewhere else in the ship. He was still learning the smaller details on human thought when it came to Artemis; with others he had no clue.

"H'spaka. I am bearing witness that the fruit that normally is an aphrodisiac for us is...like a drug to humans."

"What kind of drug?"

Dhare was silent on the other end for a moment, "Psychoactive."