Rhage arrived to find Artemis, Leoni, and Mira playing with their pups, giggling to each other in rapid English. The pups were in a dog pile wrestling one another while Orion was being snuggled by Artemis. Their little infant pup, still a newborn, was fast asleep.

Drogaxe and Kar'tuk joined him at the entrance, the both of them standing there in surprise. Leoni's kids were wrestling with Mira's, the two women cheering them on as the little pups growled and hissed at one another.

Dhare stood off in the corner looking unamused. His yellow eyes were narrowed in the direction of the women, his tusks tight over his mouth. The Elite approached Rhage and the other males as they walked in, his shoulders relaxing considerably.

"They woke all of the pups to play games with them. I tried to bring the females back to where they initially were, but the dark skinned one tried to fight me. Artemis became very emotional and tried to fight me as well, then the fire headed one somehow..." he trailed off, his tusks rapidly clicking against each other in irritation.

Rhage chittered in question, "Somehow what? What did she do?"

Dhare snapped his teeth as he folded his arms across his chest, his golden eyes sliding to the side to glare at Leoni across the room. She was oblivious to his menacing glare. Drogaxe smirked when Dhare turned his glare to him.

"Your mate swept me off my feet. That little—"

The sharp and sudden snarl from Drogaxe cut him off. "Do not insult my mi'esui. She killed one of our females in jehdin jehdin. Of course she could knock you off your feet, Elite."

Kar'tuk wrapped his arms around Drogaxe's waist and held him back when he tried to advance upon Dhare. The Elite took the challenge and tried to advance as well but was held back by Rhage, a simple touch of the shoulder making him stand down, muttering choice words to himself.

"Drogaxe, my friend, let us not fight with our hosts. Leoni and Mira would skin us alive!" Kar'tuk punched his friend in the shoulder before he walked to retrieve his own mate.

With Kar'tuk by the women, Dhare and Drogaxe were free to advance towards one another. Both males were of similar height but with Dhare being taller by a head. He snarled at the fellow Elite as they circled one another.

The Elder watched on with his own irritation. He watched the women to the rear of the room where they were situated on a mountain of furs and pillows with the pups. Mira was licking Kar'tuk's abdomen as he tried to talk sense into her, the female too high to care and instead focus on his body. She protested when he swept her into his arms but returned to her ministrations except this time biting at his chest as he left the room with her, their four toddler pups following behind.

Rhage ordered Dhare and Drogaxe to break it up or take it to the kehrite at a later time.

The females were more important than checking each other's egos. Their mates were not sober and needed to be returned back to their quarters with the pups.

Seeing the two trying to fight in the Creche pissed him off. This was supposed to be a place of refuge where females could drop their pups off to be babysat. The room was a decent size with oval cribs off to the sides of the room in groups with a large conversation pit full of pillows and furs, each an exotic pattern and color. Low ambient lighting emitted the ideal light for the young pups' eyes, a soft blue light simulating daytime.

"Babe!"

Hearing his mate's own voice drew Rhage's attention, turning on his heel quickly to find her trying to stand up. A wide smile stretched her lips as she met his eyes.

Using his wrist computer, he scanned Artemis as he walked towards her. Her levels were erratic while her heart rate was surprisingly calm for her high state. He knelt before her and helped her to her feet, Leoni pausing behind her to watch with wide yellow eyes.

"My flower, let us return to our quarters. You must sleep off the H'spaka." Rhage purred as he took Orion in his free arm and held her close with his other while he led her to the door. Before he left he issued a final warning to Dhare and Drogaxe before making his leave.

The two broke apart. Drogaxe made his way to Leoni and his three pups while Dhare followed Rhage out into the hallway. He was silent, even when he took a different corner and parted ways. Rhage noted to himself that he would speak with his eldest alone the next day cycle.

"Baabe, that fruit was soooo good. Like, it was yummy! I've never tasted anything so good and oh my god, Leoni and Mira have the cutest kids. They're all so little but soooo cute!" Artemis babbled as he led her through the halls, the female completely oblivious to her altered mental state and the world around her.

Chittering in amusement, Rhage went along with it, "Really? I saw. They are quite...cute as you say."

"Mhmmm. Being around so many kids can give you baby fever! Oooo, that's so pretty!" Artemis rapidly changed subjects to squish her nose against the window they were passing. Outside the ship was passing a nebula on the verge of collapsing in on itself, a dying star glowing brightly among the darkness of space in a golden hue. "I never thought I'd see such a thing. Space is so cool! There's so much out there!"

He watched as she continued to chatter about space, rocking the pup in his arm gently to keep the little one asleep. Soft purring seemed to work since the pup had barely squirmed the whole time. "Space is large. It is empty but it is full of billions of worlds, love. One day I will show you as much of them as I can."

"Really? I'd love that..."

Nuzzling his forehead against hers, he nodded. "Sei'i."

Her heart sped up before calming down again when she glanced at the window while Rhage pulled her gently away. She didn't protest again as he led her to the lift where it took them to the level with their quarters. Soon they were walking into the room and heading to the bedroom.

"Come mate. Lie down." Rhage gave a gentle nudge towards it with a large hand on the small of her back. Artemis did as she was told and lied down, pulling the covers over herself.

Rhage busied himself with placing the pup in the oval cradle beside the bed. Orion made soft little noises with his throat as Rhage stroked his cheek, his tiny son leaning into his touch. His pup was only days old but he was growing quickly.

Yawns from his mate behind him drew him from petting Orion. Turning on his heel as he removed his armor and cape, he found Artemis lying in the bed gazing out the wide window that spanned the entire left wall. Her dark chocolate brown hair was long and fell in waves down her back and over her shoulders. She stretched a hand out to pat his side of the bed.

She was so small in the massive bed. Rhage's little flower, his source of happiness these days, was so beautiful.

He thanked Kayana constantly for the gift she had bestowed him. His sacrifices and drive to make himself better had paid off in the form of a perfect mate. Never before had he thought he would fall for a human instead of a female Yautja. The thought had never crossed his mind.

As he approached the bed and climbed onto it, his hand dwarfing Artemis's, he knew that it was a blessing.

"What is on your mind, my goddess?" Rhage lied on his back next to her.

She was a quiet for a moment as she lied there staring into nothing. The silence surrounding her was thick with deep thinking.

"Sometimes...when I sit and stare out a window to watch the passing stars...I feel.."

"Feel what?"

Rhage rolled onto his side to face her, one of his claws drawing the strands that fell across her face out of the way. Her dark ocean blue eyes fell upon him while she laid her arms between them. In the low light he could see the shiny scars that decorated the insides of her wrists; the sight brought him back to all those weeks ago when he told her they were beautiful, a symbol of a battle with the mind.

He could see it in her eyes on a passing day. She didn't speak about it but knew to seek him when she was feeling low.

"Insignificant." She released a long exhale through her nose, "The universe is so big and so old. I'm but a blip in time. A tiny spark that'll burn so bright but won't have time for my light to reach another galaxy. I feel so small and insignificant because of it."

The Elder Yautja pulled her closer so they were face to face, his forehead rubbing against hers ever so gently. The little quills along his brow bone tickled her skin but she paid it no mind.

"You are the opposite of such a thing. You, my mate, are my light. Without you, the Saqqar deal would have been tougher to achieve. Without you, I would have been utterly alone still. Artemis, just because the universe is vast, does not mean that you are nothing." His arms wrapped around his little mate and brought her against his chest. Skin to skin was where they belonged. Soft against rough. Small against large. Polar opposites but tangled in a web of love and understanding.

"My love, I love you. Never have I loved someone so strongly as I love you. I would slaughter thousands to protect you. I would conquer planets for you. There is nothing that I will not do to remind you that you are important and worthy; worthy of our bond and worthy of Orion."

Tears fell down her cheeks, each glittering in the low light. "You make me so happy. More than anyone ever has. Thank you, Rhage..."

He nuzzled her like a giant feline and held her close. "Slumber. Tomorrow is a busy cycle."

"Okay.."

• • •

"Give me a full breakdown of the systems that need updating. Right away. I want full diagnostics."

"Sei'i, leader. The report will be done before the end of the day cycle." The mechanical engineer of the ship fisted his chest and bowed his head before swiftly exiting the bridge.

Rhage turned back towards the table before him where a red hologram of the Queen hunt plans projected from it. He and Rakkar had finished every last detail. Now, it would be set in motion.

Outside the massive view screen of the bridge was the planet Orumack. The large red and green planet loomed in space, white puffy clouds scattered over its surface covering portions of the glittering blue ocean on the planet. Its star shone brightly upon the surface highlighting the red sandy portions and deepening the green of the jungles that made up the equator. Orumack's moon hung behind it bringing the refracted light to the planet's night cycle.

Orumack was beautiful as it always had been.

A glittering jewel of a planet ripe with resources and the perfect prey to train pups. Pride filled Rhage's chest as he surveyed what was his.

An entire world for his clan to utilize. All to their own. It was a world with no sentient beings like Yautja or humans. The world was flush with prey, much of them large and a few that were harmless — the predators dwarfed by the prey animals. These were also where the dinosaurs from N'ithya had once been planted and allowed to become what they were today through evolution.

Orumack's predators were the favored prey with some animals having a hardened exoskeleton, such as the ones from the desert regions, whereas others had fur or feathers with bright colors in the jungles. There was three-hundred and forty days in a year with a rainy season that affected the jungles while aiding the migratory beasts of the crimson deserts. Very rarely there would be snow in the polar regions but it was mostly ice and perma frost.

Rhage remembered specific pools of mineral water that when swam in they would change color and smell of citrus. He had sired many a pup on the shore of those waters, something that brought back fond memories of his youth. A youth he longed for again. A youth that he could re-live through Artemis, but it wasn't the same.

He missed the many worlds he would see in his universe spanning hunts. There were his favorites that he wanted to show his life mate and pup one day and then there were those that were no longer around, their existence having faded to nothing due to their ancient systems finally dying.

The thrill for the hunt ran strong in his veins, even with old age.

There were days where he could feel his body slowly failing him; his youth slowly draining away like a sieve. It was fading as the days pressed on. He had once been so much stronger than he was now.

That had wasted away, too, no matter how much training he did to upkeep his form. The feeling of it being taken so callously by the sands of time was frustrating.

More and more he felt like a weak male and if he could continue to keep Artemis as his. If he wasn't strong enough to protect her then what was his use? What chance did he have if her eye wandered to another male...a much longer male. He hated to think of some younger capable male swooping in and taking what was his.

Taking a deep breath helped to dispel those negative thoughts. There was no use in dwelling on negatives that would never happen. They were nothing but the worries of a retiree. Thoughts that distracted from what was important.

Artemis.

Orion.

His clan.

Dhare...

Thinking of Dhare prompted him to start hailing his eldest when his scent wafted towards him with the whoosh of the door opening a ways behind him. He turned to find Dhare striding towards him wearing his armor, his mask tucked under his arm, as he made his war towards his sire. His long black locs swayed back and forth as he ascended the three steps that led to the platform Rhage stood upon.

"Dhare."

Dhare nodded, fisting his chest simultaneously, "Sire."

"Is the hunting party ready to commence the hunt?" He folded his arms across his chest as he turned so that he could still see Orumack in the corner of his eye.

His eldest pup nodded, "The hunters are loaded on their appropriate shuttles and the ship housing the Queen is ready. The safety measures have been repeated per your order."

Rhage grunted in acceptance. He addressed one of the Yautja at the wide black control panel off to the right of the room and gave the orders that the hunting party was free to land. The camera feed from the loading docks showed the ships departing through their respective hangar doors one by one. One ship stayed behind for Dhare, who immediately left to join the others he was assigned to work with.

Valam passed through the door as Dhare left and came to stand by Rhage at the view screen. The large tan and green mottled Yautja addressed his leader as he watched the ships enter the atmosphere of the planet outside, brightly colored trails forming behind each one on entry.

"Valam, I am surprised you did not want to join the hunting party. You are typically the one who is eager for a hunt." Rhage smirked at Valam, nudging him with his elbow.

This Yautja, in charge of military operations, was reclusive ever since their trip to Saqqar and Rhage had worried about his longtime ally. He had been withdrawn since Artemis's poisoning. Not many could attest to seeing him outside of official duties and meetings. Seeing him willingly come out of hiding was a pleasant surprise.

Valam's face relaxed enough to offer a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I have preoccupations with a female. Mating season is not coming fast enough to...sate that itch."

Understanding dawned in Rhage's mind. He understood that sentiment very well.

Mating season didn't matter when it came to Artemis, but he remembered how it was before. One could only satisfy himself so many times before a real female was needed to fill the void of engaging in the tryst of proving one's worth before the joining of two bodies in heated passion. Claws raking across flesh and mandibles tangling with one another while their tongues danced. The air would be heavy and heated with the smell of their n'dui'se combining in this carnal dance of the flesh.

"In that case, I wish you the best in making the female submit, Valam."

"Thank you, Rhage. I would wish you the same but from what I hear that is not a barrier with oomans." The right side of his mandibles lifted in a devious smirk as he cocked his head towards Rhage, his yellow eyes full of mirth.

Rhage chuffed, "What you hear is correct. Humans are...feisty but passionate. Do not underestimate them, my friend."

Other Yautja in the bridge laughed amongst themselves knowing very well what it was like, having seen Artemis storm into the bridge once before when she was angry with Rhage. They had seen it in the act.

"Laugh it up! Sei'i!" Rhage exclaimed, joining in with his own laughter. "Females of any species are to not be trifled with. When one of you anger a female, I will be there to laugh at your misery as well!" He chittered, waving his hand nonchalantly at the bridge crew before turning back to the view screen.

The ships had long since disappeared and landed on the planet per the live feed he was watching project onto the window off to the side. The Queen hunt was on.

Valam clicked thoughtfully to himself as he observed everyone's humor concerning the ooman on board. His impassive facade slipped briefly when he was clapped on the back by Rhage.

"I appreciate the advice. I have a female to attend to, if you will excuse me." He turned and left the bridge, his body tense, even as he disappeared.

Rhage chalked it up to the usual nerves of mating with a female and returned to his observation of the hunt. The real work had begun. Even he felt excitement, watching as his sain'ja got into formation and took to the trees of the jungle of Orumack.

Soon the Queen would be aboard and the next part in the journey could begin.

____________________

🙂