The manhood ritual was gloriouse to me. I managed to please my father and know what it was to be a hunter, but he always told me not to limet yourself to one speacies. He suggested that I hunted Pyode Amedha (oomans.). He'd told me about how the pyode amedha were cleaver, mimicing some of our ways, but different. He knew they'd get more dangerouse as time flyed, but his advice was to hunt them as often as I could, because they'll never be the same twice.

The excitement ran through my veins like thwei as my personal ship lowered slowly onto the ooman planet. Knowing an ooman might find it, I hid it in a lake. I took my mask off, and smelled the ooman's air. It was not too different from home, but exoticly enjoyable.

After checking my weapons, I went on his hunt. I was suprised to see the oomans wearing armor with patterns simular to his own. Their helmet didnot cover their faces.

I didn't kill any, insteed I was watching them, making sure I did not attack an unarmed or unchallenging ooman. I wanted prizes for his trophy cages that I look on 100 years from now, and still admire.

After a day of observation, I finally snuck into their fortress. The ooman warriors were armed with H'sai-de's. Thought about it, and chose to kill one with the largest set of armor, and largest blade. My spear went through the oomans armor like a burner's fire through a zabin's hide!. With little effort, I ripped the ooman's head off with a triumphent roar!

Moments after recieving My prize, a group of ooman warriors wearing armor simular to the previouse one came into the room. I was uncloaked and clearly visable. I didn't think these oomans were much of a threat. But I remembered what My father told him.

"Never doubt your prey, for they can sometimes suprise the greatest of all warriors."

I leapt over the oomans and landed behind them, and with a strong swing, knocked all 7 oomans to the floor with a solid blow! They scrambled back to their feet, but I would knock them over again, and let one stand to be killed. Each ooman attempted to slash me, and each one would die afterwards. I slammed the doors to the room shut, and skinned the oomans.

After my escape, I went into the forest of thin stick like trees. A group of Ooman hunters soon followed him. It was easy to assumed they were looking for me. Some where armed with spears, others where armed with H'sai-de's. The other oomans were challenging, but decided to make more of a challenge out of these, and used wristblades. I would impale one, and throw him aside, then slash the next in the throat, or eviserate the next. One panicked and attempted to flee, but I ended his life with My shoulder burner.

I felt pride, I'd never heard of any warrior killing 17 oomans in a whole day!

The next day, after cleaning the 6 trophies I did take. I accidently anger and oomda. A four legged creature larger than myself, and armed with horns on its head. They normally eat grass and dont attack anyone, but I assumed it was mating season, that seems to be the time all speacies are agressive.

Anyway, when it attacked, I leapt over it, drawing my spear, but when the creature turned around, it charge me, and my spear was knocked out of my hand! The beast was about to imapale me on its second charge, when I simply shot it with a plasma caster.

"A little much for a spear." I muttered as I took its head, skinned it, and ate some of its meat.

After finding a nice tree to purch in and look for prey, I heard sounds of Jehdin behind him. I turned and saw an ooman warrior, but this one was much different. His style was much like the oomans in their fort, but he did not wear their armor. He wore a robe, with his thin hair pulled back. The blade of his H'sai-de' was clean and reflective in the mourning sun. This oomans movements where more experienced, as well as intrieging. I throught about attacking him, cloaked, with wristblades, but ther was no challenge, I wanted this ooman as a prize, so I did the only thing I thought was right.


I threw his spear straight in the air, and it unpack when it stabbed into the ground near the warrior. The ooman turned in suprise, an saw me uncloak before him. I slowly removed my mask and placed it in the grass. I roared a challenge. The ooman didn't understand me, but knew the challenge. I snatched the spear from the ground, spun, and attempted to knock him over, but suprisingly, the ooman blocked, and wasen't knocked over! I grinned as the ooman swung off the spear, and attempted to slash me, but I quickly blocked with his spear, shoved him off and attempted to trip him. The ooman hopped over my foot, and attempted to stab, but I moved and tried to slash him with my wrist Kicte-pa's, the ooman moved back and bloacked another strike form the spear, he countered with his own swing, and I also blocked. The fight sped up as we dueled in a circle. I tried the Hiju, but the ooman managed to block. In that moment, the ooman swung his blade, and slashed me above my blood mark! It followed the top of my mark. I saw his own blood splatter on the grass. I looked up at the ooman, who was already trying an overhand swing. In that instant, I used one end of his spear to block, lift his blade, spun around, and the other end of his spear impaled the ooman!

I released the ooman, who dropped his blade and looked up at me. I bowed my head and looked the ooman in the eyes, as his life expired. I took his spine and skull, aswell as his H'sai-de'. I truly felt respect for him. In some odd way, the ooman warrior would have made a great hunter.

*****

On the way back to my home I stumbled accross a distress signal on a deserted planet. I'd heard of this planet, Its where all the evil spirits battle each other in a never ending war. I decided to investigate and see who the signal was from. When I landed the place was littered with bodies of hard meats. I could tell this was an evil place. As I walked on I came across three warriors dissmembered. A great battle had happend here. I scanned the horizon trying to track any movement and what I saw was quite a shock! One Yautja was slowly walking towards me dragging a queens head behind him. I did not fear him so I stood my ground. He came about 4 feet away from me laughing. There was a tint of red in his skin which some warriors think almost to be supernatural on the battle field. I did'nt see what was funny about this and just thought he was mad.

"Identfy yourself." I demanded.

"I am Tokoma." He said. He was obviously living up to his name, for it ment, "Great Devil."

"I am Taraka, son of Joda' Kast. I came accross your distress signal, and wish to know what has happened here." I said.

"Honor. I have reclaimed the honor that my father and brothers destroyed with their corrupt ways. They deserved the Thei-de I have given them." He said, releasing the Tie'mo skull. He stared at his hands that smelled of yautjian blood.

"Tell me why I should not end your life the way you've ended your families." I said, with my burner lifting up on my shoulder, and my K'cte-pa extending.

"I tell you, my family was corrupt. They were ruthless, punishing me with their tourments, killing what should not have been killed. I had no way to reclaim honor, untill I found the rare Cetanu crystal. With it flowing through my armor, I was able to destroy my corrupt family, and restore honor. And If I'm to die for it, so be it." He said.

I took my helmet off and looked at his eyes. Even in the distance, I saw his purity. He was telling the truth.

"Break your word, and I promise your demise will be long and painful." I said to him. "Follow me. I'll take you back home."

"Thank you kind warrior." He said. He picked up his trophy and hauled it to my ship. I allowed him to place them with my own.

"Returning from the ooman world?" He asked.

"Yes. I completed my manhood ritual only a few days ago. My father alloud me to hunt oomans and gain more honor." I said, taking off my weapons and placing them on the hooks on the walls. Tokoma took his off aswell. I could see his were old and broken. This just convinced me more of his cruel family.

"How old are you?" He asked me as we walked into the cockpit of my ship.

"Eightteen."

"Really? And you've hunted oomans AND Kainde' Amedha?"

"Word of honor." I said as we were leaving the atmosphere.

"Heh. I'm only a few years older than you. I guess my Kainde' Amedha Chiva allows me to be known as a man." He said, with a single pound on his chest.

"Plus, facing 3 yautjas to the death. I think its safe to say you and I are equal." I said as I set the controls for auto. I got up from my seat and fetched water from my moisture filter. Pouring us both some water, I said, "Why did you accompany your family on that hunt if you were mistreated?"

"I was promised that if I completed my hunt, I would be free to leave them, but I knew I would be forever shame if they continued their ways. I knew something had to be done..."

Giving him his mug of water and sitting with him, I said, "I beleive you've done the right thing. I can see only your abuse kept you from becoming like them." I said as I sipped.

"Yes. Much as I dont want to say it, if it werent for that, I would probably be worse." He sipped aswell.

"I think I'd be in the same position if my own father was that way." I said.

"Say, didn't you say your father was Joda' Kast? The famouse teacher?" He said.

"Yes. I am his legacy." I said with another sip.

"Your mark is different from the one I was shown of his." He said, pointing at my d'lex.

"Nye'. The second scar above my families was given to me by a mighty ooman warrior. I battled him to the death, and he left his mark apon my head. I only hope he wont find dishonor from it."

"I believe he wont. It sounds to me like you and your father are close." He said.

"Aye. My mother died in child birth. He's all I've got, aside 4 sisters from his wives I've never met. And my dead Mei'hswei. I just want to be just like him, and more. I want to make an honorable clan to carry on his honor, along with my own, and the families of those I train."

*****