Sitting on top of my hut again, I wondered what my father's spirit was doing as I was thinking. The one thing I hoped for was that he was with my mother. His spirit would be happy, and when I moved on, he'd be waiting for me. I stared at the stars and thought about him. I wanted to know if he was still watching me, but there was no way to find out. I just had to wait for my time. I looked at myself. I was dirty. Stripping my armor and clothes off, I entered the gentle stream. The warm water was soothing to my skin. I only bathed when I really needed it, for felt bad. The water slowly took my sorrows off my mind. I leaned on the rock underneath the waterfall, the water soothing my head. I was just about ready to move out of the fall, and sleep with my head out of the water, when I heard something. I moved out of the water and looked around. I saw nothing. The only light was provided by the moons above, I stood still, listening to the sound of the water, there wasen't an unfamiliar sound around. Untill I saw a twig fall into the water and drify by me.

"You know...Normally its the male that watches the female bath." I said alloud. Once I was finished speaking, A pair of splashes hit on the banks of the stream, and a cloaking device slowly shorted itself out, revealing M'icli-de.

"How did you..." She started, but I held up the twig, shaking my finger.

"Remember what my father told you? Even the most predictable, can be unpredictable." I said as I tossed the twig down stream. "So why do you stalk me tonight?"

She entered the water, approuching me. "I wanted to see if you were an better over your father's demise." She said, holding her hands together.

I looked at her and said, "You are a good hunter, perhaps even a teacher, but you're not good at hiding things." I said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You spy on me while I bath. Then when I cath you, you approuch me while I'm nude. If you wanted to see if I was ok about my father, I think you would've been gone long ago." I said, but smiled. I then said, "How do you like the water?"

Puzzled, she said, "It's very comfortable."

"When I'm finished, you may bath here. No offence, but I think you need it." I said, chuckling.

Then she gave me the look I gave earlier. "How about now? I can almost certainly guess YOU would stalk me." She said, crossing her arms.

Confused and uncertain of what to say, I turned around and said, "uh..I guess it is alright..."

I heard her duck under water, and her own armor being placed on the banks of the stream. Moments later she said, "This really is nice water."

I turned around and saw that she was in the water fall, soaking herself. "I choose to live here because of this waterfall. I'd always dreamed to live near one." I said, looking up towards the moons as she came out of the fall.

"You chose to live in a beautiful land. It seems to fit you. Did you ever want a family?" She asked me.

"Well...I did think about it from time to time, but I'd heard so much about how my father was happy with my mother, I wanted someone that coud make me just as happy. Someone who I'd be devoted too. Sucklings would have been an honor, but all I want is honor and happyness. What about you? Did you ever want a family?"

"Nye. As a matter of fact I wanted to do nothing a normal Yautja-de would do. I wanted to prove myself, not by my sex, but by who I was. If I got a family in the process, I would have excepted it." She said.

I knelt down into the water. I wanted to continue being comforted by the water. I also wanted to keep myslef open. Some Yautja-de were cruel, making men think they were interested, only to break his spirit, or to make sure he would never have sucklings. Somehow I didn't beleive that was her intentions, but I was ready anyway.

"Taraka, have you ever...found that woman you've wanted? At any point of your life?" She then asked.

"I thought I did, not long ago. I...have been interested, but not sure how to approuch her." I said.

"Is she still living, or did she get married, or...what?"

I closed my eyes. I wanted to answer her, but was afraid of what may happen. Bravery came in many forms, and I needed to use it. After a pause, I said, "She's still living. If you look down, you'll see her." I closed my eyes, and braced myself for anything. I felt her hand on my shoulder. I slowly turned and looked into her face. She was looking at me in a shyish form of happyness. I knew what would happen next if it was ment to be. I leaned toward her, as she did, and our mandibles locked, with our tongues connecting. (Our version of a kiss.) I held her as we were still connected, as even as he released. I looked deeply into her beautiful eyes, she looked into my own. "I beleive...I've found..her....I found....you." I said, stroking her tresses. She began to stroke my own. I continued, "I wanted to know what it was to feel devotion for someone, and this...joyess sensation I'm overwhelmed with must be it." I said.

"Aye. I also feel it." She said as she placed a hand on my chest, and we kissed again. I knew this is what my father felt with my mother. There was nothing more I wanted, than the woman I was holding. She placed her head on my shoulder, and I put mine over hers. This is the happyness, I wanted my entire life. M'icli-de lifted her head up and said, "Taraka, what will you do now?"

"I have given it thought. I beleive it is time for me to follow my father's footsteps. Tommorow, I'm starting a new clan. And every day, I will think of you." I said, stroking her tresses, feeling the one she'd cut.

M'icli-de took my left hand, and placed it on the breast I'd accidently touched on my first hunt with her. She'd said, "I'm yours. Now and forever."

"M'icli-de, I don't...I don't wish to have sucklings at this time. I believe I'm ready to start a clan, but not ready for children." I said to her as I took my hands off her.

She placed her arms around me again. She said, "I understand. You do not dishonor me. With what you've said, I'm honored that you know things some men don't. As I said, I'm yours." I held her in the stream, kissing her from time to time, watching the moons. She and I talked, and when the sun came, We left the stream. Before we both went on, we kissed a final time.

Before she left, I'd said the one thing a yautja needed more bravery than he could imagine when he ment it. "I love you, M'icli-de."

She turned around and looked at me again, and said, "And I love you...Taraka"

I waved to her as she turned to go home. I looked at the rising sun, knowing my father had been watching me. I pounded my chest once at the sun, before getting on a clean set of armor, and heading off to find Tokoma.

*****

"QUIET!" Tokoma bellowed within the ships Kehrite. He hadn't forgotten what we had talked about, and greatfully excepted. We had 7 students to start with, but we didn't mind. Tokoma continued, "I SAID QUIET! Taraka has entered."

I stood next to him. I looked at the crowd. I knew most of their names. Neighmahnde, Tah'Kri, Yeiyinde, He tried to remember their names as well as he could. "I am Taraka, your teacher of the arts. With me, you will learn how to fight, how to hunt, and most importantly, how to survive. I will not tolerate dishonorable behavior. As long as I lead, you will obey me, or I will personally kill you. Crystal?" I said.

"YES MASTER TARAKA." They all said. I smiled in saticfation, and began training them. The first day, I taught them how to fight. The next, how to evade, then I trained them with weapons. After the forth day, I chose to hunt on Lo'ki. (Pretty much my favorite planet to hunt on aside Ooman.) I had a small clan, so I didn't need more than 10 eggs. After the drones had matured, I came down. There was one for each student and blooded, they were to bring at least one trophy, or they would have to repeat this. Sadly I lost 3 students. However, the Kainde' Amedha for them went on to Yeiyinde and Tah'kri, whom should great skills. I was proud to award them my D'lex as a blooded. Suprisingly they wanted to stay with me as my blooded on the next hunt. I decided that it wouldn't hurt. They earned it. When the ship landed back home, I was pleased to watch everyone leave off the ramp as proud warriors. There was more for me though. It was the beautiful Yautja-de waiting for me on the end of the ramp.

Once all the students left, I went down with her. "So....how did it go?" M'icli-de asked.

"Better than I thought it would." I said.

"Taraka!" Tokoma called from behind me. He jogged up to me. His expression turned to a kind of Oooooo studly! look. He looked at me and said, "You're missing your celebration!" I didn't ask, I just took M'icli-de and we followed Tokoma.

I'd almost forgotten that if a first time leader came back alive, his clan would be celebrated by the village. When I got there, people were roaring and pounding their chests. I raised a fist up high and roared with them. They led me to a several chairs. The largest one was for me. The others where for the clan members whom were already waiting for me. Once I tok my seat, M'icli-de sat next to me on my left side, and Tokoma on my right. Music started going as people began celebrating.

Tokoma turned to me and said," You never told me you had a mate!"

M'icli-de and I smiled as I said, "We're not officially, but I believe it may happen." I held M'icli- de's hand and said to Tokoma, "Do you have one?"

"Actually, about 3. I already have a few sucklings." He said. He continued, "Allot happened those years ago after I met you."

"Indeed." I said.

"When did you meet your beautiful mistress there?" Tokoma said, pointing his finger at M'icli-de.

"Right after I met you." I said. I turned to M'icli-de and smiled at her. I god up to her ear and said, "And I'm proud I did."

She leaned up to my ear and said, "And I do too." Still holding her hand, we watched the entertainment and music. There was a small feast for us as well. I was really enjoying myself. I never imagined all of this when I was a child. After the feast, I turned to M'icli-de, and was suprised to see fear on her face.

"What is it?" I asked her.

She turned to me and said, "My father is here. He's over there at that food table." she pointed at a Yautja that wasen't as tall as me, wearing bronze armor. When M'icli-de lowered her hand, the Yautja turned and looked at us. "Taraka, what ever he tells you, please don't leave me." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. But before she could answere, her father was infront of me.

"Greetings young leader." He said with a bow.

"Greetings elder." I said with a bow. "I am Taraka, son of Joda' Kast, and leader of the Blooded clan."

"I'm De'ki-de, father of M'icli-de." He said, poiting at M'icli-de. her expression was still fearful. "May I please have a word with you in private?"

I turned to M'icli-de, who was still fearful. I didn't want to speak to someone upsetting her, but he was an elder, and I had to respect it. "Alright. M'icli-de, this wont take long." I stood up and followed him.

He stopped between a pair of huts. "I see you've chosen my daughter as a mate." He said with a glance towards her.

"She isn't my mate, yet. May I ask why you have brought me here?"

"It is about her. It's somethings you must know." He said, placing his heavy hand on my shoulder plate.

"Which is?" I asked.

"She dishonor's traditional laws. Ever since she was a suckling, she's deviated from the role of a Yautja-de. She would stalk boys annd watch them as they were being taught how to hunt."

"I see." I said.

"She stowed off onto my ship, and followed me on a hunt. She was so determined that I allowed her to hunt. I told her to kill a Kainde' Amedha with wrist K'cte-pa's and I'd allow her to join a clan. I never told her, but she wasen't ment to survive. I know you are a traditionalist too. And I think you'll agree with me that she has dishonored everyone, including me." He said.

"You know, that deal you made with her, that she kept." He nodded. I continued. "That clan you sent her too, was my fathers. I met her as a hunter. Matter of fact during training, I almost killed her, and she expected me to. But I was stopped by another tradition." He looked puzzled. "Respect Yautja-de and their wishes." I said as I brushed his hand off my shoulder. "I've developed devotion to her as well."

"You don't understand. She is a disgrace to my family, aswell as you!" He said, poiting a finger in my face.

"On the contrary, it seems to me that you are the disgrace. You don't respect her, you look at her from one veiw, but not the others. I didn't get along with her at first, but now I've developed more than care. You should be proud that she has accomplish what many Yautja do not. You disgrace her by branding her as an outcast. And I never want you to speak to me, or her again!" I said as I turned and stormed away.

"You are making a mistake! She will break your spirit!" He called out behind me. But I ignored him and sat down with M'icli-de. She looked even more frightened than before. I was filled with anger towards her father. I never wanted to see him again.

"What was that all about?" Tokoma asked me.

"Somethings are best left unsaid." I said to him.

"Taraka..." M'icli-de said, worried. I now knew why she didn't think I would spare her during training, or respected her the way I did. I was disgusted with her father, who came out of the shadows of the huts, looking at me as he left the celebration. I turned to M'icli-de. Her expression of fear angered me even more, especially since I knew she thought I was going to think the same thing as him, and leave her.

I held her and said, "I'm not going to leave you." She wrapped her arms around me, and began to cry. I held her, stroking her tresses. I could since releif with every tear coming from her body. I just sat ther, holding her. She released me enough to look into my face. She had a tear rolling down her face. I caught it and said, "He wont bother us again."

"I'm sorry Taraka, I thought you would leave me from what he told you." She said.

I whispered to her, "I'll never leave you. I care too much to leave you for your fathers dishonorable words. He told me the story of an extraoridinary Yautja-de who was disrespected most of her life. And I told him the end of that story, that her life of disgrace was over." I stroked her tresses again. To show her I ment everything I said, I kissed her. She just held me again, and I held her too. Tokoma stood up and looked at us. I looked up to him and said, "We need to be alone for a while. thats all."

"Aye." He said as he left. M'icli-de and I held each other for what seemed like hours. When she'd calmed down we stared into each others faces, and before I could say anything else, they began to play "Spirits within."

"Thank you Taraka." She said.

"You have my word that I'll never leave you. Even in death." I said. I looked towards were the music came from and back at her. "Would you care to reexperience our night not long ago?" She smiled as I took her hand and lead her to the main court with the music playing. Only 6 yautja danced this time. I held M'icli-de and danced with her, just as we did during the moon alignment. The blue mi that lit up the court seemed to make an illusion that it was just M'icli-de and myself. We just continued to dance, staring into each others eyes. When the song ended, we sealed this moment with a kiss. Clapping arose. Still holding her, I raised a fist up high. And standing nearby was Tokoma, Yeiyinde', and Tah'kri, smiling.

"Hey Taraka, you never taught us how to get beautiful mates!" Tah'kri said alloud.

"That's a lesson I never learned!" I said back to them. We all laughed.

****