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A Union of Convenience II	By : Keen Category: M through R > Predator Views: 6268 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Predator movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
For Ms_BloodMoon and Wranch

�� Ur�van
watched his mother quietly step outside her room. It was customary for a Le�a
to rid herself of charms and ringlets during a period of mourning and as she
wore none regularly she did not look so unusual to her son--save the gown
hastily pinned at her shoulders with Ma-yk
talons.
�� His
mother was a dressmaker. The
dressmaker if a few were to be believed. So naturally she took great care in
her appearance. She spent hours layering airy fabric into gowns. Studding them
with stones and trophies, draping swathes of silken fabric over her hips and
shoulders until, with her fair skin and light eyes, she resembled like the
goddess Paya herself. The dress she now wore was void of all that care and
meticulous attention. It was ascetically plain, little more than a fitted
sleeve for her entire body with nothing to tell the front from the back and in
it she moved awkwardly. It was almost as if the pain she felt was a physical
weight, loaded upon her delicate frame.
�� Fortunately
it was only the eldest children who noticed this change. At the sight of her,
the younger pups rushed forward, clinging to her legs while their four older
siblings stood apart, volleying gazes between one another. Mead rested her head
on her sister�s shoulder, looking at Sagar sitting on the table�s edge, legs
swinging. Cara purred soothingly to her sister, combing her curled locks from
her face.
�� So
it is official now. Father is not coming back.�
�� You say that like
it is a surprise, Cara. Mother had her vision days before they confined us.�
Ur�van told Sagar to quiet, motioning with his head to the Ah�sim in the
corner, strapping weapons to his thigh but the boy was defiant. �I do not care
if he hears,� he snorted. �If he thinks she is touched with some dark gift,
maybe then he will leave.�
�� It is not likely,�
Ur�van explained. �Mother and the little ones must be protected. He will not
leave until there is another blooded male in this house or��
�� After a long
breathy pause the twins, as the eerily did in moments like these, spoke in
unison, �Or what, Ur�van?�
�� He looked at the
pair and shrugged his shoulders. He decided now would not be the moment to
remind them of what they all knew, that their father eventually would need
replacing. So instead he said, �There is no alternative. I was mistaken.�
�� Then you should
speed up your training, brother.� Ur�van turned and saw Sagar�s eyes narrow at
the Ah�sim as he strode past, daggers jutting from them. It was clear no one
would replace their father while he breathed. His young brother clicked quietly
in disgust to see him interact with their mother, even if it was kindly, bowing
his head slightly before plucking one overzealous child from her leg.
�� After a quick head
count, the Elder stood at the suite door, ushering a few into the hall. He
glanced over to the quartet of older children and told them to follow, shouting
at Sagar to get down from the table. There was marked silence when the boy
sharply refused the request with a no.
�� Meade and Cara
moved quickly outside, keeping their mother and the others distracted as the
Ah�sim turned sharply, his head tilted. He was not accustomed to hearing the
word so he asked the boy to repeat it again�if he dared.
�� Unfazed
and emboldened by the fact his mother was no longer present; Sagar repeated his
response a second time. Slower�should the beast need time to process it, �This
is my home. Not yours. I will sit
where I like.�
�� Fushel
set down the babe in hands and sent him scurrying down the hall toward his
mother. Ur�van, taking advantage of the Elder�s moment of distraction, quietly
pled with his brother to obey. Surely he knew how difficult and strained things
already were. There was no need to compound it like this.
�� If
you force him to move you, it will hurt.�
�� He
would not dare.� Sagar replied with undue cool. The Ah�sim had seen the baby
safely off and was striding toward him on heavy feet. The two locked eyes,
speaking their anger through them. Ur�van turned to his brother again,
�� Sai,
please.�
�� Sagar
turned, breaking his intense glare match with the Ah�sim to face his brother.
He considered him a long silent moment and then, like water over the edge of
the table, he slipped easily down to the floor. He kept his dark yellow eyes
forward as he strode forward, moving past the Ah�sim as if the male were not
there with fists clenched, and out into the hall. Behind him, Ur�van followed,
giving the obviously agitated and perplexed Elder a slight shrug before jogging
to join the rest of his family. Huddled together, waiting for the lift, they
all shuddered at once to hear the door to the house slam shut. Fushel thundered
down the hall.
�� Gi
looked bounced Ja�lar against her chest, looking worriedly at the male. �What�s
wrong? Oh goodness, is something wrong?!�
�� Fushel
glowered at Sagar, who looked nervously to his distraught mother, and then
flicked his gaze back to the female. �Nothing is wrong, Le�a. Calm yourself. It
has all been taken care of.�
�� Thank
goodness,� she sighed nuzzling the babe she held. �I could not handle more bad
news.�
�� We are aware,� he replied for Sagar�s
edification. It was only for her sake he did not tell her of the slight.
�� The
boy studied his feet as the Elder settled next to him in the lift. Some part of
Fushel hoped that he would step out of line in the enclosed space, where he
could quickly reach him, but there was silence. The Elder should have been
thankful for it as it was a rarity, but it only seemed to lull him into a false
sense of ease.
�� At
the dining level, the lift came to a gentle stop. The doors part and Fushel
flinched almost imperceptibly at the rush of sound that struck his ears. There
was a wealth of shouting�some happy and some angry�laughing, clinking of
glasses and utensils. It bothered him some but he braved it as he always did,
striding forward, making sure the children were in front of him and in his
sight as they took seats near the Elder�s table but for Gi, it proved far too
overwhelming.
�� She
was at Fushel�s side when they approached the entrance but glancing at the wealth
of familiar faces, locking eyes with a few and seeing their expressions melt
into one of pity and then hearing their hushed whispers, Gi balked. And then
she ran. Ur�van turned to follow after her but a strong arm across his chest
halted him.
�� You
take�.Zarin?� Fushel looking questioningly at the girl�s face before handing
her off to her brother, �I will see about your mother.� Ur�van sat the girl
against his chest and lingered a moment, watching the Elder slip out of sight.

�� Huddled
in the corner of the empty space, Gi�s long ears twitched back toward the light
footfalls behind her. The bustle of the dining hall echoed faintly around her
but she still heard them and stiffened, hastily wiping away her tears. �I�m
alright, son.�
�� I
am not your son,� a voice answered. Gi turned to see an unknown male peering
down at her. A straggler in the crowd on its way to the meal hall, the young
unblooded heard the soft sounds of her crying and ventured toward it. The
female once kneeling on the floor, stood and turned her alien features toward
him, obviously startled.
�� You
do not bleed,� he looked the large eyed female over and then scented the air to
confirm it. �And you are not injured. Why do you cry?�
�� It
is none of your concern, unblooded.�
�� Fushel
cut through the crowd of curious bodies and stood between the female and the
passerby. The boy, young but not a fool, bowed his head immediately, averting
his eyes. To his relief, the Elder only touched him to pull him back, shoving
him toward the dispersing crowd of onlookers. He scrambled to his feet and down
the hall, leaving the pair alone in the small space with silence dragging
between them.
�� We
should return.� Fushel extended a hand to the female but shied away from it,
shaking. Not from fear it seemed but from something else. The cold perhaps?
�� Fushel
pulled the fasteners at his shoulders and ripped his Elder�s cloak off. In a
single swoop he pulled thing from his neck and fanned the rigid grey fabric,
snapping it once, before draping it over the trembling female. He rubbed her
arms to hasten circulation, to chase away the chill and then slowed his
motions. She was already warm, very much so.
�� He
tucked the thing neatly around her neck and clasped his hands behind his back,
clearing his throat. �I find myself at a loss, Le�a. Tell me what troubles you
so that I may provide some comfort.�
�� I
can�t go in there,� she shivered, trying to loose the images in her mind. �I, I
c-can�t deal with them right now.�
�� Who?�
�� All of them!� Gi could already hear the
whispers and gasps and she knew what was in store, �One by one, in groups or
pairs, they will come to me and tell me how saddened they were to hear of
Heron�s death. They will ask me questions I do not know the answers to. Pity my
children. Pity me. Offer help that I cannot politely refuse but do not want to
accept because they only want to wiggle their way inside my home to see how
disrupted everything is. I do not need this now.� she exhaled, sniffing back
tears, her voice fading and shrinking. �We do not need their pity.�
�� If
it is fear you have, you must face it head on. In my experience it will cause
you some pain but should survive, you will be stronger and�I am now realising
this is not what you want to hear.�
�� Tears
started to gush from her eyes again and Fushel�s hands left his back, falling
on her face. He held her head up to his, brushing away the offending tears with
his thumbs. �Stop crying,� he said stiffly, unsure if he was giving an order or
pleading with her. �You have no reason to fear anything female. None.� he said quietly. �No one will upset
you while you are with me. No one.�
�� I
can�t help it,� she sniffed. �I am just so sad��
�� Fushel
felt her sway and then stumble toward him. He thought she was about to faint
but realised it was because she stood on the tips of her toes, her claves
straining and hands bracing herself against his chest, all so that she could
hold her face up to his as he held it in his heavy hands. The female blinked,
her long icy lashes shutting and opening slowly and his hands fell away, arms
dropping at his sides.
�� Let
us return. I am sure the Elder Female is all too curious as to where we are.� He snorted, the image of her
sitting at the table foaming at the mouth amusing to him. Moving to the door,
Fushel gave startled pause when Gi reached for him, unsolicited and
unexpectedly, grasping at his side.
�� Heron
often chided her for indulging in the habit, grabbing the nearest kindly body
and hugging them close and although it pained her, she was usually more reserved
around strangers but she needed kindly contact now. But, peering up at the male
whose bicep she curled around, she wondered if she made a grave error. He
stilled and bore down on her with his eyes. His heavy chest ballooned with a
sharp intake of air.
�� Gi
began to unlock their arms but the hand she held suddenly squeezed hers
tighter, bringing it and thusly her, closer to his side. It held her firmly a
silent moment before relaxing.
�� It
is alright, Le�a. I know this is your way. I just hope the Elder Female
understands this as well.� The female looked away from their newly interlaced
fingers and flashed a smile of relief
�� I
should think so. She knows me very well and we do this often,� she said,
tugging on his arm for emphasis.
�� So
I have seen,�
�� The
female clasped another warm hand over his and remained quiet at Fushel�s side
as he led her back to the hall. She seemed to be in contemplation, warily
considering everything and everyone around her as they moved much like a child.
And it was her childlike sensibilities, Fushel concluded, that allowed his ill
thought implication of their hand-holding to be evidence of a romantic
relationship to sail over her head. It would be a difficult conversation to
have if not, especially with the woman now right in front of them, but as usual
the human purposely ignored him.
�� They
approached the table and Isis lifted her head,
greeting her friend�and only her
friend�with a smile and an outstretched hand. The vae forgot the arm she held
and moved to hug her, leaving Fushel to stand at the table�s centre, his side
and arm suddenly chill.
�� Ah�sim,
here,� a voice said. Fushel looked away from the female to Ur�van who proudly
pulled back an empty seat from the table. �I have saved a place for you.�
�� We�� Cara interjected, motioning to her
sister and herself, ��saved a place for you.�
�� But
I brought him food,� Ur�van
countered, proudly producing up a plate. Meade waited patiently until he set it
down in the empty place before pushed him. The Elder, sitting between them ended
what would have been a shoving match.
�� When
will you learn, Ur�van? They are two and you are one.�
�� You
forget my brother, Ah�sim! He will fight with me.� Ur�van motioned to Sagar who
nipped at his hugging arm. They jostled, pushing back and forth like siblings
do, until the younger pup met eyes with his family�s protector who watched them
carry on. His joyful expression cooled and he sullenly returned to his meal.
�� It
never failed to surprise the Elder how emotive the children�s slightly alien
features could be. If looks could kill, he would find himself dead. �I am sure
he would,� he replied. �But you should still choose your battles wisely.
Fighting multiple attackers is not yet in your skill set, although I am sure
you will be introduced to the basics before you classes end.�
�� Ur�van
said nothing in reply, starting in on his dish while giving a silencing glare
to his sisters. When they actually obeyed the unvoiced command Fushel turned in
his seat, ready to ask what they where trying to conceal when a sweet fragrance
prickled his scenting organ. He stopped cold and prattled darkly.
�� K�nae,�
he touched the soft arm circling his thick neck and watched with heavy lidded
eyes as a dark green female draped over the arm of his chair. Her blue gown
fell away from her thigh and Fushel traced the slashing black spots there, �It
has been too long.�
�� I
agree. I missed you last night,� she whispered, leaning closer, brushing her
cheek against his.
�� I
have new responsibilities now,�
�� His
thick sounding prattle made the female writhe. She stretched her arms over his
shoulders, clasping her hands behind his neck, bending forward so he could get
a full down her dress and purred back at him. �But surely you have time for�
other things?�
�� He
might, but not now and not here.� Isis flung
her napkin onto the table in disgust. She had watched the anonymous female all
but mount the all too accommodating male before anger drove her to stop them.
Yet, she kept her face and voice deceptively kind as she asked the female to
leave, �This is a private table.�
�� Yes,
Elder Female,� K�nae swivelled off the Enforcer�s lap and the male watched the
female�s legs hungrily until her path crossed behind Isis.
Settling on the human�s face, his expression tightened into one of anger.
�� He
took a tense sip from the glass in front of him, clicking his mandibles with
irritation. �I am sure the Lead Elder would be disappointed to know you went
back on your word, Elder.�
�� The
human batted her eyes, smiling kindly. �I don�t see how. I was very polite to
you and your friend, Enforcer.�
�� My
�friend,�� he chuckled. He could hear the real word she wanted to use just
dancing on the tip of her oddly shaped tongue. It was almost as apparent as the
irritation she tried to smother with her false smile. �I suppose we are. K�nae
and I are often as �friendly� as you and Ali�shir were but a few moments ago.
And do not tell me I am wrong as I can smell
it.�
�� Isis narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her legs and
bunching her skirt in her lap and satisfied at riling her, the Enforcer eased
in his seat, stretching his arms out and draping them over the rests with a
grunt, �I am surprised you are so shy about this, Elder Female. Especially
considering the sounds I have heard coming from your floor. You are not what
anyone would call a timid creature.�
�� But
some of us are. And some of us at this table are too young to hear or see such things.�
�� Fushel
looked where she motioned, he had forgotten about them almost completely. The
smaller children ate quietly, the older ones talked amongst themselves and with
friends nearby, but one set of eyes watched him steadily.
�� Fushel
met Gi�s gaze in apology but she quickly looked elsewhere, combing her long
hair with her slender fingers.
�� Isis leaned across the table and spoke quietly, �The fact
that I do not like you �that I really
do not like you�,� her fist clenched, �does not matter when it comes to this
family, Elder. I will help you as much as I can if it means you will do a
better job of protecting them. But try to help yourself too.�
�� His
face still turned away from her, he glanced at the female. It would have been
nice to blame the set back with his charge on the woman, but Fushel knew she
was right. Their differences�of which there were many�did not matter. Only
building the trust of the Le�a, his charge, was important. And at the moment,
he was failing in this which was wholly unacceptable.
�� Isis began to slide back across the table, when a heavy
hand clamped down on her wrist. Fushel did not look in her direction as he
spoke, �I do not understand what she expects from me other than protection,� he
confessed. Isis tried to pull away but he held
her firm, squeezing her once for emphasis. She had to understand this was a
close as he had ever come to asking for help. His pride kept him from facing
her, actually saying the words, but surely she could read his desperation
regardless. �What else does she require of me, female?�
�� Isis eased, un-balling her fist to lay her palm flat
against the table and said, �The nice thing about Gi is that she is an open
book, Enforcer. If you ask her a question, she will tell you exactly what is on
her mind.�
�� His
brows rose, �This is all you have to say to me?�
�� That
and never touch me again,� Isis wrenched her
arm from him and rubbed her bruising wrist. �I know where those hands have been.�
�� Fushel
raised a heavy brow, �Jealous?�
�� Nauseated,�
she frowned, actually feeling a bubbling in her stomach.
�� The
human moved where Gi was, smiling as she helped her feed the baby and Fushel
watched them, stabbing angrily at the plate in front of him. He expected some
more profound advice from the human. Surely it could not be as easy as simply
asking her or else her and the Lead Elder would not argue so famously, but then
again, they were talking about the Le�a. She was a great many things Isis was not, among which he hoped forgiving.
��
xXx

�� Dim
the lights,� Fushel moved to the control on the wall and did as Gi asked.
Draped in darkness, he moved quietly toward her, his body nearly touching hers
as he peered over her slender shoulder. Fushel watched intently as her fingers
loosed the cotton bindings of the top and it was discarded. He recoiled as the
diaper around her hips was discarded next, but watched intensely as the female
showed him the proper way to prepare a baby for bed. There would be a test of
his retention skills at the end as he would have to do the same with babe
curled in his arms.
�� After
K�nae left, their meal had been uneventful and largely quiet. The Enforcer�s
scowl was enough to keep most nosy bodies away and it kept the children in line
as well. They followed his orders well enough, including the one to march off
the lift and prepare for bed. Only Sagar, as usual, seemed defiant, but Ur�van
policed him, dragging him into their shared room by the neck as Gi and the
Elder put the pups in the crib. Cleaned and changed, the pair moved side by
side to the set of beds against the all.
�� Zarin
seemed to follow her mother�s orders swiftly, closing her glittering hazel eyes
and drifting off as Gi whispered, �Rest little one.�
�� Ja�lar
however, gave Fushel hell.
�� The
male took care to lay the boy down gently as he had seen Gi do, but Ja�lar
promptly turned over time and time again. Fed up, Fushel roughly lay the boy down
and growled at him to be still. It seemed to have worked until the sounds, the
beginnings of a cry, drifted from the crib.
�� Do
not,� Fushel warned in his sternest voice. �Please
do not?�
�� Ja�lar
ignored him, rolling on his back again, his tiny hands balled into fists as he
drew a deep breath, filling his lungs to scream. The noise shrank into a soft
gurgling as his mother swooped to his side, sliding sure and soft hands under
him and easing him gently onto his belly. Gi took Fushel by the hand and
brought him back to the edge of the crib.
�� Like
this,� she instructed, pressing his palm flat against the boy�s back. With her
hand on his, they made wide soothing circles until the boy�s eyes fluttered to
close. After a moment, Gi took her hand away. Ja�lar had long since fallen
asleep but the Ah�sim rubbed still and to her surprise, purred. It was reflex,
he would explain, purely reflex. He did not even know he did it until he
noticed the female staring at him, hiding her smile with a delicate hand.
Fushel stopped abruptly, tucking his hands behind his back.
�� I
believe he is asleep.�
�� Gi
choked back her laugher, nodding merrily. �You did a very good job, Elder.
Thank you.�
�� But
I did not do such a good job earlier?�
�� The
female was silent a moment, pulling the cloak from her shoulders and carefully
folding it over her arms. �You must allow me to mend this for you someday,
Elder. It will fall off your shoulders if I don�t.�
�� If
you wish,� he nodded. �But I notice you did not answer my question.�
�� Because
I am avoiding it, Elder. I did not want to upset you, but I suppose for the
sake of my children, I must,� she said, the realisation dawning on her as she
spoke. Her fingers drummed nervously on her folded arms as she led him into the
hall and then the living space. There she turned to face the male, tilting her
head back full to look him in the eye. �I held my tongue in front of Isis because I know you two are not friendly and also
because I did not want to undermine you in front of the children, but I will
thank you to never bring that element around them again.�
�� That
element?�
�� K�nae.
And those like her. Your racy comments, the sexy tone you use, the threats of
violence�all of it.�
�� My
sexy tone?� he murmured, stepping closer.
�� Gi
backed away sharply, her hands out, �I would like it if my sons and especially
my daughters did not get the idea that they way you treat females is
acceptable.�
�� Fushel
only heard her call him �unacceptable� in questioning his actions and that was
a strike against his honour. He stepped forward with a growl but her hands,
touching him, broke his anger apart.
�� He
blinked lamely as she grabbed him by the wrists, cupping his wide hands in
hers, pressing them together in mock prayer. �I do not want you to think I am
not appreciative. I am grateful that you are here. And I know that you�re life,
as it is, cannot stop just because you are here. But I need you to�I will demand,� She corrected firmly, �that you
do not bring your that part of it here. That you think of their well being first, always.�
�� Standing
a little taller, surprised at her own doggedness, Gi exhaled, a soft smile
drawn across her lips. Here she was standing up to the most formidable and
imposing male on the ship without a single shred of fear. But where her
children where concerned there could be no such thing as fear.
�� She
curled her hands in his and asked him if he would do this for her. If he
understood what he was asking of him. That this was non-negotiable and far too
important to remain unclear and uncertain.
�� Do
we understand one another?�
�� He
nodded once. Again, lamely. �Yes.�
�� Good,�
Her smile deepened. �This is good. There may be hope for us after all.�
�� Fushel
took a step to the side as Gi moved past to her bedroom. With her arms out to
close both of the heavy doors she paused to look looked at him. The lamp at her
back lit her hair in bright light, making the floppy and messy curls a blinding
white halo. �Rest well, Elder�
�� Yes.
You too, Lea� he said too quietly after the door shut, rubbing his prickling
palms. He strapped them behind his back as he walked past her room to his own.
All the while, chanting three words in dire earnest.
- 12
- 13
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A Union of Convenience II