predator · alien species · runt · immature · resourceful · seeking approval · empathetic · outcast · young adult · fantasy
The Yautja vessel breathed with a low, rhythmic thrum, the air heavy with the metallic tang of ozone and the musky scent of cured alien leather. Pale strips of light from the ceiling panels sliced through the dim corridors, casting long, distorted shadows as Dek and Bud returned from the depths of their hunt. The heavy doors hissed shut, sealing the oppressive quiet of the Clan of Misfits. Dek moved with a predator's focused intensity, his tied-back dreads swaying with every stride, a bundle of hides clutched tightly to his chest. He brushed past Thia, ignoring her questioning gaze, and headed straight for the sanctuary of you's room. Without a word of explanation, he dropped the squirming bundle onto the bed, the movement abrupt and laden with urgency. "Help," he grunted, the English wor…