Unlikely Bonds

Chapter 16: Covert Operations

Earth.

We are on Earth.

Specifically a country called Alaska, United States. Unlike Yautja Prime which was warm all year round, Earth had what was called seasons. Where the planet would change its temperatures based on how close it was to its sun. These seasons actually changed the appearance of it's natural vegetation life and I was absolutely marveled by that. The season this time of year was called summer and though that normally meant high temperatures similar to Yautja Prime, this particular state grew cold fast, so the leaves were changing the most beautiful warm colors and there was a crisp, clean smell to the air. My father had said it might mean early snow and Paya, I hoped so! My mother had told me often about it, though she wasn't nearly as romantic about the idea as I was. 

My father had managed to get a call through to Vagouti who readily accepted my mother and my brother Kaail under her protection. Anak had no choice but to risk war with the females or leave my mother alone. My mother had been hysterical when she finally got to see my father on the communication hologram. She had been worried about all of us, but mostly she worried that she'd never see her mate again. I felt a small pang of jealousy at the utter love and adoration they had for each other, but I pushed it away because I didn't want to think about him.

The Keet, that I had affectionately started calling Khajit, was constantly glued to my side and had a lot to do with my ability to not focus too much on Volok. The cub needed so much attention that I barely had time for anything else. While my father and Baaul were conversing inside with a few of my brothers, I was outside watching over Khajit play with a stick too large for his mouth. He'd bring it to me so I could toss it and he'd run after it, grab it and bring it back again.

He always seemed to have a burst of energy right after he had meat and today was no different. In the nine days it took to get to Earth, he had grown rapidly. Not only did he not need milk anymore, now, he stood to my knees. If he kept this rate up, he'd pass me up in size before the end of the month. Not that I'd complain. He was already fiercely loyal to me even at this age. 

Khajit gave me a growling yowl to get my attention. He had dropped the stick at my feet and I hadn't noticed. "Oh, I'm sorry, buddy." I grabbed it and tossed it.

I smiled as I looked up at the trees above us because the leaves fell down in a fluttering dance around me and it was beautiful. I found myself reaching to try to catch them and after watching me for a moment, Khajit tried giving it a whirl. Their dance made me wonder...Would my father allow me to find music here? I was sure my mother would greatly appreciate that. 

"What are you doing?" Baaul asked behind me. I hadn't heard him approach, but Baaul was always quiet. He was comfortable leaning back against a smaller tree that held up his weight. 

"I was catching leaves, but now that you're watching, it seems silly." I answered honestly.

Baaul looked up at the show, his mandibles clicking together as he watched. "You're a lot like your mother. She does odd, trivial gestures like that. Oomans are an odd species."

I frowned at his words. Was he insulting me or complimenting me? I chose to make it a compliment because I loved my mother and I found her 'odd' nature appealing. "Thanks. How did the call to Anak go?"

"There is no need to speak to him." Baaul sounded tired and I looked to see his shoulders droop a little. "Your brothers have confirmed that the Bad Blood Clan has officially been accepted as a clan and Xai'an has been formally listed as a Bad Blood."

Those words sucker punched me so hard that I had to hold the tree I was next to. My father…? A Bad Blood? "Wh-what?"

Baaul knelt down as if he didn't have the energy to stand either. "Volok informed the Elders of Xai'an's attack, but Anak states that he gave no orders for the trip, so he has been exiled. Word is that you are to be returned immediately to Yautja Prime because they believe Xai'an is holding you hostage. They simply think I have perished."

"This...this can't be right! Why would Anak-"

"Because Anak wanted your mother." My father fell from the sky, apparently traveling through the trees to get here. The shock that left me rocked me to the core. Mom? His goal was to get mom? "By sending me to Jinitymer, whether Volok killed me or I killed him and became a Bad Blood, Anak would get me out of the way to mate her. He knew that he could not defeat me on his own so he schemed to hide the fact that Volok was becoming clan, fed me a bogus story about Elders informing him of Bad Bloods and sent me there. He just didn't anticipate that male would withhold my presence all this time, nor did he anticipate my call to Vagouti. So now, his last ditch effort is to get you back. Whether to try to mate you himself or allow his son to do it, I don't know."

"Why…" I choked on the word because I was so….fucking angry! All of this for human females? What the hell was he thinking? My father has served under this damn male for nearly seven centuries! Why the hell would he betray him now?

"I always knew Anak was getting desperate to increase our numbers, but I never imagined that he was so desperate to ensure his own bloodline. Though it puzzles me why he didn't simply challenge the other males for their oomans. Coming after me is a big risk to his throne." My father shrugged as if no big deal.

"How are you so calm? What the hell do we do now, because I'm not going back without you!" I threw out my hand as I tried not to yell at him.

"It's not like we can just pull up to Yautja Prime without Anak knowing anyway." Baaul stood again but made no move from his spot.

"We can't leave your mother. She may be protected against Anak forcefully taking her, but if Volok was serious about going to war with Yautja Prime, she will be left to herself. We have to get her before that happens." My father whipped his head to glare at me, daring me to challenge him. I didn't. Because how could I have possibly forgotten about that? I wouldn't abandon her anymore than I would him. I had to go back. "There's no way to enter the atmosphere without him being alerted to an incoming ship. And he'll know Baaul's ship right off the bat. So that leaves us with only one choice."

Baaul ran his hands over his forehead and he sighed again. "We need to find someone to smuggle us in."