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Unresolved Paths

Four

The dark hunter trotted at a steady pace as he made his way back to his pack’s commune. Like his three siblings and mated partner that followed close behind, Darkthunder let the primeval part of his mind in control of his body and thoughts. Deep inside, however, he could feel his more evolved mind was more awake than usual, planning his next steps. It was a strange sensation. He had only felt like this when he was in the Patrol, but even then, his more evolved mind stayed dominant. It had to, lest he would succumb to far more dangerous adversaries than a herd of spikebacks.

But now he was just one hunter of his pack. There was no need for such awareness.

There was no denying that the ways of the civilized archosaurs had become firmly ingrained in him. Even if Darkthunder relished the simple life of his kind, he needed to rejoin the Patrol for some time before he finally embraced life again in the pack.

And he needed Grell.

Darkthunder’s pace quickened as the roof of the commune’s tallest building broke through a clearing in the trees. He would soon find his armorback. Darkthunder felt the desire to have himself and Grell sneak out towards the shuttle. Inside, he would lift his tail and allow the big armorback to take him hard and fast and as much as the big brute wanted and lasted.

He quickly suppressed the thoughts, lest pheromones and the hardening of his phallus became noticeable to his companions.

“Darkthunder. Slow down.”

The dark hunter paused very briefly as Moondream’s voice brought him back into the primeval state that his pack adopted while hunting and patrolling, yet his consciousness still remained. “What is urgent?”

She pointed to the structures that began to show slightly above the top of trees ahead. “Pack is close.”

Darkthunder barked softly. “Yes. Food and rest await. Company welcome.”

His brother and sister trilled somewhat loud with delight. Darkthunder knew each had already shown interest in other, specific members of their pack, and were most likely eager to meet with them. Darkthunder trilled a friendly response, letting them know of his approval to the paths his siblings were walking. Once the bonds were formed, it would be their turn to find enjoyment in mating and forming their own families, just like himself had done with Moondream.

He remained silent until they arrived at the pack’s commune. Once inside, he bobbed his head at this pack mates as his mind returned to the less primal state of all the terrorclaws.

“Thanks for a good hunt and safe path,” he said to his siblings. “Moondream and I would like to step away for some time. Seek rest with your friends.”

Airscale and Skyclaw bobbed their heads in response; Stormclaw only mustered a soft grunt of approval. As Darkthunder watched as his siblings began to turn and walk away, he could not help but try to think what it could take for Stormclaw to see him favorably. He could understand his brother’s reaction at finding himself displaced as the leader of his family group. And yet, the dark hunter could not help but wonder why both his pack as well as his parents failed to make all three younger siblings aware of Darkthunder’s existence.

His thoughts as well as his sibling’s departure were interrupted by a female’s loud voice.

“Wait. All of you.”

All five terrorclaws turned to look towards a path leading to the center of the commune. They waited patiently as Sunstalker approached them.

“Good return, Darkthunder. I presume your scouting went well?”

Darkthunder moved the tip of his snout downwards and then leveled it in a wave-like motion in response, a confirmation gesture among his kind. It reminded him the many times he used it with other archosaur carnivores and elicited no response, showing how those archosaurs had drifted from some of their primal nature. “The territory is safe, elder. My siblings are good scouts.” He extended his right hand in the direction of his brothers and sisters, making sure to include Stormclaw.

The elder nodded with approval. “Not surprising. All of you share the blood of one our best hunters. I am still surprised that your father never sought to challenge Nightmarch for leadership of the pack. Perhaps if he had not been taken before his time.” The elder let out a soft sigh, seemingly resigned to the pack’s loss._ “Were there any incidents?”_

“We faced an intruder. A lone female and two youngsters. It looked like the youngsters were the female’s offspring.”

“Did you see if they belonged to a pack?”

Darkthunder shook his head. “No pack marks that we could see.”

“Just a lone hunter, then. Possibly the offspring of someone breeding outside of their pack, or she was the offspring of some discredited hunter. There seems to be an unusual number of them lately. I hope everything is good with the other packs. It could be challenging to defend our territory if they turn up in bigger numbers.”

Darkthunder did not say anything, even as he felt somewhat shocked at the rather callous attitude from the elder. Unlike the other archosaurs, who saw strength in all species working together for survival, the terrorclaw packs only cooperated with their own – anyone not of the Ssresh-Mahr pack was a rival for resources. It was not unusual for some lone hunters to eventually integrate into a pack after proving their worthiness to an elder. Or become “bottom feeders”, to do menial work in exchange of sustenance if they were somehow unable to hunt for themselves.

This was completely normal for all terrorclaw packs, and Darkthunder knew he would hold the same belief, had he stayed with the pack. He could not help ponder how much his outlook on life had changed from living inside the Archosaur Alliance.

“While you were away, we sent a message to the uktar’n to send a party to retrieve your herbivore friend, and they should arrive within a few days.”

Darkthunder could not help growl softly with displeasure. Even when it was clear the pack would not allow him to leave nor Grell to stay, they had acted when he would not be able to have a say on his pack’s decision to ask the Alliance to retrieve Grell. Although it was not like making a complaint would convince the pack of doing otherwise.

“It is time for you to go on a hunt for spikebacks. Today, while the sun is high. You will take the lead, and your brothers and sister will be your companions. I feel there is much they could learn from you.”

Both Airscale and Skyclaw trilled in excitement, clearly eager to see what else they could learn from their older brother. Stormclaw was also quick to express his objection; Darkthunder knew the reason even before words were spoken.

“Good Sunstalker, this dark hunter has not lived in the pack for years, much less hunted with us. Why should he be the one to lead?”

“His body speaks for him,” Sunstalker said as she pointed at Darkthunder’s musculature. “He is indeed a strong and great hunter. It will be his chance to prove he is suited to provide for the pack.”

Stormclaw snorted, saying nothing more to state his displeasure. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he waved his right hand to point at himself and his two immediate siblings._ “We are capable hunters! We have provided many kills to the pack. We have not been absent for years. And we will soon sire our own young that will live with the pack rather than chase a path that provided nothing to our pack! It would be best if Darkthunder could follow our lead so he can come back to live with us.”_

Sunstalker let out a subtle snort. She walked to stand in front of Stormclaw as she stared firmly at the younger hunter. No words were exchanged before Stormclaw took two steps back as he yielded to the elder hunter.

“You are all are good hunters on your own, Stormclaw. The pack is not disputing that. But so was Darkthunder when he lived with us. Certainly, there is knowledge you could learn from him, and he could learn from you as well.” Sunstalker turned to look briefly at Darkthunder. “If he became great among the archosaurs, as he told the pack, then he should do the same with his pack.”

Darkthunder let out a very subtle trill of displeasure. Sunstalker had placed him in an uncomfortable position. If the dark terrorclaw could not provide for a hunt, his use in the pack would be limited. For a brief instant, he entertained the idea that a failed hunt would convince the pack to allow him to leave with Grell. But there would be far more at stake to botch up the hunt on purpose – any mistakes could be costly, and could result in him or any of his siblings dead from his carelessness.

“I would like to have more in my hunting pack. I ask that you let Moondream and the archosaur join me.”

Sunstalker walked towards Moondream, before sniffing her body. A slight smile formed on the elder’s snout. “You mated with her.” Sunstalker turned to look at Darkthunder. “I will have to decline your request._ It will be best if she stays in the commune until she has laid her eggs. The pack cannot afford to lose her or your future descendants.”_

Darkthunder felt pleased at the news, even if he wrestled internally with the thought that he was probably going to be a father. Even when that was what the pack expected, it was an idea that his time in the Patrol and later mated to Grell had made it feel rather alien to him.

“And the archosaur?” Darkthunder asked.

The smile disappeared from the old terrorclaw’s face. “He is not a hunter. He will be a nuisance to your hunt. Do you really want him to look as you and the other hunters kill something that looks like him? Even worse, when in a trance, any of you could turn and attack him.”

Stormclaw barked softly. “That would be unfortunate for him. Although that certainly would put an end to some of Darkthunder’s concerns.”

Darkthunder did not make any attempt to hide a trill of slight anger and displeasure as he stared at his younger brother. It was clear that the pack would never accept Grell. Even then, he had to concede that Stormclaw’s words were true.

“I do not want him to hunt with us, but to follow,” Darkthunder said as he continued to plead his case._ “I would like him to see his_ t’kre’k’k hunt along with pack mates. He could leave with good memories that I will live well among the pack even if we will not be together any longer.”

Sunstalker snorted, seemingly annoyed at Dartkthunder’s response. “You have very much the mind of a pack leader. I believe it was your life with the uktar’n speaking when you said you did not want to challenge Nightmarch. But I sense your path is one of challenge. Very well. You can do as you wish on your hunt. You may not have lived with the pack for years, but you still know of consequences. Those will be your responsibility.”

Darkthunder bowed slightly in appreciation before he turned to look at his siblings. “Brothers and sister, meet me where the rivers touch after the sun is highest. We will start our hunt from there.”

Darkthunder raced towards the communal huts, briefly glancing into each one as he searched for Grell. The terrorclaw smiled with delight as the armorback’s smell eventually reached his nostrils, followed by the sound of him in peaceful slumber, lying on nothing but the bare soil. A far cry from his days as a soldier, but knowing Grell’s past, it was nothing the armorback had not experienced before. It also meant that Darkthunder’s pack at least knew to respect the herbivore’s presence.

-*-*-

“Grell... wake up.”

The armorback lowed softly in confusion. As his eyes opened, he turned to look at Darkthunder. Smiling, the armorback grabbed the terrorclaw’s right wrist before dragging him to the ground, where he hugged the small hunter in a tight, strong embrace.

Darkthunder screeched slightly as he suddenly found himself lying on the sandy soil. He nibbled the hard tip of Grell’s snout as he always did to show his affection for the big herbivore, and Grell lowed softly in response.

“Ooohhmmm! Erhum dok ni’grehhkar, t’kre’k’k,” Grell said. “What a beautiful start to my day, beloved.”

Darkthunder cocked his head slightly, seemingly pleased to hear the words. “Your command of mahr’n language has certainly improved.”

“I hope it has,” the armorback said, switching to the archosaur common language. “There hasn’t been much else for me to do other than learn about your tribe as much as I can. The handful in your pack who know the common archosaur language seemed a bit intrigued about my desire to learn. And the rest of your pack seems more tolerant of my presence when I speak in their language.” He snorted. “The less I have to depend on that lanky Brightwater, the better.”

“Intriguing.” Breaking his lover’s hold on him, Darkthunder got up from the sandy soil while brushing the loose dirt still sticking to his skin. “I really would like to test how much you have learned, but it will have to wait. Get up.”

Grell paused as he noticed the sky outside of the hut was just beginning to brighten. “Much earlier in the day than I expected. What’s the hurry?”

Darkthunder let out a long, drawn growl, one that Grell had learned as a sign of annoyance. “Sorry, Grell, but we have no time to spare. My ehkre’n... my siblings and I will be out on a hunt in a few hours.”

“What... the sun hasn’t risen yet. Doesn’t your pack usually hunt after midday?”

“We were asked to do one earlier than usual, so I need you to follow me. There is something I must show you.”

Grell grunted slightly with some displeasure as he began to rummage around the hut. “Whatever you say, Commander. Just give me a few minutes while I get some breakfast.”

“Krukkeh. Skip it. We cannot waste time.” Darkthunder pointed outside the hut before he began to walk in the same direction.

The armorback grunted as he rose to stand on his feet and began to follow. “Can’t you have some compassion? I need to eat something! It’s the only thing around here that can calm me down. I forgot to ask Ty-Grich for some karjra before we left. Now I’m having cravings.”

The terrorclaw did not stop walking even as he turned to look back at Grell while trilling with displeasure. “When are you going to stop using that garbage?”

“When the stupid medic finishes weaning me off it.”

“You seemed to be doing well. But then you relapsed.”

“The Incursion campaigns were not exactly kind to me, Commander! Or do I need to remind you of the things we found, the very same things General Zaron warned us we could find! Those fucking mammals... I still… can’t erase what we saw from my mind.” Grell paused, his voice breaking as he continued. “He... he made me who I am now. So much I owe him. To find him... like that!” The armorback lowed with sadness. “I suppose it doesn’t mean as much to you.”

Darkthunder let out a soft growl of disgust. “You do not need to tell me, soldier. I was there. I saw it. It does not mean I cannot feel pain for what any other archosaur may have gone through.”

“You called me soldier. Should that give me any hopes of getting my old Darkthunder back?”

“I do not have an answer.”

Grell sighed as he continued walking. Noticing a large tree to the side of their path, the armorback stepped aside only long enough to grab two large gourds; he quickly ripped a piece out of the tough skin with his beak on one of them, then began to chew on the fruity pulp inside. “Don’t expect me to use any less of those drugs once they kick me out of this planet. Not like you would be with me to care.”

Time passed without a sound other than their footsteps and that of Grell eating almost every fiber of the gourd’s pulp. The armorback eventually noticed they were both walking away from the pack’s communal area.

“Now where is that we’re going?” Grell said as he started chewing on the second gourd.

“Near where the two rivers meet. I want us to be away from the communal area for what I wish to do.”

Grell lowed with some disdain. “What, you finally got tired of doing the humping with your female and are now craving some armorback meat up your tail?”

Darkthunder growled with intense displeasure. “I’gak! I will not tolerate hearing you refer to Moondream like that. I still love you as much as I ever did, Grell, but she is now also my companion, just as much as you are.”

“Sorry.” Grell felt somewhat embarrassed at his outburst. “But I thought you said that your pack would not allow us to do our thing.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but we are not having sex. I will not disobey my elders. And if you have not noticed already, we are being followed.”

“Followed?” Grell looked around. He could not see any terrorclaws. But it did not take long before he noticed a rustle among some bushes. “Someone from your pack surely noticed us walking away.”

Darkthunder continued walking, seemingly unfazed by the presence of the observer.

“Are we going to do anything about it?” Grell asked.

“Nehk. It is not like we will do anything against the pack’s rules. Chasing them away would only make the elders lose confidence in me. I cannot afford that.”

The armorback sighed. “I guess you’ve resigned yourself to stay in this backwater world.”

Darkthunder sighed with frustration. “Please do not make me feel worse about my choice, Grell. It is not like they gave me a reasonable alternative.”

“Losing your pack may not have been the worse outcome, you know.”

“I will not answer that comment... uktar.” Darkthunder let out a soft growl of discontentment before turning his back to Grell as he continued walking, now in silence.

Grell snorted with displeasure. The armorback knew the terrorclaw word for “archosaur” had some negative connotation among the terrorclaws. That Darkthunder had thought nothing about using it meant the hunter was quite annoyed at Grell at that moment. He thought about continuing pestering his companion for more information, but realized almost immediately that it was better to respect Darkthunder’s silence and just follow him. The thought of losing Darkthunder was too hard for him to accept; it would be worse if he offended the terrorclaw to the point where he may actually want to rid himself of the armorback.

The sun had already risen over the horizon when Darkthunder stopped. “We are here. Take a look.”

Grell stopped. His hardened soul could still not keep him feeling awed at the scene. The orange sun had begun to rise over the mountains, illuminating the rivers’ confluence and the large valley on the other side of the rivers. The view and the sun were also reflected on the calm waters at the confluence. To the east stood a trio of small lakes, apparently fed by a small rivulet that sprung before the confluence, feeding the lakes with water before it continued onwards, rejoining the river south of the confluence. The armorback realized that the shape of the rivers and the lakes was the symbol on Darkthunder’s pack tattoo.

On the part of the valley between both rivers, a large herd of four-legged herbivores grazed or moved cautiously to the river to drink, while on the larger valley, a small herd of spikebacks grazed among the larger herd. The same species that Grell had seen Darkthunder’s pack eat on the day both had arrived.

Grell noticed the bridge crossing from the side where he and Darkthunder stood, and onto the larger valley. While not very wide, it was clearly built to provide safe passage across choppy waters from a river swollen by strong rains while also withstanding those same waters. Clearly not a product of a more primeval society, but one of those pieces of archosaur technology that Darkthunder had mentioned his race utilized.

“This is what my pack saw when terrorclaws moved into this planet,” Darkthunder said, breaking his silence as he waved his left arm to encompass the view. “My pack’s ancestors were the first ones here, and that is the reason for the pack’s name. The bridge came later, of course, after the archosaurs helped terrorclaws settle when my species was excluded from the Alliance pact.”

“Doesn’t surprise me your ancestors wanted it. It sure looks more beautiful standing here than from the sky. I’m sure it was coveted by others.”

“It was not a good time for mahr’n, but my pack fought and defended this territory until the neighboring packs finally relented. But others will still try to settle in, which is why we always have groups scouting the perimeter of our territory.”

Darkthunder continued after a brief pause, likely taking in the view. “I always missed seeing this during my days in the Patrol.”

The armorback let out a loud breath. “You’ll soon be able to enjoy it every day. Please think of me every time when you do.”

Darkthunder said nothing for some time, either oblivious to Grell’s comment or decided to ignore it as he continued staring at the scenery. “It always meant a lot to me and my pack. I believe it is a good place for what I have been thinking.” He turned to look at Grell as he pointed to the ground. “Sit down.”

“What for?”

“Do not question me. Sit down.” Seeing Grell’s reluctance, he issued the order again with, this time in his terrorclaw language. “Sit down! Now!”

Grell scoffed with displeasure, even as he did as Darkthunder requested. “What’s up with you? Why are you ordering me –”

Darkthunder trilled, letting Grell know he was not accepting the armorback’s refusal. “Eyes are watching. I want them to think I can order you around.”

“Wasn’t that what you always did back in the Tarrakhan?” Grell asked with some sarcasm. “You could be a handful whenever you tapped your bitchy Commander self.”

Darkthunder narrowed his eyes slightly. “Mind your words. You are well to remember that I have not officially given up my position as your commanding officer. Outside of our quarters, there could be no distinction between you and anyone else in the ship. Right now, it is different. I need you to see me as if you were to follow me in a hunt.”

“Not different from when we went on ground operations.”

“Not as your commander, but as mahr’n ortak. A pack leader. In a primal trance.”

The armorback shook his head as he lowed softly in laughter. He wondered whether Darkthunder was beginning to crack under the pressure of his elders. He twisted his torso to present part of his bare back to the terrorclaw at the same time he pointed at the horns on both sides of his head. “Look at all these spikes in my body. I’m a fucking armorback!” Opening his snout, he showed the flat teeth inside. “No sharp teeth in here.”

“You don’t have to be a carnivore like myself,” Darkthunder said calmly; Grell could not tell if the terrorclaw failed to catch what he was trying to say, or just chose to ignore it. “One of my instructors at the Academy had this theory that all archosaurs have the capability to go on a primal trance. Ever noticed how us terrorclaws seem to speak a bit faster when talking our language, yet when I and other carnivores speak in the archosaur language, we do so slightly slower than herbivores?”

Grell decided not to speak the first thought that came to his mind. “I will not go into the jokes that us leaf eaters say.”

“As you know, the current archosaur language was constructed by herbivores, who were the first to move away from the more primal instincts and into more complex thoughts. Was the language done to subdue the hunting instincts of carnivores? It is possible. Meat eaters have sought to still go on occasional hunts, so they still keep a strong connection to their past. Myself, as a terrorclaw, am even more attuned to it. I suspect Arokh was not that dissimilar to me, and he kept his very well hidden.”

The armorback let out a loud snort as he spat on the ground. “Did you have to mention that fucking bastard?”

Darkthunder’s feathered crest rose slightly. “Does his name make you angry?”

“Fuck, yes, after all the pain that asshole made us go through!” The armorback paused as upsetting memories began to flood his mind. Darkthunder seemed to wait patiently for the armorback to compose himself. “His name should be gone to the same depths that took him. I should have killed him that day I rescued you.”

“Kaia. Anger is a primal instinct. I need you to channel that. Force it into the back of your mind, in a rather painful way.” He ran his right claw over the top of Grell’s head and towards the back of the armorback’s skull, digging hard into the thick skin with his claws as he did so.

“Aahh!” the armorback shouted as he turned his head away from Darkthunder’s claws. “Dammit, I really felt that! What the fuck did you do that for!?”

Darkthunder did not answer; instead, he used the tip of a claw to scratch Grell’s head in the same direction. “Follow the pain. Feel it. Use that path and try to focus your conscious mind there, towards the back.”

“What are you talking about? That just sounds like nonsense.”

“Grell, please. Listen to what I say.”

The armorback growled with exasperation. “It’s easy for you! You are a fucking hunter! Being aggressive is in your nature. My ancestors turned to rely on sentience sooner to keep themselves a few steps ahead from others like you. We didn’t have to chase down the bushes and grass we would eat. Not yet, anyway.”

“You may not realize it, but you surely experienced a trance as you piloted the Tarrakhan during our difficult encounters with the mammals. Focusing on the path ahead; that is one thing that a primal trance brings to me. And you certainly did that one time; I still cannot help but admire and thank you enough for how you pulled us from what could have been a likely fatal error on my part.”

Grell snorted with a mixture of belated satisfaction. “Glad you still feel that way.”

The terrorclaw’s crest rose as a thought seemed to spring to his mind. He gestured for Grell to stay put before he ran away a short distance and began rummaging around the vegetation. He trilled with delight as he pulled something from the ground, then trotted back to Grell and handed him five rather large mushrooms.

Grell stared at them fungi for several heartbeats before he turned to look at Darkthunder. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

"Eat them. These should take some of the stress out of your mind."

Grell cocked his head to one side as he picked up one of the large mushrooms and took a deep sniff, then arched his neck and head back in slight disgust. "Wait. Aren’t those the type that have hallucinogens?"

Darkthunder nodded. "Somewhat, itz. I think that the effect will not be as pronounced, with your larger body. It still should be enough to help you relax."

After swiping the dirt out of the mushrooms, the armorback popped the them onto his mouth one after the other, swallowing after barely chewing them. “I'm so craving a relief from my karjra habit right now that I couldn't care less if what you’re really planning is to poison me so your pack can chop me up and serve at your next musical gathering.”

“Someone said that could solve my problems. Don’t worry, I am not following his advice.”

“He’s lucky I am not a mercenary anymore. I would have aimed my guns at his head if they continued disrespecting me.”

Grell stared at the terrorclaw. The terrorclaw seemed to be looking at him with a rather sly smile. Before long, the armorback could feel his corpulent body relax. His mind began to clear, his senses feeling more alert.

"How are you feeling?" Darkthunder asked, noticing the effect the mushrooms were having on the armorback.

Grell shook his head in a futile attempt to clear it. "Rather odd. Uuhhh… You're not really thinking about eating me, are you?"

Darkthunder seemed oblivious to the question. "Try to think of a placid time, where you would do nothing but stand in a pasture. Smelling the air. The grass under your feet. The shrubs around you. The feelings of the wind and a warm sun on your skin. Just like we are right now.”

Grell sighed. The armorback wanted to keep from sneering, even when he felt Darkthunder was wasting his time. Still, he kept listening to Darkthunder’s voice. Only thing he could do. “Doing so. Now what?”

“Look at those shrubs nearby. They sure look tasty, right?”

The armorback blinked his eyes a few times. “Yes... they sure do.”

“Go on... you want them.”

The breeze was flowing. It really felt good in his body, cooling him down. And the grass under his feet and hands was indeed soft as Grell made his way towards the tasty bushes. Eventually he reached them, and clamped his jaws on a twig and pulled hard, ripping it and the leaves before he started to eat them calmly.

The serenity was broken by a loud, piercing screech. Grell turned to see a dark shape, a predator, jaws wide open, aiming for his throat.

The armorback bellowed and stepped back as he raised his tail in defense. As his mind began to clear at the sudden sight of danger, Grell turned to see himself standing almost in a four-legged position, his haunches higher in the air, tail at the ready to hit at the predator.

Except that the predator was none other than Darkthunder. The terrorclaw stood with his body tilted forward, arms partially outstretched as his fingers twitched while tapping the ground with the large sickle claws. Grell watched as the terrorclaw stood upright; his eyes shone with humidity as the terrorclaw smiled, jaws open wide.

“Grell... you did it!”

Grell tried to stand on his feet; he succeeded only after some effort, his mind still in a daze. He spat some of the leaves in his mouth as he tried to talk. “What the fuck did just happen? Why are you messing with my brain? Did you really want to kill me?!”

Darkthunder shifted his weight from one leg to another, bobbing his head and body with excitement. “You had a primal trance! You are even going through some disorientation when your mind goes back to normal! Ek-taran! Ek-taran! This is great!”

“What? You call it great that you have to go through this every time? I feel like I just want to puke. Good Maia, I will do just that.” The armorback lowed and retched, gasping as he regurgitated part of the mushrooms and some partially digested pulp from the gourds he had eaten earlier, along with a good number of leaves from the bush he had been munching on, followed by a coughing fit as he tried to clear his throat. “Fuck... where’s Ty-Grich when I need him?”

Darkthunder nodded, a big smile still etched on his face. “The mushrooms are most likely augmenting your disorientation; otherwise, it just disrupts your mind for a brief moment. You get used to it. Eventually.”

The armorback lowed, hands on the sides of his head as he apparently tried to control the odd feelings still coursing through his mind. “Please tell me you had a good reason for doing this?”

“I am hoping that if you enter a primal trance in front of my pack, they will see you as not too different from us mahr’n and would be more receptive to letting us stay together. But that could not be enough. Maybe… if you could just kill something while in a trance, they could see you as a hunter, of sorts.”

“Now you’re making even less sense, you crazy terrorclaw. Assuming that what you’re thinking is true, what would I kill? I don’t see the grass and bushes in this planet raising sharp claws in defense. And I don’t know if I could feel comfortable being around those who would see me as a smaller version of what they could have for supper.”

A loud screech interrupted them. Both turned to look at Stormclaw approaching, followed closely by Airscale and Skyclaw.

“And just what I was talking about,” Grell muttered under his breath.

-*-*-

---

“So, it looks like the hunter brings his tame spikeback prey to the hunt. Killing a tame beast does not make you a good hunter, brother.”

Darkthunder let out a soft snort of displeasure as he lifted his upper lip, baring his teeth slightly to let the other male know to mind his words. “The uktar is here only to see us hunt, Stormclaw.”

Stormclaw snorted in response. It was quite clear that he was quietly probing the dark hunter, perhaps seeking an opening for a possible territorial challenge. “Then it is better if he keeps his distance. He could be a tempting meal.”

Grell lowed softly as closed some of the distance between himself and the other hunters. “This spikeback is smarter and smaller,” he interjected in the terrorclaw language._ “More agile and dangerous. And can understand_ mahr’n sayk.” His words took Stormclaw by surprise, who did not expect Grell to speak the language of hunters.

Airscale tilted her head slightly to the right as she looked at Grell, seemingly intrigued. “He looks... different.”

“Different how?” Darkthunder asked, eager to know what a hunter unfamiliar with Grell was seeing him right then. “He is learning to speak like hunters do.”

Grell tensed as the female approached, still feeling the effects of his trance. Airscale stopped about three steps away, keeping a prudent and respectful distance as she sniffed at the armorback. “His smell. Somewhat different from when we first saw him. And his eyes. It is almost... like he had the mind of just another spikeback but came back.”

Darkthunder smiled. He was thrilled to explain what had just occurred, but he barely uttered a word before Stormclaw let out a short shrill of impatience.

“The pack expects a kill, not talk. You are to lead us, so take charge.”

The dark terrorclaw hissed. He stared at Stormclaw as he began to let his mind start the process of shifting to its more primal state. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the other terrorclaw. “You will be my second. Be ready.”

Darkthunder turned to Grell and pointed towards the valley where the feral spikebacks roamed, hurrying his words before the primal trance would keep him from speaking in a sentient manner. “Stay downwind and as far from us as possible. And again... stay away from us until we say it is safe, no matter what you see. Even if our prey were to injure or manage to strike me down. Do you understand?”

Grell nodded. “Yes, even when I don’t agree. But I will do anything for you.” He gave Darkthunder a quick nuzzle. “Just make sure to come back to me.”

Darkthunder watched as Grell turned and hurried away from the small pack, disappearing into the vegetation. Only then he released the hold on his mind from rejoining his primal side. “We start the hunt,” he said to the other hunters.

In a very familiar process, Darkthunder took a deep breath and closed his eyes. As he had done countless times before, the sentient part of his mind seemed to drift from the top of his head back towards the back of his skull. Sleep, he commanded in his terrorclaw language. At the same time, he felt the primal part awaken and begin to take control of his body.

, and slowly began to put it to sleep, letting the back of his mind begin to flow forward, becoming awake.

The primal voice turned louder, eager to begin the hunt.

<Stormclaw. Airscale. Skyclaw.>

The other terrorclaws growled and trilled in their most primal language. Already in the trance, they signaled their readiness to follow him.

<Scent. Find scent.>

The terrorclaws scanned. Airscale let out a soft growl. <Herd. Horn beasts. Ahead.>

Darkthunder trilled. <Good. I have scent. Follow. hunter>

-*-*-

---

Grell watched the terrorclaws standing almost motionless. Less than a minute later, their bodies began to tilt forward, and their tails stiffened behind them to balance.

He had never seen Darkthunder like this. He knew well what his partner was capable of, but never wanted to witness it. The thought of his loving partner living some evolutionary steps below his intelligent, sentient nature seemed to hurt Grell’s mind and heart. Terrorclaws were even more reliant and willing to use the trance than other carnivores, and as such were more susceptible to have their minds permanently locked in such state., something that extremely uncommon, had happened to other terrorclaws. The Ssresh-Mahr’n had had a few hunters end their days unable to revert to their sentient minds. Darkthunder had once confessed being afraid that one day he would never snap out of the trance

He would never stop loving the terrorclaw, no matter the outcome. There would be ways to keep Darkthunder alive if such were ever to happen.

He saw the small pack begin to move, and quickly turned to follow.

-*-*-

---

Running through bushes and small clearings, the four terrorclaws followed the trail towards the herd.

Darkthunder noticed them. Three females with young calves. There were five males, two of them young. While any of the calves would be an easier target, Darkthunder concentrated on the two young males. Either would feed several of his pack.

<Stormclaw and self, choose young. Chase, separate from others. Skyclaw, Airscale. Large ones. Attention, get. Distract.>

Skyclaw and Airscale bobbed their heads in agreement, then turned to run away together. Once they approached a good spot downwind from their prey, they would stay hidden until needed. at first while moving into position ahead of the herd, then slowly approach from the front.

Darkthunder and Stormclaw watched as the other two hunters came out of a bush, walking slowly towards the small herd. Soon after, the lead male noticed them and began snorting loudly as it tried to intimidate the hunters. The two hunters did not budge, and began trilling and cawing, getting the attention of the other large adults, who gathered at the front.

Darkthunder waited until he saw one of the youngsters stand slightly behind.

<Chase! Now!>

Springing from their hiding place, he and Stormclaw launched themselves towards the young spikeback. The herbivore noticed the hunters heading directly towards him and quickly bolted towards the bigger adults while the two terrorclaws continued the chase.

The spikeback herd quickly noticed the approaching predators and bellowed a warning cry. It was the cue for Skyclaw and Airscale. Both ran to position themselves between the young adult and the bigger males. The terrorclaws aimed for different paths; as Skyclaw screeched at the adults, the large beasts moved to protect their calves. Meanwhile, Airscale aimed for the young male’s path. The prey began to turn away from the bigger adults. Once it headed in a different path, Airscale turned towards Skyclaw, helping her brother keep the larger males away from the other hunters.

Darkthunder and Skyclaw continued. Inside the dark hunter’s mind, a tiny fraction of his conscious mind awakened, taking in the hunt in ways his primal mind would never see or experience it. The more rapid and deeper breathing, feeding the necessary oxygen into his lungs. His heart rate skyrocketing, taking that oxygenated blood faster through his body and into his powerful leg muscles, which propelled his body. He was aware of the air around him; felt the grass and dirt under his feet; his large tail bouncing behind him, helping adjust his direction when needed. Even in his primal mind, the hunter could not help feelings of really belonging in this world. It all reminded him how much he missed his pack brethren, and living the simple life of the terrorclaws.

That same consciousness made him feel his genitals slapping against his thighs as cool air flowed across them. Cursing the thoughts brought by his life with the archosaurs, Darkthunder pushed his evolved mind back, letting his primal side take full control again.

He thought nothing as he noticed Stormclaw behind and to the right, gaining ground as the younger hunter pushed his body further in the pursuit of their prey.

<Chase!> Darkthunder shouted to his brother. <Chase!_ Chase!>_

Both hunters looked around as a faint but audible bellow reached their ears. Possibly another herd had seen or heard the hunters, and was warning their own of the possible danger. Yet something seemed to trigger familiar feelings inside Darkthunder’s mind.

Behind them, the other adults of the herd began to bellow loudly. Darkthunder turned his head to look back only briefly. He saw Airscale and Skyclaw running away from a charging spikeback, probably the leader of the herd. With a sharp turn to the left, both hunters continued running in an attempt to draw the furious herbivore away from Darkthunder and Stormclaw. But the large bull continued his run towards the two hunters chasing the youngster. Over the loud noise, Darkthunder heard Skyclaw shout to his sister to go after a calf.

The ruse appeared to work. The large bull hesitated for an instant, unsure which one of his heard he should defend. Eventually he turned back towards the hunters behind him, intent on protecting the small calves.

Darkthunder continued chasing the young spikeback, with his younger brother several steps behind. Even in his primal mind, he realized the need for success in this hunt. Their pack needed to be fed. Even if theirs was but one hunting party among several taking place at that same day, the pack’s ultimate survival depended on more successes than failures.

The hunter relished the chase. Here he was in the world he was born, living with his kind and doing the very things his species thrived in, away from the needs and fights of the Alliance. His existence called to him, shouting this is where he truly belonged.

The hunt was on, and he was enjoying it.

-*-*-

---

Grell’s breathing became a bit more labored as he continued chasing after Darkthunder and Stormclaw. He was used to running, as a soldier of the Patrol. Still, it was not easy staying downwind and chase the two hunters and their prey. For being a large animal, the young spikebacks moved with amazing speed and agility. Not surprising, if they had to stay alive from hungry terrorclaws.

“Fuck, how much are those beasts gonna run!?”

He felt slightly sorry for the spikeback. The creature was somewhat similar to him, with small horns on the side of its head and a hard beak, but lacked the bony club at the end of its tail. If Grell were one of them, he too would have been defending the herd against the terrorclaws. Hearing their primal cries, the armorback found himself bellowing in response, joining the chorus.

Grell shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts.

“Fuck... where did that come from?” he thought. “Whose side are you in?” He should be rooting for Darkthunder and his siblings to complete the kill. Maybe he was still suffering from the effects of the mushrooms.

He paused for a few seconds to rest. Summoning his Patrol training, the armorback resumed his fast run as he continued to follow the hunters.

-*-*-

Darkthunder continued his chase even as his body began to slow down slightly. Years away from his pack had made him lose some of his agility and strength, even as he tried to keep in shape. His stockier, more muscled body was becoming an impediment, while his slender siblings were still able to continue the hunt at almost the same speed and strength. And as Ty-Grich had also warned him, the morphs that Darkthunder had done under his tail and lower body to endure rough sex with Grell had also taken away some of his speed and endurance from him.

<Weak hunter! Do not slow!>

Darkthunder heard Stormclaw’s voice as the younger hunter raced past him on his right, giving a hard push with his shoulder Stormclaw raced ahead of him, attempting to establish some superiority to the hunt leader.

With a part of his sentient mind awakened, Darkthunder lost the delicate balance his body assumed when running fast while in the primal trance. The dark terrorclaw screeched as his uncoordinated legs finally failed to keep their pace and he stumbled, falling hard to the ground. The hunter let out another screech, this time of anger, and was quickly back on his feet, chasing both prey and sibling. He let his archosaur side awaken slightly; the last thing he wanted was to fight his brother, not while in a primal trance.

Ahead, Stormclaw raced until he stood almost near the spikeback’s neck, positioning himself for the kill. The young hunter jumped onto the beast’s neck, latching with his arms and feet onto the though skin of his prey. He shifted his right foot, ready to slash across the beast’s throat with the large sickle claw. The strike was not meant to kill, but allow blood loss to begin to take down the spikeback. Darkthunder trilled with delight, his fall almost forgotten, as he rooted for his brother’s success.

The other hunter still continued trying to keep a tight grip as the prey slowed and buckled, trying to shake him off. Instinctively, Stormclaw grabbed hold of one of the prey’s head horns. As the hunter tried to secure his hold, the young spikeback clamped his jaws onto the hunter’s left arm.

Darkthunder screeched in anger. His careless sibling had left himself open, and now was beginning to get injured by the calf’s bite. Blood began to flow from Stormclaw’s injured left forearm. Even more dangerous, the young spikeback was using his hold on the predator to position itself in an attempt to crush Stormclaw with one of his front feet.

Darkthunder screeched as he jumped onto the spikeback. Holding tightly with his hands and large toe claws, he clamped his jaws on the soft underside of the youngster’s neck. The beast brayed, and slowed down enough for Darkthunder to deliver the fatal strike – the large claw on his right foot sliced the underbelly of the young spikeback. Blood immediately began to pour out in large quantities. Darkthunder jumped away, watching the youngster run away, only to start to slow down as blood loss began to take effect.

The adults were soon behind, and began to chase the terrorclaws away. Darkthunder and Stormclaw backed down and ran away, but only far enough to be out of harm’s way; both screeched angrily to let the herd know they still were intent on getting to their prey, yet staying safely away from all the spikebacks. The other herd creatures nuzzled their youngsters, trying to get it to respond. As the terrorclaws waited patiently for the beasts to realize it was over for their youngster, Airscale tended to her brother’s wound.

Eventually the herd realized nothing could be done to save their fallen herd member. They continued braying in menacing postures as they backed down, resigned to let the terrorclaws have their catch. Darkthunder approached the still breathing youngster; it could still be some time before death could come in. Using his right sickle claw, he ripped the skin where the spikeback’s heart would be, and stuck his foot in. The beast spasmed momentarily, followed by its eyes rolling to the top of its head as it drew its final breaths. Darkthunder removed his blood-soaked foot from inside the beast, then walked slowly towards his siblings.

<Food. Pack. Alert pack.> Darkthunder said to Airscale, ordering her to have others from the pack help carry the carcass into the commune.

There was a loud screech an instant before a shape hurled into him and Darkthunder found himself on the ground. Almost immediately, he felt the sharp pain of a large claw having ripped the skin on the back of his right thigh. Hissing, he turned to see Stormclaw, still in full trance. Blood still showed through the leaves Airscale had used to bandage the wound as the young hunter bobbed his body while holding his arms in a wide arch. Shifting his weight between both legs, Stormclaw let out a loud screech at the same time he lowered his head.

A full territorial challenge.

Stormclaw’s injury and Darkthunder’s success while taking down the spikeback was the last trigger. Stormclaw would always be in Darkthunder’s shadow, and as such was denied the right of first breeding and possible replacement to Nightmarch.

<Stormclaw!> Darkthunder said as he stumbled while trying to get up._ <Hunt over!>_

Stormclaw screeched, breathing heavily as he began to circle Darkthunder before he lunged at his target._ <You bird! You not of pack! You die!>_

-*-*-

Some distance away, Grell smiled with satisfaction. He had seen most of the chase as it occurred, right down to the final moments when Darkthunder brought down the prey, and the final killing stroke. There had been many times when Darkthunder had taken down enemy combatants during their time together in the Patrol, but that was expected of any soldiers. Seeing Darkthunder make a kill on a larger beast with only his natural weapons made Grell feel proud of his partner in ways the armorback could not understand.

He still kept his distance, waiting for a signal from Darkthunder that it was safe to approach the hunters. And then he noticed Stormclaw, seemingly running towards Darkthunder at full speed.

“Shit!” Just as Grell cursed, he saw Stormclaw launch himself, striking Darkthunder from behind before tearing on the dark terrorclaw’s right leg with one of the large sickle claws.

“You fucker!” Grell shouted as he rose to his feet and run towards them... only to stop immediately. He recalled Darkthunder’s plea not to intervene if anything happened. The armorback watched helplessly as Darkthunder’s two siblings stood watching, seemingly intent in neither taking sides nor stopping the fight.

“Don’t stand there!” he shouted. “Help him!”

As he continued watching the terrorclaws fight, Grell realized it would not end well for Darkthunder. Even if older and stronger, the dark hunter was holding back, trying not to kill or seriously maim his sibling. Stormclaw did not seem to share the same, and soon began to gain the upper hand in the fight.

“By the good Mother, Darkthunder! Why did you ask me not to help you!?”

Hands over his head, the armorback closed his eyes, pleading with himself as he began to concentrate. Anguish flooded his mind. Grell could not stand there and do nothing.

“Come on! Think! No... don’t think. Use... instincts...”

He needed to defend his partner. He had to help one from his... herd.

-*-*-

Darkthunder gasped. Already tired from the hunt, he was beginning to ache from the wound in his right leg. He could only stand on his feet for an instant before the pain became too strong. Exhausted, Darkthunder fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

He noticed Airscale and Skyclaw watching, almost motionless. Darkthunder was about to ask them to help; archosaur soldiers always rushed to break up fights. But reliance on adopted customs proved to be his undoing. He could only curse the nature of his species. Fights among terrorclaws could only be resolved by the fighters themselves, no matter if the fight ended in one horribly maimed or killed. It was the nature of terrorclaw packs, and as such his siblings could not pick up sides.

With Stormclaw close to deal the final blow, Darkthunder realized the finality of it, that he really would end his days in the same planet he was born into.

There was a loud braying, which caused Stormclaw to stop. Through the haze in his eyes, Darkthunder saw a spikeback seemingly racing towards the terrorclaws. It was unheard of any of their kind to defend other who had already been killed. But the spikeback was much smaller, and of different coloring.

“Grell!?”

The armorback ran fast towards the terrorclaws, his body tilted forward, and at times using his arms and hands as if those were front legs.

Aiming directly for Stormclaw, the armorback hit him squarely in the stomach with the blunt part of his head, sending him tumbling towards the dead spikeback. The terrorclaw was soon back on his feet, still in primal trance. He screeched at the armorback, who brayed and swung his tail menacingly from side to side, hands firmly on the ground.

Darkthunder gasped. Despite the seriousness of what was happening, he felt a sudden sense of delight seeing Grell in a primal trance. A real, full, primal trance!

Stormclaw jumped to attack, landing on Grell’s back. The large spikes on the armorback’s back deflected some of the attack, and Stormclaw only managed to scratch the tough skin. It was still enough to draw some blood.

The terrorclaw jumped again; this time, however, right into the path of the big, clubbed tail. The large, bony club hit Stormclaw squarely in the terrorclaw’s skull. The impact sent Stormclaw away from Grell, flying through the air in one small arc, before the terrorclaw fell to the ground a short distance away. Stormclaw gurgled and twitched for a few heartbeats, then was still.

Oh, shit, no! Darkthunder thought, his mind fully out of his primal self.

Apparently satisfied the attacker was not moving, Grell turned towards Darkthunder. Still walking almost in four legs, the armorback brayed softly and lowed, sniffing and nuzzling the injured terrorclaw.

“Grell... Oh, shit... Grell. What have you done?”

The armorback’s voice came in a deeper and more guttural tone than how Darkthunder had ever heard. “Dark... thunder? You... all right?”

“Nehk,” Darkthunder said as he turned to look again at Stormclaw, still lying motionless on the ground, as Airscale hurried towards her fallen brother. She stopped a few paces away from the fallen terrorclaw, seemingly able to see that her brother would not move any more.

“He has left the pack,” she said in a sad yet calm voice.

Darkthunder wailed, feeling his eyes welling with tears. He knew what would come, and it would not be good news for his partner. “By the first egg, soldier! Would you just stop fucking up things!?”

Grell lowed with sadness. “Sorry... sir.”

-*-*-

The armorback remained quiet and almost motionless, even as the loud screeches and trilling left no doubt in his mind that the terrorclaws in the big hall were strongly distressed by his mere presence. It was not hard to think many, if not all, now looked at him no longer as an archosaur but as a smaller, two-legged version of their usual prey.

Right then, he could not care less if his life ended under the teeth and claws of a mob of angry terrorclaws. His only pain and anguish were directed at the dark terrorclaw kneeling a few paces ahead of him. Even if Grell had ended Stormclaw’s life, the pack’s anger was focused mostly towards Darkthunder. It was Darkthunder who had saddled his pack with the big archosaur herbivore’s presence, and he bore the weight and anger from his brother’s death. The pack’s reaction was proving much too heavy for the once proud hunter – Grell could feel the pain in Darkthunder’s mind as Darkthunder cast his eyes and snout to the ground, his back to the armorback. Darkthunder’s two remaining siblings stood on their feet next to their brother; Airscale to his left, and Skyclaw to the right. Surprisingly, both terrorclaws remained calm and silent, as if unaffected by the same anger displayed by the rest of their pack.

The loud shrills quieted partially as Nightmarch walked from behind the podium. Even at his advanced age, he let out a loud screech that was heard over the cacophony of angry terrorclaw voices. The noise died down, although Grell could still hear some trilling from those close to him.

“You have brought disgrace to this pack, Darkthunder,” Nightmarch said, his voice clearly angry even if the words were spoken in a language mostly unknown to Grell. As before, Brightwater stood near Grell, translating for the armorback. The disdain the old patriarch had for the dark hunter was evident in the translated words coming from Brightwater; the translator seemed to share the same hateful feelings for Darkthunder. “Why did you bring that which we had sought to remove generations in the past? _ Uktar’n _walk a path that is not for mahr’n_. Their paths only end with needless pain and death. And you brought both to our pack!”_

The room filled with the trills of terrorclaws, echoing their patriarch.

“What is your path, hunter? Are you uktar_, or are you_ Ssresh-Mahr’n?”

The dark hunter shook his head; his crest barely shook, straightened all the way back from the terrorclaw’s shame. “I have... always sought to walk with the pack, my elder. Even when I was away, I lived by our ways. I wanted... I made my uktar pack follow my way. The way of the Ssresh-Mahr’n_.”_

“Is this then why you did not return alone? You brought an archosaur into the pack, you begged us to let him stay, to follow you in a hunt! What else would he be but just one like those who are to be nothing but sustenance for the pack! And now we have lost one who was on his way to be a great hunter. Your own brother!”

Darkthunder paused, almost unable to speak with grief. “I... cannot ask the pack to forgive me, Nightmarch. But I speak truth when I say that I did not intend this to happen. My grief is too big to hold, as is my shame.”

Nightmarch snorted. The old patriarch was unaffected by Darkthunder’s words. He lifted his gaze to stare at Grell. The yellow, slitted eyes could barely contain the anger seething inside the old hunter’s mind.

“You. _ Uktar kreh’kren. You who are nameless prey. You killed a hunter. You, who are not one of this pack! All the other_ uktar dek’n agreed that hunters of all packs have the right to claim the lives of those who disrupt the packs! The words have been given to your kind of your actions. By the decrees of your Alliance’s ancestors, the pack claims your life and body. You do not have the rights as an uktar anymore, and the pack owns you!”

Once again, the room filled with angry trills of angry terrorclaws. Grell could not tell if they meant to awaken instincts in him. A small part of him did cringe with fear. His conscious side, however, was resolute in defiance. Death had brushed past him several times, both during his time in the Patrol and his previous life as a gun for hire. He had come to the realization his path to the next existence would come before a natural death; he never imagined it would be under the teeth and claws of countless primitive predators.

The pack growled as Grell moved forward two steps. Inhaling deeply, he spoke calmly, even when his stance denoted strong defiance.

“I do not deny it,” Grell said as best as he could in the terrorclaw language._ “I did it. I only wanted to defend –”_

The terrorclaws trilled, seemingly surprised. The prey was defiant. Perhaps it was to be expected, as prey is known to do when cornered.

“Who are you to speak?! You are not a hunter, and much less one to replace that which you took from us! Unless your desire is to die sooner, you will remain silent!”

Grell’s noticed Airscale as she turned back to look at him. To his surprise, the expression on her face was not one of hatred, but concern. She then turned to look at Skyclaw. The male terrorclaw nodded, as if agreeing. Both hunters then took a couple steps forward as Airscale lifted her right arm. “Nightmarch! As sister and brother to Stormclaw, we wish to speak!”

The elder terrorclaw bobbed his head slightly. “As is your right. Do you wish to speak your grievance against the uktar_?”_

“No, my good elder. We wish to speak for him.”

The room filled with the loud trilling of the gathered terrorclaws, who sounded confused at Airscale’s words. The armorback understood, as he was confused as well.

“Why... would you want to do this? You do not grieve for the loss of your sibling?”

“We do. Skyclaw and I saw the big uktar fight and take down our brother after Stormclaw began to fight Darkthunder. And while the loss of Stormclaw is great, good elder, I do not... cannot hold any contempt for the uktar_. He was in a trance.”_

An even louder cacophony of trills and shrills filled the room as the words shocked the assembled hunters. Brightwater paused as well, and only gave his translation to Grell a few heartbeats after.

Nightmarch paused. He looked at Grell, then back at Airscale. “Uktar’n leaf eaters cannot go into a trance!” he shouted before he turned to address her brother._ “Skyclaw! Is this true?”_

The young male assented. “Yes, Nightmarch. I join Airscale in speaking the truth. We also saw the uktar had come out of a difference trance, before we even started our hunt.”

The hall filled with sound of many terrorclaws chittering as they listened to the two young hunters. Grell wondered if they were equally confused as their patriarch seemed to be.

“And both of you say this not out of a desire to spare your brother from suffering? Even when this uktar killed someone who shares your blood?”

Skyclaw trilled as he bobbed his torso twice, arms slightly outstretched. Grell was unsure if the gesture was one of defiance or annoyance of the speaker towards the recipient. “This hunter does not feed lies to the pack. By the ground that gives life to my sister and myself, we speak the truth. What really happened must be known.”

Airscale repeated the gesture as she signaled her desire to continue, then extended her right arm in Grell’s direction. “We felt a true, primal nature in the one who is not a hunter. Skyclaw and I think that he came to Darkthunder’s defense because he saw his t’kre’k’k was in danger. My brother and I will not fault the uktar_. We believe he should be allowed to live.”_

Nightmarch paused. There would be no other words that would carry more weight than those spoken by Stormclaw’s siblings. Even the patriarch could not ignore this. He turned his gaze at Darkthunder. “If this is true, Darkthunder, then why you did not tell the pack?”

Darkthunder kept his gaze down as he spoke. “I feared the pack would see my words as false prey, that I would say anything to save my uktar_.”_

The loud trilling and chattering continued for several heartbeats before Nightmarch gestured for silence as he turned to address Grell. “The pack would be wrong not to heed the voices of those closest to the one you have taken from us. From what they have said, you may have shown that perhaps all uktar’n are not far from the true ways. We would allow you to stay with us as a bottom feeder, but that would not change what happened. You were not one of this pack when you killed one of the Ssresh-Mahr’n_, so the pack will not permit you to stay._ We will allow you to leave, but Darkthunder stays with us. You will be kept in seclusion until your people arrive, when we will guide you back to where your vessel landed, so you can depart back into the stars.”

Grell paused. Once again, his mind began to flood with grief, even more hurtful than when Darkthunder chose to resume his life with the pack. Claws and teeth tearing at his flesh would not be as hurtful as the pain that flooded his mind and heart.

Holding his head high, the armorback walked to stand in front of Darkthunder and his siblings. His deep voice filled the hall as he proclaimed his defiance. “I will not.”

Nightmarch took a step forward as he pointed at the armorback, clearly upset by Grell’s defiance. “Your presence here is no longer wanted! Do not reject the leniency that two young hunters gave you. You will not be given the opportunity again.”

Grell remained on his spot as he stared directly at Nightmarch while repeating his words. The sound of several terrorclaws sounding either displeased or concerned at Grell’s defiance. “I will not leave. Not without Darkthunder!”

The elder terrorclaw growled, clearly displeased again at the archosaur’s insistence. “He belongs to the pack! You are not to tell us how to live!”

“Then the entire pack should be ready to fight me,” Grell said, tilting his body slightly forward in defiance as he had seen Nightmarch do while speaking in the terrorclaw language.

The room filled with the loud trilling of all the terrorclaws sitting in the stands. Grell did not need any primal instincts to tell him they were quite displeased with him. He stood his ground, staring defiantly at their leader, his body postured and ready for the possible fight.

Nightmarch scoffed as he scratched the ground with his right sickle claw. “Do you really think you can fight every one inside this hall? You would be dead long before everyone in here could have a turn at your hide.”

The armorback did not falter in his determination; he snorted loudly as he leaned forward again as he continued to stare fiercely at Nightmarch. “I will not fight to win. I will go to my death than exhale one breath away from my t’kre’k’k_. I ask if you would be willing to accept how many hunters would die before I do.”_

A loud rumble filled the hall as the terrorclaws trilled almost in unison, clearly surprised and impressed that the armorback was not only firm in his love for Darkthunder, but seemed willing to die for him. Nightmarch hissed before trilling with disdain. The elder seemed restless, as if the armorback had proved to be tougher than expected.

“All of you uktar’n are fools. You left your instincts given by nature for some foolish goals among stars. But do not think that we hunters cannot understand what you feel. The natural instincts of our evolution sometimes drown in the river that flows through the heart. And just like the herd beasts stand for a while next to one of their fallen, we can understand that you are still trying to protect the one you thought belonged to you.”

The elder took a few steps towards the edge of the platform. “Your defiance speaks loudly. Were you one of us, you certainly would be a strong hunter. I do not know of your life before you stepped into our territory, but I can feel that even as the leaf fed your body, your mind hunted for prey. And your body followed. Even then, the ways of the packs are clear. Darkthunder has proven to be much too worthy for the pack to give him up. We cannot, and we will not, give Darkthunder to one who is not of the Ssresh-Mahr’n_.”_

“Why do you insist on speaking for him?” Grell said as he lowed with anger._ “Is the choice not for Darkthunder to make?”_

“Do not make one of this pack have a choice. The rules that shape our packs were forged from the pact your own people gave the mahr’n when your Alliance was born. But if that is what you insist, then I am willing to give him another chance to choose.”

Nightmarch turned towards Darkthunder. “The uktar wants you to choose, so I give you two options. Either you give up your pack and leave with him, or be a hunter and take the prey’s life. That is your choice.”

“You damned motherfucker,” Grell said softly to himself. The accursed patriarch had placed both him and Darkthunder where neither of them could win.

Darkthunder turned to look at Grell. The dark terrorclaw shuddered with horror at Nightmarch’s options; his eyes gleamed as tears began to dwell. “Grell... please, no. Leave me!”

A subtle smile formed on the armorback’s face as he raised his right hand to caress his partners snout. Darkthunder trilled at the touch, letting his head rest on the strong hand.

The armorback lowed softly as he caressed the soft scales on Darkthunder’s snout and throat. “I will not take you away from your pack. You belong here. But I will not leave this planet without your company. So do what you must.”

The armorback knelt on the ground. The terrorclaws screeched softly as Grell held his hands tightly on his back and tilted his snout upwards, exposing his vulnerable neck to Darkthunder as a quick target for a kill.

“I give my life gladly so you can live,” Grell said softly. “Just make it quick, my love.”

The armorback saw as Darkthunder began to enter a primal trance, most likely for the terrorclaw to shield his conscious mind from what he was about to do. Grell wondered how his death would feel. There certainly would be some pain before the end. He steeled himself, trying hard not to react as he felt Darkthunder’s breath as the terrorclaw’s snout drew closer, teeth exposed.

Darkthunder had bitten the neck and underside of Grell’s jaw many times before as a playful gesture. It was a terrorclaw sign of love and trust, with Darkthunder suppressing his instincts as a predator, as well as the armorback ignoring his own instincts to flee, knowing the terrorclaw’s bite would not hurt him, much less become fatal. This time, however, Grell felt the teeth sink even lower; where before he only felt playful pricks, his skin now screamed with the first signals of pain.

The armorback closed his eyes as he felt small, warm drops of blood trickle down his skin as the pain intensified.

Farewell, my lovely Darkthunder, the armorback thought, as he remained resolute in his desire to die. I will wait for you on the next Path.

Grell opened his eyes as the intense pressure of the terrorclaw’s jaws vanished suddenly and the pain subsided. With one quick movement, Darkthunder steered his snout clear of the armorback’s neck. He let out a loud screech, the enormous pain in his sentient mind overcoming even the powerful primal trance. He knelt on the ground as he grabbed the sandy soil with his hands, eyes and snout cast down as screeched with anguish.

“Cannot do it... I cannot kill him!” he wailed, then again in his terrorclaw language as copious tears began to run down his lowered snout.

The gathered terrorclaws began to trill and murmur, seemingly confused that the strong hunter had been unwilling to kill.

“You appear weak, Darkthunder,” Nightmarch said, his voice devoid of emotion._ “Are you unable to kill this spikeback? Your last hunt cost the life of another hunter at the hand of this prey. If you cannot bring yourself to kill him, then what good are you for us?”_

The pain in Grell’s neck seemed to disappear as his heart ached at the sight of his partner. Even in the worst moments of the Patrol’s war against the mammals and the traitor Arokh, when Darkthunder had faced clear, insurmountable odds, he remained defiant. Now, the terrorclaw could only let tears flow down his snout, unable to raise his head to look at Nightmarch. Grell knew his lover’s days among his kind would be over. It was a matter of moments before Nightmarch decreed for Darkthunder to be expelled from the pack.

Grell’s heartbeat accelerated. He could not let it happen.

“Nightmarch! Ket-vrek! Doru katra’yak!” In his desperation, he could barely form the words in the terrorclaw speak. Overcome with emotion, Grell felt his command of the language slip almost completely away. “Please wait!”

The armorback turned around, desperately seeking for Brightwater. Finding him, he quickly grabbed the lean hunter by his right arm and dragged him to stand between him and Nightmarch. “Translate for me! Please!”

“You do not speak!” Brightwater said, clearly furious at the armorback who had brought so much upheaval to the pack.

“You will do this for one of your hunters!” Grell said as he pointed at Darkthunder.

The terrorclaw elder growled even louder, visibly upset at Grell._ _ “Why do you think you deserve to speak like a hunter? You are not anything but prey like those four-legged beasts that we feed on! Are you really desperate for the pack to end your life?”

Grell pointed at the despondent Darkthunder, then at himself. “I fought to save my terrorclaw, and I will fight for the right to speak! I have that right!”

Reluctantly, Brightwater passed on Grell’s request to Nightmarch. Not surprisingly, the elder leaned his torso forward, just like Grell had done before. “And what makes you think you have that right?”

The armorback leaned to match the elder’s posture. “You said earlier that the pack claimed me from the archosaurs. If that is truly so, then I am owned by your pack, just as the pack owns Darkthunder. And if I can walk, think and speak the same words of the pack, then I am more than prey, so I have the right! And as one of this pack, as one of your Ssresh-Mahr’n, I ask you as the patriarch! If Darkthunder wishes to finish hunting among the stars, then I will go with him so he can be with one of this pack!”

Brightwater screeched in what sounded like extreme anguish. Grell heard similar cries from a few other different members among the pack; most likely the ones who knew the archosaur language and thus understood his words.

Several anxious heartbeats passed as Grell waited for Brightwater to translate his words. But the lanky hunter was almost motionless as he looked at the armorback, mouth agape and seemingly overcome with terror, as if a terrible vision had taken over his mind.

Around them, the impatient trills of the terrorclaws in the audience began to get louder, as they waited to know what had been said. Grell noticed that Darkthunder had stopped crying – the dark hunter now stared at the armorback, eyes wide open as his feathered crest stood upright as if in shock.

Grell lowed with impatience as he turned to look at Brightwater, who remained silent. “Say it to Nightmarch.”

“No,” the lanky hunter blurted. He was shaking with abject fear. “Those are not... not good words.”

“What? What are you talking about, you spindly hunter!?” Grell grabbed Brightwater’s arm and pulled the terrorclaw closer as he noticed Nightmarch becoming very impatient. “Do you think he’s going to kill you? Those are my words, not yours!”

Wrestling his arm free, Brightwater stared at Grell in a mixture of anger and fear. “I will not say them! Not sayk! Nehk sayk!!”

“Why, you stupid piece of leftover prey!” The armorback fought his desire to scream at the terrorclaw and make his situation worse. “What’s wrong with you?”

A dark shape moved to Grell’s right. The armorback turned to look at Darkthunder, standing fully upright and looking at Brightwater, seemingly angry at the lanky hunter’s reluctance. Darkthunder said nothing to him; turning to face Nightmarch, the dark hunter took several firm steps to move to the front, his crest fully upwards as he addressed his pack elder.

“Uktar saykter --” he screeched in his terrorclaw language, followed by many more words in quick succession; so fast that Grell could barely catch any of them. Brightwater wailed again before running away as he continued screeching as if in pain. Grell had no time to ponder on this; the entire assembly began to erupt in loud screeches just as Darkthunder finished speaking. The pack’s reaction filled the armorback with a sense of dread – all around him, terrorclaws shouted in apparent shock and surprise, sounding like a nest of stinging insects had been disturbed. The sound was almost deafening. He expected the pack to rise from their seats and run towards him, intent on ripping the armorback to shreds for insulting the pack elder.

His fear did not come to pass. The terrorclaws remained in their seats, even as their voices denoted their dismay. Grell turned to look at Nightmarch. The elder stood motionless, surprise and shock etched clearly on his face, as if had been made aware of some displeasing, unexpected revelation. The elder took two steps back, which caused the assembled terrorclaws to gasp and continue screeching. Darkthunder stood upright, his crest and tail feathers fanned in all directions as a signal of pride. Grell had seen that a few times before, whenever the terrorclaw felt immense pride at something his team had accomplished.

Almost two minutes passed before the uproar began to subside. Grell could feel the eyes of the pack fixed on him; some turned to look at Nightmarch, as if waiting anxiously for his response. But the elder terrorclaw did not seem to have any words to give.

Grell walked to stand next to Darkthunder, whispering softly to his lover. “What did you say to him? Did you finally decided to challenge him?”

The terrorclaw turned to look at Grell. He stood silent for a few heartbeats; his crest fell back as he placed his hands together and moved to stand right in front of the armorback, claws pointed down. His words came slow and soft, as if speaking with reverence. “I only spoke the same words that you spoke to him, my t’kre’k’k. I spoke as you.”

“Thanks, I believe. But why is everyone else so restless? Did I insult the Nightmarch or the pack somehow?”

Darkthunder bowed. “Grell... you have been challenging Nightmarch with your words. When you leaned forward and spoke harshly, you issued a formal challenge to him in front of the pack. The elder’s silence and him taking two steps back means that he has no words to refute yours. You won.”

“I did?!” The armorback snorted, feeling smug, then lowed with laughter. “Hah! I guess I showed him I’m not some simple prey like he said, am I? Maybe that will teach him that –”

The words died almost immediately in his mouth as the armorback noticed that the posture Darkthunder had taken was the same as when the hunter had addressed his pack leaders. He recalled what the terrorclaw once said, that his species did not fight for dominance of the pack with tooth and claw, but with words.

Grell’s mind flooded with shock and dread as the armorback realized what he had done. But such a thing would not be possible. “Oh... good Mother... no, no.” The armorback felt his body slump with dread as he shook his head in disbelief. “Please tell me it is not what I’m thinking!”

Darkthunder only nodded, leaning his body forward thrice in salute. A salute to a patriarch of a terrorclaw pack.

“Oh, by the fucking first Egg!” Grell continued, trying not to let his feelings become too evident to the hunters around him. For several instants, the thought of the whole pack ripping his tough hide into shreds looked like a highly preferable outcome. “This can’t be happening!”

All the terrorclaws were clearly perplexed and confused on how to approach the current situation. Grell could see that even his own terrorclaw was wrestling with the same thoughts as Darkthunder turned to look at those of his pack gathered in the building, then at Nightmarch, then back at Grell.

“But... leading a pack of terrorclaws was never my intention! How could I? How could they let me lead? I am leaf eater! I am prey!”

Even as Darkthunder seemed emotionless, Grell could feel a mixture of pride and confusion in the hunter’s mind. “As you know, the packs sought to prevent anyone from becoming leader by using trickery or weapons to kill the elder patriarch. We decided mutually that any challenge must always be of the mind, not killing prowess. We see a smart leader as the better choice to lead a pack. Winning a debate over any terrorclaw of our pack makes you Ssresh-Mahr’n; winning over a patriarch makes you part of their circle. Winning over Nightmarch means you would be the pack’s leader. But none of us ever thought an uktar would use our language to challenge a patriarch, much less outsmart him. Your words were not in terrorclaw speak, so perhaps you may never take Nightmarch’s place. But even if the other elders decide that Nightmarch should stay as the patriarch, your voice would be second only to his, and it will carry almost as much weight.”

Grell turned to look at Nightmarch as the elder terrorclaw finished calming all of the assembled terrorclaws before turning to look at the armorback. Unlike before, there was no anger in his face. It was clear he had accepted his defeat. As he raised his voice, his words denoted this acceptance as if another terrorclaw had bested him.

“It is clear now that you are not the prey your body would suggest. You have the mind of a true hunter, much like I sensed in you, but that of a lone killer, not one of a pack. I am obliged to ask – do you understand the meaning of your words? Do you accept what you have said?”

Grell sighed softly and turned to look at Darkthunder as he whispered. “Any way I could get out of this mess?”

The terrorclaw turned to look at Grell. The armorback saw the same stern face and stance he had seen many times from the commander of the Tarrakhan. “You have a new mission now, soldier. You do not shirk your duty just because there is danger or you face an unfamiliar position. Hesitation or weakness means the enemy will take you down instead. Do you understand what I mean?”

Grell nodded. If the armorback turned down the position, his life may as well be forfeited. While slightly tempted at the idea, he would have no way to know how that could affect Darkthunder after the terrorclaw had refused to take Grell’s life. That was an unknown path with consequences that he did not want to even contemplate.

The burly herbivore lowed softly with resignation. The nest was built, and it was his duty to lay in it. Grell walked to a spot that Darkthunder indicated, and assumed the same pose he had seen his terrorclaw take days ago when he was ordered to take his place again in the pack. “I stand by my words.”

Nightmarch nodded, seemingly pleased with the armorback’s action. “Are you ready to renounce that which you were?”

Grell nodded. “I do.”

Nightmarch waved his arms to encompass all the terrorclaws assembled in the room. “Are you ready to take your place among those who would chase prey with you? Will you hunt with them, eat with them, and stand with them in defense of the pack’s territory?”

“I do.”

The armorback’s words and stance appeared to satisfy whichever reaction Nightmarch expected from a challenger. Jumping from his post higher from the ground, the elder began to carve a small path on the sand with his feet. He then turned to look again at Grell as he commanded the armorback to stand in it. “Step into the path.”

The armorback sighed again. Loud trills and other sounds came from the excited terrorclaws as Grell stepped firmly inside the path carved in the sand.

“Will you walk the Path of the Ssresh-Mahr’n until the day you follow your fellow hunters into the next hunting grounds?”

Traversing the short path in both directions, Grell turned to face Nightmarch one more time before speaking again, his voice louder and firm. “I do.”

The elder opened his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. “Your path is now that of the Ssresh-Mahr’n_. This pack welcomes you as one of our us, brave hunter. And with this path you have chosen, you have earned a name within the_ Ssresh-Mahr’n_. You will be known among us as..._ Stoutshadow._ May your future hunts be plentiful.”_ He turned to address the excited crowd. “Let his name and scent be carried onto the extent of our territory, for all our hunters to know!”

Grell gasped as several terrorclaws got up and immediately raced towards him. Fear turned into confusion as the carnivores rubbed their snouts on the armorback’s body as they trilled with delight, much like they would do with one of their own. The armorback turned to see Darkthunder shifting his weight from one leg to another as he did several small hops; the terrorclaw was excited, his feathered crest fanned with pride.

Behind Darkthunder, his two remaining siblings also joined in their brother’s happiness. Grell could not help but feel uneasy that they had come to his defense.

One by one, the terrorclaws that had crowded around Grell raced outside the building, ready to carry on the news toward those outside of the commune. When the last hunter left, the dark terrorclaw raced to embrace his lover. He trilled and warbled with excitement.

Grell held the hunter’s head tightly against his chest, unable to contain his own joy as well as he caressed and nuzzled his partner. Both remained together in tight embrace for several heartbeats, overcome with joy. Darkthunder finally lifted his snout to look at Grell; the armorback could notice some concern under the smile on the terrorclaw’s face.

“Grell,” Darkthunder said softly. “You... you sacrificed your individuality... for me. I have a strong feeling that Nightmarch will no longer dispute you if you tell them we want to get back to our lives in the Patrol, but eventually we will have to come back and stay here for the rest of our lives. Are you really ready to give up your life as an archosaur?”

A smile formed on the armorback’s snout. “I won’t deny that there will be quite a few things I would miss, away from civilization and in a smaller world. But I vowed to do anything to live with and protect my terrorclaw. I would cast myself into a black hole to spare you from pain.”

Darkthunder trilled contentedly as he rested his head again on his lover’s massive chest. “Thank you.”

Grell let out a soft snort of displeasure. “Don’t thank me yet. You will have to help me explain this to Zaron. The old was extremely displeased that I seemed to interrupt him banging yet another female, then went livid at something I said to him. I fear that may be nothing compared to what he will think once he finds out I am now equal to a terrorclaw, so to speak, and now untouchable. I have yet to fulfill all the conditions of my sentence instead of getting sent to that mining prison.”

Darkthunder let out a soft cackle as he smiled. “It would not be the first time Zaron may regret allowing me to stay in the Patrol. We will walk that path once we approach it, but there is something that needs to be done now.”

Grell turned to look at Darkthunder as the terrorclaw tugged eagerly at the armorback’s loincloth, seemingly intent on ripping it to shreds. “What are you doing?” he asked, slightly confused.

“You don’t need this anymore.” Darkthunder flashed a slight toothy grin as he succeeded in taking the thick cloth apart. He let the fabric drop freely to the ground, and the armorback’s heavy genitals drooped for all the remaining terrorclaws in the arena to see. The hunters warbled with shock and surprise as the full size of the armorback’s massive phallus and balls, exposed to them for the first time. Several males screeched softly, perhaps feeling envious or inadequate with their own equipment. The females trilled as well – some perhaps wishing their own partners were of similar size, or perhaps grateful they actually were not.

Grell lowed with slight embarrassment. Even if archosaurs and terrorclaws thought nothing of nudity, he felt somewhat exposed and vulnerable. His feelings only worsened as Darkthunder began to stroke the armorback’s thick phallus.

“Darkthunder... what now –?” His face changed to one of concern when he realized Darkthunder was doing what Sunstalker had done to the dark hunter upon his return. “Oh, no... please don’t... not this. Not in front of your pack!”

“Sorry, Grell, but the pack needs to see that their new patriarch is a strong breeder.”

Grell sighed and remained still, letting Darkthunder incite the desires he had repressed since both he and Darkthunder had taken the shuttle down towards the terrorclaw planet. As a Ssresh-Mahr, Grell had no way to get himself out of any of the pack’s rituals and customs. The armorback closed his eyes and let Darkthunder stroke him, faster and faster, just like the terrorclaw had done many times before in the privacy of their quarters in the Tarrakhan.

“Getting close....” Grell said, expecting Darkthunder to stop just like Sunstalker had done. But Darkthunder only continued with more intensity, until the armorback could not hold anymore. A loud bellow erupted from his throat as equally strong, thick spurts of seed shoot from his phallus and splattered onto the sandy soil some distance ahead. The terrorclaws still present in the communal hall trilled and growled loudly with approval. Even if they understood the archosaur could not breed with them, the amount of white blood that the armorback produced only meant that the herbivore was indeed a strong and healthy male.

The armorback lowed, feeling extremely embarrassed. “I still think this is perverted.” Out of the corner of one eye, Grell saw Nightmarch staring approvingly with a slight smile. The armorback could not help but wonder if the old hunter could feel – and enjoy – Grell’s embarrassment.

Nightmarch turned to look at Darkthunder, eyes open wide, as if in disbelief. “We all knew of your intimate relationship with the uktar_...”_ He corrected himself immediately. “With Stoutshadow. But to be able to have him inside you.” The patriarch could only nod with astonishment. “You really are a strong hunter.”

“This is one of the painful but good paths I mentioned on my arrival, my elder,” Darkthunder said as he used the now discarded loincloth to wipe Grell’s phallus of any remaining cum. The armorback would have preferred the feel of the terrorclaw’s snout and tongue doing the same work, but public sex was probably not the pack’s way; not once had Grell caught a glimpse of any hunters mating outside of their huts.

Grell took a few steps to stand before Nightmarch before bowing respectfully; the gesture felt incredibly surreal, made even more so after Darkthunder had just masturbated the armorback in front of him and others of the pack.

“My good hunter, I wait for the time when I can take my rightful place in our pack. And as I have said, Darkthunder desires to finish his hunt among the stars, and I wish to accompany him so he is not alone. We ask for your permission to allow us to fulfill our obligations to the uktar’n before we come to live with our pack.” Even if both Nightmarch and Grell were now at the same level, the armorback thought it was time to build mutual respect among themselves by still addressing Nightmarch as his superior.

The elder terrorclaw smiled. “You made your words clear, patriarch. It is not up to me to deny your request. I am willing to watch over your pack until your return.”

Grell tried to hold a sudden gasp at Nightmarch’s words; there was little doubt now what his place in the pack would be.

“But understand that the Ssresh-Mahr’n still cannot let you two leave,” Nightmarch continued_. “You need to learn your new role as a patriarch. And the pack cannot risk losing the blood and strength of its best hunters. Darkthunder’s lineage must be secured.”_

“The last one is not a problem anymore,” a voice exclaimed.

Everyone turned to look as Sunstalker entered the room, followed by Moondream.

Sunstalker bowed first to Grell, then to Nightmarch. “I can now confirm that the seed in Darkthunder’s white blood is growing inside Moondream. We still have to wait for her to lay the eggs, and that the eggs will prove viable, but their future offspring has started to walk the path to life.”

Grell noticed Darkthunder’s eyes glow with moisture. He would get to be sire to future younglings.

The female terrorclaw turned to make her voice heard as she bowed to Nightmarch and Grell. “I heard the request of the one we now call Stoutshadow. I also wish for Darkthunder to have the opportunity to finish his time with the uktar’n_, my good hunters.”_

Darkthunder spoke softly as he turned towards his terrorclaw mate. “You do not have to accept this. If you need me, I will stay with you and –”

Moondream smiled and nuzzled her partner. “I know which territory you really wish to hunt and run now. It is calling you. To keep you from the hunting grounds that you seek, even when I cannot understand them, would be something that I cannot deny you. I am happy that I have your children. I can raise these good hunters no different if their sire had left us, gone from an injury during a hunt. But I will wait for your eventual return.”

Darkthunder and Grell glanced at each other slightly. The possibility of either one or both of them could be lost during an assignment had not occurred to either of them. Neither said a word as Grell nodded slightly, to signify the thought was something best kept private among themselves. Darkthunder nodded in response, seemingly agreeing to it before turning towards his terrorclaw mate.

“Moondream... I want to request something, if you would agree.” He turned towards Nightmarch and Sunstalker. “My good elders... if I am to continue with the territory in the stars, I ask that you let me take one of the eggs with me. To raise there, in a new territory.”

Sunstalker stared at Darkthunder, confused. “And why do you wish to do so? You know what most of the uktar’n think of us hunters.”

Darkthunder bowed to her and Nightmarch. “My elders... I feel like we cannot continue to be fully isolated from our uktar’n brethren. We need to show them the strengths of the mahr’n_, strength they could have used as we hunted those who seek to destroy them, and therefore all hunter packs. At the same time, the Ssresh-Mahr’n need to grow and learn new ways for the pack. Just as I taught my brother and sister when hunting the spikebacks, and can teach other hunters. And for the_ uktar’n to get to have more of our pack among them, so that it is our pack the ones who change the mistaken beliefs that most uktar’n have of us hunters.”

Nightmarch paused for a long time, pondering the idea presented to him. “Do you accept this, Moondream?”

The female nodded. “I am proud that it would be my partner the one opening a new path for us.”

Nightmarch turned towards Grell. “The pack accepts your decision, my patriarch. But not before you learn to live like us.” He beckoned for the armorback to follow as he walked to where the other pack elders had begun to assembled. “Stoutshadow. You must come with us now.”

Grell turned to look at Darkthunder. “What do they want now?”

“Now that you belong to our pack, you must learn and live all the ways of the terrorclaws. As Nightmarch said, we will not be able to go back to the Patrol until you do so.”

Grell sighed. “That could take forever.”

Darkthunder stretched an arm to touch a spot between Grell’s eyes before switching to speak in his language. “Place your mind into a slight primal trance, like I showed you. And talk and think only in mahr’n speak, even to me. It will make everything easier.”

Grell sighed softly. Life had changed, perhaps in ways he had yet to find out. Closing his eyes, he let his consciousness drift towards the back of his mind, as he had done before. Once again, his voice turned slower and deeper.

“This is quite the nest that I have made,” he said with a slight smile of resignation.

Darkthunder trilled with delight, sensing the trance in Grell. “I will bring mushrooms if you need them.”

-*-*-

The armorback woke up as he felt a clawed hand on his left shoulder. It was still nighttime. He turned to see Darkthunder, his siblings and Moondream standing around him, with Airscale beckoning him to stand up. More oddly, Skyclaw seemed to hold the fractured skull of a terrorclaw. “Stoutshadow... come with us.”

“Where are we going?” the armorback said as he rubbed his eyes and began to follow the terrorclaws out of the commune.

Darkthunder did not turn to look back at Grell as he led the group. “We are going to bid farewell to my fallen brother, like you saw us do with my father.”

The armorback slowed down, unsure whether to continue following. “You... you all go without me. I... I don’t feel it... is my place to be with all of you.”

Moondream turned around, apparently confused, as she continued walking. As she did, Grell could notice that her belly was slightly distended, a clear signal of the eggs now growing inside her. “Why would you say that?”

Grell snorted. “I know I am one of your elders now... your main patriarch, perhaps. But why would you ask the one who killed Stormclaw to join you?”

“Because you are a hunter. You are part of our immediate family.”

“I still do not understand. Why none of you...” Grell struggled to find the words in the terrorclaw language for grudge – even if he could not think of one, the concept certainly existed among their species, with the way Stormclaw had acted towards Darkthunder._ “Why would none of you would hate me for what I did?”_

Skyclaw turned to address Grell, also seemingly unsure about the armorback’s reluctance. “Stormclaw chose his path. You may have ended his life, but it only happened because of his own decision.”

Grell could not fathom why the terrorclaw would be carrying his brother’s skull as if were any other simple object. Perhaps it was a custom he had yet to learn, and something he would have to ask the other elders about. “I am still troubled by what I did. But... if I had done nothing... I would have lost my t’kre’k’k.”

Airscale moved sideways while slowing down her pace until she was walking right next to the armorback’s left. She smiled as she placed her right hand firmly on Grell’s left forearm. Her clear lack of animosity only confused the armorback even more. “Stoutshadow... You are one of us now, but I can see you have more to learn. Neither Skyclaw nor I would ever hate you for what you did. It is not unusual for a hunter’s primal nature to become too strong, and they may choose to fight another of their own pack. Sometimes, it ends with one hunter leaving the pack, in life or in death. Stormclaw allowed his desire to become leader of our family to cloud his judgement. The path he chose means that we would have lost a brother that day, either him or Darkthunder. Maybe even both.”

Skyclaw nodded and tried to reassure the armorback as well. “My brother’s passing, while unfortunate, came as a result of his own doing when he chose to fight you. There is no shame in defending your t’kre’k’k._ _ Anyone in the pack will defend their own mates if needed.”

“Why did neither you nor Airscale decided to intervene?”

“Because it was not our place. Fights among hunters must be decided only between the hunters themselves.”

Grell snorted. “Nightmarch was not happy that I got in the way. You saw him. I thought he was close to have the entire pack rip my body apart.”

Airscale smiled. “He was more upset that an outsider intervened, rather than our nature deciding who would have lived. If you had not challenged him, you still would still be alive, after Skyclaw and I asked him to spare you. But you are hunter now. And a patriarch as well. No one in the pack will harbor resentment for what you did.”

The terrorclaws continued walking, eventually stopping at a small clearing some distance away from their commune. Grell recognized it as the place where Darkthunder had first met his siblings. Some distance away, the shuttle in which they had arrived remained parked, although covered by a large amount of fallen leaves.

Skyclaw passed the skull to Darkthunder. Like that time when Darkthunder and his siblings mourned the death of their father, it was the eldest member of the group who was to hold the skull high. He turned his head slightly to look at Grell, who stood a few steps behind, still a bit reluctant to join.

“My beloved and patriarch... Please join us in helping Stormclaw walk into his next territory.”

Grell nodded and covered the final distance. As the terrorclaws began their high-pitched howling, the armorback joined them; his deep voice somehow provided a melodious contrast to that of the terrorclaws, as the entire group filled the woods around them with their voices.

-*-*-

Surrounded by the soft hum of a starship making its way in the Tachyon traverse, Grell moaned and lowed. Lying sideways in his bed, he clearly relished the sensations coursing through his phallus as Darkthunder worked his head up and down over the thick shaft, taking the entire length with each downward move.

Darkthunder felt the thick, large hands of his armorback held him tight, the entire length of Grell’s phallus inside his snout and throat, as the armorback tensed as his orgasm arrived, coming hard into Darkthunder’s snout. The terrorclaw swallowed as much as he could, but some still managed to dribble out onto their bed and even to the terrorclaw’s skin.

Grell’s moaned as he released his grip on Darkthunder’s head, panting as he relished the sensations of his orgasm.

“Good Maia... thank you for that.”

Darkthunder lifted his head, then bowed at Grell as he stood kneeling on the bed. “Please accept my apologies and forgiveness again, my patriarch,” he said in his native language.

Grell lowed as he wrapped his arms around Darkthunder and forced him to lie next to him as the armorback held his partner in another strong but gentle embrace. “Come on, we are back in our ship. No more mahr’n talk for now. You are the Commander and I am your navigator. Besides, what makes you think that you need to apologize to me?”

Darkthunder said nothing for almost a minute. When he finally lifted his head to look at Grell, his eyes were moist, close to tears. “In my pain, I failed to make any efforts to speak for you. Do you understand how close I came to killing you? And yet, all this time, you have said nothing. As if it had never happened.”

The armorback laughed softly as he rubbed his neck. “I felt those teeth on my skin quite strongly. Of course I understand.”

“And that does not bother you?”

The armorback shook his head gently before resting it on his companion’s feathered crest. “I would never hate you for it. Up until that moment, when Nightmarch ordered you to make a choice, I had failed to see how selfish I was. I wanted you only for myself. Right then, I finally understood what the pack means to you. Nightmarch was right. How could I deny you anything that which makes you the terrorclaw that I fell in love with? If my death had made you happy to live with the pack, it is something I had made my peace with. I will gladly lay down my life if it will spare you from pain.”

Darkthunder let out a loud breath; several seconds passed before he spoke again. “Your death would not have been painless for me.”

“But you would have moved on. Hunters are always walking, running, and chasing prey. That is the way of your pack. Well, ours now. I swear I’m even smelling like one of your kind.”

“Perhaps.” The terrorclaw paused before he stared straight into his partner’s eyes as he began to recite in his native language. “As we walked the pathways of the pack, we join our paths, to walk as one. Rejoice, hunter, for your search is over, and today the white blood is spilt as you pierce the flesh of your pack mate.”

“The paths we marched,” Grell continued, speaking also in terrorclaw, “today join into one. Fear not, brave hunter, and receive the gift of life. We come together, and as souls and bodies are bonded, the pack celebrates life, for the circle continues.”

Wrapping his arms around Darkthunder, the armorback rumbled with delight as he gently rocked his mate. "Your race has really beautiful vows."

Darkthunder thrilled. "Thanks. Though it is not really the proper words. I certainly can't bring life."

Grell chuckled. "A gravid Darkthunder. Sounds like some weird fantasy that only mammals could conjure.” The armorback paused for an instant before he growled, seemingly dissatisfied with some vision inside his mind. “Good Mother, now that's some image I did not need burned in my brain. Thanks for nothing."

The terrorclaw moved to admire the tattoo on the armorback’s right shoulder. “Thank you for joining my pack, Stoutshadow.”

“Hey! I know that is to be my name as one of your Ssresh-Mahr’n, but would it be too much if I ask that you still call me Grell while we are here in the Patrol? As if my body morphs were not enough, now I’m getting odd looks from our crew with this tattoo on my shoulder.”

Darkthunder smiled. “Of course. I like Grell too, my patriarch.”

“Don’t push it, terrorclaw.” Grell lowed with pleasure as Darkthunder smiled and rested his head on the armorback’s powerful chest. He draped his right arm over the terrorclaw, holding him close. “That was an interesting and different experience. But I’m glad to be back in the Tarrakhan for the time being. I do feel the need to finish things here before we go back to live permanently with the pack. I wish we had not left Moondream and your two siblings behind.”

“It is only until we finish our duties to the Alliance. We will all be together after that.” Even as he spoke the words, Darkthunder realized something could make him break his promise. He could only hope that both himself and Grell could escape it, even as it had claimed others close to them. “But it is also time for my kind to integrate themselves more with the Alliance. And the two of us should start that movement.”

“Would you like for your species to leave their ways?”

“Nehk. Not completely, at least, but there is more that they could accept from the Alliance. We should all hunt together that part of the pact that created the Alliance, and get rid of it.”

“Something for our future, I suppose. But right now –”

Darkthunder warbled as Grell moved from the spot he had been taking on the bed, and immediately placed the terrorclaw to lay on his stomach, on top of the small puddle of semen that had dribbled out of Darkthunder’s snout earlier. Darkthunder trilled as he felt Grell’s weight on his back, with the armorback pushing the terrorclaw’s tail to one side.

“I know I said not to use mahr’n sayhk... but your patriarch wants something else from you, hunter. And there are not others around, so I am not going slow this time.”

Darkthunder trilled as he heard the words in his language before he felt the tip of the thick cock press briefly against his tail hole, then bury itself deep between his buttocks and inside his body. It then began to slide in and out with increasing frequency, as the armorback burst into loud grunts and bellows brought by his own pleasure.

Soon, the room filled with the sounds of their mating, as the atmosphere began to saturate with the smell of pheromones, the smell of their sweat, and their sex.

“Grell... oh, Maia! Ahhh!” Darkthunder screamed as he felt his innards fill with the armorback’s thick phallus. While they had mated with others of the pack around after Grell’s position as a patriarch had been established, there were others around in some manner, either in other huts, or as part of their hunting party. Now they were alone, and Darkthunder could feel that his partner and now patriarch clearly wanted to rail him hard. “Oh, my hunter! AAHHHHKK!!”

A desperate voice broke through the communicator. “Medical Bay to Commander!”

“Ty-Grich?” Darkthunder grunted as he recognized the medic’s voice. “Is... it...?”

“You better get to the sick bay now! It is happening!”

“Damn! Get it out, Grell!” The terrorclaw struggled to get from under the armorback, who grunted and cursed at having the act interrupted. “Ty- Grich! Get out of the bay, medic! Now! Do not let it see you!”

The medic responded, his voice tinged slightly with desperation. “No offense, Commander, but do you really think I would want to be a parent to a hungry terrorclaw chick? But I would be failing my medical oath if I left my other patients unattended, so as the ship’s medic I order you to stop whatever it is that you’re getting done under your feathered tail and get in here now!”

The terrorclaw raced out the door just as the medic finished his desperate plea. Only then did Darkthunder realize that he was still naked, and certainly covered in pheromones and some of Grell’s cum. Not a sight he would want his crew to see; he pushed the embarrassment out of his mind, even as the strange looks of his crew locked on him. He had not one second to spare to go back to get some clothes on.

He raced down corridors and stairs without missing a step, cursing at whomever designed the ship for not placing the main sick bay closer to his quarters. After a seemingly interminable race, he turned a corner and raced right into the sick bay to see the egg inside a special incubator, placed on the ground, as expected of any terrorclaw nest. The eggshell had already broken, and the little tip of the hatchling’s snout poked out. Darkthunder slid on the cold floor and positioned himself to look at the egg, his back to the sick bay’s entrance.

“Darkthunder!” Grell shouted, carrying a robe for the terrorclaw.

“Back, Grell!” the terrorclaw shouted, visibly annoyed. “Get out of the hatchling’s sight!”

Darkthunder hated being rude, but it was imperative. He needed the hatchling to imprint only on another terrorclaw. Once again, he pushed part of his sentient mind back as he entered another primal trance.

“Come on, little hunter,” he said with a soft, reassuring voice as he watched the hatchling struggle to get out of the egg. Unlike archosaurs, who would help their own offspring hatch, Darkthunder did not move a muscle. The hatchling had to come out on its own, for that was the terrorclaws’ way. “Be strong. Good... that is the path... come out, strong hunter.”

The hatchling peeped, then warbled loudly as it struggled to push its head out. Some of the remaining albumen oozed out of the leathery shell. With one final push, the entirety of the head poked out from under the shell.

Even in his trance, Darkthunder was surprised to see the hatchling was also dark skinned, although not as strongly as its father; it even had a few patterns like those of Moondream. Whatever genetic mutation had caused Darkthunder’s skin to turn black, however, it was clear it made its way to his offspring.

Darkthunder cooed and warbled softly at the young hatchling, trying to get his attention. The hatchling turned to look at Darkthunder as it finally noticed the large shape of its sire. Almost immediately, its small eyes locked onto Darkthunder’s. After a few seconds, the hatchling warbled as it called for its parent.

Darkthunder let his primal trance fade slowly. “Welcome, my son.” The hatchling had yet to emerge completely out of the egg, so Darkthunder had no idea how he knew it was male. Something that perhaps he would have eventually learned if he had never left the pack. Regardless, the knowledge pleased him immensely.

“Is it alright if I come in, Commander?” a voice said, interrupting his trance.

Darkthunder turned his head slightly to see the fleetfoot medic standing at the entrance of the sick bay, eager to resume his duties. Behind him, several other archosaurs stood looking at the scene with curiosity and fascination.

“Yes, Ty-Grich. He’s already imprinted on me.”

The archosaurs warbled in happiness as the hatchling pushed more of his body out of the egg. Only then did Darkthunder gently pulled the remaining eggshell away from the newborn. Cupping his hands, he picked up the wet hatchling and placed him against his chest.

Darkthunder felt overwhelmed with emotion at the thought. His son. He could not help a slight sense of guilt about the other two he had left behind, even if he, Grell and the hatchling would eventually rejoin them.

He felt a sudden urge to protect the hatchling as Ty-Grich craned his neck to look closer at the newborn.

“Congratulations,” the medic said almost matter-of-factly. “You’re now a father. I believe that this is a new path and territory for you to cover.”

Several hoots and growls continued to come from outside the medical bay, as more of the crew had gathered to cheer at their commander. The medic turned angrily towards them and waved his arms frantically to get them to disperse. “All of you! Back to your posts! There are patients in here that need some quiet as they heal!”

The medic turned towards Darkthunder as the crowd finally dispersed. “It may sound odd to say this from my medical perspective, but I think that your hatchling is really cute. I never had the opportunity to even meet one of your species until you became our commander. I would like to examine him now. Just to make sure you have a healthy hatchling.”

Darkthunder shook his head as he held the hatchling close to his chest. “No offense, medic, but mahr’n... terrorclaws still follow the path of our ancestors. I would like for him to spend his first hours with me, as is the way of my kind.”

The fleetfoot tried – and failed – not to show his disappointment at having his medical expertise dismissed as unnecessary. “As you wish. I supposed the dispensations that brought you to us in the first place take precedence over my medical knowledge. But be sure to bring him to me within a day, or else I’ll drag you down here even if your brute of a spouse is plowing your rear again.” He turned to cast a dismissive eye at the armorback, who know approached the terrorclaw pair with a robe in his hands.

“Well, this is new to me as well,” Grell said as he draped the robe over Darkthunder’s naked body. The armorback held the youngling for a few moments as Darkthunder fitted the robe over his naked body. “I never expected to be a parent myself.”

“A parent?” Darkthunder said as he hurried to put the robe on and take the confused hatchling back from Grell’s hands. The little hunter warbled as he stared again at his parent. “I’m the one who did the deed, Stoutshadow. This hatchling is my responsibility.”

Ty-Grich was about to enter the medical bay when he stopped to look back at the armorback. “Stoutshadow? Is that how the terrorclaws call you now?”

The armorback nodded. “Don’t worry; you can still call me Grell if you prefer.”

“Well, Namura only shared a few details with the rest of the ship’s crew. We were about to start our way to pick you up from that planet when we were told to delay until further notice. She told us later that the pack was allowing the two of you to stay together. I would presume that came with some conditions, like you having a new name and that tattoo on your shoulder. In any case, I cannot see what you could teach to a little carnivore.” The fleetfoot seemed a bit dismissive as he turned to stare again at his medical tablet; most likely reviewing the records of those patients in the sick bay.

“Just because I didn’t take part in his conception doesn’t mean I can’t help raise him as his pack elder.”

The fleetfoot scoffed as he shook his head in disapproval at hearing Grell’s words. “A terrorclaw that is as loud and obnoxious as an armorback? The Alliance is quite eager for that, I’m sure.” Ty-Grich began to walk away when he stopped again, seemingly frozen with terror. He turned to look back at Grell, eyes wide open with confusion as he walked slowly back towards the armorback.

“Did... did I hear you right? You called yourself a pack elder? I – I presume that... since you have certainly lived longer than Darkthunder or anyone in his pack you may be seen as an elder, but –” The medic stopped to look more intently at the tattoo on the armorback’s right shoulder. The fleetfoot had certainly noticed it when both archosaurs returned, but only then did the medic began to realize the subtle differences between the one in Grell’s shoulder and the one Darkthunder had. His face turned somber as he let out an audible sigh. “Please tell me that does not mean what I think it does.”

Grell’s curled the fleshy parts of his mouth into a sheepish smile. “Patriarch of Darkthunder’s pack? Yeah, well... I... um, kind of said something that got me inducted as one. It’s... quite the story, medic.”

Ty-Grich lifted his right hand somewhat rudely to silence the armorback. “Spare me. I have patients waiting, and I rather not think much about it right now.” The fleetfoot sighed and lifted his head as if looking at some invisible entity high above him as he walked back to the sick bay. “I hope you are ready to bestow unending mercy on those terrorclaws, Good Mother, for I cannot see how this could ever end well.”

Grell lowed softly in laughter at the medic’s consternation. Placing his right arm on Darkthunder’s shoulder, he began to walk his partner away from the sick bay.

“I have to admit... seeing you with your newborn makes me think if I should have one of my own. Well... one that I could raise myself. I’m sure there is an armorback or two out there who sprung from my loins.”

Darkthunder nuzzled the hatchling in his arms. Already the youngling had begun to recover from the exhausting experience of his birth, and was beginning to look at everything around him. “If you decide to have a little armorback, I would not complain. We could have our own odd archosaur family. Maybe also raise him in the ways of my pack.”

Grell smiled as he gently scratched the underside of Darkthunder’s son, seemingly pleased as the hatchling purred. “So... how should we call our little hunter?” the armorback said in hunter speak.

Darkthunder paused. The thought had never occurred to him. He turned to look outside a window. One of the galaxy’s spiral arms was visible, thousands of light cycles away – a white, starry path full of stars and planets, seemingly calm, as celestial bodies almost always appeared from a distance. It seemed to beckon to be explored, and certainly a future goal for a different generation of archosaurs to explore and conquer. Darkthunder would certainly be dead by the time it happened. But the newborn in his arms seemed to stare at it with intent, as if that were a path that would open to him.

Darkthunder smiled as he and Grell began walking back to their cabin as the terrorclaw held the warbling hatchling gently against his chest. The hatchling could adopt his own name later in his life if he decided to follow archosaur naming customs, but right then Darkthunder could not think of a more fitting one.

“Starpath.”

END

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