Chapter 1
I was born underground, hidden away from the world. And for good reason. I’m a half-breed. A combination of Yautja and ooman, an abomination.
There are others like me. It's a community of my people living with the oomans that aren’t supposed to be alive either.
The human numbers grew quickly and vastly. And so a law was made to control their numbers. They were hunted and eventually allowed to live in peace. As long as their numbers were kept low.
The human resolution was to hide the excess humans underground. With us, the hidden half-breeds. A world created by a yautja clan leader. Who loved a human, and made others like myself.
I love the world below. But the predator within longs to be free. The predator within me desires to hunt. And we’re being denied our true nature.
Our diets are strictly plant-based when our bodies desire the bloody taste of flesh. The humans think that it’s a paradise. I see it as a place of confinement.
It is beautiful, a beautiful captivity. We live amongst the humans with no body coverings. We’re kept away from the other two communities.
One group is mated in a non-traditional way, females with females and males with males. The third community houses humans with alpha males and beta females.
My one wish is to be free of this place, to explore the wonders above.
I spend my days with the other Yautja males. We train for a hunt that we’ll never get to experience. “Today will be different.” Our trainer Yah’tu, an elder half-breed joins us in the training room. A group of young females trail behind him.
“Until further notice, you’ll partner with one of the human females and train them.”
“Why?” I ask, not wanting to deal with a simpering female.
“Because this is what you’re being told to do.”
“Yes, but why?” I counter.
“Choose your partner, and begin please." He instructs us.
I watch as the others partner up. My gaze falls on a female who’s boldly watching me. “Da’sal, come with me.” Says, the trainer.
Following him to another room, he motions for me to come closer.
“Must you always question authority?” He whispers, tightly.
“Why not? If I’m being told to do something I expect a reason for doing so.”
With a heavy sigh, he draws me closer. “It’s a social experiment. The human females are not taking an interest in our males as they used to. We live long lives but were are not immortal. We need females to produce offspring.”
“I’m not ready to be mated.”
“You’re way past that stage and you know it. We expect you to achieve a union from this pairing. Do your duty.”
My Duty... a breeder. I’ve never been so insulted.
I make my way through the world within a world.— The sand and craters below us. I spend my evenings exploring them. There are multiple bodies of water in the caves. It's a favorite pastime for the humans.
It’s usually quiet when I come here. But tonight there’s a sound that some humans make when they’re sleeping. Drawing nearer to the sound, it stops and I stop listening.
The footsteps are light and I surmise that it’s a female. Moving closer to her withdrawing steps, the intruder stops. After a moment they continue. I follow and the steps instantly are hurried. It’s an easy task of catching up to the prowler, as they’re backed into a corner in one of the dead-end caves.
I can see her, but she can’t see me. She makes a terrible noise while running full speed for the only way out. My extended leg puts an end to the racket that she's making. And she falls flat with a soft thud in the sand.
Standing over her, she screams again. I patiently ask her to stop, and she complies. After an exchange of a few words, she's calmed down enough to inquire about me. I answer her questions and her face registers shock.
“I’m Amara, and you are?” She asks, offering her hand to me in greeting.
“Da’sal.”
She’s from above ground and she wasn’t born on this planet.
