[P] 022 - The End of the Trial

[A/N Patreon: Somehow managed to get his out early, perhaps I will be able to write another chapter before I have to ost another chapter on Webnovel]

Apparently turning eleven a couple of days ago and my height now being around 165cm (5ft 5in), I ran my hands over the strange appendages on my head that my people called Dreadlocks.

They have grown a bit longer and are already down to my shoulders in length. From what I remember, these appendages, not hair, act as a complex sensory organ that helps Yautja with their balance and reflexes.

From my time with my Clan, I knew that the Dreads also attracted mates and were somewhat important in Yautja society, with longer Dreads being favored and attracting attention from potential mates and shorter Dreads being less attractive and undesirable.

The length of a Yautja's dreads also helps show their age, with longer dreads depicting a greater age and shorter dreads representing a young age.

Every Yautja that I met had their own unique dreads, either with different colors or textures.

For example, my Dreads were dark brown and had a tree bark-like texture.

Speaking of my Clan, today is the exact day six months after I was dropped off on this planet.

They would be here soon, so I made sure to cover my tracks, so to say.

I hid my Undead in a cave and commanded them to wait there until my return and only to leave the cave when necessary.

I have also hidden most of my smelted tools and gear away in that same cave I hid my Undead along with various other things.

All that was left of my abode was the stuff I created with wood, stone, or other resources from the land around me.

I did this all for one reason, not to arouse suspicion.

After all, they haven't taught us much about surviving off the land. We got some tips from our trainer, but not much was helpful, so I doubt they would believe I knew how to smelt and create metal tools in the few months I have been here.

Plus, I also didn't want them to find my Undead, which would definitely raise some eyebrows.

That which remained in my camp was the Stove, fish pond, fish traps, hut, and various other things such as baskets, bones, etc.

That's right. I destroyed my furnace and other things that would arouse suspicion if I could not move them to the cave.

Now, all I was doing was waiting and sharpening a bone spear I fashioned from one of the leg bones of the Thanator.

Speaking of which, Its skull was not resting beside my hut along with most of its bones.

Hours passed as I worked on the bone spear and carved two runes that I had success with in my time on this planet.

The Rune of the Bear and the Rune of the Eagle.

One gives strength and health, and the other gives stats such as Perception and Agility.

My current progression on the Rune of the Bear still resembled an ugly scribble of a bear, but it gave me 15 health and 2 Strength when I wielded this spear.

As for the Eagle Rune, it's even worse with it giving me just a single stat of Perception and Agility.

But as I sat on a wooden tree stump, I suddenly thrust the spear into the air beside me, stopping just in time.

"Quite the instincts you have there," someone spoke in a hiss before suddenly appearing before me with his Active Camouflage deactivating.

Even though he was invisible, didn't make a sound, and was behind me, I somehow sensed his presence when he neared me and acted appropriately.

"So the trail is finally over?" I asked, only getting a nod in response.

Looking around my camp, the Yautja's eyes stopped on the bones of the Thanator.

"You hunted a Thanator?!" The Yautja shouted or, more accurately, roared in surprise.

"I did. Is that a problem?" I asked in confusion, to his surprise.

Then another voice spoke from the Yautja's side, a voice I was familiar with.

"It's just surprising that one not Blooded could hunt a Thanator. Tell me, would you like to take your Trophy with you?" Asked the Clan Leader upon uncloaking.

"Clan Leader? Why are you here?" I asked, confused on why such an important person would show himself here.

"I look upon all who pass their first trial because I come across someone with great potential every few decades, and this year, that would be you. Di-Ala, bring his Trophy to his new quarters. Eolde, come, it's time to meet your Trial Brother and Sister," The Clan Leader beckoned as one of the Clan's dropship appeared before us.

Taking one last look over the simple shack I called home for six months, I couldn't help but feel some pride in what I accomplished with my time here.

Not many from Earth in my time could say that they camped or survived out in the wilderness, let alone thrived as I did, and that made me proud.

Especially with how lazy and physically inactive a large portion of the Global Population was.

Taking a good look and letting out a long breath of fresh air, I turned around and stepped into the ship.

If there was anything I disliked about these ships, it was the fact that there were few windows.

If I remember correctly, this was because they said it "Made the ship weak," and the Yautja race as a whole was big on not being weak or showing weakness.

So, where they did have windows were places of either no significance or rooms with protection in case the windows were compromised.

The dropship took less than a minute to reach the Clan's Mothership in orbit above the planet.

Once onboard the Mothership, the Clan Leader led me through the halls and long corridors of the ship until we eventually came upon a hall where two other Yautja waited.

They were slightly taller than me and had longer Dreads, signifying a greater age.

"What about the two others that participated in the trial with me?" I asked, now realizing I didn't see them on the ship.

"Both died. One to a Thanator, and the other to a pack of Titanothere. They barely lasted a month before their Arrogance cost them," The Clan Leader said with a straight face as if not concerned at all with the deaths of the Younglings.

"Now, Eolde, meet Tia'ar(Tea-Air) and Ariea(Are-e-uh), who will be your Trial Brother and Sister. Until you three are 50 years old, you will learn to hunt, fight, and survive together."

Soon after, the Clan Leader left, leaving the three of us alone.

As the Clan Leader suggested, Ariea was indeed a female Yautja.

From what I learned, very few Females become Huntresses, with most usually staying within the safety of the clans and taking care of the Young and raising them until they were to take on and pass their first trial.

I guess I should greet my teammates that I will be stuck with for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, they won't be too arrogant.