<center><u><b>Hunting for Blood</u>

Part II: The Tale of Larducias of the Kalaktar Clan

Cathar, Home of the Feline Race of the Same Name</b>

<i>The Past...</center></i>

The Cathar warriors along with Elder Kryja were gathered around the fire in a circle. It was the night before the Blood Hunt, all the warriors gathered as Elder Kryja lead them in a ceremonial prayer to the Savannah Mother. The light of the fire illuminated their furry faces with its flickering flames. The odd illumination caused Larducias to have a brief flashback to his nightmares, as he saw their faces shifting and changing in the light.

Larducias took in a deep breath of cool Cathar air, doing his best to shift his concentration to the prayer sent up to the Savannah Mother in hopes that the nightmare would dissipate. Fortunately, Larducias had enough on his mind that it wasn't difficult to change his focus.

For all the anxiety that the months leading up to the Blood Hunt had caused, it was finally here. Oddly enough, Larducias hadn't had any nightmares for the past few days. He hoped the trend would continue but he knew that was just wishful thinking. Larducias' thoughts wandered as Elder Kryja made his way around the fire, issuing a singular prayer for each warrior.

Elder Kryja made his way to Larducias as he placed a paw on his forehead, whispering a near silent prayer with his head lowered towards the damp grass. Larducias couldn't explain it, but he felt a strange warmth wash over him as the Elder issued his prayer. He shrugged it off without a second thought as the Elder passed on to the next warrior, but he clearly felt that the Savannah Mother would be watching over him, and that was a comforting thought for the young Cathar warrior.

As Elder Kryja completed his individual blessings, he returned to his original position and recited one final prayer. As the Elder completed his prayer he instructed the warriors to get their rest, as they would surely need it. As the small group of warriors said their goodbyes for the evening, Larducias began to make his way towards his home but was stopped by the Elder before he could take so much as a step.

"What is it Elder?"

"Are you ready, young cub?" The Elder asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Elder. I'm just glad the time has finally come. The anticipation has nearly driven me insane." Larducias said earnestly.

"You have prepared well, Larducias. The perils of the Kiltik are no match for your skills..." The Elder trailed off for a moment.

"What is it Elder?" Larducias asked, sensing that the Elder was holding something back.

The Elder was reluctant before speaking. "The Blood Hunt is a dangerous ritual which we as Cathar endure. But we do not always endure the Hunt alone." The Elder paused again, leaning forward on his walking stick.

"I don't understand, Elder."

"You will not be going into the nest alone, Larducias." The Elder revealed.

"But..? Why, Elder?" Larducias said, clearly shocked by the news.

The Elder knew the worst news had yet to come, and it was difficult for him to present such news to Larducias. "You will be embarking on your Blood Hunt with a fellow warrior..." The Elder paused.

"Who?" Larducias asked, but somewhere in the recesses of his mind he knew the answer.

"Krazo." The Elder said, looking the younger Cathar in the eye.

"Krazo?!? What is this? Some cruel joke? You can't be serious, Elder..." Larducias said, wondering if had somehow fallen asleep and was now in the midst of another nightmare.

"The Blood Hunt tests us as warriors, Larducias. There is more to being a warrior than being handy with a sword or a staff. Warriors must be sound in mind as well as body. The Blood Hunt is a ritual as old as Cathar itself. It is not just a rite of passage, it is a celebration where we as fellow members of the Kalaktar Clan unite as one." The Elder said as he placed a paw on Larducias' shoulder.

Larducias took a deep breath, remaining silent.

"Each member of this Clan is your brother, Larducias. We as a clan, must unite. None of us, can be divided. So you will find that the most difficult challenges you face as a warrior are not always those of the blade, but sometimes those of the heart." The Elder paused, turning to walk away.

"Prove to yourself what I already know, young cub; that you are a true Cathar warrior." The Elder said turning his head over his shoulder before walking away.

He stood there at the doorway of the large hut carved out of the giant Casata tree. Rain beat softly on the dark green grass of the marshland where the Kalaktar made their home. He leaned against the doorjamb, feeling the damp droplets which drifted into the hut via the gentle breeze. Lightning struck far in the distance on the savannah, illuminating the dark sky for milliseconds at a time, the bolts hit far enough from home that they did not make a sound. The silence along with the apprehension enhanced the melancholy atmosphere where the Cathar warriors prepared to hunt for blood.

Larducias took in a deep breath as the sweet air entered his nostrils, through all he had gone through, through all he <b>would</b> go through; the Cathar warrior was calm. He was adorned in the armor forged from that of the Mandalorians whom his ancestors had once fought fiercely against. Larducias' armor was made up of a deep cobalt blue chestplate reforged from the lightsaber and blaster-resistant, Mandalorian iron; the Cathar's armor was complemented by a set of grey-blue pauldrons also reforged from Mandalorian armor. The Kalaktar crest was emblazoned on the left pauldron, the tenets of the Cathar warrior; <i>courage, ferocity, and honor</i> were enshrined in a circle around the crest. His garb was completed with a red cape which was the color of the Kalaktar clan.

Though Larducias preferred to fight with his own pair of retractable claws which could easily cut through durasteel, the thick carapace of the giant Kiltik Beetles made Larducias' claws innefective. Though the Cathar claws could cut through the hard surface of the Kiltik's natural armor, the plating was too thick for a Cathar to cause any serious damage. So it was for this reason that Larducias elected to wield the one-handed sword, which the Cathar referred to as the Kel'Serah sword. The Kel'Serah sword was sharp enough to both peirce the carapace of a Kiltik and sever the insect's limbs.

"Come, Larducias. It is time." The familiar voice of Elder Kryja said as Larducias stared out into the beautiful storm that was brewing on the horizon.

The younger Cathar nodded as he joined the rest of the warriors at the center of the room, where the Elder lead them in one final prayer before they would embark on the Cathar rite of passage. As the warriors bowed their heads and joined hands, Larducias looked up and around the room where he met the gaze of Krazo. The two Cathar locked eyes for a moment, it was a strange mix of emotions that came over the pair of warriors; though their faces remained that of stone. Larducias nodded at the man who had been his enemy, and today would be his partner; setting aside his own feelings of anger towards his clanmate.

Though both warriors' wounds had healed from their previous encounter, the lasting effects of that fateful battle would be felt until each warrior drew his final breath.

Jamilia waved from across the room, Larducias broke away from the pack to go over and greet her. It would be the last time Larducias would see his mate until the Blood Hunt was over.

"Hey." The female Cathar said as she greeted her mate with a smile.

"Hi." He replied, they stood there for a moment not sure exactly what to say before Jamilia clutched him in a warm embrace.

"Be careful, my love. Take care of yourself." She said, as her head rested on his shoulder.

"It's not myself that I'm worried about." Larducias said, as he looked across the room at Krazo who was talking with a few other warriors in the middle of the room.

Jamilia pulled away, as she saw that Larducias was focused intently on Krazo.

"Oh, Larducias... he's not that bad.." She said, trying to comfort him. But to hear her even mention Krazo's name caused fury to well up inside him.

"I have to go." He said, as he leaned in giving her a quick kiss before re-joining the rest of the warriors.

As he approached, Krazo eyed him and then Jamilia before returning to Larducias.

"You know, Jamilia is a beautiful Cathar." With each syllable spoken by Krazo, Larducias' rage grew. "Perhaps I should have made her my mate." Krazo said arrogantly.

Larducias replied with a bestial roar as he could no longer contain his primal rage. He surged forward sending a punch careening towards Krazo's jaw which sent the Cathar flying back several meters. Larducias' momentum caused him to sail forward, and he almost lost his balance completely.

As the other warriors grabbed Larducias to restrain him, he stood there not fighting back. His anger was replaced by confusion, as he realized that his punch never actually connected with Krazo's jaw. Krazo got up wearily from the wooden deck, though he made no move to attack Larducias.

Jamilia looked from across the room with disappointment, she knew all too well the rivalry between Larducias and Krazo.

"Enough!" Elder Kryja yelled as he slammed his cane hard into the surface.

The Cathar all turned their attention to the Elder immediately.

"ENOUGH!" He echoed. "You are Cathar warriors! Act like it!" The elder shouted, the collection of Cathar stood there completely silent.

"Krazo, with each passing day you show that you exhibit both courage <i>and</i> ferocity, but are severely lacking in <b>honor</b>. You may be well-versed in the use of swords and staves, but your <i>mouth</i> might cause you to end up with a scythe working agricultural duty in the fields." The Elder said, pointing at the Cathar who's head sunk into his chest in shame.

"And you, Larducias... You have always been a great warrior, from the time you were a cub you showed exemplary skills. But if you are to truly become a warrior of the Cathar, you need to learn to control your temper." The Elder said, as Larducias nodded solemenly in agreement.

"Everyone listen to me, and listen to me well. In order to join the ranks of the Cathar warriors you must overcome these childish things. You are about to go out on your Blood Hunt, and there will be dangers there; dangers which you have never faced. The giant Kiltik beetles that you will face will show you no mercy. Their teeth, are as big as your paws." The Elder said, looking each individual Cathar in the eye as he continued.

"Their claws, able to cut through your flesh with the greatest of ease. The queen of the nest is as tall as the giant Casata trees, which you best hope you do not disturb lest you hope to become the Kiltik's meal. Few times since Sylva, has a Cathar warrior killed a Kiltik queen. Sylva, I remind you, was a Jedi Knight and had the help of another Jedi; Tott Doneeta lest you forget. Though I'm sure you all know the tale well." He said, pausing as he looked around the room.

"<i>This</i>, young cubs, is what you have been preparing for; season after season. Yet, not all tests are physical, though the physical tests will be extreme, which I have described. A warrior must be of sound mind as well as body, and for some of you this is the biggest challenge you must overcome." The Elder said, as he looked to Larducias.

"Now, can you prove to me once and for all that you can be the Cathar warriors that I know you to be?" The Elder asked.

The Cathar warriors roared in agreement.

"Very well, the time for talking is done. Show me." The Elder said, as he turned and walked away from the Cathar.

Now, they were on their own.

Krazo put his paw on the hilt of his Kel'Serah sword as he and Larducias approached the Kiltik hive they had been assigned to. Larducias motioned his paw indicating that Krazo should wait before drawing his sword.

They could see the entrance to the hive as they silently made their way closer and closer. It was mid-day so the Kiltik beetles would either be sleeping or resting, it was Larducias' hope that the two Cathar could sneak right into the nest without detection.

The pads of the bottoms of their paws tread lightly on the soft tawny grass as they approached the entrance. Larducias paused holding up a hand for Krazo to stop in his tracks. Larducias looked over to Krazo as he sniffed subtly, his ears twitched ever so slightly. Krazo nodded as he slowly unsheathed his sword, and Larducias did the same.

They marched forward into the shadows of the hive slowly, sensing something just around the corner. They came to a near halt at the entryway of the hive which descended underground. As the two Cathar entered the hive, it opened up into a cavernous lair which had many paths leading in different directions; each path large enough for one of the giant Kiltik beetles to pass with ease.

Both warriors looked around, sensing the insectoids presence but not seeing any of the Kiltiks. Krazo went to grab a glowrod from his belt but Larducias stopped him, shaking his head. He didn't want to alert the Kiltiks to their presence yet, if they hadn't been alerted already.

With his right paw Larducias motioned to a trail which led to another path on the right side of the hive. The two warriors made their way towards the path, staying close to the walls, the soft pads of their paws making little noise as they walked towards the path.

As they came to the opening of the path, Larducias stuck his head around the corner to see what lay ahead. As he turned the corner he saw one of the Kiltik guards coming down the path. He immediately brought his head back, but it was too late. The Kiltik was already aware of their presence. The large beetle scurried through the path towards the feline warriors.

Krazo and Larducias immediately spread out and entered defensive stances, preparing for the impending fight. The beetle stood up on its two sets of hind legs letting out a high-pitched scream as his front legs flailed above his head. Krazo surged forward managing to slice the claw from the Kiltik's left leg causing the creature to bellow out in pain.

With its right claw the Kiltik lunged forward attempting to thrust its claw towards Krazo's chest, causing him to sidestep the attack quickly and in the process he lost control of his Kel'Serah sword which flew towards the wall of the cavernous hive.

Larducias immediately came forward with a high arcing blow which severed the Kiltik's right leg, causing a greenish-purple blood to spurt from the severed claw. As the creature reeled backwards in pain, Larducias advanced thrusting the Kel'Serah blade through the underside of the beetle's mandible and coming out the top of the insect's head. The creature stood high as it thrashed about screaming in pain before falling to the dirt with a hard thud.

As the creature stopped twitching, Larducias gripped the hilt of his sword and removed it from the Kiltik's lifeless head. As Larducias shook the thick insect blood from his sword and returned it to his side, Krazo picked his sword up off the ground and did the same.

"Your armor is inadequate, Krazo." Larducias said as he looked at Krazo's leather chestpeice shaking his head. "Their sharp claws can slice right through that."

"You just worry about your own fur, Larducias. I'll take care of myself." Krazo said, as the two Cathar walked through the dimly corridor.

The Blood Hunt had begun, but it was far from over.

The two Cathar made their way through the corridor as silently as possible. As they came to the opening of the corridor they saw a few of the giant Kiltiks sleeping. There were two other paths leading from their current location, one to the right and one to the left.

Larducias lowered his head and spoke softly to Krazo. "You check the path on the right for patrols; I'll check the left. Then we'll kill them one at a time."

"Fine. You get that one on the left, I'll grab the two on the right after we check the paths." Krazo responded quietly.

"No. We need to stick together, if one of them wakes up while we're attacking it'll be too dangerous."

"We're <i>warriors</i> not cowards, Larducias. The damned things are <i>asleep</i>." Krazo shot back.

Larducias let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, but you need to be careful. Make sure you sever their heads, it's the quickest way to kill them and they won't be able to scream for reinforcements. And remember, be <i>quiet</i>." Larducias instructed, to which Krazo replied with a sarcastic nod.

The two Cathar parted, making their way towards the paths quietly. As Larducias made his way to the path he stuck his head around the corner, there were no patrols coming. He looked over to Krazo on the opposite side of the room who gave the signal that all was clear, Krazo returned the gesture.

Larducias tread across the pathway quickly towards the corner where the lone Kiltik was sound asleep. As Larducias stepped gently on the pads of his paws he got closer and closer to the sleeping insect. It was a disgusting creature to behold, surrounded by various body excretions; the Kiltik smelled putrid. He quietly unsheathed his sword before hacking off the creature's head in a quick, powerful motion.

Larducias looked across the room to see that Krazo was dealing the killing blow to the second of two Kiltiks which slept in the opposite corner. Krazo shook the blood from his blade and wiped the rest of the purple-green liquid off on the wall of the hive; Larducias did the same. Krazo pointed towards the path leading from his side but Larducias shook his head, instead pointing to the pathway leading from his side. Krazo, frustrated; made his way over to Larducias sheathing his blade.

"We need to go the other way!" Krazo whisper-shouted.

"No, this way."

"Why?" Krazo demanded.

"Because, this path leads deeper into the hive which is where we want to go." Larducias replied.

"What do you want to do? Kill the queen?" Krazo seemingly puzzled, questioned.

Larducias didn't say a word but turned to meet the eyes of Krazo.

"Are you crazy? Didn't you hear what Elder Kryja said? They're as tall as the Casatas, a chore for even the Jedi Sylva." Krazo replied, not believing what Larducias was planning.

"You said it yourself, Krazo; we are <i>warriors</i> are we not?" Larducias shot back.

Krazo just stared blankly at the Cathar.

"If not the queen, then what are we here for?" Larducias explained.

Krazo let out a silent sigh, if he disagreed with Larducias he might look like a coward. "Fine." He replied, "Let's go find that queen..."

The two Cathar warriors tread silently down the path that lead deeper and deeper into the Kiltik nest. Larducias was single-minded in his focus to take down the queen.

"We're getting close to the queen's chambers." Larducias whispered.

"How do you know?" Krazo questioned.

The truth was, Larducias didn't know how he knew. Somehow, he just <i>knew</i>.

"The patrols are converged along that path ahead, they're protecting their queen." Larducias said as he pointed far ahead to where the Kiltik patrols criss-crossed a singular cave. It sounded like a good explanation though it was more of a guess on Larducias' part.

"Well then, what do you say we get this over with?" Krazo said, as he took the lead walking forward silently with his back up against the wall of the hive so as to go undetected.

Larducias followed in kind. As they got to the point where the paths converged, Larducias sensed that there was a patrol coming from his direction, and another from Krazo's. Larducias gave the signal to Krazo that there was one patrol coming from each direction.

"How do you know?" Krazo said in a low voice. "You didn't even look."

"You take the right, I'll take the left. Remember, take them down quickly, <i>quietly</i>. If they alert the rest of the hive we're doomed." Larducias ordered and before Krazo could respond Larducias interrupted, "No time, they're coming!"

Both warriors leaned against the wall waiting for the Kiltiks to cross. Larducias held up a paw signaling the countdown for their surprise attack. The two Cathar leapt to action in harmony catching the Kiltik off-guard.

As Larducias rounded the corner, everything seemingly slowed down. He got a bead on the giant Kiltik beetle before the creature even sensed his presence. Much like his duel with Krazo previously, Larducias began to experience his hallucinations. In the middle of the creature's forehead just above the mandible, he saw a red explosion which by now Larducias knew was his target to strike. Without hesitation the feline warrior leapt forward cleaving the insectoids face in two as the creature slumped forward into the dirt, <i>lifeless</i>.

Larducias turned to see if Krazo had downed his target with as much ease, and quickly realized that he hadn't. With its monstrous claw, the creature slammed Krazo into the nearby wall bringing its alternate claw in for the kill. Larducias surged forward with speed that he couldn't explain just in time to cleave the creature's claw before it dealt the killing blow to his comrade.

The Kiltik changed its focus to that of Larducias whose mind was muddled with confusion after his recent hallucinations and his uncharacteristic speed. In the instant before Larducias could regain his composure, the creature slammed a backhanded claw across Larducias' chest hurtling him back several meters.

Krazo jumped to his feet, rushing to the aid of his partner. The Kiltik scurried over to Larducias who laid lifeless on the ground after being hurled into the wall. The creature turned before reaching Larducias upon the realization that the other Cathar was right behind him. The two exchanged furious blows back and forth, the Cathar parried and counter-attacked while the insect did the same.

Krazo feared he was overmatched as the creature pressed its attack. Just when Krazo thought his days might be numbered, the creature gave him an opening, a hole in its defense. It was all the trained Cathar warrior need to thrust his blade forward peircing the hard carapace of the Kiltik's head, killing the giant beetle immediately.

Krazo breathed a sigh of relief as the creature collapsed to the hard dirt. His thoughts quickly turned to that of Larducias who was lying huddled against the wall. Krazo shook his fellow Cathar for a few moments before Larducias awoke from his involuntary slumber.

"Krazo?"

"Wake up, Larducias. We've got to get out of here before more patrols come. You're in no shape to go on."

"No!" Larducias quickly responded. "We've come this far, I'm not leaving this hive until that queen is dead."

"You just got knocked unconscious by a mere drone, Larducias. If I hadn't been here to save your fur..."

"I momentarily lost focus, Krazo. If you don't think you can handle it, then by all means head back to the village. But I've got a queen to kill." Larducias said as he rose to his feet, dusting himself off as he made his way towards the queen's lair.

Krazo snarled in contempt but nonetheless followed the Cathar.

Soon, Larducias would either cleanse himself of his inner darkness, or he would die trying.