Isolated With The Headhunter: Part 2

[KEY]

Hell....

Such a concept was vague to a species like us. When we die, where do we go? To another hive? Are we reborn as larva through yet another gaping chest? Or do we stop existing all together? I did not know. I never had to think about it before now. Was there a place for good sisters who protected the hive, and perhaps a Hellish world for those who have forsaken the hive? A place for useless sisters who failed to get revenge against the headhunter who had slain so many? A place for....useless Drones who would cower, rather than fight?

A place for someone like me.

The headhunter drew closer, I heard his hands starting to dig into the resin door behind me as I used as much plasma as I could to extend my arms outwards and pull me away from him. I needed to survive. I had to survive. I couldn't let myself be vanquished, leave my sisters not avenged, be worthy of condemnation to an terrible hellish hive after this Headhunter would catch up to me and finish me off.

The resin door tore, as my insides churned with fear. I had to think quickly, I had to overcome the sensation of pain that was in my missing left foot, as I suddenly blasted Resin material out of my tail. I created a wall between me and the headhunter quickly, as I heard him burst through the resin door...

" Rauuuuuurgh! " It roared, right behind me! It was hot on my trail, and it was clear to me it's hunt was not finished. It would not be satisfied with itself unless it had the chance to slay me, and take the pride of being the headhunter to wipe out our entire hive. It had used it's blue fire spitter to kill one of it's brothers.....was that murder? I couldn't help but wonder if this headhunter was desperate, or if they allowed that sort of action within their own family.

What a disgusting species.

As he charged forward, I could hear him knocking on the resin wall I managed to secrete. It wasn't going to hold him for long. I had to act quickly once more, as I shot forth more resin to create a second wall....only to discover that after I had done so? I was going to be out of plasma. And with my bleeding leg stump, I couldn't recover it quick enough to make a third wall between us. This alarm rushed through my body as I stretched out my long, skinny arms and dug the claws on the tips into the weeds. Pulling myself forward, more and more....I had to get away. I had to live.

The first resin wall was knocked down as I heard the Headhunter stomp through it, and almost as quickly as it had came down he got to work bashing down the second resin wall. I panicked, for the hall in front of me was long and winding. I could not make it all the way down in time...

...It must have been instinct I was relying on, for when I realized this? I dug my claws into the weeds below and with strength I did not know my fragile body could produce...started to dig a hole. The Headhunters fist came through the resin wall as he made an successful hole in it, pulling back to spread and tear it!...

I grabbed both ends of the small hole I had made in the weeds, and tore with such viciousness I thought my arms were going to shoot off my body. I then dived forward into the hole, falling beneath the surface of the weeds, as I hauled my body down into it. Fear escalated once more, as I heard the sounds of the second resin wall collapsing. He had broken through.

And now he was charging one more. Down the hall of the hive. My body curled up inside the small hole I made within the weeds. Holding still. Doing my best to make as little noise as possible, and hoping deep within my soul that my blood didn't leave a trail.

...I heard his stomping come to a halt. He had not passed over my hole yet, he was about ten feet away. Did....did he see me? Was he able to locate me so clearly in the dark, when my body color matched the weeds?...

The Headhunter started to produce some sort of...clicking noise. It sounded vulgar compared to the way our sisters used speech with hour delicate hissing and our snarling. It was talking? But to whom? I could only imagine what sort of face under it's mask would be able to make such insulting sounds, with it's strange...clicking.

I had no preparation for what happens next, as it suddenly leaped forward and over my hole! Time slowed as I watched it's massive frame pass over me, but it did not look down. It didn't see me. It landed on the other far end of the highway, and let loose yet another guttering roar!

" Rauuuurgh! "

The headhunter charged off and out of ear shot. It was gone. My trick had worked. It was going to waste it's time searching for me elsewhere in the hive....
...But this didn't help my situation. I was still alone. Still missing a leg. And still unable to recover any plasma.
And now, I was stuck down in this hole I had dug out to hide in. I wanted to give up, but I remembered my sisters....I couldn't la here and die.

And so, I started to dig further downwards. My claws ripping apart the rocks and the dirt, I would form a tunnel and escape. Yes. That was my plan. If I could just make it out of this hive and find some dark tunnel somewhere, I might....be able to figure out a plan.

I tore through the weeds, the dirt, the gravel...until I found it. The Hive Tunnel. The one Warriors would use to slip through the hive and out into the jungle to hunt. I leaped from my own dug tunnel into theirs, as I felt relief run through my body. This was it, I was going to be okay!

...It took alot of time with my missing leg, but I managed to crawl through it. Each dig, each stride feeling like I was going to somehow emerge from this victorious. Like there was hope after all. I wasn't going to die, and the Headhunter might leave the planet if he thinks I crawled up and died in some hole.

After an certain amount of unmeasured time had passed, I saw the end of the tunnel. If I could just reach it, just pull myself along a little further...

Hope rushed into my belly and soared through my body, as I lifted my small frame above the surface and scouted the area around me. Nothing but dark jungle. The sounds of insects and the chirping of birds ringing in the night air. I turned my head to the direction of the hive, or....what was once the hive. It was about 5 miles out to the North. I was safe here, and it was my guess that the Headhunter would still be in the hive, searching for me.

Lifting my body outwards, I scrambled into the push....wincing through the pain as my severed leg stump bled our melting blood. After curling up next to the dark bark of a tree, I decide to take a moment and rest...and to also examine the severity of my wounds. I had been so caught up before in surviving and escaping, I did not have time to process the actual extent of the evisceration.

I leaned backwards, folded my tail to the side as my spine laid on the tree. I tilted my head forward and peered down at my leg....and it made my heart sink. I had the upper half of my leg, but right down at what used to be the middle joint....it was gone. Glowing green acidic blood bubbling on the stump, sizzling and raising steam into the air...

....I would never be able to be the same again, I realized. And if all my mighty warrior sisters could not handle the headhunter, why would I....a drones....the weakest caste, missing one of my limbs be able to do so? This is only confirmed once more, that I should hide and not engage the headhunter. Just hope for it to go away. I moaned, and took the chance to grab a leaf from the tree with my inner mouth. I pulled it back towards me and let it wrap around my stump....hoping I would at least stop the oozing. Perhaps if I could do that, I might be able to recover plasma again.

A few minutes passed, and I stared at the stump. It looked treated enough...but I was laying only under a dark tree. Perhaps the Headhunter had realized I escaped the hive. Perhaps he was going to come hunting for me once more, and what would I do if he found me? I had to hide, I realized. I turned, and scrambled into the bush...laying my head low and covering myself in shrubs and mud. He couldn't see me if I just blended into the forest. For now, I would remain like this until I could use my plasma once more...

....
..Time passed..
....I drifted asleep somehow.
...Was it hard to see why? I had a long day, and suffered much. I was exhausted after it all. My conscience floated in the empty hive mind that I was now alone in, as sadness covered my heart....my dream being one of a great hive. A night I was remembering, with all my sisters alive and our lovely mother. My heart ached as I missed them so, knowing I would never have my family back. I took what I could, and just enjoyed the dream. Even if it would last only for a little while, it was....serene, to see and feel them all again.

" Drone, can you please secure that wall? " One of our sentinels said to me...
" Drone, make sure that nest is secure please. " Another sister purred...

" Ah, my Drone...you truly do love your hive, don't you?" My Queen, My Mother....spoke to me. I purred back at her, for I did love the hive. I curled up underneath her, surrounded by the sweet sticky nest that was my home. By caring, dedicated sisters. All was good.
All was peaceful...

" Rauuuuurgggghhhhhhhhhh! "
That roar ran through the air like thunder, as I jolted into an awakened state. It was...

...Standing right above me. It's mask peering down, a spear in it's hand. As soon as I started to scurry out of the way, it shot it's spear downwards.

"Screeeeee!" I screeched in pain, as it's weapon ran into my side. How did it find me!? I was hidden so well in the darkness, and I thought it would have left by now. It wasn't going to give up it's hunt, was it? My body twirled to the side and as he dug the spear into my side, I lashed outwards with my tail and caught the headhunter in his side in return, jabbing forward as I pushed him off of me and into a thorny bush.

A wave of adrenaline rushed through my body as I started to crawl away, not caring how much it hurt. My side was gushing with blood and my sternum ached. The Headhunter emerged from the thorny bush, enraged as it let loose another roar.
" Rauuuuuurrrrgh! " It was thrilled that I was giving it this much trouble. This much of a challenge...

....Such filthy, disgusting creatures.

I didn't dare turn back to face it, as I tried to crawl back to the safety of the hole. Perhaps if I could make it down there, I could lose it in the tunnels, hoping it wouldn't give chase. I didn't see any other options before me. I was nearly there, the hole was within 12 feet or so. But it felt like it might as well have been 12 lightyears away. And just as the Headhunter had tore the sweet dream I was having apart with cruel reality...

....He tore away the dream I was having of reaching the hole, as Blue Fire lit up the area around it. Causing it sear and collapse into itself, blocking the tunnel. I couldn't believe it...that was my only way out. I snapped my head back around my shoulder, in a frenzy brought on by the raw desire of survival, I roared!
" Raaaaaaaaaae!"

I saw the Headhuner and he....wasn't charging at me anymore. He was standing there, his hands down to his waist. As if he was listening to my roar. Basking in the joy of bringing it from my mouth. He lifted his hand slowly, and pulled his metal mask off in a gliding motion with his hand.....and showed me the terrible face underneath.

It had four mandibles, and skin that seemed tightly pulled around it's head. It's mouth peeled back and revealed sharp teeth, as they parted and roared back at me..
" Rauuuuurgh! "

Why wasn't it charging?...I didn't understand...I only kept crawling away, I had to make it somewhere. If it wanted to stand there and do nothing, let it! I was not going to die here, I had the will to survive...
...Almost into the push, quickly checking over my shoulder...
...It took only a few steps towards me...but then? It threw another one of those "disc" at me, as I winced. It didn't hit me, but it struck the ground in front of where I was crawling. I veered backwards, my side feeling like a burning hell as I started to scramble in the other direction, but still away from the Headhunter. It stomped forward, as I watched it's mandibles pull and tighten, while it...laughed at me?
" Heh heh heh."

It infuriated me, but I kept crawling. I had to escape. One hand in front of the other, I pulled myself towards more of the dark bush. mud leaking off my back and into the wound on my side...
...As my left hand reached forward to grab a patch of grass, I felt some sort of...material around it. Like hardened wire.
It was too late, for it tightened around my arm with a death like grip. I realized then...I had just crawled into some sort of trap. It hoisted me up into the air, as the Headhunter laughed once more....pleased with himself, as he approached me...

" Heh Heh Heh." Came the sinister laugh..
...As I was left, suspended...trying to reach my other arm upwards and claw at the wire..
...As another one of those "Disc" was launched at me by the headhunter....severing that arm, my right arm.
That was the second limb i'd lost tonight, as I screeched in pain...

...And hung there, by the wire in the tree....caught in the trap, of the Headhunter.

[Martzin]

Huh. Explaining the possibilities of what could happen after death through ayys? Interesting.

Also it kind of seems like the preds are giving this poor drone some sort of PTSD, poor bastard... Though in the current prospect with being ensared by a trap I doubt it'll live long enough to have to deal with it. Never expected xenomorphs to be so... anthropomorphized. Guess I'll see when I read the next chapter.

Pretty good man. Keep it up.