Author's Note

Sunset's finally pregnant with a pup. Kher'Ja asks her hand in marriage to him for life.

They leave Yautja Prime for good to start a family.

God, I got tearful writing the end to this.

-PrinceOfDarkness.

Looking To The Future.

Many months had passed on Yautja Prime for Kher'Ja and Sunset. The bacon-haired huntress had become pregnant with Kher'Ja's pup. The two were ecstatic. Yeyinde and T'Ogah congratulated the new soon-to-be parents.

Sunset was a few weeks into her pregnancy. However, it didn't stop her from hunting. She rarely did so anymore, due to being pregnant. She didn't want to risk the life of her pup.

However, she'd hunted an M'Genisect, also known as the River Ghost. She'd managed to trap and kill two of them. One as a trophy, and the other as a hunting mask.

Sunset thought about her mother. It'd been a long time since she'd thought about her.

The redheaded huntress hadn't seen Celestia in years. Or Twilight, for that matter. It would be good to see them again. She missed her mother. The two had left on bad terms and hadn't spoken since. It was time they reunited and put things right.

Having spent time on the planet, Sunset had matured and adapted to the way of a Yautja. Deep down, she was still a pony. She would try to locate her home planet and give an overdue apology to her mother.

Kher'Ja had also gone on a solo hunt to bring her back a trophy. A skull of the Hard Meat. But not just any skull, a queen.

"Are you alright, my mate?" Kher'Ja asked, looking down at his ooman. She seemed upset about something. It suddenly dawned on him that he knew nothing about his mate.

"I'm fine, Kher'Ja. Just remembering my mother and someone I considered family." Sunset replied, staring up at her boyfriend.

"You've never spoken about your family, I never asked you, my mate." Kher'Ja approached carefully, not wishing to upset his mate.

"It's fine. Me and my mother didn't part on the best of terms. We yelled at each other. I'd fallen down a dark, dishonorable path. My friend, Twilight, showed me a better way after. I owe my honor and who I am now, to her." Sunset explained, sighing wistfully at the past.

She couldn't change it, but she'd learned from her mistakes and changed for the better. All she could do was move on, think positively and look forward to the future.

Kher'Ja was moved by what she'd said. It'd be good motivation for new youngbloods.

"You are wise beyond your years, my mate." Kher'Ja complimented softly, running a claw through Sunset's hair. The redhead blushed, smiling at her boyfriend bashfully.

The elite warrior remembered the gift he'd hunted for her. The queen's skull.

"Stay here." Kher'Ja requested gently, walking out of the room briefly. Sunset watched him leave with confusion, not knowing why he felt he needed to leave the room.

He returned within a few minutes, carrying a skull in his hand, one that was familiar to Sunset. It was the skull of a Hard Meat, Sunset recognized the skull from a hieroglyph in the pyramid where she went through her Chiva.

"For you, my mate." Kher'Ja said softly, lowering himself to a knee in front of his mate, the skull in his hands. Sunset stood still in shock.

"Why did you give me this?" Sunset asked, her voice trembling. Tears threatened to spill down her face. She was overwhelmed with emotion.

"It means I wish to bond with you for life." Kher'Ja replied warmly, looking at her as she trembled.

“For life?” Her mouth dropped open. “You mean marriage?” She gasped, her eyes widened at the prospect.

“If that means our fates will be sealed forever, bound by the vows and honor for as long as we lived. Yes, a marriage.” He explained.

Sunset was certain. She was happy with him and wanted to stay with him. More than ever, she wanted a happy life with him.

“Yes, I accept the skull. I don’t want anyone else! I only want you. I love you!” She blurted out without another doubt as tears welling up in her eyes. Tears of joy.

The next second, Kher'Ja roared in response to her acceptance. His ear-piercing roars startled her, his mate accepting his gift as her worthy Lifemate had thrilled him with prideful satisfaction.

Sunset was overjoyed. She kissed his mandible and stood up, preparing to tell her adoptive family the news.

The redhead had visited her family and told them the recent news. Yeyinde was happy for her, the matriarch's voice full of love, pride and emotion. It surprised Sunset, to hear such emotion from her mother. She welcomed it.

The now husband and wife packed up their stuff from their home. Every trophy and weapon was moved onto his ship. Along with their fur pelts, her clothes and their food.

They had given their goodbyes to their families on the planet. They were planning to settle down elsewhere. On an Earth-like planet that they could raise their pup on. They could have a little family, create a new generation of hunters and huntresses for many centuries to come.

The two walked onto their ship. Sunset had given back her original one, having moved her trophies to the trophy wall in the room she and Kher'Ja shared. Their new bedroom.

Sunset looked sentimentally at the planet through the window facing one of the sides of the ship. Yautja Prime had been her home for so long.

Lex and Dutch had understood her reason for leaving. They shook hands and hugged, knowing it would be the last time they'd see each other in a long time.

Scar, Celtic and Chopper had hugged her, giving her fur pelts and other trinkets to take with her into the stars.

Yeyinde hugged her, telling the redhead how proud of her she was. Deep down, the matriarch didn't want her to go. She'd loved Sunset deeply and would miss her dearly.

The engines started up, humming to life and giving lift to the spacecraft as it took off into space and beyond. Sunset felt her heart ache as she watched the planet shrink behind her

Kher'Ja placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Sunset smiled, appreciating the sentiment from her husband. The couple sat at the cockpit of his ship. Two seats for two pilots.

Turning his attention to her, he asked in front of the control panels. “This galaxy is yours to explore now. Where would you like to go, my mate?”

“I don’t know. Do you have any suggestions?” She asked excitedly. Kher'Ja raised a mandible in a grin at her excitement.

"The Heleria system we recently acquired is still new, we can start from there." He replied, putting in the coordinates for the star system.

Sunset grinned and activated the auto pilot as they flew through space.

“You belong to me, and I belong to you.” He pledged. Sunset felt tears prick at her eyes from his heartfelt words. She loved him and wanted to be with him forever.

Now that they were completely alone, with plenty of time to spare, he was going to take his time with his Lifemate. Pulling her into his chest, he pressed his sloped forehead against hers. His long, thick dreadlocks draped around their faces forming a curtain of privacy as he carried her to their bed in a bridal style.

No one would take her away from him now. They belonged to each other.