Last to Fall

ch 9

Alita~

Silver eyes bore into me as I pressed myself back against the tree. I felt like a deer in headlights, staring down the burning eyes of a predator wanting to eat me alive.

His bladed tail swayed back and forth as he sat there crouched in the tree. How long had he been following me?...

After what seemed like forever he jumped down from his perch before standing to his full height and striding over to me. I shrunk back as his gaze never left my face. I gulped as he stopped his approach a mere two feet away, looking down upon me I realized just how intimidating he could be.

He didn’t even look away as he grabbed his spear from the cat creature’s body, pulling it free with ease. He may have saved me but he did not seem pleased with his own actions.

He mumbled something in his language before swiftly turning away and grabbing the dead creature by its back feet. I watched in shock as he started dragging the dead animal away.

Biting the inside of my lip I ran after him before he left the area completely. He may not like me but he did save me, I don’t believe that it was unintentional this time. I’m not sure how much kindness he’ll be willing to give but what choice do I have?

“W-wait!”

He hardly stopped, to glance back at me as I caught up to him. I hugged my bag tightly to my chest and kept my head down, glancing up at him through my eyelashes.

He huffed before continuing to walk, and in turn, I immediately followed. We moved past the boulders I had been laying on before and came across the bottom of a cliff that I hadn’t seen before.

He dragged this kill away from the wall of stone before us and glanced back at me. I could only awkwardly stand there not knowing what to do. He walked back and looked me over.

Moss and vines were growing up the stony cliffside before us and he moved to a section where the vegetation seemed especially thick. He parted some of the vines to reveal a small cave. Looking inside he then entered, disappearing from sight.

I hesitated before walking up to the entrance of the cave. Parting the vines I looked inside and was shocked to see it was filled with equipment.

Near the center of the cave was a small fire pit, a variety of fur blankets and rugs were also draped across some wooden racks and a few clay pots were placed against the wall. Two empty tanning racks were on either side of the entrance as well as some tools made from bone.

This please was so close yet I had completely missed it... He stood there watching me for a moment as I took in the sight before me, kneeling down he started piling wood and sticks into the pit. It felt awkward being here, it was as if I was invading someone’s home...actually that’s exactly what im doing…

im on an alien planet and I’ve been following this guy around even into his cave... Wait, how am I even sure he’s not going to kill and eat me?! I could just be a free meal!

Grabbing at my hair I scolded myself for being so stupid and useless... Soon enough there was light in front of me and I peeked my eyes open to see the alien rearing a small fire.

He was focused on the flame and hardly paid any mind to me. Lowering my hands I decided I was too tired and scared to care, he’s saved me twice so I doubt he would just up and slit my throat...I swallowed hard at the mere thought of it.

I slowly made my way over and kneeled down by the fire across from him. He glanced up at me from over the flames and I met his gaze uncertain...

Very little is known about the natives here due to how elusive they can be, they were a very popular subject to be talked about on homeworld but we could hardly get any information on them, and almost no one had come face to face with them.

From what I heard they wanted nothing to do with humans, and their way of life was quite secretive... With the harsh environment and everything, it was hard for researchers to do their thing...

For me to be sitting here with a native is unbelievable... He quickly broke eye contact with me and stirred the fire, feeding it some more sticks. Once it was a reasonable size he stood up and walked out of the cave.

Curious, I moved towards the entrance and peeked out to see what he might be doing or where he was going. He walked over to the dead animal’s body and pulled out a knife different from the one he had before, and started cutting into it.

I felt queezy just seeing the small bit of blood and quickly retreated into the cave. I don’t think I can stomach watching him cut the animal open, even if it was going to tear me apart. I sat by the fire and hugged my knees watching the flames.

Glancing around I could see the few furs in the cave were hung up on some branches, no doubt to keep them clean but they still looked...dusty? Even the clay vases didn’t look like they were used often... Was this even the alien’s home? Or did it belong to someone else?

I flinched when the man walked back in, carrying some raw meat on a giant leaf. He sat down across the fire and set the leaf down looking at me. He said something in his language that I didn’t understand but he seemed expectant.

I only looked at him confused and he huffed before nodding towards something behind me. Looking back I noticed a few wooden bowls stacked up behind me.

“Oh! You wanted those!” I quickly grabbed them and held them out for him. He leaned back looking at my offering a bit perplexed before taking the bowls.

Looking at them he blew any dust off of them and put some of the raw meat in the bowl he then set one down in front of himself and put the other down next to me.

He watched me expectantly and my gaze moved from the bowl of bloodied red meat to him.

“Sa’te” he gestured towards the bowl before picking a piece of meat from his own and eating it. I stared at him in horror then down at the meat. I can’t eat this raw!

“I can’t eat that...” Shaking my head I pushed the bowl away covering my mouth. I may be hungry but the last thing I want is a tapeworm...

He paused and looked at me with an unreadable expression. Picking up the bowl he set it down beside himself and slowly ate from his own dish.

Time passed and he managed to finish off both the bowls of food. He cleaned off the hanging furs and set some down near the fire pit for what I assume is for us to sleep on.

I simply watched while sitting against the cave wall hugging my knees, he often glanced at me or watched whenever I made any kind of movement. Considering I couldn’t exactly speak to him I stayed relatively silent.

Soon enough it was completely dark out and I grew weary. My eyes felt heavy and I couldn’t hold back my yawn, he was in the middle of checking the vases. I rubbed my eyes and looked up to see him glance at me and freeze in place.

He turned towards me, staying crouched and stared at me with an intense gaze that unnerved me. I lowered my hands away from my eyes as he grabbed his spear.

“W-what are you doing...” I spoke cautiously and watched as his muscles tensed. Before I knew it he was lunging at me with the spear. I shrieked and covered my head with my arms.

A hissing sound came from above me and I wasn’t hit or speared. Moving my head to look up I saw him standing over me, spear in hand with it stabbed into a disgusting-looking insect of some sort that was apparently crawling on the cave wall above my head.

A disgusted chill ran through my body and I quickly crawled away from the thing that thrashed around hissing with the alien’s spear pierced through it.

He glanced at me before twisting his spear severing the thing’s head. It had some similarities to that of a spider and centipede cross breed.

He kicked the head towards the entrance of the cave away from us and removed the body from his spear, throwing it into the fire.

He went back to his side of the cave sitting in the fires and setting his spear down. I reluctantly moved to the other set of furs he laid out for me as he laid on his back resting his head on one arm.

Feeling the exhaustion coming back I looked at the dead bug’s head and shuddered before laying down and covering up with the fur blanket I had. He watched me for a few moments as I got comfortable before closing his eyes.

One things for sure, everything on this planet wants to kill you...