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m o n s t r o u s (Adjective.)

having the frightening appearance of a monster

The monstrous creature let go of her waist when he noticed she wasn't going to try to jump off the ledge. Still, he placed a splayed hand below where her babe was tied to her. Enya frowned, watching him closely, but he was leading her farther into the cave.

This cave was much smaller than she expected. It was similar to what her room looked like on the ship. A single room with every necessity in that room. The walls were fashioned with silks and hides covering the walls. There were chests full of who-knows-what were placed around randomly. A large nest of furs and hide seemed to be the creature's bed. In one corner was a hearth, where instead of a fire there were red hot stones below a waiting cauldron. No smoke to be seen. Wooden cups and bowls of herbs lined the shelves on the uncovered walls, along with some filled with dried meats or jerky.

It all looked like a mess to her, but she was sure he knew where everything is. It seemed cozy enough, Enya reluctantly admitted. He sat her on the nest of furs, then left out the homy place. The red head took Kenton off her back, holding him close to her chest with the fleece blanket still wrapped tightly around him.

She gave a watery smile to the babe, "It'll be okay, Ken. We'll be okay. We'll get Danny back, too. Everything will be fine." None of the words were really meant for Kenton and, rather, meant to give herself some reassurance that everything would be alright.

Her brother cooed back at her, grabbing a string of curly red hair that fell from where she brushed it behind her ear. Her smile became more genuine, giving him her index finger rather than her sensitive hair.

The woman was startled when she heard something scrapping along the ground. Her wide eyes turned to see that the strange creature had let his clawed feet scrape across the ground to alert his presence. When he had her attention, he moved forward cautiously. Like she was a wounded and cornered animal. It didn't go unnoticed that he made himself appear smaller and less intimidating, which only made her more suspicious.

One of his arms --he was back to only one pair of arms-- offered her a leather canteen full of something. When she went to sniff the strange liquid, he huffed. The creature gestured to the baby. Enya scowled. There was no way she was giving her little brother something that may as well be poison. He must have noticed that as well, because he grumbled and drank the drink himself. Then he gave the canteen back to her. They stared at each other for a few minutes, before Enya nodded in approval.

She sat up her little brother and helped him drink whatever the non-poison was. Kenton seemed to love it. Enya attempted to give the alien his drink back, but he pushed it to her so she would drink some as well. The red head had forgotten how little she drank and ate today until the offer was given to her. She didn't overhydrate herself, but still thanked him when she returned the half empty canteen. It seemed to fill her at the same time, which was an odd experience. Similar to drinking a protein smoothie.

"Thank you," came her meek voice. The creature didn't speak, standing and turning to the boiling cauldron. It seemed he was cooking before their escape pod destroyed his home's balcony.

Whatever it was smelled like there was meat, which made her mouth water. There weren't any actual meat meals on the station, more meat substitutes. Even on Earth it was difficult to get real meat, because most creatures left were put into zoos in an attempt to "keep them from extinction." It was simply a coincidence that they also gained millions of dollars by being the last of the zoos working. Her family was far too poor to visit one, but she still heard many stories from her friends.

She cleared her throat, gaining the stranger's attention. "Uhm, hello. I am Enya." He stared down at her without speaking. She frowned and squirmed under his intense gaze. "Enya?" She pointed to herself as she restated her name. She also gave her little brother's name, but she wanted to keep the creature's mind off of him.

His jaw shifted, like her was chewing on the idea of her name. Or maybe he was deciding what to do with them and it had nothing to do with her giving him her name? "Enya," he finally repeated to which she nodded timidly. He didn't attempt Ken's name and she didn't know if that was a good thing. His head shifted to the side as though he was thinking once again. He clucked his tongue, as if coming to a decision, "Mori."

"Hello, Mori," she offered him a careful smile. He bared his teeth in an alien smile, which seemed unnatural even to him. Then he turned back to the food he was creating.

Her attention turned back to her little brother. She stood and placed Kenton against her shoulder, patting his back to try and burp him. Her feet creating their own pace line on their own accord with her mind going one hundred miles an hour.

The woman needed to figure out what she was going to do. Whatever Mori is, his people took her friend. She needed to get to her friend before there is an issue, but she couldn't bring Kenton into such a predicament. Mori himself was also a problem. He was a predator all on his own, if his features told her anything. She wasn't his prey yet, but it was still something to be wary of. Kenton was not going to be left with this stranger under any circumstances and she didn't think Mori knew anything about Danny in the first place. Perhaps Mori intended to do to her whatever his people were intending to do to Dannielle. Could they have just left her friend alone? She doubted it. She heard them tearing at the metal that made the escape pod, whether accidental or on purpose she hadn't known.

Those suspicious sapphire eyes turned to the alien again, but he was already watching her. It felt like their eyes did meet, but she couldn't tell since he didn't have a difference between his pupils and the whites of his eyes.

She turned away and continued her pacing. That "eye contact" was not very reassuring, though she knew he didn't do it on purpose. He couldn't read her mind, that would be silly. Kenton burped easily and, thankfully, without any spit up. That was good. She didn't want to deal with yet another mess that she created.

Kenton curled into the crib that her arms created, so she carefully rested back on the nest of furs. Enya put herself far back enough on the bed to lean back against the wall. Her eyes stayed on Mori. One half of her confused about the tail that she just noticed, the second --and far more important-- half was simply nervous that the creature would turn on them out of nowhere.