I nod.

“A bird,” I repeat.

“Not sustenance?”

I gulp at that. “Yes…but no. I don’t want to eat it.” I couldn’t imagine killing and eating such a beautiful thing.

The bird tweets again and I watch the alien’s ears twitch with bated breath.

The little bird must have suddenly gotten the cue because it flies off.

I release a sigh and watch it go.

When I look back, the alien is staring at me so intently, I forget what I was doing before.

Oh.

Right.

“Hunting.”

Turning, I continue making my way gingerly across the broken pier.

The wood is rotten in some parts and a bit slippery but I will not allow Murphy’s law to get the best of me now.

As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I slip.

There’s a single moment of my eyes widening as I realize I’m going down and the next, there’s a strong hand against my back, steadying me.

My surprised gaze shoots to the alien who’s suddenly by my side.

How the hell did he move so fast?

My heart does a big thump.

I was right. He’s calculating his movements so he doesn’t scare me.

Why else?

If he can move like this…

Fuck.

Well, there goes my instinct to run away.

Now I just want to hide.

I straighten as soon as I have my footing, but not before his touch sends a lightning bolt down my spine.

“Th—Thanks.”

He doesn’t reply but his ears twitch toward me almost comically.

I turn from him and continue moving along the pier. More careful this time.

The wood creaks as Fer’ro follows close behind me.

I can still feel his eyes on my back and it’s making the hairs along my arms rise.

The pier leads into the water a fair bit and soon we’re standing over water deep enough for sizeable fish to be lurking in.

I crouch and Fer’ro watches me for a second before he copies me.

I find myself staring at him in disbelief.

He’s so huge, he looks funny crouching the way I am.

A nervous laugh huffs from my nose and his ears flatten against the side of his head.

It’s almost…adorable.

I snap my gaze away from his at that thought.

This is a being whose people destroyed a machine not even our missiles could take down.

There’s nothing adorable about a demon.

Trying to ignore him as best as I can, I eye the water.

It’s murky. I can hardly see anything.. But I grasp my stick and I wait.

And wait.

And wait.

My bones are aching and I’m about to give up when I see a fish.

It darts through the algae and disappears for a moment, it’s silvery skin appearing catching the light.

Grasping my stick tighter, I hold my breath, waiting to see it again.

And then I do.

There!

I’m so excited, too excited, that I shriek and stab my stick in the water too quickly.

There’s a hiss behind me.

Fer’ro.

One glance over my shoulder and I jerk back so hard I almost fall into the water.

Fer’ro has risen over me, his blades are out, spiking along his arms, and his lips are pulled back.

Wicked fangs are bared at me.

Shock, fear, has my breath stuck in my throat.

How stupid was I to venture away from Sam and Mina?

Right now, in this moment, I can see just how foolish that was.

Was this what he had intended from the start? Had he just been waiting till we were alone to attack me?

To eat me?

But the aggression the dark alien is expressing lasts only a second.

He stills, and the blades retreat but it takes a few more moments for his mouth to close and conceal those wicked teeth of his.

Gulping hard, I don’t move.

What the fuck was that?

I’m almost too scared to look away from him.

If I look away, will he try to attack me again?

But something flicks at the end of my stick so hard, I almost lose my hold on it.

A fish.

A small one but a fish nonetheless.

I…I caught it?

The little victory catches me unaware and I realize I’d had no faith I was going to catch anything at all.

I’m not sure if I want to laugh or cry. What happens is a sob of happiness and fear that lodges in my throat.

Through the corner of my eyes, I notice Fer’ro’s blades rise part way as he watches me and I promptly silence myself.

I can’t tell if he’s about to attack me or not.

Maybe he’s like one of those predators that attack when you’re not looking.

For that reason, I keep my gaze on him as I pull the branch toward me.

It’s pierced right through and the fish flaps, trying to get off it.

Fer’ro watches the fish move.

“Sustenance?” he asks.

“Yes.”

He stares at it before he stands.

“You are a good hunter,” he says.

That sob that’s lodged in my throat constricts the muscles there.

Is that it?

Have I passed the test?

FER’RO

The fire crackles under the morning star that blesses this planet.

Er’th they call it. Hyu’mans they call themselves.

Strange designations that Adee’ra exposed when I asked them of her.

They required the fire once more, though their star has risen.

I obliged.

I lit it for them on top of the embers that had died the night before.

I am as surprised as my brethren when Adee’ra pierces the sea creature with another stick.

At first, I think she is simply doing so to make it easier for her to tear into its flesh.

But then, she stretches it over the flames, turning it periodically.

Ga’Var bristles and I hear a few discontented clicks from the others.

They have gathered near to watch her…prepare the meal.

At the sounds we’re making, Adee’ra glances up at us and pauses.

She looks back at the meal then at us again.

“Do you want some?”

Not one of us moves.

We cannot respond.

She is asking…all of us this?

Every single hackle on me itches to rise.

For a moment, I forget that she is not Vullan. She has no idea of our customs.

But it seems Ga’Var has completely forgotten for he thrums and I hiss at him.

Adee’ra pales and I am immediately regretful.

I do not mean to scare her.

I scared her earlier too, while she hunted.

But that time, I was simply surprised by her battle cry.

I reacted involuntarily.

Ga’Var ignores me and takes a step toward her.

Anger flares within me immediately and my hackles rise.

“No,” I click.

He stares me down. “Why rekking not? She has offered.”

My teeth clench so hard I have to ball my fists to prevent my hackles from rising farther.

If Adee’ra sees me in my true fighting form, any progress I have made with her so far will be lost. And…I do not know why I care about losing this progress so much.

“She does not know what she offers. Stand down.”

Through the corner of my eye, San’ten steps closer. “It doesn’t matter. We cannot oblige anyway. Look at them. They are weak, feeble, beings. A mating with one would certainly break its bones and kill it.”

Ga’Var glances at Adee’ra and the mere fact he is looking her way, contemplating it, sets me on edge.

“She is not Vullan. She is not inviting you to her feathers.” I pause, waiting for my words to sink in. “Adee’ra does not know that offering you sustenance is an invitation.”

Why should I have to explain this?

It should be clear to him.

I sense that Adee’ra stiffens at the sound of her name.

She and the other female exchange glances but Ga’Var isn’t backing down.

“Um,” her voice seems to still the air around us. “We can share. It’s not a problem.”

My gaze falls to her then to the sea creature. Its outer skin is being roasted by the flames and I cringe a little at the loss of nutrients.

It is already dead.