The Predators Hunt

Warm Touch

   I'm such an idiot. Why tell her anything about me? Why rope her into my life? Why tell her about my father of all things?!
   Why be in love with her at all?
   SHUT UP!
   This is all pointless. The ship will be here soon, so why stay? I get up and saunter to the caves opening. Then there she is.
   "Bear, wait! Please, don't leave!"
   My body won't allow me to push past her, so I stay.
   "Um...y'know I..." Her head drops. "I have a dead parent too."
   What did she say?
   That can't be. How is she so well put together, unlike me, then? How could she possibly...understand?
   "Yeah, it's true. My mother..."
   Her mother? I never knew my mother, my true one. I, like all sucklings, was raised by multiple brooders. The ones who raised me either died or eventually faded from my life. I still remember the pain I felt from seeing them go. Seeing them forget about me.
   "My mother passed away shortly after I joined the military. She was the one who trained me to survive, heh, she was the greatest." She smiles. "I bet she would have liked you."
   An ooman liking me? That's not possible. Unless...
   She reaches out and touches my arm. My body tenses under her warm touch. My throat tightens and my chest burns.
   "Bear, I...wanna tell you something."
   "Yeah?" I know she can't understand me, but it's better than grunting.
   She looks taken aback for a second, then continues, "I...I know you're not human," she shrugs and laughs, "but, well...I don't care. To me, you've become like...I don't know, like, my friend."
   Oof.
   Her words are sweet, yet they still sting.
   "So please, don't turn away from me. Don't leave. I...I wanna be with you."
   I notice something strange. Her eyes are...glistening. moisture seems to be building up in them. Then it starts to pour out.
   Before I know it, she's making little sniffling sounds. More liquid spills from her eyes.
   No. No, no, that can't happen.
   I catch her in another embrace, just like last time. My arms squeeze around her, I don't care if I crush her, she will not be like this. She hasn't stopped.
   I try purring in order to soothe her. Soon, her arms come around my torso. Her small, warm hands caress my skin. My hand slowly reaches for her hair. It's soft, silky and weaves like water around my fingers.
   We both just stand there until her sniffling stops. I let go to see her looking up at me, smiling.
   "Y'know Bear, I've yet to see your face."
   My face? Oh Paya, I hope she never sees it. It'd scare the pauk out of her, surely. I groan.
   Suddenly, her eyes light up and her head whips around. Her body turns to face the sky.
   "Bear, look! It's happening!"
   I also turn and see what she's pointing at. Thousands of bright meteors are whizzing past in the sky, leaving streaks of white and green.
   I've seen many of these before and frankly, they're kind boring to me. Yet, by the sparkling look in her eyes, I can tell she enjoys it. So, I suck in a breath and watch with her.
   "I love these so much." She sighs.
   Pauk, who knew I'd one day wish to be a meteor.
   She pulls me to the ground and we sit, watching. Her hand is still on my arm. Her hand slowly decends, reaching mine. By the time it's finally over, she's fallen asleep on my shoulder.