My, What Big Teeth You Have

F Lizardfolk (Rhaena) x GN reader

➤ Wordcount 1.6k ➤ Pairing F Lizardfolk x GN reader

"I'm tired."

As soon as you admit it, Rhaena is tossing her head back with a snort, her spotted tail flicking behind her.

"I told you not to come on this patrol, did I not? I told you it was the longest rotation, yes?"

"I like patrolling with you," you reply, swatting a bug on your arm.

"Careful," Rhaena says, taking your arm and looking it over, rubbing her thumb over the bite mark.

"It was just a fly, it's not gonna kill me," you reply with a laugh.

"Humans are fragile. Everything here can kill you," Rhaena says and releases your arm, beginning to walk again. "Come, we will find a suitable place to rest."

You follow her, pursing your lips together. She's right. Planet Zatriss is still a new world to humans, and the first colony paid for their mistakes, dying off slowly in increasingly painful and bizarre ways, like falling into a five-foot pitcher plant full of acid. Things are going better the second time around. Your colony has the native population of lizardfolk to rely on. It has been a little more than six months and bonds of trust have begun to form, thanks to your father. He led this colony stood his ground with the Lizardfolk warriors and tinkered with the translators until language could be understood.

Two months in, the Lizardfolk chief gave you his daughter as a companion. It was part of the peace treaty and you had thought it was all for show, but the next day the cocoa and milk-colored Lizardfolk had been waiting outside your capsule, a pack on her back and a spear in her hand. You're roughly the same age, but the difference in appearance is huge. Not only is she a literal lizard person, but she is also almost twice your height, and far stronger. Despite the different worlds you come from, you discover you have things in common. You both like adventure and nature and sweet things for breakfast. She had you at hello but no one except your father knows that. Maybe not even him.

"My friend," Rhaena's voice cuts into your thoughts as she grabs your upper arm right before you walk off the path and topple down a small hill. "What are you thinking of to be so lost in your head?"

"Sorry." You flush with warmth and scratch your head. "Do you think we're ever going to find it?"

"The precious metals? Who knows. There is much of the forest even my people are yet to discover, and we have been here far longer," Rhaena says, hopping nimbly onto a huge fallen tree trunk that rests at a steep incline.

Her clawed feet and hands make climbing easy for her. You'd never be able to get up the mossy trunk without some kind of assistance.

"Wait there," she calls down to you, "I smell rain."

You sniff the air but it smells the same to you. Rain on this planet isn't a soothing affair. The raindrops are much larger and standing in a downpour feels like getting hit by hundreds of marbles all at once, so Rhaena has a right to be concerned. You're only halfway through the patrol as well, making the chance of getting caught in the rain even higher. You smack at another insect and shuffle your feet. It's barely been a minute and you already feel the urge to move around and continue exploring.

The forest hums softly with life. You peer up at the fallen tree, but you don't spot Rhaena anywhere in the leafy branches. You look around you and spot something shiny through the bushes only a few feet away. It's not far enough for you to get in trouble, you surmise, so you walk over and find a glossy puddle of mud about three feet across in a perfect circle. That's new.

"Rhaena?" You call, leaning over the puddle.

It has a shiny purplish crust that allows you to see your reflection. You look terrible. Your hair is everywhere and your face is sweaty. Your body isn't suited to the pressing humidity. Rhaena on the other hand, is perfectly at home here. You don't think you've ever seen her break a sweat. Maybe she physically can't. Suddenly, your reflection is shattered as something bursts out of the mud towards you. With a shriek you jump backward, feeling something cold and slimy snap around your ankle.