To Live Again

Chapter 1

Walking calms my nerves, but when I feel the warmth of flesh on my skin, I can't help but twist towards it. I can sense a human, a rather moral one. Narumato, my flesh animal turns too. I flick my hair, a giant, lingering red flame burned to my scalp for as long as I live. Narumato was pushed into existence by the people of my home planet, the Lastaries, because flesh animals guard important people. Humans are difficult to come by, even on Earth. It is 2236, and people from the Crastaro belt (mainly Lastaries and Salfasians) invaded twenty years ago and wiped out many humans. About four fifths of all humans were killed, and the last fifth scuttled around, hiding. Humans do not mean food, not anymore. I have never killed them, and never will. Narumato has.

"Sukie um rong si pa tras nepas." I snarl at Narumato, who can only understand the language of Contralie. Find the human, don't kill it. It is a phrase Narumato knows well. She bounds off into the forests, and I follow. The leather of the Lastarian planets holds my hips in tightly, keeps my stomach flat with a triangular shaped top that emphasises my curves. I hear the ring in my head. The scream of a terrified soul. I begin jogging the second the ringing begins. I skid to a stop, in sight of a blond and rugged human. Narumato may be part of my soul, but she is undoubtedly the cruel part. She stands at the same height as the human, even on all-fours.

"Lastaries. Get away! Get away!" The girl shouts, seeing my dagger.

"San pare!" I shriek at Narumato. Narumato backs down, as I asked. "We won't hurt you." I say, removing my knife. I slice at a vine, and a dripping purple ooze dribbles onto my palm. I grab two long, metal tubes and drip the ooze into them.  I stuff one into my belt. It will heal dangerous cuts, and this woman has a slice along her stomach, although the blood only dribbles out, it will add up.

"Trust me, please." I whisper to the woman. "I can heal your wound." I say, showing her the ooze. The girl looks wary. I give her my hand, and show her my mind. The woman shudders with the amazing strength of a Lastary mind and gasps. I open a closed door. One of truth, one that is only opened to humans. I help humans, I don't harm them. And she believes me. She takes the vial and spreads the goo on her wound. At once, the blood recedes back into the wound, and the wound heals, leaving a pink scar. I smile.

"Thank you. So very much. You have helped me, and I trust you." The woman begins to babble. A loud shriek in my head begins and I double over in pain.

"I have to go, now. I may see you again." I say, and then run for the next way out of the meadow. 

Chapter 2

I manage to get to my cave with steady legs, but Sharichi knows how. 

"Jericho." I murmur, kneeling next to my best friend.

"I'm fine." He growls. But I know he isn't. And then I remember the reason why I went walking. To not watch him die. My hand roams along the length of his leg I know so well. Humans are not easy to come by. Unless you are in love with one. Narumato licks along the wound, which always cools it and makes it feel a bit better, even if not for long. I kiss him softly.

"I found another human. A female. I helped her." I whisper, curling next to him. He strokes the leather. "Tell me a lie." I whisper to him. He smiles down at me and then it registers just how lucky I am. A Lastary and human together can produce powerful things. And this one may be the strongest I have yet to meet. His eyes, a glittering green with flecks of gold, stare down at me. His lips are pink and plump, his body chiseled and bronzed from his years in the Amazon. Telling me a lie will let me know something. I'll get a ring in my head if he's telling a lie, and nothing if he's telling the truth. It's a typical sign of love for Lastaries.

"I don't love you at all." He murmurs. I get a tinkling sensation in my head. Telling a lie. I press my lips to his and his hand wraps around my neck. I press myself into him, and his body warmth burns into me. I pull away, focus on his eyes.

"I love you so much." I murmur. He grins widely.

"I have something for you." He whispers. He fumbles for something in a drawer. He holds something out for me. I open the little box and gasp.

"A Lastary pendant." I gulp. The green Corian stone glimmers prettily. Beautifully crafted by hands of a thousand Lastary crafters. I wrap it around my neck. It gleams and then dulls. I kiss my best friend on the cheek. Then I remember.

"I found the snagvine juice. I can heal you now." I smile and untuck the juice. I smear it over the wound, and the wound recedes into nothing. I kiss where the mark used to be.

"That's the best gift you could give me, so I'm giving you this." I whisper. And his lips seek mine with a tensity I had never seen.