Child of the Xenomorph

7

A week passed. We never ran into the humans, by some miracle. And I noticed the changes in the atmosphere. Instead of the woodsy scent I had become familiar with, the breeze carried a hint of salt and another odor I didn't know. The trees grew more sparse, the terrain opening up to sparser brushland. I didn't like it. It felt far more open than I prefered.

J'Khati and Tsalken had changed too. J'Khati had the most drastic change, by far. Her queenly hormones had completely set it, and she stood a massive twenty feet tall. She was already a large Xenomorph by normal standards, at twelve feet tall, but her size now was incredible. She was truly a glorious sight to behold, her muscular body undulating as she walked, her crown arching high above her head. She had grown her second pair of arms, and it was amusing to watch as she got used to them. One thing was not normal, however. Right under her belly area, her skin bulged. I couldn't figure out what it was, and I seriously hoped she wasn't sick.

Tsalken had changed, too. His smooth dome had grown a little more ridged, his features becoming more and more prominently biomechanical, the pipes and tubes of his body sticking out.

I smiled, mischief rising within me. I dropped to a crouch, stalking him. He was plundering along over the dusty rocks, and when he turned around a bush I seized my chance. I ran over to the bush, and leapt over it, right onto his back.

"Shaniya!" He barked, twisting and turning around, trying to get me off.

I laughed, grabbing onto his back tubes to stabilize myself. J'Khati grunted in amusement behind me.

He wrapped his tail around my waist, and gently pulled me off. I thought the game was over, and started to walk away, until he pounced upon me and shoved me to the ground.

"Ouch!" I shrieked.

"Sorry," he said, not sounding very sorry at all. "But a Xenomorph always has to be prepared, right?"

I twisted around, and he let me, until I was facing him on the ground. "I don't know about your skills," I taunted, "but one thing you're definitely working on is your sass." I kicked him in the gut, not enough to truly hurt, but to surprise him. He let out an "oof" and I wriggled out from underneath him. I tripped him with my tail, and when he was on the ground, rolled him over until I was sitting on his abdomen.

"Who's got sass now?" I teased, and pecked him on the top of his dome.

Tsalken-

Her mouth touching my dome completely shocked me. It was probably considered a normal gesture with humans, given that she did it so casually. But for some strange reason, her soft flesh touching my exoskeleton shot embers through my insides.

And now I was having feelings for a weird human hybrid. What else could possibly be wrong with me?

I shook her off, punching her shoulder gently to show that I appreciated her fun. She giggled, and ran off to J'Khati.

"How much longer do you think it is until the Ocean Hive?" I asked J'Khati.

She shifted her massive head towards me. "Not long. It shouldn't be more than a day away."

This information renewing my spirits, I bounded ahead, looking to see if there was any prey to be found.

Shaniya-

I was about to question J'Khati's strange bump when the pain hit.

I felt as if my veins were on fire. My vision become spotty, and I fell to the ground, screaming.

Panic ensued among my friends. Tsalken ran over to me, worriedly saying something. I couldn't understand him through the screaming, which was mine. J'Khati also stood uselessly over me, obviously not sure what to do, but shouting in fright. Her voice penetrated my mind.