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.: CHAPTER 3 :.

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When Lex's eyes began to flutter open, there was a strange hope inside her; hope that everything that had just happened was nothing more than another bad dream. She'd just drifted off inside the pyramid and Scar's soothing purr would be there to console her upon waking. Or maybe she'd really luck out and discover the pyramid had never even happened at all.

Unfortunately, the blinding white light floating overhead spoke to the reality of her situation. She wasn't in the pyramid, she hadn't nodded off under Scar's watchful eye and neither had she fallen asleep on the front porch of her home, tucked deep in the countryside of the mountains.

She was lying on something cool and hard and above her was a very bright examination light, seemingly the only source of illumination in the room.

Lex pressed her hands against the cold metal beneath her and pushed herself upright. Immediately she became alert.

This definitely wasn't the pyramid…

The smooth, metallic walls surrounding her were ultramodern with straight, clean lines – nothing like the archaic hieroglyphics carved into the corridors of the monolith she'd previously been trapped in. A couple of wires had been attached to her, hooking her up to a monitor that sat next to a table of varying medical tools that were far too alien in nature for her to identify. Her clothes were gone and she'd been stripped down to nothing but her white undergarments.

The predators…shit.

Good god, she'd been abducted by aliens. Were they going to cut her up and dissect her? Experiment on her? Maybe kill her now that she'd seen too much?

Lex shuddered.

For all she knew, they could take her back to their planet and worship her like a goddess.

She really had no clue what they intended, but she didn't feel like sticking around to find out.

There was a sliding door situated off to her right and she literally stopped breathing when she heard something on the other side. She strained to listen and quickly stiffened at the sound of familiar clicks. There were footsteps accompanying the noises and they seemed to be growing louder, edging closer to her room.

Scar's face instantly came to mind, causing everything else to melt into the background.

She wanted to find him, but if he was with his kind there was nothing more she could do. He was dead and she wanted to leave, but something inside was stopping her. It wouldn't let her go without seeing him again.

Ignoring the protests of her aching body, Lex's hand shot out and grabbed two of the sharpest tools lying on the table. Long and imposing, the scalpel-like blades would present a suitable enough improvised weapon. They would simply have to do.

Without waiting another second, she jumped from the table and discreetly crept into the shadows beside the door. Her timing seemed to be perfect, for not a moment later it slid open with a quiet swoosh. When two gigantic humanoids stepped inside, she had to stomp down the near crippling fear that threatened to engulf her.

Shrinking further back against the wall, she waited until they had taken another few strides into the room before she silently slipped out. The sweltering heat in the air slapped her like a brick to the face, making her body immediately bead with sweat. Going from being locked in the depths of a freezing wasteland to such an unbelievably hot and humid environment, it was nearly unbearable.

Lex merely pushed the discomfort aside. Keeping on high alert, her head moved as if it were on a swivel, diligently scanning the hall she'd just walked into. She could've just potentially exposed herself by jumping into such an area without even thinking first. Fortunately for her, she saw nothing but emptiness in the halls and she breathed a sigh of relief.

She'd lucked out this time, but there was still a problem. There was no chance in hell she would be able to move about this place without getting caught. There was absolutely no place to hide. The corridors were nothing but clear, open spaces.

The two predators that had stepped into the room she'd just exited would be emerging any second now. Once they noticed she was gone, she'd really be in trouble. She had to get moving if she wanted to avoid them.

She'd just have to settle for a 'think as you go' type of plan. She really had no choice. She couldn't stay stationary for long.

Hurrying to the end of the hall, Lex peaked around the corner to make sure it was empty and slinked forward. Her eyes scoured the corridor, searching for doors, rooms, outlets…anything that could get her out of the open and maybe tell her where the hell she was. Though, she was fairly certain she already knew the answer to that question.

She was on their ship.

Looking up, she caught sight of a vent perched close to the ceiling.

It would have to do.

Lex shoved the two scalpels into her mouth, biting down on their handles as she began to scale the wall. With its futuristic design, it offered very little in the way of grip. The slick, glassy curves were difficult to keep a hold of and with her palms being so sweaty from the heat, it only made it harder. Parts of it were smooth and rounded, particularly where the red and white lights ran just under its surface, but it was better than nothing at all. She wasn't going to complain. She'd scaled cliffs with fewer footholds than this. Compared to that, this was a piece of cake.

Finally reaching her destination, Lex used the one of the scalpels to pry the corner of the vent off its hinges. As it popped out of place, she reached out, just barely catching it before it could fall. Slinking into the small cubby, she pulled the heavy metal covering back into place in the hopes that it would cover her tracks.

Just as she tugged it closed, the same pair of predators that been in her room came into view.

Lex hunkered back as they walked down the hall, their pace brisk and agitated. Unsurprisingly, they didn't seem too pleased. But, when a third predator came into view and met them halfway down the corridor, Lex could practically feel her troubles mounting. The small group came to a stop directly before the vent and she nervously held her breath as she listened to them communicate amongst themselves, clicking and growling their frustrations. She recognized the third one almost immediately. He was the one who'd snuck up behind her and caught her off guard at the whaling station.

He didn't seem happy in the least. With a loud snarl, he shoved one of them against the wall directly below her hideout and pulled his fist back in a very threatening manner, as if he were about to pummel him in the face.

Lex, starting to panic, hastily began backpedaling as quickly and quietly as she possibly could.

Just as he drove his fist forward, the tall predator suddenly paused, his knuckles only inches from connecting with the smaller one's face. He sniffed the air once, twice, and then slowly looked upwards to the vent above his head.

A long, low and predatory purr reached Lex's ears.

Lex squeaked in shock when her surroundings suddenly shook as he jumped forward. With his feet bracing the wall and his hand gripping a pipe along the ceiling, he reached out and tore the vent clear off its hinges.

Already halfway to the other end of the tunnel, Lex was on her belly and scurrying backwards when his eyes froze her in place. Glowing with a deep, predatory glare, they fixed solely upon her.

In that moment, her heart felt as if it dropped straight to the pit of her stomach.

Unexpectedly, his fist slammed into the wall, shaking her world as he released a terrifying roar.

Lex cried out and dropped the scalpels, covering her ears as the loud sound echoed through the ductwork. She curled in on herself and clenched her eyes shut at the sheer immensity of it. It rattled the claustrophobic passageway like an earthquake, causing the metal underneath her to tremble.

Thoroughly shaken and scared out of her wits, Lex slowly lowered her trembling hands as it finally died out. With her ears ringing and her body quivering, she dared to look up to the opening of the vent.

His alien face stared back, his mandibles clicking as he let out another smooth, feral purr.

"Oh…shit…" she breathed out shakily.

As fast as she could manage, she snatched up the two scalpels and began shoving herself backwards towards the opposite end of the shaft. A bit erratic in her movements, she tried to calm her nerves as much as possible to keep her mind on track.

Seeing his face disappear from the other side of the tunnel offered no relief. She knew he'd be on her ass as soon as she was out of the ventilation system.

She tried to come up with some type of plan, but just as she gave another push to move herself along, she realized there was no more ground behind her. The lower half of her body suddenly lurched downwards, the force of the drop pulling the rest of her down with it. Her fingers desperately tried to catch the edge of duct, but with the surface of the vent nothing but smooth, slick metal, there was nothing for her to find purchase on.

Lex mentally cursed her stupidity for thinking that crawling backwards in a ventilation system in a blind panic had been anywhere near a good idea.

As her upper body slipped over the edge, she was sent plummeting downwards with a cry. Her bottom crashed through another vent, subsequently bending the thin metal. It immediately gave out under her weight. With a loud clatter, she plunged straight down to the hard ground beneath…directly into the center of a massive group of predators.

Shock stunned all the parties present, sending them into a moment of astonished immobility, including herself. Frozen stiff, all heads turned to her, their tresses swinging and their mandibles slowly clicking in what she could only presume was disbelief.

Pain had shot up her back and side from the impact and she'd stifled her scream of agony well enough. However, it was all she could do not to whimper in fear at the sight of such large, muscular creatures surrounding her. They were closing in, looking very displeased to have been disturbed. As she pushed herself up on trembling arms, one of them stepped forward and growled down at her menacingly. Apparently, all of their shock had quickly worn off and turned into anger.

Lex's eyes sought out her makeshift weapons.

Seeing them next to her feet, she instantly scooped them up. With a vicious sneer, she slashed at the predator's arm when he bent down to grab her. He jerked back with a hiss and Lex wasn't about to stick around to bear witness to his enraged reaction.

Scrambling to her feet, she bolted for a door at the other end of the massive room.

There was a furious roar behind her as they gave chase, sending a frightening chill up her spine. She dared not look back as she pushed her legs harder.

When the doors suddenly opened to reveal the same predator from before, her eyes widened in horror. He didn't seem nearly as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

Spreading his arms and feet, he took up a stance that was clearly meant to intimidate her. His hulking form very nearly filled up the entire space of the doorway, blocking her path.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Lex steeled her nerves and narrowed her eyes at him challengingly, picking up speed as she ran. His head tilted, wondering if she would actually dare to challenge him. As she grew closer and closer and it became clearer and clearer that she wasn't going to slow down, he realized she fully intended to follow through with her charge. He reached down and pulled out a mean looking dagger from his back, spinning it in his hand expertly. Only feet away, he let out a loud roar when she unexpectedly jumped forward. His arms swung out to grab her and she slipped right through his fingertips. She landed below him, bent her knees and darted directly between his legs – straight out the door.

She made it down several halls and out of his sight before she was forced to stop and rest. Leaning back against a wall and panting heavily, she tried to catch her breath. The air was hot and humid and her breathing was ragged and fast. She pressed her hand to the ache in her side and gasped in pain.

That fall had opened her wound up, leaving a thick trail of blood in her wake – which would only make it easier for them to track her. Her head fell back against the wall as she clenched her eyes shut. She was tired and scared and had no fucking clue where she was. Her body hurt and her mind was reeling and it was so damned hot in here! Even in nothing but her bra and underwear the sweat was covering her ebony skin in a heavy sheen.

With the heat beginning to get to her head, Lex slowly sank to the floor. It seemed her eyes were only shut for just a split second when a soft trill snapped them back open.

Before her, there stood a group of her pursuers. Their bodies were ripped with solid muscle, every inch of them built with nothing but killing in mind. Even though they varied in size, none of them seemed to stand below seven foot tall. With their mottled, scaly skin and fierce, protruding mandibles, they were an intimidating sight.

And at the head of their group, directly in front of her, was her nemesis.

He had a face that was much rougher than Scar's and ridges along his crown that were a bit more pronounced. His skin was soft olive in tone and his speckled accents were not nearly as dark as the others. His build was trimmer, a slimmer version of his hulking comrades, but by no means thin. Considering his upper left mandible looked as if it had been torn off in combat long ago, along with his mismatched eyes and acid scarred face, she could venture a guess that he'd seen some pretty brutal battles in his day. Bearing in mind that he'd clearly survived them, he must've been an incredibly strong fighter.

Lex pressed her back further against the wall. Holding up the scalpel before her, she leveled him with a sturdy glare just to let him know she wouldn't go down without a good fight. She was going to make sure he walked away from this with at least a cut or two.

He stepped forward and she jutted her scalpel out further. "Don't come any closer!" she hissed and he paused with an annoyed growl. Still crouched on the floor, she maneuvered her feet beneath her just enough to pounce should the occasion to call for it.

"Where's Scar?" she demanded harshly. "Tell me where he is!"

The predator cocked his head at her and looked to his companions in question. They clicked and trilled to each other, casting curious glances her way.

"Scar!" she suddenly shouted at them testily, as if they were incompetent. "His name is Scar! He's big and scaly and has freaky looking mandibles on his face! Where is he?!" she yelled out, growing more desperate by the second. Thoughts of kneeling beside him in the snow, forcing back tears as he slowly faded away, surfaced in her mind. Memories of him next to her in the pyramid, protecting each other, teasing him when she realized how frustrated he'd become when his kill happened to be smaller than hers, even that way he walked with a certain swagger that hinted at an edge of cockiness…

He'd been the only comfortable thing she had left in that place…

All at once, her thoughts were cut short when the predator stepped closer and growled in her face. Lex gasped and tried to move away, but his tolerance had apparently run out. Reaching down, he suddenly grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her off the floor.

Lex clenched her teeth from the pain burning her scalp, barely able to keep her feet under her as he hauled her closer.

Anger suddenly rushed through her, rolling over her in waves.

Shoving the handle of one of her scalpels between her teeth, she gripped the other hard in her right hand and thrust it up into his arm. Judging by the sound of his shocked snarl, he hadn't been expecting it. He instantly let go and Lex crashed to the ground. She seized the moment and charged forward, but his hand shot out to grab her throat. Anticipating this, Lex dropped to into a crouch and darted around his legs. Pulse pounding in her ears, she slashed deep into the flesh of his thigh, his body unprotected by any armor.

With a bark of irritation, he turned and backhanded her right across the side of her face. Lex dropped like a sack of potatoes, her vision fading for a moment. The next thing she knew, she was face down on the floor with his large hand pressed into her back, holding her in place. Lex grunted at the sheer immensity of his strength when she tried to move, but he merely pushed her back down, keeping her locked on the ground and nearly suffocating her in the process.

Before she could even retaliate, he straddled her, pinning her arms with his feet. Standing over her, his weight alone was unbearable on her smaller, frailer arms. They felt as if they were going to snap.

Lex thrashed under him wildly, desperate to get out from under his control. She could feel his mismatched gaze on the back of her head as he crouched down and trilled tauntingly in her ear, plucking the scalpel out of her hand.

When she suddenly felt the light touch of his claw on the back of her neck, slowly traveling down the ridges of her spine with a dark purr, Lex froze.

Was he planning to rip her spine out? Mount her on his wall?

Her hands clenched in fury.

She downright refused to yield.

With an unnatural contortion of her body, she lifted her hips from the floor and swung her legs around to the right. Wrapping her calves around his elbow, the weakest point in the arm, she flexed every muscle in her body to their fullest potential and twisted.

Clearly, he didn't foresee such retaliation. His arm was pulled under her as he was pitched to the side. Lex bit down harder on the handle of her remaining scalpel and thrust her head to the left. It slashed into the underside of his forearm, clear from his wrist all the way to his elbow.

Florescent green blood splattered onto her cheek as his satisfying roar of pain filled her ears.

He'd been thrown onto his back from the momentum of her body and Lex made sure not to waste this very small window of opportunity. She snatched her small weapon from her mouth and quickly straddled his chest. Sitting atop him, she lifted the scalpel high above her head, locked her eyes with his and shrieked as her hand descended towards his chest, fully intending to stab him.

All the patience seemed to dissipate from his eyes in that moment. Just as her arm plunged down, he grabbed her wrist and flung her body across the hall with horrifying ease. She had only just slammed into the wall when he was upon her again with a terrifying roar.

Lex didn't even flinch as she lifted her arm and tried to slap him across the face. He was far too fast for her, though, and he gripped her forearm and lifted her clear off the floor.

She cried out loudly, struggling wildly in his hold. Her voice broke as the helplessness of her situation began to sink in. His power over her was utterly and frustratingly effortless as she continued to thrash about, her feet dangling a good foot and a half off the ground.

He pulled her closer, lifting her until she was eye level. He studied her intently, as if he'd never seen anything quite like her. There was anger there, deep in his gaze, from how obstinate she was being. But there was also a faint glimmer of interest and curiosity and something else. Raising her free arm, Lex's palm flattened out with the full intent to try and slap him again, until he shocked her into silence.

"Lehhcks." Her name rumbled out from his lipless mouth with the same poor pronunciation that Scar had displayed when he first attempted to say it.

Her eyes widened and her arm abruptly stilled.

How did he know her name?

Seeing her calm somewhat, he let out a low purr, different from the predatory tones he'd used before.

Lex's body instantly went to goo, dangling from his hand like a rag doll. Her head fell back and her eyes nearly rolled back into her head. Her anger was immediately placated and her nerves put to rest in much the same way it had been when she'd felt Scar's soothing purr against her back. Whatever it was about these creatures and their purring, it was as annoyingly dangerous as it was reassuring and pleasing.

It was then that a loud, earsplitting roar broke through the crowd, silencing the chaos in an instant.

Lex was jolted back to reality by the chilling sound.

Peering behind her as much as her precarious position allowed, she turned to see the old predator standing at the other end of the hall. He looked none too pleased about the commotion…but when her gaze shifted to see who was standing beside him…

Lex let out a pitiful whimper, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

With his entire torso and shoulder heavily bandaged, Scar stepped forward from the Elder's side.

He approached the pair, clicking and growling at her capturer as he motioned towards her still dangling body in displeasure. Lex could hardly take her eyes off him and, with some amount of reluctance, she began to feel them tear up and her lips begin to tremble.

The predator holding her snorted and huffed, rebutting whatever protest Scar had made.

Scar leaned to the side a bit and took in the nasty slashes along the taller predator's thigh and forearm. Quirking one side of his mandibles, he lifted his gaze back to the hunter and let out a rolling rumble that sounded quite similar to mocking laughter.

Suddenly defensive, the predator jerked her back, moving her closer to him and away from Scar.

Almost instantly, Scar's eyes darkened.

A long, low growl worked up from both their chests, causing the atmosphere to quickly turn tense and strained. The younger hunter stepped forward menacingly, only to get a harsh shove on the shoulder. He stopped, looked down to his shoulder for a moment and then looked back up, as if he couldn't believe he'd just done that. Without delay, he promptly shoved him back.

Quickly retaliating, her captor shoved him again, twice as hard, each hit escalating in aggression and strength.

Just as Scar grabbed the utility belt strapped across the predator's chest and yanked him forward with his fist cocked back, the Elder stepped in with a callous bark. It instantly put a stop to their dispute and they reluctantly shoved away from each other, each still brimming with hostility. With another commanding vocalization, Lex was gently placed back on her own two feet.

The predator leaned down slightly and, making a point of glancing askance to ensure Scar was watching, he pounded his chest once as his eyes locked with hers. "Wolf," he said curtly. His gravelly voice was just as deep as Scar's had been, and with a pronunciation that was equally terrible.

However, just as he finished his attempt at what she could only assume was an introduction, Scar seemed to take objection to this and moved in with another violent shove to Wolf's chest, placing himself directly between Lex and the predator. Their growls were deep and feral and crackling with belligerence as they resumed their spat.

Lex was hardly able to push her shock aside from seeing Scar alive, but she when glanced down to where her hand rested on her right side, a new kind of shock arose within her. There, running down her hips and thighs, was more blood than she could ever recall seeing in her life. It stained her white underwear and pooled around her feet, disgustingly warm and sticky between her bare toes.

How had she not noticed how bad this was before?

She suddenly felt very dizzy, all of her adrenaline used up and run dry. For a very real moment, she wondered if it was possible to die from such blood loss.

Slowly lifting her head from the ugly sight of her gnarled and ghastly wound, her eyes found Scar's figure once more. Relief flooded through her when she realized she had actually fulfilled her promise to get him out alive.

A soft sound left her lips as she closed her eyes and dropped to her knees.

She slumped forward, unable to see the alarm that surfaced in Scar's eyes as he turned away from Wolf and noticed her distress. He was by her side in an instant, grabbing her arm and pulling her back up before her face could even hit the floor. Her head rolled back limply as she began to lose consciousness again.

Perhaps they hadn't expected her survive when they brought her onto their ship. Perhaps they were waiting for her to die, perhaps they simply didn't know how to properly treat a human…or maybe she'd actually just been stupid enough to try something like escaping before they had the chance to help her…

Either way, she was really regretting all that vigorous running around the ship and falling from the vents.

It hurt so bad.

Still, despite her silly mistakes, she couldn't help but smile a bit as she looked up into Scar's worried eyes.

"You're alive," she whispered exhaustedly. Reaching up, her bloody fingertips lightly brushed his lower mandible before he suddenly lifted her from the floor. She was vaguely aware of lights moving by overhead, but with her body so weakened and her eyes rolling back into her head, she couldn't focus on any single thing even if she wanted to. Even cradled securely against him, she could feel her arm slowly slipping from where it had been curled atop her chest before it completely fell over her side, hanging flaccid and useless. What a pitiful sight she must have been.

She never had liked feeling so dependent, so frail.

It wasn't long before she gave in and lost consciousness again.

Perhaps it wasn't such a smart idea to trust this alien so much. But, feeling his large arms around her, along with his warmth reaching into her…she'd make an exception.

Just this once.

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o0o

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All of this darkness was bleeding her dry. She was tired of it and even more tired of the things that crept behind it, just out of her sight. It's all she could see, this darkness. Hisses and growls called out to her from the shadows, sending fear straight to her gut. It made her knees weak and her hands shake.

Their claws were slashing out at her, pinning her down to the cold, hard ground. Sleek bodies and elongated skulls was all she could discern from the blackness. They pressed her down and she could feel the cold, slimy fingers of their hatchlings crawling over her face and body.

She coughed and gagged and thrashed as something long and thick was shoved down her throat, forcing something inside of her, violating her.

Unusually fast, the disgusting creatures detached from her face. Their bodies fell to the floor, their purpose in life fulfilled. It was only seconds later that she felt unbelievable pain in her chest, erupting with a hurt she'd never felt before in her life. She screamed and tore at her shirt, ripping it away just as the first sounds of her cracking sternum could be heard. The crunch of bone was horribly loud in her ears and she arched her back clear off the stone floor from the agony.

Daring to glance down, she watched helplessly as a blood drenched alien exploded from her body. Just as it lifted its pale head to scream out, the cold shock of death surged through her vision.

Lex lurched awake, panting heavily. Her heart hadn't even had a chance to calm itself before her hands shot up to her chest. Her fingers searched and pressed around her breasts shakily, finding nothing.

Taking a long, ragged breath, Lex's face fell into her hands, her shoulders slumping forward with the action.

It was just a dream.

Still tired, she went to roll onto her stomach, not wanting to get up and face reality at the moment.

Lex frowned, instantly berating herself for such a pathetic thought.

Alexa Woods never ran from anything. No matter how tough things got. Besides the utter cowardice of the thought, the ache in her side was making itself more and more evident. She didn't think she'd be getting back to sleep anytime soon, not with her injuries and especially not after that dream.

She briefly wondered if she'd end up with nightmares every time she closed her eyes now.

Her fingers clenched in the velvety fur underneath her at the possibility, desperately hoping that wouldn't be the case.

Then she froze.

Fur?

She looked down and slowly lifted her hand from the large pelt she sat upon, studying the heavy fur bunched around her waist. Looking down at her body, she found she was completely naked save for the bandages wrapped tightly around her waist, leg and hand. Although her injuries weren't as painful as they had initially been, they still throbbed in discomfort.

She started to wonder what the date was.

Judging by how her smaller cuts and scrapes were looking, she must have been out for quite some time.

Lex raised her head, her eyes scanning the large room she was in. It was dark around her, with only a few lights illuminating her section of the room. She sat on the floor on a wide pallet, draped in layers and layers of luxurious furs, surrounded by alien bones and skulls – all of which she was completely unable to recognize. With a high ceiling and stairs leading to an actual loft, she could already spy several more skulls mounted on the upper level.

A door sat to her right while rows of wicked weapons of all types and classes, from big to small, spanned the length of the wall directly across from it. Some of the weapons she recognized as the ones that Scar had used. Some of them lay beside her on the floor, spread out around oils and wet stones as if someone had been sitting there and cleaning them recently.

Had it not been for the distinctly industrial, futuristic-style design of the walls and the sparse cabinets, she would have thought she was in a cave.

It was ungodly hot, but it seemed the time she spent unconscious had allowed her body to acclimate enough to tolerate the heat.

Lex took a deep, relaxing breath to collect herself. She needed to take stock of all that had occurred thus far. She had to make sure that she would not do anything rash again – like grabbing as many weapons from the wall that she could carry and breaking out of here. Clearly, no harm was going to come to her here. She was safe and bandaged up and on her way to recovery with what was obviously help from Scar and the rest of his kind. Pragmatic and practical minded, Lex was always one to take the no-nonsense route. She refused to cause any more trouble than she probably already had.

Though, she was still tempted to borrow a couple of those weapons from the wall…just to be safe, of course. If there was one thing the pyramid had taught her, it was to stay on guard.

As her nerves slowly settled, the first thing that entered her mind was just how much she wanted a bath…and something to eat. Her fingers grazed over her stomach. She'd spent at least two full days in the pyramid, plus all the time she'd been unconscious – she was guessing three days, max. That was a grand total of five days. Thus, she was unsurprised to see her abdomen was sunken in quite a bit more than usual and her hipbones were protruding out far more than they should. Her luscious curves had dwindled slightly.

Lifting her head once more, she took note of the tall, wide archway on the other side of the room. It opened up to an area that looked similar to the one she rested in. Hoping it was a bathroom, Lex pushed up from the floor and staggered to her feet. She wobbled in place, gripping one of the massive white bones that hung down from the ceiling for balance. They framed the head of the pallet and, with one on each side, resembled the whale ribs she'd seen back at the abandoned whaling station. Though, she knew they most certainly were not from a whale, at least not one from Earth.

Feeling a bit more steady on her feet, Lex moved into the spacious room to find the necessary amenities – including a very large bath and shower, each utility on opposite ends of the room.

Had she been a person prone to fits of emotion she would have cried out in happiness at the sight.

With the ceiling a bit lower than the room outside, as the loft was directly above the bathroom, it was all still very open and cavernous. There was no décor, only empty walls. Although it was clear the workings of the amenities were set up a bit differently, a shower was a shower, regardless. It should be easy enough to figure out. As long as the water was warm, that's all she cared about.

Taking a moment to find the end of the bandage tucked around her waist, she tugged it free and carefully began unwinding the gauzy fabric before moving on to do the same to her hand and thigh.

Lex hissed as the material was peeled from the acid burns on her leg. She examined the wounds and was shocked at how fast they seemed to have healed. There was still a slight sting that resided, and it still had a little ways to go until it was completely healed, but for the most part the worst of it was over. Her brows furrowed as she thought about it. She couldn't possibly have been out that long. Perhaps these aliens had much more advanced medical expertise that could heal much quicker than normal.

Fascinating…

Pushing her curiosity aside, she approached the shower, intent to figure out how the strange nozzles and buttons worked. It was certainly roomy. The shower head was mounted high on the wall, completely out of her reach, and with no door or curtain to speak of, only two glass parapets served to enclose the space. Lex pressed her finger to a smooth touch screen on the wall. Though she was unable to understand the writing that flickered to life, she tinkered around with it and, before long, she had the water running in no time.

She stuck her hand under the stream, making sure that not only was the temperature right, but that it wasn't some kind of alien poison substance that would melt her alive. Perhaps she was being too cautious. But, considering the run-ins she'd had with alien acid substances in the past…she figured it would be more imprudent not to check.

The water felt a little bit thicker than usual, and smoother, but otherwise it seemed safe. Satisfied that it wouldn't dissolver her into a puddle of goo, Lex eagerly stepped forward and closed her eyes at the blissful sensation of water pouring down on her.

It felt amazing. There was nothing that could revitalize her like a shower, washing away all the filth and weariness that clung to her body. It was refreshing and invigorating and she knew she'd feel a lot better afterwards.

As Lex started scrubbing her body, she found herself wishing for all the luxuries of home; a toothbrush, a sponge, her shampoo and conditioners and body wash. She'd never take them for granted again. They were such small things that, after everything she'd been through, seemed to have absolutely no meaning anymore. But, they reminded her of normalcy, and she just wanted to feel a little more 'normal' again.

Though, one thing she was glad she didn't need was a razor. About a year ago she'd decided to give laser hair removal a try. It was the, 'in thing'. She'd initially resolved to have the procedure because of the vast amounts of time she spent outdoors, leading expeditions in environments that didn't exactly allow her the chance to bath and shave frequently. She'd gotten pretty tired of hairy legs and pits and, though expensive, the treatments had taken care of that surprisingly well. They'd been worth it. Now, she had never been more thankful that she'd suffered through all those painful sessions, the sharp, stinging bolts that felt like hot rubber bands snapping across her skin had been worth it. Even though she was an avid outdoorswoman at heart, she was still a woman and she wanted to feel like one, as well. Not some gruff, mustachioed, flannel wearing butch that most of the women in her field of work had mutated into.

Now…she just had to figure out a way to scrub her teeth clean…

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o0o

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When Scar stepped into the room, his eyes habitually went the pallet on the floor, expecting to find the human female in the same place that she'd been in for the past three days.

She'd been unconscious for so long. Although her wounds were not terribly serious, she had lost far too much blood for her small body to handle. It had been a surprisingly tough recovery, as they were unable to use the usual drugs and serums on her human body. The pastes and gels had been developed for the bigger, more durable yautja anatomy. To have used it on her would have possibly sent her entire system into shock.

He'd watched over her during her slow recovery, rarely getting any sleep as he sat by her prone form, leaning against the wall and sharpening his knives to pass the time. She'd toss and turn as some unseen force tortured her during her sleeping hours. Only the steady rhythm of his purr calmed her restlessness and chased the nightmares away.

It wasn't hard to figure out the face of the beasts haunting her in the darkness of her dreams.

Night after night, he would stare down at the shallow rise and fall of her chest, half expecting her light breaths to die out and that frail ooman heart of hers to stop beating.

He held back an irritated growl at the thought. How many times had he been forced to push back that niggling anxiety pricking in his gut, wondering if she would wake up at all? Oomans were so fragile, their bodies as weak as they were resilient.

But Lex was not just any other ooman.

Lex was strong. She'd proven that already and such notions of her death had not been worth pondering over at any rate. He had no reason to watch over her, especially now that they were out of the pyramid. He had no reason to care. He liked to think owed her nothing now, but he knew that was a lie.

If it wasn't for her, he'd be dead right now. Dishonored, even.

When he allowed her to tag along he never expected to find such strength in her. He'd intended to use her as nothing more than bait. He may be unwilling to hunt a weak female, but he had no qualms about using one as a lure. Better for her to die in the skirmish and prevent the hard meats from getting a hold of her and producing another drone. After the z'skvy-de became too much of a burden, he'd utilized her in a more practical way, thinking that would be the extent of her usefulness. Imagine his surprise when she had not only proven herself capable, but had actually protected him during his weakest moments. She'd reached into his chest and pulled an abomination from his body, even receiving an injury for the trouble, and still she'd stayed by his side.

His med kit had been fully stocked with pain killers that he could have taken to dull the agony of the extraction, but he knew such drugs would've hampered his wits. He needed to remain sharp and alert, and taking said drugs would've clouded his reason and left him vulnerable. Even still, the pain of the operation had proven too much and, with the serum and cauterizing gel injected so deep in his chest, he'd passed out anyways. He'd been left vulnerable, regardless. Yet she had stayed. She hadn't run off to the surface, hadn't escaped. She remained by his side and watched over him relentlessly.

Such behavior, such honor, from a human was indeed rare. These days, it was even uncommon to find such qualities amongst the most decorated yautja warriors. It had his chest swelling with pride that was impossible even for him to deny.

The rest of the yautja, however…

Scar felt a displeased growl building in his throat.

It had been difficult just to keep his clansmen out of her room and away from the unconscious female. Nearly every hunter on the ship had bore witness to her slaughter of the Queen with naught but a single old fishing spear as her weapon. Interest, curiosity, desire, attraction and even a few cases of resentment had flared through them like a virus.

Aside from the xenomorphs and a select few other races, ooman females, rather females of any species, were never hunted by the yautja. They were the givers of life. Their wombs were a temple for the birth of future warriors – a new generation to be hunted – meant to be worshiped and revered, not destroyed. Without them, there would be no life. Although the females of his species were usually larger and much fiercer than the males, they never hunted. More accurately, they were not good at hunting. Their mood swings made them terribly unpredictable in the field and their tempers were equally volatile. Instead, choosing to keep to Yautja Prime to rear sucklings and meddle in the rare instances that politics happened to arise within their race.

For a female to prove herself to be a worthy fighter, to take on the hunt and even slaughter kiande amedha, it would make her incredibly desired breeding stock. Many males would fight to mate her. Such a female would indeed produce strong pups…

The sound of running water was a welcome distraction to Scar, cutting his thoughts short. Moving further into her quarters, his eyes drifted over to the empty furs on the floor, void of her person. He glanced to the adjoining room and caught wind of her scent.

So she was finally awake.

Scar found her standing under the steady flow of the shower, her bandages lying discarded on the floor, splotched with her blood.

Watching her curiously, he leaned back against the frame of the archway and studied her figure. Her small form was hidden behind thick layers of steam, floating in the air and fogging up the glass of the shower. The heavy mist curled and hovered around her, making her appear ethereal and mysterious and unattainable. With her back to him, he could see the distinct curves of her soft body. She was slender and smooth everywhere he looked, with just a hint of muscle tone.

The way the water ran down her ebony skin was near entrancing.

It was undeniably intriguing how such fragile creatures had risen up to be the dominant species of their planet. Blunt teeth, blunt claws and no raw power to really speak of, most of the animals on that planet could easily wipe an average human out with a simple swipe of their paw. Though, he supposed it was not the usual facets of strength that made them dangerous. Rather, it was their intellect. They were smart, clever even.

Scar's eyes wandered down her figure. Each and every arch of her spine could be seen under her skin. Each rib and each shoulder blade was pronounced, making her seem frail and breakable. But he knew just how deceptive that façade of frailty really was. He'd seen her hold down a kiande amedha with her bare hands – a being that was over four times her weight.

Even despite those delicate parts of her, she was clearly shaped with breeding in mind. While the males of her species were built for power, the females were practically crafted for sex. Her breasts were large and her waist was small and narrow, flaring out to a set of wide, child birthing hips – hips that were clearly designed to cradle the narrower, trimmer waist of a male between her legs welcomingly. Scar had even heard rumors there was a certain feature on their anatomy whose function was for the sole purpose of sexual pleasure.

A quiet purr stuttered in his chest at the thought of discovering if such rumors were true.

She was, without a doubt, a prime specimen of the human female.

Running his eyes slowly down her legs, however, he was once again reminded of how regrettably small she was.

He forced the thought from his mind, having to remind himself not to judge this female by her size alone. He'd witnessed firsthand what she was capable of.

Scar had watched the ship recording of her kill of the Queen. Seeing the little female charge a full grown kiande amedha Queen, jump straight upon her majestic crown and shove that spear into her skull as she let out a fierce battle cry…he felt a shiver run through him at the memory of it.

The Elder had told him of her efforts to protect his body when she herself had scarcely been able to stay standing upright. He'd been presumed dead, even by his fellow clan mates, but her instincts had driven her to defend him to her last breath. Because of her act of courage, the Elder had ordered his body sent to the infirmary instead of the morgue, just to be sure. There, they found him barely clinging to life. The Queen's tail had missed his spine by mere centimeters.

Had it not been for Lex, he would have died.

Scar rubbed his aching chest, wondering why she had tried so desperately to shield him with her life. Even in the face of insurmountable odds, she hadn't given up.

He remembered waking up in the med bay. He'd just been released from surgery and was barely even alert when the Elder had retrieved him, claiming 'his female' had escaped and was going on a rampage through the ship. The Elder had needed him to calm her down, but he nearly snorted at the humor of it; one tiny human female running amok on a ship full of yautja warriors.

Then he'd found her in Wolf's arms, his mismatched eyes practically devouring her as he purred up a storm.

Wolf never purred.

It pissed him off and he refused to think about it.

Scar, once again, had to thrust all previous thoughts from his mind, berating himself for even letting his brain wander there in the first place. Instead, he distracted himself by watching the way she watered down the cleansing salts before using them on her skin.

Compared to a yautja's hide, no doubt they were too strong for her. His brow drew down curiously as he observed her. She leaned forward, giving him a very open view of her backside. But he was more interested in the languid concentration she put into the act of bathing and how very careful she was at running her hands along her legs and around her wounds. As she straightened, however, she seemed to accidentally scrape her nails over the sensitive area of her burns.

A quiet curse escaped her lips as she jerked her hand away. Thick, red blood immediately began pouring down her leg and mixing with the water, drawing his attention closer.

Lex twisted as she tried to get a better look at the damage she'd done, mentally scolding herself for being so careless. She turned her leg slightly and gently swiped away the blood to see a few small abrasions that she'd opened up.

"Damn it," she sighed, hoping it would clot up before she finished showering.

As Lex lifted her hands to rinse the blood off her fingers, she felt an odd tingling on the back of her neck, as if someone was watching her. She paused and listened, but could hear nothing above the steady drone of water slapping the floor.

Lex shook her head, dismissing it. She'd just dipped her head back under the shower when she heard a slow trill fill the air. Frozen in place, she swallowed nervously and hesitantly glanced over her shoulder.

Her breath caught in her throat when she found Scar standing behind her, just out of the water's reach.

Her heart began a quick staccato inside her chest at the sight of him, particularly at the way his eyes seemed to be distracted by the trail of blood running down the side of her leg. For a moment she wondered if she should be scared, but when he cocked his head in that strangely endearing way, his tresses gently swinging with the motion, she knew she had nothing to worry about.

Reaching out, he drew his knuckle slowly up the length of her thigh, collecting the rivulets of blood that had pooled there. Lex tried not to look away when a hard shudder ran through her at the contact.

Focused on the red, diluted liquid, he lifted his hand as a single droplet lazily dripped from the tip of his claw. Ooman flesh was so very flimsy. Such a light scrape wouldn't have even breeched the hide of a yautja.

Lex stared openly at the fluid coating his talon. Around her, the loud sound of the shower beating down on her seemed to gradually fade out into the background. Her focus shifted, moving from his hand to the chest behind it.

Her heart clenched guiltily at the mangled view it presented. From the dreadful wound of his shoulder, to the small hole that she'd stuck her hand in, to the mess in the center of his chest that the Queen's tail had caused, it was a painful reminder of everything that had happened – that she'd almost lost him. Broad and heavily muscled, the expanse of his chest now resembled something more akin to a map of the Grand Canyon. The scars he'd have would be for life. She wondered how it would have turned out if the Queen's aim had only been a few more centimeters to the left and hit his spine...

Lex shivered at the thought.

Without realizing it, her arm began to lift of its own accord. With her fingers just inches from touching him, she hesitated and drew back uncertainly. But, as she stared at the gnarled flesh, she realized she had no reason to fear him anymore. She carefully settled her hand against it, making sure to be gentle considering it still didn't look completely healed.

Despite the mesh that covered his body, she was a little surprised by how smooth his skin actually felt. She briefly wondered if the rest of him was as soft as his chest. Without his armor she could see the tones and textures of his hide more clearly, varying shades that spanned his entire form. Parts of him were so dark they sometimes appeared black, but if the light happened to hit them just right, they almost had a deep forest green tint. It reminded her very much of crocodile skin, especially the way it faded around the edges into a mottled pattern that outlined the lighter areas of his chest and belly.

She was astounded by how many parallels she shared with him, an alien. They were so remarkably similar in so many ways. There were so little differences, but those differences, in themselves, were so extraordinarily extreme.

Arms, legs, hair, fingers; she had all of these same features that he had. But their discrepancies, on the other hand, were quite tremendous. His raw power was something she'd never seen any human possess. She had witnessed it firsthand. It was as terrifying as it was awe inspiring. He'd pulled the spine out of an alien with his bare hands.

Even the elements they shared were clearly in disparity. He had a certain type of hair that was most unusual and, if she had to venture a guess, she would assume that it wasn't hair at all. The quills that lined his face were similar in manner to his tresses, but much smaller. Now that his armor was off, she could see the bristles also dusted other areas of his body, as well. They lightly covered along his shoulders and just above his obliques, making him look even more intimidating than he already was. Even the top of his chest was covered, tapering out in a thin line just between his pecks. Just like chest hair on a man. They seemed to lay fairly level to his hide, but Lex suspected they would likely rise and stiffen perchance he was angered, much like how an animal's hackles would raise when antagonized.

However, Lex was not given the chance to study these alien aspects of him, for the moment her fingers touched his chest his eyes snapped up to hers, causing her to freeze and hold her breath nervously. Slowly, his gaze dropped to her hand. Time seemed to stop for a full minute, dragging on and making her forget to breathe.

His intense stare prickled her flesh and she began to grow dizzy, though she was unsure as to whether it was from her lungs' demand for air, the foggy heat in the room, or some other unknown variable. Lex nearly pulled away when the deep sound of his purr suddenly kicked in. It vibrated through her hand and pulsed up her arm and into her bones, causing her knees to go weak. It resonated in her chest, traveling through her entire body. In answer, a powerful heat wave arose within her. She felt it throb from the inside out, sending an uncontrollable jolt straight to her loins.

Almost in response, his eyes began to dilate and his purr ebbed into a low, intimidating growl that had her quickly jerking her hand back in alarm. One of his upper mandibles lifted slightly, as if he were drawing in the air. Somewhere inside her brain, Lex knew his senses trumped hers in every way. The mere idea that he could have perceived her momentary lapse in control caused fear and embarrassment to clench her heart.

She must have been ugly to someone like him. So alien, so weak. It was clear his kind favored strength and power above all else…something she could not even hope to compare to. The last thing she wanted was to offend him with some random bodily function she had no control over. It had been a rather automatic response to him. His alien appearance and massive size seemed to have gone completely unrecognized by her instincts, her brain failing to communicate the message that he was not human.

It was all so very strange, being around a creature capable of scenting pheromones in the air that humans had long since abandoned caring about. Even if a human's body registered certain scents and acted on them accordingly, it was all subconscious. Their brains had discarded any real interest in utilizing the deeper aspects of the five senses. Now, an alien stood before her, primal and animalistic in every way that humans were not. Instincts ruled over him, despite the astounding intelligence that was reflected in his eyes. With a body that was bulging with muscles larger than her head and senses that outmatched her at every turn, she realized just how very superficial their similarities truly were.

When Lex noticed his gaze slowly raking over her unabashedly, she was suddenly reminded of the fact that she was standing before him completely naked. As his eyes traveled down her neck and over her breasts, she lifted her arm, covering them as much as she could manage. Though, she wasn't sure why she bothered. He was an alien, after all. It's not like it mattered if he saw her...did it?

Lex bit her lip and lowered her eyes, trying to ignore the distinct interest she held for him in her heart.

Openly staring at her, Scar lifted his hand and lightly trailed his claw over his mark on her cheek. She was certainly a pretty thing, with a face that was perfectly symmetrical and lined with a smooth softness that indicated beauty among her species. Sure, she was no yautja female…but she wasn't bad, either.

Slow and torturously, his claw slid up the curve of her jaw and grazed her neck, just under her ear. A hard shiver suddenly wracked her frame, and Scar narrowed his eyes at the sound of her hastily smothered whimper. Had he hurt her? He'd barely touched her…

Purposely, he drew it over the area again, this time meticulously trailing it down her neck and collar bone. She gasped and swiftly took a step back, her head and shoulder jerking slightly in reflex to his touch, as if the area was incredibly sensitive.

Before he could explore it any further, a steady beeping from the intercom in her room pulled him back to reality.

As if awoken from a daze, his left mandible lifted in a snarl of annoyance.

What in Paya's name had he been doing?

Ignoring the thoughts that had just been plaguing his mind, he turned and made his way out of the room.

Staring at his back, Lex finally released the shuddering breath that had been lodged in her throat. Her legs were trembling and her heart was beating like crazy. It took her a moment to collect herself before she turned and finished rinsing out her hair, eager to put what had just happened behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder as she scrubbed her nails over her scalp, wondering where he went.

Not a minute later, she was shocked to see him stroll right back into the bathroom without a second thought. She swallowed a bit nervously and lifted her arm again to cover her chest. He made his way over to a wall and she watched as a square section of it slid open at the touch of his thumb, revealing a large cubby. Grabbing some type of fabric from the unit, he turned to her and barked out a command.

Lex blinked, a little confused. Again, he barked and made a gesture with his hand for her to move forward. Deciding it was probably best to do as he said, she turned off the water. As she stepped out of the shower, he threw the material at her. She caught it and held it to her breast while he moved on to open another compartment in the wall.

Getting the message, she began drying herself off, careful of the painful wounds that still had yet to fully heal. She glanced down at her bandages on the floor, doubtful that she could reuse them. Just as she began to contemplate the issue, Scar's trill drew her attention to him once more.

She noticed the medical supplies filling the cubby he stood beside and, when he made another gesture she didn't understand, he huffed in impatience. Apparently growing annoyed at the language barrier, Scar reached out and wrapped his talons around her arm. With one firm tug, he hauled her closer to the cabinet and reached inside, pulling out a small container.

Lex didn't even bother to keep her arm over her breasts anymore. Though she didn't exactly want people staring at her naked body, it wasn't like she'd ever cared about modesty all that much before. Besides, he was an alien. Aliens probably didn't even notice that kind of thing. They all walked around in loincloths, anyways.

When he crouched before her, Lex's eyes followed his movements, watching as he grabbed one of her calves and lifted it from the floor. He pulled her leg a little closer and began spreading a clear, gelatinous substance over her burnt thigh. For a moment she expected it to sting, but when there was no pain she relaxed a bit more.

As he applied it higher on her thigh, Lex had to bite her tongue at the sensation of his fingers caressing her skin so gently. She was bound and determined not to make a fool of herself again, no matter how delightful it was to feel the occasional scrape of his claws over her flesh. After he finished with her leg, he moved up to her waist. His hand grabbed her hip and turned her slightly in order to better reach her side. She wanted to protest that she wasn't a doll and that she really didn't like being manhandled so casually, but the calloused texture of his fingers sliding across her ribs instantly shut her up.

She really didn't trust her voice to work properly at the moment.

Once he was done with her waist and hand, Lex stared blankly at the wall as he propped her foot up on his knee and began meticulously wrapping her thigh in bandages. She worked hard to blank out all her thoughts, ignoring the way his hand slipped between her legs, working higher and higher until she had to turn her head away completely. At that point, she almost stopped him to do it herself, but she knew she wouldn't be able to dress her torso without major difficulties. Instead, she kept her attention diverted elsewhere, studying the bathroom in great detail as she lifted her arms and he repeated the action at her waist, slowly winding the gauze higher and higher until his knuckles brushed the underside of her breast.

Even in the steaming hot room, Lex felt her flesh tingle and goose bumps spread outwards from where he touched.

When her face started to turn red, she realized she'd been holding her breath like some immature, nervous teenager. She was being ridiculous. He didn't seem to be bothered by her nakedness whatsoever, which was a relief. So, by the time he finished binding her hand, Lex had forced herself to relax in his presence, unwilling to offend him with silly human modesty that she was certain had no meaning or interest to him.

When he was done, he looked her up and down. Grabbing her upper arm, he turned her slightly to get a good view of his work, making sure none of the dressings were loose. Satisfied, he stood and tossed the rest of the supplies carelessly back into the cabinet before moving off, urging her to follow.

"Scar," she called as she began to wrap her towel around her body. It was huge and enfolded her nearly three times over. Hanging clear down to her knees, it turned out looking more like a baggy dress than an actual towel. "Thank you," she said and he stopped to glance back at her. It was hard to say if he understood her, especially by the way he just stood there staring at her. "It means I'm grateful for your help," she tried to explain.

He cocked his head, processing her words.

"Grateful, it means…appreciative," she attempted to clarify.

Apparently, one of her words finally registered and he stepped closer. Reaching out, he settled his right hand upon her right shoulder and gave it a light shake that nearly knocked her on her ass, no matter how gentle it had been.

"Scar…grate…ful…Lehhhx." His words were fractured and poorly pronounced, but Lex could feel the respect and gratitude in the gesture. She lifted her own arm in return and placed her hand upon his shoulder to give it a firm shake that didn't even cause him to budge.

Growling in acknowledgment, he nodded his head in that slow, exaggerated way that all predators seemed to employ in their movements. He pulled away from her then and continued on his way out of the bathroom, expecting her to follow.

As Lex made her way into the other room, she found him pulling out more material from another compartment in the wall. She moved over to the pallet and lowered herself down onto her knees, unsure of what she should be doing. When he turned to her and tossed her a small bundle of fabric, she caught it deftly and blinked in confusion. She held the material up, examining it carefully and trying to decipher why he'd given it to her. When he pulled a dagger out from the holster on his thigh and handed it to her as well, she stared at the items, struggling not to show her bewilderment.

Scar crouched down onto his haunches beside her, resting his elbows on his knees and motioning towards the fabric in her hands. "Kvar'asa," he said, slowing down his speech and removing as many of the clicks and growls from the word as possible.

Lex dropped her eyes to the smooth material again and ran her fingers over it. It was clearly from an animal, leathery and thin, also very flexible. The only use for it she could think of was clothing. But it was nothing more than a slip of fabric, it wasn't even in the shape any particular garment.

"Clothes?" she asked, lifting her gaze to him in question. It was hard to tell if the noise he made was an affirmation or not. She was beginning to realize there was a certain similarity to human mannerisms in his gestures, but there was also a fair amount of mannerisms and noises that she was totally unfamiliar with. Everything about him was based heavily on expressive body language and vocalizations, most of which were thoroughly foreign to her.

Scar watched her face closely for a reaction, half expecting her to protest the skins he'd given her and demand something more modest like most humans would. But as he observed her in silence, trying to gauge and decipher her expression, it proved more challenging than it should have been.

Oomans were usually highly emotional creatures with a wide range of facial expressions that seemed to broadcast their emotional status in much the same way body language worked for his kind. Although he was well acquainted with expressions that represented fear, disbelief, anger and disgust – that was about where the extent of his knowledge on the matter stopped. Still, it was incredibly difficult to get an accurate reading on this particular female. Where the few oomans he'd observed were often times exceedingly animated with their facial displays, this female was very stoic and composed. Even her physical stance was very restrained and controlled. She held a commanding presence even while surrounded by the more dominant males of her species that were much larger and stronger than she.

Holding the fabric against her chest, she wrapped it around her in a test to see if the size and length of the fabric would work for her.

"I think this will do just fine." He clicked his mandibles quietly as she met his gaze and lifted the corners of her mouth in a small smile. "Thank you, Scar," she said with genuine gratitude.

What a strange female, indeed…she never did as expected. Surely by now he should have realized this.

"Would you help me?" she asked as she adjusted the towel around her body, making it tight enough for her to free up her hands and work with the skins. "I'm afraid I don't usually spend my Sundays crafting loincloths from animal hides…I might need a little assistance."

Scar trilled as he furrowed his brow and cocked his head, not understanding a thing she'd just said. However, when he noticed she clearly didn't have a clue as to what to do with them, he got the message well enough and began instructing her on what to do.

She worked on the bottom first, cutting into the fabric and following his gestures as he walked her through the process. He would adjust her hold on the dagger accordingly and she would copy the angle of his arm, sliding the sharp blade through the leather as if it were made of butter.

By the time she finished, she stood and went into the adjoining bathroom to change. Though he wasn't sure why. He'd already seen her entirely bare. When she finally came back out, Scar eyed her approvingly. The attire fit her well, he had to admit. She didn't do half bad for her first try.

Ignoring the feeling of his eyes on her, Lex glanced down to examine her handiwork. She'd braided thin bands of leather to support the two tails of fabric that covered her front and rear end. While the sides of her hips and legs were completely exposed, the leather that dropped past her knees offered more coverage than she thought such a garment ever could. Lifting her hands, she made doubly sure her top was secure around her neck. With only so much fabric to work with, she'd only been able to piece together a vaguely halter-style top that that barely concealed her breasts – but did nothing to conceal the rest of her upper body. She'd gone a little overboard on the braided leather, using as much of it as possible to make sure what little fabric she had covering her stayed in place. She didn't want anything…popping out. Though, she had to admit, the halter aspect of it offered a surprising amount of support. Plus, with the torrid heat and humidity in the air, having more skin exposed helped to keep her cool.

When she finished inspecting herself, she was a little disturbed to see he was already by the door waiting for her. She hadn't even heard him move…

Nothing that large and heavy should be able to move so silently, let alone so swiftly.

He didn't even wait for her as he stepped out into the hall. Assuming he wanted her to follow, she stepped after him. Her eyes couldn't help but notice the dagger she'd left on the pelt as she walked by it. Apparently he hadn't bothered to pick it up when they'd finished.

Lex slowed her steps and doubled checked the doorway. When she was certain she was alone, she quickly knelt down and snatched the blade up from the floor where it lay atop the furs. She almost wanted to curse its size, the damn thing was nearly longer than her forearm.

Thinking quick, she also picked up a couple extra lengths of braided leather. Working as fast as she could, she pressed the deadly blade flat to the inside of her bandaged thigh and proceeded to wrap the leather around it. She made sure to tie down both the hilt and the bottom of the blade, ensuring that it would not swing about and cut off a chunk of her flesh. Once she'd strapped it down, she secured it with a tight knot. Though it was a fairly sizeable blade, the fabric covering her hid it well enough and the leather braids would (hopefully) appear as nothing more than silly human decoration.

Scar's loud bark from the hall outside had her feet hastily moving forward. She reached the threshold just in time as he turned back to look at her with a suspicious glare.

Lex remained completely stoic, her face a perfect mask.

They stood in silence for several seconds as he looked her up and down guardedly, sensing something was off but not sure what. Under his stare, Lex easily maintained her composure. Turning from her with one last terrifyingly intense look, Scar huffed and continued on his way.

With his back finally to her, Lex let out a long breath of relief and followed along behind. That short moment had reminded her of how very intimidating Scar could be…and dangerous.

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o0o

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Translations:

Kvar'asa – hunter's clothes (unofficial)

Wow, I never expected anyone to become interested in this story. I'm very grateful to those that have shown support, thank you for your reviews and such!

Anyways, this is where writing for this ship gets hard, because you don't have the script of the movie to fall back on anymore. You have to create something of your own, and it's kinda scary cuz you don't know if it's any good.

Next chapter: Lex meets a clan Elder…and gets more than she bargained for!