Haz’rull gave me a warm look in return. “You are welcome. But perhaps you should bring a weapon, just to be safe. I’m afraid I’m not as physically powerful as Kur’tok. If something happens, I might not be able to protect you.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. What was with Maeleons and warning me about the dangers of the wilds? The worst thing that had happened to me was getting captured by a sexy alien.
But Haz’rull was doing me a favor, so I played along. I grabbed a fallen branch from a fruit tree nearby, picked it free of twigs, then balanced it like a walking stick.
“Good enough?” I asked.
Haz’rull dipped their head. “That will have to do.”
“Cool. Then let’s go find Kur’tok.”
12 /Kur’tok
I racedacross the landscape so hard and fast my muscles burned. Fury raged inside me, obscuring all logic. My argument with Paz was the only thing on my mind. I was so angry, I couldn’t think straight.
Why did I say those things to him? Why did I break my word?
I snarled, frustrated with myself. In the end, my choice was the right one for Paz. I wasn’t good enough for him.
But all I wanted to do was turn around and run right back to the human...
I growled hard through my teeth. None of this would’ve happened if I didn’t catch that flesh-bag in my snare. My life would’ve gone on as usual. Eating. Sleeping. Berating my underlings. I was fine with it.
Wasn’t I?
Thinking about my life before Paz filled my chest with a cold, empty feeling. It was useless. No matter how hard I forced myself to be happy without him, it didn’t work. IneededPaz.
After pushing myself to run, my muscles were exhausted. I finally slowed down and sat on a rocky ledge. On top of the emotional discomfort roiling in my gut, my stomach was empty. I needed to hunt real food.
I scanned the landscape for signs of movement. Anything would do. I’d even settle for a light insectoid snack at this point.
A dark blur sped past in my peripheral vision.
My gaze snapped towards the motion, but my reaction came too late. Something crashed into me.
My body was launched through the air. I landed with a heavy thud.
My heart raced. What happened? Was I so distracted by my thoughts that I’d let another hunter sneak up on me?
I lifted my head to stare at my assailant. It was a krokutta—a spotted, quadrupedal carnivorous beast with fangs and claws sharper than my own.
I got to my feet and snarled at it. The krokutta was bigger than me, but I was no pushover. I’d survived enough fights to hold my ground against such a beast. The trick was to make myself a difficult meal. If I gave it enough trouble, it would give up and find weaker prey.
My feelers rose, flaring with bright red. I hissed to bare all my fangs, and I stretched out my clawed fingers.
“Come on!” I roared at it. “Fight me if you’re not a coward!”
The krokutta hesitated. My shouting and puffed-up posture intimidated it. Getting out of this situation would be easier than I thought.
Suddenly, the krokutta’s ear twitched. It turned swiftly to focus on something far away.
I paused and followed its gaze to two upright figures in the distance—both familiar, but one of them small and frail.
My heart lurched.
Is that...?
The krokutta didn’t waste a second. It licked its lips, then bolted towards the figures, abandoning me for weaker prey.
