The thing lets out another scream, but also releases its hold on Thivoll.
As it falls, Thivoll kicks out with his injured back leg, sending the thing into another roll.
This time we're close enough to a tree and Thivoll bounds up just as I get my grip back on his mane. It's a blur of tree jumping after that point.
Soon after he gets us settled into the crotch of a tree as he swivels his ears and pulls in whistling breaths to test the air in between taking panting breaths.
I take a quick glance at my leg, relieved to see the blood flow is sluggish. I take a moment to order the fabric to mend, then turn my mind back to another pressing issue.
"Did it follow?"
"I don't think it can climb and I don't smell it anymore."
I let out a shuddering breath. "How's your wounds?"
"Mostly surface, but it has a diseased mouth. Nothing my biology and nanites can't handle, but we should make sure it doesn't bite you."
I let out a dark chuckle. No sense in pointing out to him that I wouldn't survive the initial chomp.
"I should have taken us straight into the trees when I smelled it. I've never heard of anything like that being here. Or anything that fast."
"Was it sapient, you think? It didn't respond to what I said and my translator didn't kick in when it screamed."
"No. Just sentient. It would have been introduced as part of the experience. When they terraformed this planet they eradicated the existing species."
My jaw drops open. "That's . . . I don't even have words."
"Yes, I agree. It's horrific." He huffs out a breath. "I'll remember the smell. It won't catch us off guard again. Let's move again."
I wrap myself around him in my monkey grip so he can keep moving us through the canopy.
By the time Thivoll stops it has long since been dark. He must have night vision because I would have careened right into a tree many times.
Not to mention the whole falling to my death thing.
"How is your wound?" I ask him. "Mine is just aching now."
"It's healing, but my body is having to fight the infection. That is one disgusting mouth on that thing."
When Thivoll has us settled again, he speaks. "I moved your Silver. She would have been safest in a tree, but I didn't want her to be stranded or accidentally fall if she comes out of cryo before we return. I put her in a deep thicket instead, but we should look for a better hiding place."
"How long does she have until her chamber stops working?"
"It depends on the person and relative processing efficiency. I don't have enough data on Silver to predict."
I open my mouth to ask what he means, but realize it doesn't really matter. "How did she look?"
"Her nanites should be able to heal her if she stays in stasis. It'll help remove additional stressors. If you can stabilize some of her wounds, I think it would be wise, though, since we don't know how much time we have until she wakes up."
"I wanted to before I put her back in cryo, but I can't without supplies," I say, my voice full of guilt and regret.
He wraps an arm around me. The feel of his scales sliding against the thin fabric of my odd black jumpsuit makes me shiver.
"We could get supplies from hunters," I say, the idea popping into my head and then out of my mouth before I have time to think it over.
I remember a beat later that he already came up with that plan and we discussed it, then feel stupid.
My brain needs to catch up already.
