Chapter 214: Not That Much Different
When the lift opened at the absolute lowest level of the ship, I was expecting to see the same standard corridors that I had seen on the others: dark grey walls with almost black floors. However, that was not what greeted me.
Instead, the hallway looked like something out of the swamps of Region F in my old country. Moss and vines hung down from the ceiling and walls on either side, and the floor was covered with a thick layer of fog. It was creepy as hell, especially knowing that there was some evil Easter bunny living here.
The little one in my arms stirred, his nose and whiskers twitching as if scenting something. Opening his bright orange eyes, he stared at me. "I think I am going to call you Pumpkin," I said, once again booping it on the nose. Was it the best name I could come up with? Not really. But at the same time, it fit, so I was going with it.
Pumpkin wrinkled his nose for a second before nodding his head in agreement. Huh, so much for it being a creature of lower intelligence. I was beginning to think that the classification of species needed to be completely overhauled. Clearly, there were more ’sentient’ life forms than just those that were bipedal.
"I don’t suppose you could let us know if there are any others around, can you?" I asked, gently tickling his belly. His much larger back feet started to move in time with my scratches.
He nodded his head before turning to Midnight and sticking his nose up in the air. "Careful, little one," growled Midnight, holding out a single finger to the Istar so that Pumpkin could get his scent. "I am just as useful as you... only in a different way." He chuckled at his own statement, and I could only roll my eyes.
I mean, it wasn’t like he was wrong.
I could only assume that Da’kea was the first to get off the lift as all of a sudden, there was a swirl in the fog, and the outline of a body could be seen before it dissipated. The same thing was repeated once more before it was mine and Midnight’s turn to get off the lift.
However, I noticed that the fog would shift every time one of the Saalistaja stepped forward, completely exposing their position. "Might as well take the camouflage off," I said, staring straight at a body. I had no idea which one it was, but I knew it was one of mine. "The fog gives you away."
Da’kea grunted before appearing inches in front of me. I let out a tiny gasp as I looked up at the Elder. Never was our height difference so apparent as it was right at this moment. One by one, the rest of my Saalistaja appeared, crowding me, surrounding me. This was not the time for my hormones to start kicking in.
My period had just ended, and my body was reminding me of that in a very obvious way.
But first, I needed to concentrate on the problem in front of me. And it was not my lack of a sex life.
"Your smell has changed," muttered Midnight, grabbing me from behind and pulling me into his embrace. Burying his nose in the crook of my neck, he inhaled deeply. Well, he tried to. His efforts were thwarted by a tiny little bunny smacking him on his nose. "Not only yours," grunted Midnight before taking a step back.
"We need to concentrate, or we are going to be killed," muttered Da’kea, clearly not impressed that everyone was getting off course, himself included.
"Then lead on, fearless leader," I joked, jutting my chin out down the hallway. The only thing to make this level worse was if a clown poked its head out of a door that I couldn’t see.
"Follow me," answered Da’kea, and even though I couldn’t see his smile, I knew it was there. He spun around, causing the mist around him to twirl around with his movements, and he strolled forward.
I felt a poke and looked down at Pumpkin. He was still lying down in the crook of my arm, but his paw was pointed just to the left of us. "There," I said, pointing in the same direction as Pumpkin. Ye’tab strolled forward, and the mists shifted just enough to see yet another egg. It was the same size as Pumpkin’s, but the colors were more pastel green and purple.
I couldn’t see any breakage, so I could only assume that it was one of the ones that hadn’t hatched yet.
"What are we going to do?" I asked, looking at GA. We got lucky with Pumpkin, but that was no guarantee that the next one would bond to me in the same way.
With what I could only describe as a sigh, Pumpkin jumped out of my arms and approached the egg. Raising his right front paw, he smacked it a few times, causing it to rock around.
The top cracked open just enough to let two bright blue eyes peered out from the darkness inside. Pumpkin, clearly not impressed, smacked the top of the egg, effectively closing the lid. Once again, there was a rattle, and this time, an entire head poked out of the top.
Pumpkin pointed at me, and his nose twitched a few times. The blue-eyed Istar shook its head and then popped back down into the egg, almost as if it was trying to hide.
"This is the fearsome creature that managed to decimate almost all known species within the universe?" I asked, trying not to be sarcastic. I couldn’t equate one with the other.
Then again, I also still can’t equate Night being so terrifying either. Maybe this was yet another one of those red flags that everyone else could see, but I couldn’t.
"Are we taking it home with us?" I asked, looking down at Pumpkin. I ignored my guy’s startled cry and saw Pumpkin nodding his head. We had 19 nightmares living on Jun Li; I am sure that a few Istars couldn’t be that much different.
