11. Kira

11

Kira

I'm just hopeful I can survive, though I'd also like to get some information if I can, since this place is clearly stupid deadly.

That plan goes tits up the moment the creature lunges at me again, sending me backtracking with an unspoken curse on my lips.

Apparently, my penchant for saying fuck isn't translating as well as I'd hope.

I'll admit the lizard comparison isn't really on point. If anything, it looks more like a dinosaur dragon, except for no wings. Deadly, and beautiful, but it feels better to denigrate it to the role of skittering lizard.

Its blue coloring transitions to an off-white color on its belly, under its neck and on the underside of its tail, which is the only true resemblance to a reptile.

Judging by the way it moves, its spines are less rigid than they look. I stay away from them, just in case. Images of Bowser from Super Mario rolling over me with his spikes flit through my mind.

Not a great way to go.

It chuckles, a low, rumbling sound as it continues to enumerate the ways I'm inferior.

I can't say I completely disagree, but all it gets from me is more rage.

Its body is surprisingly nimble for its size. The rough blue skin ripples and its spikes seem to convey emotions I haven't learned how to read. I might even call it enchanting, in a completely terrifying way.

If it wasn't such a giant dickhead.

I barely stop myself from falling when I make another hopeless attempt at maiming it. It continues to mock me, now with an almost sexual gravel in its voice.

Of course, it's getting off on this.

A bunch of terrible, oversexed male aliens is all I've seen so far in this terrible place. Talk about a universal fucking issue.

"I have nothing to do with those fornicating wastes of breath," I say by way of emphasis.

It stills, its mouth dropping open. I'm not sure if it's because of how many curse words I've said or if I've finally made sense to it, so I just keep cursing the day it was fucking born.

After a few moments it cuts in. "Repeat that."

"You were born on a—"

"No, not that, what you said about the genali."

Not sure what a genali is, but I assume it means me trying to explain myself, not that it's done much good. "I was kidnapped, too, excrement for brains."

It blinks slowly, then speaks again. "Are you saying..."

I don't see how that wasn't completely fucking clear, but I yell out the shortened version since it is clearly lacking in intelligence, emphasizing every word. "Taken. Against. My. Will."

Talk about lacking basic social skills.

The creature's expression shifts, confusion giving way to realization. It steps back, claws lowering slightly.

"You... you were taken?"

"Yes, you idiot!" I shout, my voice trembling with rage. "Do you think I asked for this? Do you think I wanted to end up here, fighting for my life against some oversized reptile?"

Its eyes soften, just a fraction. "I assumed you were one of them."

"Well, you assumed wrong," I grit out between my teeth, gripping my dagger tighter. "Now, are we going to keep doing this, or are you going to let me go?"

"I might consider it, if you have something of worth to offer in exchange for your life."

I take a deep breath, calming my racing heart.

The fury that drove my initial attacks fades, replaced by a cold, calculating determination. I start to circle it again, eyes locked on it.

I can't think of anything to give it, aside from being lunch, of course, and that possibility seems to have completely overtaken my brain.

"I'm not your meal, lizard breath," I taunt it, wanting to smack myself for not being able to think outside the terms of predator and prey.

It lets out a grumbling sound, which I assume is laughter, judging by the way its eyes are shining. It sounds like rocks grinding together.

"Maybe we both have information to exchange," I point out.

"Then state it," it challenges back.

The conversation I overheard on the ship suddenly pops into my head and I realize I might have something to trade after all.

"We are on a hunting ground," I blurt out as I duck under a swing of its tail.

"I know that."

A surge of rage rises into my throat. "What, because you paid to be here?"

He makes a hissing, rumbling sound that I take to be displeasure. "I would never fall so low."

"Alright, I get it. You are completely honorable, which is why you are currently trying to kill someone a fifth your size."

"Enemies come in all sizes."

He has a point, the bastard. I scour my brain. "I was in a ship with squishy aliens, and they said a manticorid is here."

He is mid-swipe when he suddenly stills.

"How many?"

I gulp, wondering if I'm giving away information to the enemy about a possible ally, but decide to tell the truth.

"Just one."

"Male or female?"

"Male."

He takes a deep breath and then speaks again. "How do you know anything about them?"

"I don't. The slimes woke me up briefly on their ship. I overheard them talking about this place and that they had captured a manticorid for this hunting season."

"Are you positive they said manticorid?"

"Yes. They just said he had venom, and they seemed scared. I liked seeing them scared, so I assume I will like a manticorid. Or die really fast, but at least they will die, too."

"Yes, they will."

I picture an entire field full of dead slime puddles everywhere and a grin spreads across my face.

"I approve," I tell it. "Maybe if we stopped trying to kill each other, we could help make more slime puddles."

I don't admit to myself just how desperate I am that he'll say yes, which he needs to do before I collapse and lose any semblance of advantage.