Mala nudged her cubs lovingly. As always, Laal and Weecha cuddled closer to her warm body. Ranjit, who was already halfway to the entrance, turned back slowly, making soft wining noises. Mala churred softly. The time for exploring would not come til much later. Right now, her cubs were just too young, too small, and too vulnerable.
High in the sky, a ship floated over the Terran forests. The Xanadarian science officer Cal sipped delicately on his drink, keeping a close eye on the scanners.
A guard stepped up and saluted. "Anything, sir?"
Cal shook his head, disappointed. "Every time we pick up a life form…." He waved the guard away. "Just be ready." He turned his attention back to the scanner.
The storm raged just outside the tree. Mala glanced out, sniffing the rain. She took a single step forward, and the tree swayed to the side. Huffing with alarm, she stepped back, testing each step. The tree would not stand long, she knew. She made a split decision, grabbing the cub nearest to her – Weecha.
She carried Weecha to the ground, and set him down above the waterline. She turned back to get her other two cubs, when the tree fell with a resounding CRASH. She scrabbled to the entrance, but it was under the water line – forced up by the pouring rain. She glanced back to Weecha. She still had one cub to take care of.
Cal slumped in his chair, still staring at the scanner. It had gone off several times in the past hour or so, but none of the life forms were suitable for the experiments the others on Halfworld had in mind. The scanner dinged again, and he glanced down at it. With a sigh, he cued up the view screen. It was a very strange animal that greeted him.
A wet ball of fur – no two of them – the one that lived was mourning the one that was dead. That was an interesting quality. One the scientist had not seen before in Terran animals. "Siko!" He called the guard back. "Let's go down and investigate this one."
Ranjit curled around Laal's body, taking comfort in the familiar fur, although the body was so cold…. He felt a hand close around his scruff, and he curled up into the position most easy for him to be carried. The thing holding him made a noise of disgust, and prodded him in the chest.
Ranjit snarled and the thing prodded him again. This time, he bit out, making contact. He tasted something warm, sticky.
The thing laughed, and held him up for inspection.
Cal ran his hands and eyes over the Terran creature. "This one will do."
…
Rocket turned in his sleep, murmuring something. The others raised an eyebrow at the strange sounds coming from him. Except Quill – who just snorted and turned away. "See, raccoon," he muttered.
And in his sleep, Rocket remembered those days.