It was strange, exploring this new land.
Zerus had been Dehaka's home since he collected a brain capable of memory. There he had grown and survived for longer than anything else, before finally glimpsing so many other places under Kerrigan's command.
Yet now, here he was. With only vague orders and obligations from and to Stukov, he had a vast new world to hunt... and the ideal hunting partner.
Oh, it was true she was unassuming. Smaller than him. Only one set of eyes and arms. Her teeth could bite through flesh, but not rock. Her wings were a vulnerability, her mindset moreso.
But magic coursed through her. She could polymorph things to be smaller than her. She could mend his eyes and arms, as well as her own. She had no need to crush rock-hard armor in her jaws, for she could blast it with arcane energies. Her wings carried her to whatever safety he could provide, and her mindset... Maybe it was another change he needed, to survive and thrive in this place.
And so, Dehaka prowled through the crags of Alterac pass, searching for the next meal. A plant? Animal? Something new and unknown entirely?
Frozen water floated down slowly. His hide chilled, but it wouldn't slow him.
"Oh, snow." Said his travelling partner, as a bit of wind picked up, carrying down a few more flakes. The clouds overhead were thick, signing this was the start of a large storm. "...I have not seen snow in a long time, friend. It is cold. Makes Brightwing sleepy."
"If you, do not, feel alert, we should, be defensive. Avoid, wasting strength."
"Mmm... Brightwing feel okay, actually! Cold is not so cold. Must be weird zerg thing."
She was referring to her infestation, of course. Her previous form was deeply wounded by Kerrigan, and then infested with Dehaka's resources to add her power to a swarm constrained by the Nexus. After much struggle to regain her confidence and build relationships, here she was.
"Then, we hunt."
"Yes yes... hunt!"
They moved on through the freezing snows unhindered, seeking survival together.
Eventually, they stopped again. For a creature so large, Dehaka's footsteps could be as soft as any rogue, and breathing was merely a part of speech, rather than providing fuel for bodily reactions. A few unfortunate snow rabbits had been snatched and devoured...
Dehaka looked at his skin. While the rabbits lacked power or especially good senses, the fur would have been a good way to conserve heat and thus prevent him freezing in place in this weather.
But try as he might, change wouldn't come. His hide remained the same, coarse blackish skin. That was the curse of the Nexus. A torment he only barely understood how to overcome.
"...Is friend upset?" Brightwing flew around, frost starting to coat her body, snow sticking to her back. Both of their body temperatures had fallen well below zero, but zerg that could survive in space didn't die of freezing so easily... even if they still froze.
"No." Dehaka looked at her with two eyes, keeping the others on the surroundings. The snowstorm was getting thick now, and he couldn't see far. If he could just adapt... "But..." His voice, rough and growling, took on a longing tinge. "I, want to, change..."
"It is okay, friend. Brightwing will help you until you can change again!" She said happily, before a gust of wind dropped her to the floor.
Dehaka expected her to spring up and continue her flying, but she struggled for a moment before looking back at her wings in surprise. They were unmoving. "They have... frozen?" While he wasn't sure how to say it, he understood why. Thin objects with plenty of area to vent heat. That'd chill very quickly.
"Um. It is okay, I will keep going! I can walk-"
"No." Dehaka looked around, wary of any threat now that he had an immobilized ally. "We, rest. I, will protect. Must, find good spot... I, carry you."
He didn't wait for an answer, plucking her out of the thickening snows and holding her to his chest with his smaller arms, walking along quickly. While this cold couldn't kill her...
He wouldn't let her be so vulnerable. His vision scanned for an indication of soil or a cave system, or even a soft patch of rocks. Snow blanketed the world, obscuring all from vision, sealing all smells, drowning all sounds. Dehaka walked on, feeling the ground beneath his feet.
Brightwing was literally freezing in his arms. She was impaired before, but now she was helpless. That was unacceptable. A trickle of shame went through Dehaka- something he protected should never have been allowed to fall into such a state.
Dehaka finally felt a clawed toe sink into soft earth. And then, just a few paces ahead, he saw it. A cliff face... and a rock formation like that normally had a natural cave. He'd been around long enough to know.
He started running, coming to the natural wall. One way extended out as far as he could see, but the other? Bare a stone's throw away was a cave mouth. He climbed in easily, pushing aside some piled-up snow, the biting winds leaving him behind, and drawing a deep breath, reading the scents of the room as well as looking out.
Large warmblooded creature. Not poisonous.
It had to be at the back, obscured from sight. But regardless of position, it was doomed. Dehaka could hear it waking up, feel the minute vibrations its' footsteps made. Perhaps it too was forced into here due to the icy storm?
The bear plodded out from the back of the cave angrily... Dehaka nearly scoffed. It clearly wasn't smart enough to face him, nor evolved enough. But caution was something he held steadfast in his soul, and so he waited, holding a defensive stance to protect Brightwing, and snarled. Universal speak for 'one more step and I'll protect my pack. Viciously.'
The bear stepped into range of Dehaka's tongue, although it didn't know that until it was already halfway down his throat, before jaws closed through its' body like it were just putty.
Dehaka almost purred in content as he dragged the other half to the back of the room. It would be a nice snack to share later, but for now... he carefully put his freezing partner on the floor, curled around her, and focused on turning that bear into body heat.
She was barely conscious, but Dehaka felt her hug into his grasp a bit.
And he wasn't sure why he returned the gentle squeeze until he thought about it.
We'll survive better together. You're safe with me, don't worry.