Hello Lovelies, how about another chapter? :P Lol, I know it took me way too long to write but I try my best. Thank you as always for all of the reviews, favs, and follows. One could not ask for better fans.

Chapter 11-A Simple Touch

"Yeah, I'm not doing that."

Lykrosis leaned back on his haunches frustrated that he could not understand the incomprehensible noises coming from the small machine. Instead of floating steadily as it usually did, the nuur'az zipped from side to side and bobbed erratically punctuating the tail-end of words as it reversed directions.

Although the creature did not speak aloud in turn, there was no doubt in his mind that it communicated with the nuur'az in some manner. "Necessary? Why is this time any different? You are with these creatures in that way all the time and you've never asked me to stay." They were definitely having a conversation and by the way they both kept turning toward his still form, it was about him.

He didn't like that. Although he knew that the pair knew he had been watching them, they had never shown him attention in this manner. I will leave before their conversation terminates, he thought turning to depart in that same moment.

"And if he did? What would I do abo—" Lykrosis meant to leave, but the manner in which the nuur'az speech cut out so abruptly attracted his attention. He turned back to find them both staring directly at him and although the expressions were unknown to him, he felt… threatened. I have lingered for too many moments.

"Okay." At that, the creature moved. He thought it would be an attack and braced himself for it shock blades coming up in defense, but instead it slowly wandered up the path flicking its eyes around as it always did.

Lykrosis lowered his blades in confusion. He had been sure something was about to occur, but the creature moved languidly as if nothing had changed. Why does it commit such strange behavior? he thought in exasperation, a disbelieving arm flick accompanying the emotion. Every action it took was contrary to what he predicted, everything about it frustrating him relentlessly.

Even so, right now, it commanded his attention. His eyes followed its form as they always did and only now did he realize that he was almost… impressed.

Lykrosis had watched many creatures move. He watched them wander and laze about; he watched them stalk other creatures and still under the threat of being stalked themselves. Often, he scrutinized them for faults and weaknesses, and sometimes he simply followed their forms as he lie in wait for the optimal moment to strike.

So many things that he had seen and yet he'd never seen anything move like the creature did. There was an ease to its smooth glide, an almost fluid-like grace to every small movement. Even in its leisure it was poised, every twitch, calculated. Part of it he understood, confidence; it moved as he had seen captains move and although he was loath to admit, as he had seen nuur'khu move. They did not fear bodily harm; they did not even consider it, but there was something else. There was something else within its movement that he just couldn't identify.

Unlike fallen and nuur'khu, which did not reveal their forms so brazenly, the creature's true potential was not hidden behind armor. Where a nuur'khu would fool the naïve into believing them weak with their lighter forms, this creature did not bother. It may have been less in stature than himself but he could see the strength nonetheless. The underlying musculature stretched taut through the limbs and abdomen as it moved, and he vaguely wondered if its agility surpassed his own.

When it was only a few ntr, it surprised him again. Instead of engaging him or gathering its machine and leaving, it sat upon the ground comfortably facing him. Strange creature, and his lower arm flicked downward again in a subconscious habit.

It remained completely still while they stared at each other and he waited for it to do something.

…

It does nothing.

Initially, he thought it a ruse. However, the more moments he waited without a reaction from the creature, the more he recognized that it was trying to engage him but in a different manner. It wanted something from him.

The truth of the situation came to him rather abruptly; Lykrosis had a choice to make: either remain and determine what it intended or leave this place and cease all interaction with the creature. It would not permit him to follow and simply watch from a distance anymore.

It was a choice not so easily made. It should have been; there was nothing for him here other than to satiate his own curiosity. In fact, there was the potential for punishment and disgrace from his own, for pain and torture and even death, but still…

Perhaps he was too curious for his own good, he always had been, but he wanted to understand what this creature was. He wanted to understand what could conceal itself so effortlessly from others, what could evade him without leaving a trace. What could associate with a sdee'al and seek to associate now with him, one of the fallen, let alone what could attack nuur'khu unaided and survive.

The simplest answer was that he wanted to know what it wanted. If punishment is to be what I receive, let me at least acquire useful information prior. Lykrosis was not one to dwell on a decision after he had made it and immediately dropped his stealth.

The creature's only response was to make that expression again. It was the same as before with both corners of the mouth rising, but it also wasn't. He had seen the expression come in a variety of forms and could only surmise that it meant something different each time, but without further viewings, he could not deduce its meaning now.

After many more moments of them staring at each other, Lykrosis began to feel foolish. Already he had dropped his stealth and yet still he stayed crouched in the underbrush as though they did not know he was there. He rose slowly but not hesitantly and then moved forward. He was cautious, scrutinizing everything so as not to be caught unawares if this was a trap, but his pride kept him upright and flowing with his own strength. He would not cower and creep like a lowly dreg.

He stopped just short of the creature and looked down upon it, his whole body thrumming with the possible danger this situation presented. His audio receptors were focused acutely on his surroundings in an effort to keep vigilant while his eyes focused on the creature waiting for it to indicate what it wanted. That indication came in the form of a slowly raising claw, which he instinctively took as an act of aggression and clenched his blades. A low growl escaped him, the only warning he would give it.

The claw stilled in the same instance and he took the moment to examine its uniqueness. It utilized five digits of varying size and was uncovered by the fabrics that aided in weapon handling. He could not deduce the reason to have so many as surely the extra two were redundant, but it was hardly the strangest detail the creature possessed.

Only late did he notice that the creature's face had returned to vacancy, the previous expression wiped away. He wasn't sure if that was favorable or not, but it did slowly retract the offending claw. When it moved again, he issued another warning, but it simply turned as it rose and returned to the closest pool.

After that, neither it nor the nuur'az looked at him again. They moved around the hollow, the nuur'az speaking every once and awhile and the creature presumably answering, but neither doing anything of significance as far as he could see.

Lykrosis was taken aback by their clear dismissal. Before it did not bother him because there was at least the pretense that they did not know he was scouting them, but now they were blatantly ignoring him. The anger within him stirred. The creature had sought him out, it wanted something from him and now it ignored him as though he was insignificant? Do they not consider me a threat? he thought the anger now white hot, but almost as quickly as it rose, it stuttered.

Perhaps that was the problem. His past aggressiveness toward it and now, as it had begun to engage him, he had threatened it. With the sdee'al it did not fear bodily harm because already they associated, but it had no way of knowing whether he was attempting to trick it just as much as he suspected it of trickery.

If he was going to find out what the creature wanted, then he was going to have to go about this in a different manner.

Lykrosis allowed his body to relax as much as it could for the current situation and then returned to a crouch. He didn't like the feeling of looking submissive in front of it because he would submit to no creature except his leadership, but this was all he could think to do. His claws loosened reluctantly from his blades and he lay them to either side still within reach if the creature turned hostile.

"Hmm, I can't believe that actually worked," said the nuur'az as they both turned to face him and that expression returned to the creature. "I'll just hover over there." He watched the little machine float toward the cliff face to his left and then settle itself into the rocks. His face snapped back to the creature as it began to approach him and regardless of his will, his lower claws moved toward his blades.

It stopped. He waited for that expression to disappear, but instead it grew wider and then the creature dropped to claws and knees. It crawled toward him now, probably its own effort to appear less threatening and his claws retracted, the blades left to lie for now.

The creature's movement slowed when it was only a few ntr giving him a period to adjust to its proximity, but he did not threaten it in this moment. As long as Lykrosis allowed it, the creature approached him and when it was as close as it could get without touching him, it rose gently into a kneeling position.

He wanted to further examine its features now that it was so close, but he focused instead on its raising claw. The movement was unhurried and the claw lax and open, both gestures an effort to placate him for what he understood was coming next. The joint twisted as it neared, closer and closer until just barely, it rested against his chest armor.

His forced relaxation crumbled under the touch. His lifeblood began to pump rapidly, his intake speeding up and with it his ether consumption. Never had he willingly allowed another creature to touch him, even other fallen, let alone something that could be dangerous. His lower claws were so close to grabbing his blades, so close that they rested on the hilts not quite grasping them yet.

His gaze lifted from the claw to the face and there he found that same expression. It was small and quiet, mouth closed, perfectly symmetrical; everything about it felt… calm. He was certain now that this was the creature's way of showing its non-aggression. It remained as it was, giving him this stillness so that he may try to relax once again. He wasn't sure how many moments it had been before he finally detached from his blades once again.

That expression broadened minutely, perhaps indicating that he had done what it wanted. And then he felt the slightest pressure against his chest armor. At first, he thought it may have been accidental, it had been so slight, but he should have known better. The creature's movements were always tightly controlled; patrol after patrol he had watched it to know just that.

Again it came, but this time just a fraction harder. It was not overtly aggressive, but he still did not like it. When it came again even more forceful than the previous times, Lykrosis had had enough. He had a fraction of a moment to think that he would issue another warning for it to back off, but he was too late.

In an instant, a powerful thrust came from the open claw and he was falling backwards. Foolish, was all he could think as he noticed the creature moving forward. Everything was happening so fast, but Lykrosis was a hunter and a warrior; he would not be taken so easily. His lower claws reached outward as much as they could and the right one contacted the blade he was searching for.

This creature has no idea what it has done. He hit the ground in a sitting position with the creature straddling him and his blade pressed firmly across its throat.

So? *Eagerly awaits reader response.*

Fallen Language

Listed in order of appearance:

Nuur'az-literally means tool of light. This is what Fallen call ghosts.

Nuur'khu-literally means lightwielders. This is what Fallen call guardians.

Ntr-measure of length. It is equivalent to about a meter.

Sdee'al-Hive Knight