It had become a monthly routine to meet up with the aliens. It seemed normal for Lex to wake up on the ship and the next day back in her bed. Though it had irritated her at first, she appreciated not being woke up. She eventually, at the persistence of Scar, cleaned off a shelf in her study to put the skulls, stored the meat in her garage's little fridge and stored the furs away in a chest.

The furs were quite nice and sometimes Lex found herself using one has a blanket instead of the afghans she had. They always kept her warm and they were so soft it was hard to resist.

During one of those days when the snow fell calmly outside and the fireplace glowed warmly, she grabbed one and snuggled down into the couch.

Way too early for a nap, but I'm so cozy...

A creak sounded through the house. A small, almost unnoticeable sound that filled most with horror, but Lex was used to the small creaking when they opened the back door.

Crackle.

Pop.

The cloak dissolved to show her long time friend. Scar stood next to the fireplace and stared at Lex huddled in a ball. Sleepily, she waved.

He purred softly as he approached and sat next to her on the floor.

"Hi."

Lex smiled, "hi. I see you've been practicing your 'h's."

Scar puffed his chest out in pride as she praised him. He never noticed but she did and she hid her smile. To her, he was still a teenager. A funny child. Yet, he acted more mature than any adult she ever met, especially on a hunt.

"Keome."

"Come, no extra 'e'." Scar sighed and shook his head.

He wasn't here to better his English. He had come for a different purpose.

"Keome. We leave."

"Can't I take a nap first?"

"Keome. No time. We leave for zpaze." That woke Lex up. She bolted upright and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Leave? For space? Like permanent?"

"Yez." Lex looked around her house. She stopped to look at her computer, the letter she never sent.

"Scar... I can't just leave my home. You can't just bring me to space and bring me back the next day. I can't leave, Scar. I just..." Lex looked off past her window and into the trees, her trees.

"I underztand. I wanted you to Keome. Keome hunt with my brotherz and zizterz. Bekeome a hunt zizter." He reached up and with one clawed finger traced her mark. The mark that gave her the right to join the hunt, to hunt beside them.

"I'm sorry, Scar," Lex had never touched his face before but she placed her hand to his cheek and stroked his skin lightly with her thumb to comfort him. Like a reptilian, it felt rough to the touch. "I guess I'll see you around, huh?"

His mandibles slightly drooped, along with his shoulders, in disappointment. He nodded, patted her head and left.

Lex spent the rest of the day in turmoil until finally, she went to bed in hopes of a dreamless sleep.

When she woke to the low buzz of what seemed an engine, she laughed. She had to be dreaming. What she saw all around her were the metal walls of what looked like Scar's room. The pelt of fur beneath her, the cool vent air blowing down on her, the skulls on the wall.

It was Scar's room.

A dream... Surely, he wouldn't have picked me up in the middle of the night?!

When the door opened, Night stood there. His eyes were big and mouth hung open. Lex had never seen him like this before. His usual calm and indifferent mask had completely dropped into one of shock, and then to surprise her more, anger.

"Why you oere?"

"This isn't a dream, right?"

"No."

"Um... Ask Scar?"

Night growled low before ordering her to stay inside as he searched for his friend. Lex busied herself by looking at the foreign skulls on the wall.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Night showed up with Molten and Jag right on his heels. They all entered and locked the door behind them. Molten sat next to her as the other two sat in front of her.

"So... Didn't find Scar?" A nervousness settled in the pit of her stomach.

"No."

"So... What's going to happen now?" Her leg bounced for a second before she placed a hand on her knee to stop it.

Molten turned towards her, "did you agree to keome? He said you said no."

"I did say no... So why am I here?"

Jag let out a low, irritated growl. Night put a firm hand on his shoulder, a clear sign to calm down.

"Oe muzt oave brougot you in toe middle of toe nigot," Jag answered.

Lex was surprised that he talked to her but his answer wasn't far fetched. It seemed plausible.

"I guess you can't take me back." They shook their heads.

They were almost to their hunting ship and from there they would go to the mother ship and then to their planet. They had only been hanging around Earth for so long because the one visit Scar wanted to make, ended up a monthly routine.

The predators understood what Scar had been trying to explain to them. Lex had shown a great amount of potential at the temple. Granted, she had been flung into a situation she hadn't been prepared for unlike them and only trying to survive. But, she hadn't backed down, finding ways to save Scar and Celtic along with her human friend rather than fleeing.

He wanted her to grow into that potential and she had started to when she agreed to go hunting. Occasionally, she'd spare with them, learning how to properly handle the combistick despite it being too big for her hands. Like them, she picked her fights whenever she wanted to, being cautious in her planning.

However, it didn't excuse Scar. She had made it clear on their first hunt in the jungle that they wouldn't be able to pressure her into anything. Not without consequences and Jag had enjoyed Lex's hard hits to Scar every time he annoyed her.

"We will oelp you." Night turned to Jag then and spoke in their language.

Jag and Night left.

Molten stayed behind to discuss what Lex might have to go through. The first thing was to make a public appearance to the elder in charge of the hunting ship. Then a public introduction to the rest of the crew. If they respected her, it would become much easier to live at the mother ship.

"Okay..." Molten patted her back sensing her anxiety. He hadn't put much thought into how other species mingled into their society. For his clan, the prospect had never been common, but it did happen.

The door slid open and Scar walked in followed by Night and Jag.

"Zorry."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it."

When they met with the hunting ship, Jag and Night dragged Scar to the elder and discussed the situation. Though what Scar did was wrong, they could not turn around to drop her back off. They didn't have the fuel or time.

She would have to stay with them until the next hunting ship went by Earth. By that time, she could be accepted and may want to stay but the choice was solely up to her.

That night, while most were sleeping, they led her to the elder.

Respectively Lex bowed, just like she Molten taught her hours before, and greeted the elder with a simple, English hello.

"Welcome aboard my hunting ship. I am Elder K'ash. I believe you have been well informed of the situation?" His English surprised Lex. She had become used to the 'h's becoming 'o's and 's's becoming 'z's.

"Yes, sir."

"Scar will be looking after you and helping you adjust since he brought you here. The mother ship has been informed and is expecting you. I doubt most of the Yuatja there will be happy with the situation. Do you understand?" Clipped and curt, he reminded her of an army sergeant.

Lex held her breath for a split second before nodding.

If the Antarctica incident hadn't left her in deep shit, this sure as hell did. She still suffered the blowback. Nightmares. Random "officials" dropping by. Wounds that ached. Suspicious cars following her around town.

"Very well." Elder K'ash nodded to himself, contemplating, before he continued, "you'll need to make an appearance in the cafeteria. Soon rather than later. A message has been broadcasted across the station so no surprises."

"Of course." Lex did her best to keep her poker face in place. No emotion. The same game face she gave every "official" that showed up at her door and every meeting with Weyland Jr.

It didn't irk the elder as much as it bewildered him. He expected more panic in her tone. Anxiety in the eyes. Shifty posture. Something. But, he figured he shouldn't have been surprised.

Scar had spoken greatly about his Chiva on the human planet. The human survivors who, despite their fear, hadn't back down from the fight against the Queen. Who had kept silent of their alien encounter even when pressured. When threatened.

It had been a large debate in the cafeteria if the story held much truth. The pressure would be on for the human Lex.

"If Scar proves unable to help you we will transfer you to a willing elder who can." In a last minute decision, Elder K'ash threw himself into the hypothetical ring. "I myself will be willing but the choice will be entirely up to you. Have a good sleep."

They all bowed in respect before leaving the Elder's office. The walk back to Scar's room remained deathly silent. They passed a few predators but they ignored her presence as much as she tried not to notice them.

Once alone with Scar in his room, she let him have it. Half the things that spit out of her mouth made no sense but she just needed to rant until finally, his constant purring calmed her down.

"Why? Why do that Scar?" Lex felt stupid for having trusted him. For allowing him into her home. For going on those hunts. Learning his culture. His language. "I trusted you and you threw me in the ring where I'm not prepared. You expect this to be easy? I said no for a reason."

"You have the potential to be more. I want to zhow you that potential. Pleaze."

"I'm still mad."

"I know. Keome. Zleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"Sleep is with an 's' not a 'z'." Scar smiled slightly and nodded at her before they both went to their separate bedding for rest.

The next morning didn't go over as badly as it could have. Jag and Molten were already there at the cafeteria and saved them a table a little ways away from the others. Night and Scar escorted her there and upon arriving, the whole cafeteria stopped in their tracks to stare.

"Why couldn't we come earlier when there were fewer people here like I suggested?"

"You need to make appearanke. Not hide."

"Appearance with a soft 'c', not a hard 'k', Night." She'd rather berate them for their English than focus on the problem at hand.

"I know."

"Then why did you say it with a-"

"Let'z eat. Not time for Englizh lezzonz." Lex ground her teeth, feeling a sense of deja vu at his quick dismissal.

"Fine. Lead the way."

Patiently, they moved through the line and Scar took the liberty of explaining the foods and picking out what he thought she'd like. Most predators ignored her presence but a few were more open about their dislike for her. Some growled, a couple roared in protest, and others just gave her glares from a distance.

She could stand the looks but the verbal responses made her very uneasy. Any one of them could attack and no weapons were allowed in the cafeteria.

Their group chatted mostly in English for Lex to understand for the rest of the meal. Lex could only eat about a fourth of her meal, after all, she didn't need as much food as them. So, Jag gladly grabbed her plate to finish it off which resulted in a fight between Molten and him.

"You know Scar if you keep getting up to get more food I'm going to start seeing a protruding belly..."

"What?" Scar looked just as confused as the rest of the guys at the table causing Lex to laugh lightly.

Oh, Miana would have so much fun with how little they knew of us.

Lex mentally shook that thought. She hadn't heard a peep from her friend since a few months after the incident.

"I'll make it simpler for you-"

"She's saying you're going to get fat if you keep eating." Looking up, she found the Elder standing behind her with a lopsided grin. Tusks hung low and wide with sharp teeth visibly shown. It looked a little aggressive, but it was a good attempt.

His grin dropped as he continued, "and I do believe she is quite right. Perhaps we should make you in charge of watching our hunters' health. Some do have issues with their weight."

"Wait... Are you serious about them having issues with weight?"

"This may be surprising but yes some actually do."

Fat... No, a chubby Yuatja... A chubby Scar...

Lex bowed her head and covered her mouth to keep the laughter from seeping out. Her eyes got teary and her stomach hurt, but more laughter bubbled up from her chest. She barely heard the thud of the plate dropping on the table next to her as the Elder took his seat.

"Since I've had no reports of fights I'm assuming most are keeping their distance from you?"

Since Lex was in no condition to speak as she fanned herself to cool down from the laughing fit she had. The others spoke for her.

"Little looked at her," replied Molten.

"Ah, that's a good start. Violent reactions are the worst to deal with. Anyway, Scar begin training her in our communication, hunting, culture, and manners. She will need them when arriving for the mothership."

"Of keourse."

The Elder nodded and stood up with an empty plate even though Alex hadn't seen him take a bite.

"Oh and one more thing. Course has no extra 'e'." And with those final words, the Elder left the cafeteria.

"See I told you." Scar grumbled before finishing off his plate and returning it to the chefs.

"Let'z go back to work."

"Fine with me."

Scar and Lex left the others and headed back to his room. There they spent the rest of the day working on the basis of his language as well as helping him dropping his 'ke's. The time flew by as they fell into a routine of waking up, breakfast, communication lessons, lunch, training, and finally, after their dinner, they finished the day with manners.

Lex couldn't keep track of the minutes, the hours, or the days that she spent learning all of these things.

"Hey Scar, can I ask you something?"

"Yez." He currently squatted by an array of weapons, all laid out neatly for display. He was quite picky about what knives he wanted to use.

"How long have I been on the ship?"

Scar froze before continuing his search and when he finally got the ones he wanted, he straightened himself and took his position across from her.

Knowing she won't just receive the answer without first beating him, Lex also took her stance. She didn't have the best luck beating him.

Backing up and slipping into a crouch, Lex balled her fists. They were bruised from yesterday's training as she had punched him square in the jaw. It had surprised him and caused him to stumble on his butt. However, she also received her own injuries.

"Holy hell! How thick is your skin, Scar?!" Lex held her fist to her chest and jumped around.

Scar calmly got back up after recovering and gently took her small hand in his bigger ones. Luckily nothing had been broken or fractured but her knuckles would hurt for days.

Nevertheless, they were back in the training room or the kehrite as they called it.

Back to the present issue, Lex needed to get him on his back and a knife to his throat. That's was her goal.

Surely, he'd answer her then...

Scar charged forward, wrist blades extended and aimed for her head. His movement showed no hesitation. No doubt as he aimed for a killing blow. A move that did leave him open...

Taking a chance, Lex waited until the last moment to roll right under him. Lex jumped onto his back as his blades got stuck in the floor, wrapped her legs around his chest for balance, and held the blade to his throat.

"Would you please answer my question now?" Scar huffed and pulled his wrist blades from the floor but Lex didn't move from her position. He had tried to surprise her before.

Scar sat on his knees and slowly began to fall back. Lex was quick to abandon ship and roll away as he landed on his back with a loud thud. She ended up stopping on all fours a few feet away from where Scar lay.

"Three monthz."

"Okay…" Lex sat up, narrowing her eyes on him. "You let me win didn't you?"

"Your knucklez still hurt and your reflexez are excellent already. You had a good idea but it waz rizky. I waz zlightly afraid you wouldn't move in time..." He remained on the floor, letting only his eyes follow her movements.

"Yeah, I was kind of worried I wouldn't be fast enough, but alas I made it out just fine." Lex stood and popped her joints.

Every time they finished, Lex tried to remember to stretch. Her muscles would remain tense without it and burned the next day.

"But that won't work all the time."

"Risks may have rewards and sometimes risks just have lessons." Straightening, she looked down to Scar.

"I like that zaying."

"I like it too. Though I just made it up you know." Lex moved to lay down beside Scar and smiled at him. "Lunchtime?"

"Yez, meal time then you learn about holidayz."

"'S's not 'z's, Scar."

"I know, I know."