A/N: Bah, I'm glad I'm posting way behind where I actually am. I've gotten a bit sidetracked and school starts next week. Mind I think I'm going to have three! study halls anyway. One in first period (and they did away with letting students skip first period if they have a study hall), a three quarter study hall in second (oh, yay, two study halls back-to-back), and a study hall seventh because I didn't get the Independent Study I'd applied for.

Tek- Thanks! Glad I could help out.

GIR ate my tacos- Yup, it was the vine-cave. But I didn't add a pig skull on a stick or any other such thing because I didn't see it fitting. It doesn't seem like any species has any sort of ritual/religious sacrifices to a higher being.

And yes, school can be boo. I'm rather eager to go back though, since I only picked courses I wanted. But, still, three study halls. X(

Disclaimer: Jhonen Vasquez owns the Irkens. I guess I somewhat sorta kinda own these early Irkens, but they wouldn't exist without his version. Since this is set in the (very distant) past, I own all the characters and all other species mentioned.

P.S.: Finally back to Taipa. I'm mean to her. And, um, I really hope people like this because I don't think I'm so good on the survival-writing front.

P.P.S.: I dislike some of the language used here. To flowy, I think, but it's the first real (kinda sorta vaguely) description of Taipa there is. And, whoo, Farook.

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The Kaiber

Taipa wasn't sure how long she had been running. Her limbs ached and her mouth and throat were dry. She longed for a break, a respite from the chase, but there was none to be had.

The pack had been silent for a long time. The last she had heard was the leader's roar. Then, inexplicably, silence. Stealth, stalking, no escape, burning, pain, tired…

With a cracked cry, Taipa pitched forward. She gasped, panting, as she lay collapsed on the ground. She moaned, unable to get up. Her eyes slid shut, antennae dropping back against her head.

She lay like that for an unknown amount of time, waiting for death in whatever for it came in. But no green reaper came for her nor an end by thirst. She lay there, defeated, as the sun lowered, slowly kneeling down to her level.

One twitch went unnoticed. A second twitch was ignored. A third was passed off as insignificant. The fourth got her attention.

Taipa moaned softly, peeling her eyes open halfway. She saw nothing before her, even as her antennae continued to twitch. With a sigh, her eyes fell closed again. Her cheek nestled against the soft green grass and it would have been pleasant in a different situation. The sweet, earthy scent of the grass. The warm caress of the air. The sound of water trickling in the background.

WATER? Her antennae shot upwards. With what little strength she had left, Taipa forced her limbs to obey as she slowly stood up. With weak, shaky steps she moved towards the sound of water. Farook let it be safe…

With each step she took, Taipa felt more of her energy slipping away. Through a bush, nothing for it but to get more scratches. She came out on the other side and saw the mist-enclosed waters. Nothing for it. Farook…

She collapsed at the water's edge, energy gone. She panted; dry, hollow gasps. Pitifully, she extended her tongue to lap weakly at the water. She drank, slowly gaining some strength as she re-hydrated herself. The precious seconds ticked away, a silver death looming at the lake.

With a broken whine, Taipa's eyes closed. She tensed, whimpering. Then she relaxed, sleeping wrapping around her in a comforting, familiar embrace.

When she awoke again the fog was so thick that she couldn't tell what time it was. The lake was silent except for the sound of water lapping at the banks. She hurt, and not just from exhaustion. Her stomach rumbled as it was forced to use what little fat her body had stored. She lifted her head, surveying the area. Nothing but fog. Even if she could move she'd never find the bank again.

She lowered her head to the grass once more. Grass… She had no other choice. She could hide here, the pack wouldn't come. She had water, however much Farook ignored her. Tested? She'd just have to eat grass. She'd be able to move again. With Farook's help. She'd just have to wait for the fog to thin. Farook...

Resigned, she opened her mouth just slightly to nibble on a blade of grass. She cringed. It smelled sweet but certainly didn't taste so. Who eats the scraps now? She cringed again, swallowing thickly. Her stomach greedily accepted the food, demanding more. She moaned softly, shifting just enough to reach more grass.

Taipa lay on the ground long after she had eaten a meal of grass. She had gorged herself on it. She hadn't liked the taste but soon found her hunger to great to bear. So she lay, a large patch of ground bare and her stomach churning. This place would be her grave. Farook...

A soft hiss answered her. She gasped, rolling over onto her stomach as fast as she could. In the mist the hiss sounded again, closer this time. She shivered, whimpering.

Green eyes appeared through the mist, a solid oval of the familiar color. Taipa relaxed slightly. Whatever it was it wasn't a demon. Intelligent green instead of savage yellow...?

The water lapped at the bank, unexpectedly leaping forward. There was a startled squeak nearby.

Demons don't squeak... Farook? She shivered, antennae perking. She combed the fog with her eyes, looking for those green eyes again. A squeak by her side made her jump. She hissed, eyes squeezing closed as her antennae flattened. She clenched her teeth, pulling one eye partway open.

At her feet the green eyes rested, staring up at her. Curiosity shown from their depths, other emotions covered by their owner's interest. The eyes disappeared for an eternal second, blinking out of existence only to reappear in the exact same spot.

She stared at it, frozen. Her pulse quickened, breaths becoming fast and shallow. Her mind stopped, unable to answer the creature's gaze. Her arm throbbed and she knew the question. The answer, however, was impossible.

The Kaiber, for that's what it surely was, moved closer, sliding through the grass. It lifted its head to stare at her. Green eyes… Male. Male Kaiber.

It flicked its tongue out, testing the air, before curling its tongue to run over a nick in its lower lip.. With a soft hiss, it slide forward, raising itself off its belly as it touched the hand of her uninjured arm.

With a cry, she jerked backwards. The touched hand flew to her chest, knocking the Kaiber away. She panted, skittering backwards.

The Kaiber squeaked, shocked and pained. He squeaked plaintively, crawling towards her. His target whimpered, shaking her head as she backed away. Her curled antennae pulled back against her head. The meaning of the gesture was lost on him, but he assumed it was a show of fear. Afraid of him? He'd never seen such a creature before. Was she really female? Maybe she'd (he'd?) never seen one of his kind before either.

Why wouldn't he leave her alone? She stopped moving, caught in a quandary. If she kept backing up she wouldn't be able to find the back of the lake through the fog. If she stayed still or moved back towards the bank than the Kaiber would catch her. Male Kaiber.

She, surely she, stopped moving. Her head bowed, the antennae limp. Her dark eyes look at something behind him. They shined through the mist, twin pools of liquid set into grass-green skin. He arched upwards, placing his front paws on the one she had on the ground.

Kindness? She gazed down at him sadly. Finally she was wanted, only to be wanted by a Kaiber. Male Kaiber. Her arm throbbed and she knew the answer.

Gentle touches, a lick, a nuzzle. Why was she so sad? There was something in those eyes that made them as cloudy as the most. At the same time there was something stony and defining about them. She pulled her paw away slowly, hesitantly. He watched her questioningly as her paw hovered in the air above him. The paw lowered again, petting his neck and back. A happy purr escaped him as he pressed himself against her fingers. Quick, gentle strokes to his neck. Oh so pleasant. Yet she seemed even sadder than before. Wait... Was that-

The Kaiber was dead before the tear hit him, splashing down and exploding on his head. The worried green eyes dulled as its body fell to the ground. Male Kaiber. Farook!

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she removed the Kaiber's head, having just enough sense left to remember that Kiabers were venomous. Farook! With trembling, bloodied fingers she closed the lids of the Kaiber's eyes. Farook she couldn't look at them...

Gently, with trembling hands, she lifted the Kaiber's body, turning away from its head. Slowly she ate it, feeling sick as she did so. Male Kaiber. She could barely keep hi-it down. Farook...!

She gasped, choking on the last bite as a sob escaped her through. Male Kaiber! She let her body slump forward, hunched and shaking as she cried. Wet coughs tore from her throat and wracked her weak frame, but she made no efforts to stop her tears.

She turned, finally, to the Kaiber's head. Her face was streaked with clear liquid, her lips and antennae trembling. She coughed again, hunching over as she did so. Whimpering, she reached for the head.

She couldn't bear to touch it, but she had to. With shaking fingers she pried open the creatures stiff jaws. With deceivingly practiced movements she removed the Kaiber's striking fangs and poison sacks. The she pulled out each small, sharp tooth from the Kaiber's cold gums.

After she took what she needed, she collected the teeth, fangs, and poison sacks in her uninjured hand. She froze, shivering. It would be so easy... With a cry, she fisted her good hand and shoved the collection into her pouch, letting the dangerous things fall carelessly.

She pulled her hand out as soon as the deadly objects fell from her fingers. Farook! Sobbing again, she scratched at the ground with her working hand. Sniffing, she nudged the Kaiber's head into the small hole, covering it over with loose soil.

She cried gain, lamenting herself. How could she have killed it? Kaiber... Male Kaiber... Farook...!