Author's note: I was thinking about deleting/discontinuing this story, but I will continue this, seeing as people are actually enjoying it.
Indeed, it was a collar.
She once more shied away from him, tearing her gaze from him to look to the ground, avoiding eye-contact with him, actually; trying to avoid contact with him at all. He growled, grabbing her arm roughly so she didn't get farther away from him before he wrapped the collar around her neck, making sure it was loose enough for her to breathe, but tight enough so she wasn't able to slip it off or put her fingers through it.
He nodded once it was on, seeming happy about it. The moment she as released, she scooted back and away from him as far as the hounds would let her, barking at her, making her body freeze.
The alien cocked his head to the side, as if curious, but waved a hand. He grabbed a chain that was attached to the rock, grabbing her by the collar and attaching it to the small metal ring that was on it. He patted her on the head, causing her to shrink the best she could, hiding her face behind her sketchbook. She was blushing from embarrassment and she didn't want him to see.
She heard him make that strange whistle sound as he snapped his fingers, causing the Hell Hounds to jump off the rock and start following him as he walked off.
Once out of sight, she began to tug on the chain, trying to get it off of her. She had some range with it, but it did not feel comfortable around her neck, feeling more like a noose than anything.
She huffed, deciding to give up, she wasn't strong enough to get the chain off of her collar, it looked like a simple clip, but it wasn't. He must have been strong enough to handle it with ease, which was just not fair. She wanted out, like a dog that had been locked in a kennel too long.
She looked up at the sky, seeing parachutes start to open, beings, both individual and the strange creatures she'd seen only a few times that were always locked-up in crates, falling from the sky. New Meat to hunt and claim as trophies.
Bring it in, hunt it, kill it. That was how these things did what they did. She knew why she never saw the same face twice out in the wilderness. She was just thankful that Tusky let her live, with a few accommodations.
She placed a hand on the collar, it was softer than she expected it to be, like it was almost made out of some kind of strong fur. Ah shit, this wasn't good, he could use this against her in so many ways she didn't even want to think about it, but of course, her mind went right to the gutter. She swatted the images away like they were flies, smacking herself on the head a few times just to make sure no imaginary naughty eggs had been left in her brainpan that would hatch later.
She looked around, checking to see if anyone was still in the camp. When she saw that nobody was around, she stood up, grabbing the chain as she began to pull as hard as she could on it. It didn't budge, it didn't even move an inch. She truly knew what it felt like to be a wild animal that had been caught and put into captivity.
Ellie slumped down to the ground, just staring at the chain as she pulled on it like a child wound pull on the arm of their mother, letting out a defeated whine. Half of her was grateful that had been abducted though, the more she thought about it.
She had grown-up in a terrible home, her father was a drug-addict that left her and her abusive mother. Ellie had gained trust-issues from the experience, along with a bad habit of flinching every time someone put their hand near her. It had become a bad reflex thanks to that damn woman. She had been smacked every time she did something wrong or talked back.
Ellie had began to guess that they had been going for her mother originally due to all her offenses and how she was a danger to her own kind, but had accidentally taken Ellie instead.
She threw the chain to the ground, pouting as she leaned back. She shouldn't be that glad to be away from Earth, she had a good job, friends that treated her like family, and was making a living on what she did. Now she was here and was going to be some sort of weird, sick pet for a massive alien that... didn't seem to keen on hurting her, surprisingly enough. He also didn't seem to want the other two to come near her from what she heard in their growling.
She was his now, and he had to take care of her if he was planning on having her as his pet. And she would make sure he knew that, and would have to pray that he didn't decide to punish her. He could kill her if he wanted, snap her neck with ease, yet she didn't know if she really wanted to go against him even though her body and mind would beg her to stay as far away from him as possible.
Ellie groaned, looking up at the sky. She curled up onto the ground, using her backpack as a pillow, setting her sketchbook and the mechanical pencil down in-front of her before she got as comfy as she could. She just needed to sleep, rest-up her tired bones. She should be glad, she never had to set her eyes upon her mother ever again, she'd never have to deal with assholes messing with her and teasing her at her job.
Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she first expected.