The creature made no sound, but its reptilian eyes seemed to meet hers with a mix of confusion and curiosity. It gestured towards her injuries, and made a chuffing sound. She moved to stand and it threw up a hand palm out and snarled slightly. Fine, I'll stay seated. She dropped back onto the cot and watched the creature warily.
"I really appreciate the help, but I have to find my friend. I have to go," she motioned out the door.
She watched as it carefully tended to her wounds, gently cleaning and dressing them. Its movements were slow and deliberate, as if it was unsure of itself. Ren realized that she wasn't just witnessing the actions of a terrifying creature, but also the vulnerability of a being who had never experienced companionship or cared for another being.
Ren closed her eyes, allowing herself to trust in this unlikely caretaker.
********
Despite its obvious unfamiliarity with humans, the creature had taken it upon itself to care for her, bringing her water, soft, pulpy fruits, and uncooked meat. Cycles and incycles passed, and Ren grew stronger, her wounds healing under the creature's gentle ministrations. However, her eagerness to leave and find Noey only intensified. She would often try to stand, gesturing to the creature that she needed to go, but it would firmly yet gently guide her back to the soft, moss-like bed.
The creature would make soft, cooing sounds and gestures, trying to convey that it was not yet safe for her to leave. Ren was determined, her worry for her friend overriding her gratitude towards the creature. When she persisted the creature would snarl and chuff at her while forcefully pushing her in the direction of the bed.
After phases, perhaps even lunations of bedrest, Ren finally drew a deep breath devoid of pain. At last, the creature relented, granting her permission to venture beyond the confines of her bed and explore the shelter's expanse. Witnessing her movement without agony, the creature emitted a contented chuff before darting out of the room. Hope unfurled within Ren, believing the creature was granting her freedom at last. With newfound optimism propelling her, she dashed out of the shelter, only to halt abruptly, narrowly averting a perilous tumble from a lofty tree branch to the distant ground below.
A sound from below jolted Ren, alerting her to the creature's proximity. With effortless grace, it ascended the tree, its sinewy limbs and sharp claws navigating the climb effortlessly. Upon reaching the thick branch where Ren stood, it attempted to ensnare her around the waist. Startled, she let out a yelp, recoiling from its grasp. The creature emitted a grumble, its snarl a mere whisper. Undeterred, it reached for her once more, but Ren deftly evaded its grasp. Growling softly, it gestured towards the ground, conveying its intention to assist her descent. Ren hesitated momentarily before tentatively placing her hands on the creature's broad shoulders. With surprising gentleness, it scooped her up, descending one-handed.
Upon reaching solid ground, Ren found herself so accustomed to the swaying of the treetop shelter that the stable ground beneath her felt unsettlingly motionless. Surveying her surroundings, she deliberated which direction to head in search of Noey. The creature, however, seized her wrist and guided her toward a nearby pool of water, where it began tending to her wounds once more. In a mixture of frustration and awe, Ren realized that the creature's foremost concern lay in her healing, not her departure.
********
Frustration seized Ren, becoming her prevailing emotion. Throughout the cycle, the creature would transport her down to the forest floor below, where it would tenderly cleanse her by the tranquil pool and permit her limited exploration of a small clearing. However, any attempt to venture beyond met with the creature's intervention, nudging her back towards the water and the tree housing their shelter
Ren acknowledged her fortune in encountering the creature and was fully aware of the perilous predators inhabiting this planet. During the midchrons of the incycle, the creature had limped into the shelter, bearing wounds across his body, and two of his claws were mangled. He was visibly tired and breathing laboriously. She had feigned sleep and watched while the creature tended to his injuries and then slumped on the floor in front of the entrance to the shelter, where it usually slept. When the cycle dawned, he had appeared before her as the twin suns heralded the dawn. With a gesture, he had beckoned her onto his back, his strength waning visibly as they descended to the distant ground below, his struggle evident in the effort required to support them both.
If something out there was strong enough to injure him she hated to even think what it could do to her or Noey. Her heart ached for Noey. Her own survival of the crash felt like a miracle in itself. The absence of Noey filled Ren with sadness. If Noey was injured and defenseless, Ren knew the odds of her survival dwindled with each passing moment. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to overflow as sobs caught in her throat. Seated at the water's edge, she drew her knees to her chest, burying her face in their embrace as grief consumed her.
The creature emitted a mournful keen before swiftly scooping her up and climbing the tree faster than it ever had before. Depositing her within the shelter, it positioned itself staunchly at the entrance, a snarly sentinel warding off unseen threats. After several moments, the creature's demeanor softened, and it entered the shelter, approaching Ren. Using a knuckle, it delicately wiped away a tear from her cheek, presenting it before her with a questioning sound, seeking to understand her distress.
"I'm crying, okay," she wailed at the creature. "I'm scared for my friend, and I'm crying, and I feel so helpless," she screamed at the creature, but it merely emitted a purring noise in response and bobbed its head at her. "All I have is you, and you can't even understand me." An idea struck her. The creature was evidently intelligent. She had allowed her visual perception of it to cloud her judgment. During her injured state and the convalescent period after, she had acted with prejudice. She was treating this being that had helped her as a mere creature and thought of it as such. With effort put into teaching it, he may be able to understand her and could even communicate back with her.
"Ren," she said, pointing to her face. "Ren," she repeated, emphasizing her gesture. Then, she directed her finger towards the being's chest and made an inquisitive "eh" sound. The being stared back blankly. She pointed at her own face again, saying "Ren." Next, she gestured downwards towards her feet, then waved her hand back up to the top of her head, repeating, "Ren." The being opened his mouth, then closed it, swiping his tongue along his thin lips. She observed his throat working. "Ren," she repeated once more, enunciating clearly and exaggerating her mouth movements. The being growled deep in its throat before emitting a rumbling, growly sound, "Grrren."
Ren's heart leaped with excitement at the progress they were making in communication. She felt a newfound hope and determination to bridge the gap between them. The being seemed to understand the significance of this breakthrough as well. Its eyes sparkled with intelligence and a hint of curiosity.
"Open fields," Ren exclaimed loudly, "you are capable of speech!"