They leapt in front of an attacker to save a deathworlder. The attacker fled in terror at a giant snake striking at them. -- BKF
[AN: Cogniscent species must have tool use to get into space, so interestingly snake-like sneople it is]
The Edge Territories have been likened to a box of chocolates. First, you never know what you're going to get. Secondly - it's highly dangerous for a lot of people who exist in there.
Shissothi didn't think of Trading Station as the edge of anything. Not until he heard other cogniscents using the term.
It made him wonder what it was the edge of, but there was always something interesting to see. And in this encounter, someone. They were an awkward-looking thing, moving around on long, thin appendages rather than a stable and reliable tail. The arms swung around as if they had minds of their own, and the entire being looked far too fragile and squishy to be out amongst so many dangerous alien life. One of the meaner ones was approaching the fragile creature. Big, tough, and already posturing in a fighting stance.
Shissothi acted without thinking, slithering quickly between the two. Showing his fangs as he reared up. "Backing off! No fighting here!"
The big mean one shied away and ran for their life.
Shissothi relaxed into a more comfortable posture.
"Uh... That friend being mine," said the squishy creature in GalSimple. "Is being game having."
"Game being dangerous," said Shissothi. "You being squishy. Him smashing you."
"Self wishing..." the squishy creature coughed. "Self thanking you, but self being tough. Big tough. Looking soft, being not."
"Big Thunkar being mean one," protested Shissothi. "You not being mean one"
"Thunkar no liking snake. You looking alike snake." The squishy one held out a hand. "Self naming Dzon. You wishing knowing friend?"
"They is being deathworlder," warned Shissothi.
"Self is being deathworlder. Human," said Dzon. "Many us being friendly."
Shissothi found it difficult to believe, but there was evidently a lot more to learn about interspecies relationships. Including the concept that Deathworlders could get along with more fragile species.
[Photo by Jason Grant on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.
My Prompt Forum is currently down, but if you want to send me a prompt, post it on my Discord's emergency prompt supply.