Altruism

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Aren:

The Earth star will be coming into view very soon. The Sun, as they call it. So, I flew for as long as I could, admiring the sights that the nature part had to offer of Earth. Feolis soon fell asleep and his stomach grumbled loudly. I worried, knowing he needed to eat. It had been quite some time since last I had seen him eat. At Vans house. If I recalled correctly humans were cannibals. No, that wasn't right. They ate meat, just not other humans. Ah, that sounded right. I layed Feolis gently on the ground, folding my wings against my back. My shoulders throbbed with pain but it would not last.

I checked to make sure Feolis was safe and went in search of sustenence.

Feolis:

I moaned quitely and stretched before reaizing I was alone and remembering what had happened and how I had gotten here, wherever here was. I sat up, it appeared to me that 'here' was the middle of nowhere. I scowled and stood, then immediately dropped back to the ground. My legs were numb and my body ached from the cramped way Aren had carried me for so long.

I grimaced, stretching my limbs and wondering where the alien had run off too. Suddenly I had the horrible thought that she had left me here to leave for her planet. But then I thought, so what if she did? I could fend for myself. But the thought still left me feeling sick.

But then Aren came out of the trees and my mouth dropped open in shock. She had taken her shirt off and I recalled a conversation I had participated in with a fellow smuggler. There had been a whole group of us and we had all been debating on whether female aliens had breasts or not. Yes. Yes they did.

I looked away as she walked over to me and sat her shirt on the ground, filled with berries. "Here," She said, "I know that you are hungry so I got you nutriment."

I swallowed and I nodded, "Thanks."

She gave a curt nod and moved away, looking up at the brightening sky. I caught a glimpse of a red side boob before she sat down, pulling her knees to her chest and hiding them. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at the berries, checking them over to make sure they weren't poisonous. Surprisingly, they obviously weren't. I looked at Aren as I popped one into my mouth.

"Do you want one?" I asked.

She shook her head, "I do not eat." She said curtly. I stared at her, then shrugged and popped another. I didn't bother asking for details. I ate in silence as she watched the sun coming up until suddenly she said, "Immaterialism."

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow, she knew alot of words.

"The theory which believes that external bodies are in essence mental," She answered with what seemed like sadness in her face. I frowned, something was bothering her.

"Why bring it up?" I asked softly. She didn't answer for a long time and I was beginning to think that she wasn't going to but then she replied.

"What do you believe Feolis. I have studied Human religions. What do you believe?" She turned ti looke at me, meeting my eyes and I chewed thoughtfully, thinking.

"Well, i've never really cared. I mean, no matter what we all die despite anything we may believe. I've always like the idea of reincarnation but...to be blunt I really don't care Aren." She nodded and looked at the sky as if she was thinking deeply about what I had said. I ate another berry and watched her in my own thoughts.

We seemed content enough to stay where we were for the time being so I went hunting, leaving Aren alone in her meandering thoughts. I attatched one of my daggers to the end of a proficiant enough stick. Then, I easily located and killed a squirrel. When I came back the sun was completely up and Aren was laying on her stomach with her wings spread wide out and her face buried in her arms, having redressed.

Her tail flicked, which was the only sign of her being awake and I crouched beside her, dropping the squirrel off to the side. "Your sun feels very nice," She murmered into her arms.

I chuckled and grabbed the tree scraps and set to making a fire to cook the squirrel. Most people didn't have skills like these. Heck, most people never left the city. But being in my profession you had no choice but to learn these things or die.

I got it going and Aren shifted, looking at me. Her eyes were half closed and dark. She sat up, keeping her eyes downcast and out of the sun. She stretched, smiling with her wings still spread, sunning them.

I looked at the squirrel I had just finished skinning. "So what do you eat?" I questioned, making conversation.

"My diet consists entirely of liquids and is extremely different from a humans. We only have to partake of sustenance once or twice every human month," she said looking down.

I frowned, "Then what are the fangs for?"

"The fruit that bears the liquid that we drank has a shell that can only be perforated with sharp teeth," she explained.

"So, here, on Earth, what do you drink?"

She looked up, then said softly, "I have not been able to locate any fitting liquids to sustain my body. That is another reaon why I must return. I am dying."

My heart froze up and I inhaled saliva. I choked and gasped, coughing. "Are you alright?" Aren asked, startled.

I ignored the question and wheezed, "You're dying?!"

She nodded, smiling slightly, "Yes Feolis. You are worried, panicked? Why?" She, tilted her head, looking cute and I almost started to hyperventilate.

I shook my head, "Have you tried everything?"

She shrugged, "I do not know."

I glared at the grass, thinking about what she must be going through. She moved to my side and whispered, "I am sorry Feolis."

I turned my glare to her, "Don't apologise to me. I don't care!" I ground my teeth and stood, rushing into the forest, needing to get away.

Aren:

I sighed and looked at the ground, running my hands over the soft grass. I had read some of Earths finest literature and read many poems and things about grass and other of Earths plants. It made me think of how dark and small my planet was. How all of those writers would probably hate my planet.

I layed back down on my stomach and spread my wings, closing my eyes. The feel of the sun on my wings was so wonderful it was indescribable. I would miss this when I left. If I left. After feeling this I wasn't sure I could go back to that anymore. My world held nothing for me. Perhaps I would stay here and aide Feolis in his journey and then let myself pass away. Like so many others of my endangered species.

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