Page 20 of Xara and the Xenobeast

Dot gave an alarmed squeak as it slipped on a loose stone, and she bent to steady it. As she did, she noticed something glinting beneath a pile of rubble. She carefully brushed away the debris to reveal tangled bundles of what could only be wiring—synthetic cords with metallic cores, now frayed and broken.

“This place was built. Or... carved out and modified,” she said, more to herself than the pups.

She continued her exploration, moving deeper into the network of chambers. Each revealed more signs of technology—burned-out lighting fixtures, the remains of what might have been computer terminals, scorched sections of wall where something had clearly exploded.

A base? A research station? she wondered, cataloging possibilities. Living quarters?

The pups seemed fascinated by her discoveries, particularly when she uncovered a small cache of shiny metal objects—tools, perhaps.

“Don’t eat those,” she warned as Dot attempted to nibble on something that looked like a power coupling. “Who knows what’s in them.”

She hobbled into a narrow side passage, the pups trailing behind her like ducklings. This corridor ended in a small, roughly circular chamber with a high, domed ceiling. Unlike the other rooms, this one seemed almost untouched by whatever catastrophe had damaged the rest of the facility.

In the center stood what appeared to be a pedestal or workstation, its surface dusty but intact.

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” she murmured, brushing away years of accumulated dust and grime.

The pups chirped excitedly, racing around the room, their bioluminescent markings flashing in patterns she was beginning to recognize as expressions of curiosity and delight.

“Stay close,” she called to them. “Don’t go wandering off.”

As if in direct defiance, the largest pup—the one with the slightly darker fur—darted toward a narrow crevice in the far wall. Before she could stop it, it had squeezed halfway through.

“Hey! No! Come back here!” she hobbled after it as quickly as her injured leg would allow, but she was too late.

The pup squeaked, its hind legs kicking frantically as it tried to push the rest of its body through the gap. But it was stuck, its pudgy middle wedged firmly in the narrow space.

“Oh no,” she groaned, dropping to her knees beside it. “What did you do, you silly thing?”

The pup’s distress calls grew more frantic. The other two pups gathered around, chirping anxiously, their markings pulsing with alarm.

She tried to reach into the crevice, but she couldn’t get a good grip on the struggling pup and she was afraid to hurt it

“Hold still,” she urged, trying to keep her voice calm despite her rising panic. “You’re just making it worse.”

The pup either didn’t understand, continuing to thrash as its cries grew more desperate.

“Please,” she whispered, her heart racing. “Please don’t hurt yourself.”

A shadow fell across her, and she froze. Then a long tendril reached past her into the crevice, and with a single, fluid motion, he extracted the struggling pup, its body sliding free with surprising ease.

He held the trembling creature for a moment, examining it for injuries, then gently placed it in her outstretched hands.

“Thank you,” she whispered, cradling the frightened pup against her chest. “I was so worried.”

For a heartbeat, his silver eyes met hers. Something shifted in that metallic gaze—a warmth she hadn’t seen before. The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, but... almost.

It transformed his face, that tiny movement, making him look less fearsome and far too attractive for her peace of mind. Her gaze dropped automatically to his mouth, remembering the way he had kissed her, as if he needed her the way she needed air to breathe. One of his tendrils curled around the back of her neck, gently tugging her towards him.

She had no intention of resisting, eager to kiss him again, but the pup chose that moment to squeak and wriggle in her arms.

He jerked back, the tendril withdrawing as his expression returned to his usual impassive mask.

“I was just exploring,” she explained, gesturing around the chamber. “This place... it wasn’t always a cave, was it?”

He didn’t answer, and she sighed. So he was back to not speaking.

“Was this your home?” she asked softly. “Before...”

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