The chipper sounds of a guitar, banjo, and fiddle filled the Varintluk`s cabin with the pleasant, well-timed tones of good old bluegrass and heavily accented English ripped straight out of Appalachia. Scarletra wanted something to do other than study while they made their two-day journey to the cave she used to call home. So Samuel busted out one of his wireless speakers and an MP3 player, letting her scroll through it and act as their DJ for the trip. She had a little bit of trouble operating the relatively small device, barely able to hold it in her hand and use her other claw to press the buttons. But she was managing.

　　The fact she settled on bluegrass and other country songs was initially unexpected. Samuel had figured something heavier would be to her liking. But the sounds of the weighty drums and screaming rift of rock and heavy metal hit a bit too close to home and dredged up uncomfortable memories.

　　So here she was, bobbing her head along to the song and attempting to sing the chorus in her thick accent despite it being in a language she had no idea how to speak. Samuel just choked it up that music really can be a universal language.

　　Scarletra wanted to return to this specific cave to retrieve some items and bring them to the outpost, namely furs, drying racks, tools, and some of her carving. Especially now that Samuel finally admitted that he wanted her to stay; she had to move in and did not want to leave them behind. Thankfully, the Varintluk would let them only make one or two trips; if she had to go back and forth on foot, it would take her weeks to complete the relays.

　　They were only a few hours away from the midpoint in their route for the day; the sun was high and bright with no snowfall, but the oppressive bows hanging over the forest cast imposing shadows at all angles. Nothing so horrible they couldn`t see obstacles, but it was just dark enough that Samuel had to occasionally yawn or stretch to keep himself awake. Now he was sleepy because of the light, but also his eventful week Scarletra had not been joking about wanting to fuck every day.

　　Samuel wanted to do that with her and had risen to the occasion. But she was filled with boundless energy and pressed the idea of once a day. They had been going at it so often that he wondered if her species were built more like a rabbit than a bear. There was not a single room or surface that they had not fucked on over the last week.

　　Just yesterday, when Samuel returned from filling the biodiesel generator with extra wood, Scarletra was waiting for him on the couch, naked with a sharkish, hungry invitation to break its frame further. Who was he to deny her? Tired and sore as he might be.

　　The only part about that somewhat upsetting him was that he had fallen behind on some work he wanted to tackle. Namely using the explosives to carve a route from the deep space satellite high in the mountains to their home. If they dedicated a week of camping, digging, and a healthy dosage of explosives to the project, any trips up there would be short. It would no longer take him three days to get there and three to return. Samuel had someone who would be waiting for him to return after all, so getting back home actually mattered again, and ensuring they had plenty of time together was worth the few days of exhaustive work.

　　The Varintluk gracefully rolled through a thick area of trees, the dense canopy opening to a vast field and a bright blue sky, allowing Samuel plenty of time to pour himself a cup of coffee. His cup had gone dry hours ago. He could have asked Scarletra to pour some, but the thermos was on his left, and with him weaving through tight squeezes, he did not need her squashy frame pressing against him, causing them to crash. They weren`t going incredibly fast, but the sentiment still stood.

　　While Samuel was pouring a steaming cup of the black ambrosia, the radio squawked, and the smooth tones of Liro of all people came over. "Sam, how copy?"

　　"Can you get that," Samuel asked while trying to pour and not have the Varintluk go off course.

　　"Hello, we hear you," Scareltra replied, picking up the handset and speaker combo.

　　"Who are you? Where is Samuel? He is the only person who should be on this network," Liro replied, his confusion evident even through the crackling radio.

　　"Liro, This is Scarletra. Sam told you about me," Scarletra insisted, scrunching her brow at the question. Who else would be answering Samuel`s radio?

　　"Scarletra? I thought you did not speak Standard?" Liro questioned.

　　"Learned from Sam. Still not good," Scarletra happily replied, clearly enjoying the chance to use the radio. Samuel had taught her how to use it just in case of an emergency, or he was just away when communications came in.

　　 "Well, that`s impressive. Is he able to hear me?" Liro replied.

　　"He can," Scarletra replied, looking as Samuel slid his thermos back into the door`s pouch.

　　"Perfect, I just wanted to let you two know that the Sethun is two weeks away. They turned and burned that shuttle pilot who just returned from there," Liro explained.

　　Two weeks? Moi had left only a week back. Did that little goblin really fly so fast in subspace to cut the travel time in half? Samuel wondered about it for a few seconds and then accepted that the little maverick doing so would be in character.

　　Scarletra resisted the urge to chuckle; Sethun and whoever was escorting him here would likely be miserable while traveling with the bold pilot. It was a bit of a cruel thought, but she found the idea of someone else being subjected to the little pervert to be funny. Even though she was not excited to hear he was returning.

　　Scarletra glanced over at Samuel, nodding his understanding of the message.

　　"We will be ready. Anything else?" Scarletra questioned.

　　There was radio silence for nearly the next minute, long enough that they wondered if the reply had even been sent out. As Scarletra brought the handset back to her mouth and was about to reply, it crackled loudly.

　　"Nope, I got nothing else. But hey, you two, stop being strangers. I hear from the other outposts at least every few days. You two have been radio silent for nearly a month," Liro huffed.

　　Samuel set his coffee cup on the flat dashboard and held a hand out to Scarletra. She placed the hand mic in his palm. "Is that not a good thing for you? Less work?" Samuel chuckled after clearing his throat.

　　"Yeah, but come on, brother. If you two don`t check in at least every few days, for all I know, you have bit the dust," Liro replied.

　　Samuel and Scarletra shrugged at that, silently agreeing that they could handle it unless they needed help. Between Samuel`s weapons and tools and Scarletra`s craftiness and ability to defend herself from most animals, few things threatened them.

　　"We will think about it. For now, brother, I`m driving and can`t talk. We are about to enter the trees," Samuel replied. With the end of the clearing a few dozen meters away, he had to choose between chatting with Liro and holding his coffee. No offense to his brother from another mother, but that was hardly a choice.

　　"Sam, can I talk to him," Scarletra questioned, poking his side gently.

　　Samuel shrugged and passed back the handset to her. She greedily took it in hand, clearly enjoying having someone else to talk to. He could not blame her; if he had been alone for years, he would have been starved to speak to people, and Samuel did not like people.

　　"Liro want to talk?" Scarletra purred, cupping the hand mic in both hands and looking at it expectantly. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

　　"Of course I do, Scarletra. At least one of you wants to talk," Liro replied with a smug boast.

　　"Cheeky bastard," Samuel muttered under his breath.

　　 They happily spoke ad nauseam. The conversation lasted until the sun was setting, and it was time for them to set camp. They covered everything Scarletra could talk about without using her translator. Including her and Samuel`s relationship, much to Liro`s amusement and Samuel`s embarrassment. Fuck it, the man would have learned eventually, might as well get it out of the way early. And with her telling him now, at least Samuel did not have to. But undoubtedly, Samuel would receive private communications asking to fill in the gaps in the story created by Scarletra`s budding vocabulary.

　　—

　　The vibrant lights of the northern lights danced gracefully overhead, shifting between every color of the rainbow as they ebbed and flowed. Them and the gargantuan emerald planet nestled amidst the twinkling stars was a sight to behold, something many people would spend their whole life trying to find back on Earth.

　　"It`s stunning," Samuel breathed as Scarletra pulled him closer.

　　They lay outside the Varintluk, having laid blankets above and below them. Not that either of them needed the blankets. Scarletra`f fur and Samuel`s suit did just fine for keeping them warm. But relaxing with the others after the long drive and spending time outside the cab in nature`s beauty was bliss. Their sleeping quarters were in the vehicle anyway. So they would retire there soon enough.

　　"It is," Scarletra replied in standard, her heavy accent booming in the otherwise near-silent night. The only other sounds beyond their hushed words and rhythmic breathing were the distant croaking of birds and the howl of beasts crawling through the groaning pine bows.

　　Being out here using Scarletra`s arm as a makeshift pillow was a wonderful experience for Samuel. They would go stargazing once or twice a year when he was with Sarah. With Sarah, the positions would be reversed, but with how massive Scarletra was, him being the big spoon while cuddling was nearly impossible. But it was something he had gotten used to over the last week.

　　Despite how late it might be, neither wanted to move and sully the moment. The evening thus far was perfect. Scarletra had taken time to build them a fire while Samuel prepared food. Dinner was nothing fancy other than a simple soup, but amidst the chilly winds, it was calming. Their little chats were far more open, earnest, and straightforward. Now that Scarletra had such a firm handle on Galactic Standard, Samuel could listen to her, not some electronic facsimile of what she wished to communicate. Save for a few missing words here and there.

　　It is a shame for both of them. Despite their relatively peaceful life, this was Baritin, a dangerous and inhospitable moon in most of its climates. And they were deep within Barut`s hunting grounds, an area not even the warlike Ursana dare to travel in without desperate necessity.

　　And Baratin had some objections about the happy couple`s relaxed stargazing.

　　Samuel`s heart dropped when a ripping low growl pierced the night. He tossed off the blanket and shot to his feat. Whatever made that noise was close enough that he could feel goosebumps on his skin. Although nothing could have prepared him for how close that was.

　　Just beyond the edges of the firelight, dozens of reflective green eyes stared back. Moving just outside the clear line of safety of the fire, dozens, if not hundreds, more shadows crawled slowly back and forth. Be it a trick of the light or a genuine count of whatever these shaded creatures were, Samuel could not tell and would rather not know.

　　Samuel scooped the pump action up from leaning against the Varintluk`s side and switched on the attached flashlight. Swinging the weapon towards the first set of eyes in shaking hands, the creature of shadow was revealed.

　　As large as a wolf, with a coat of spotted greens, whites, and grays. Its oversized jaws snapped in a hungry challenge, slings of long drool dripping to the snow. The part about it Samuel found most unsettling was its eyes. Those two sulfur-yellow beads stared back at him with hate and venom. Far more than any simple beast ever could.

　　This thing and the legion circling their camp were intelligent, painfully so. Samuel glanced around the area, expecting the beasts to have closed in on them from the flanks and rear. But they weren`t. They hesitantly stepped in and out of the firelight, biding their time and waiting for the moment to overwhelm them.

　　He and Scareltra stood with their backs to the Varintluk, watching the encroaching crowd as they prodded at the firelight. Something was off about the way they were acting. They seemed afraid. No fear did not cover the idea; they were more weary. There was no way that was because of him or the threat of a shotgun blast to the dome. These beasts, whatever they were, had never seen a human and would not have an ingrained caution against humans or firearms like so many intelligent earth creatures.

　　Then Samuel realized why they were acting this way. They only glanced at him when the light passed over them. Otherwise, their attention was firmly on Scarletra. Her deep resonance growl drowned out the pack`s own. A solidified warning to them. He had been so hyper-focused on the predators under the bows and the sound of his heartbeat that he had neglected to remember Scarletra was an apex predator on this moon, far more so than Humans. Sure, human technology might tip the scales in his favor if push came to shove, but the Varintol needed no tools to be just as, if not more, intimidating.

　　"Should I shoot and scare them off?" Samuel questioned, deferring to her experience living the Barut`s hunting grounds.

　　"No, the Gurintla won`t attack. Likely just hungry." Scarletra replied, momentarily pausing her growl.

　　No shit, they are likely hungry and probably were looking at them like an easy meal. Hell, they might have thought they were already dead and just wanted to be sure by checking slowly. With how unsettlingly intelligent the biggest one looked, Samuel would not put it past them.

　　"Well then, what do you propose? They are getting closer," Samuel said, flicking the safety of the pump action off.

　　He knew shooting it right now was a bad idea. Scarletra did not have her earplugs in and was already on edge. He would be risking Hurot calling to her if he did. He was resolute, though if push came to shove, he would take that risk and fill the pack leader with buckshot before it cleared five meters. He would not let them touch Scarletra.

　　Scarletra gently lowered the shotgun`s muzzle. "No need for a fight. Trust me," Sacrletra assured with a commanding growl.

　　It would be wonderful if there was no need to fight, but Scarletra`s claws were still proudly displayed. Samuel nodded and kept the weapon in a low, ready position. He hoped Scareltra was correct. Otherwise, the Autodoc in the Varintluk would be busy all night stitching and disinfecting the wounds they would undoubtedly receive-if they survived. No matter how strong she was, and even though the shotgun offered him a standoff, there still were at least fifty Gurintla in the swirling pack. Samuel was not much of a gambler, but he would bet on the pack in a heartbeat.

　　Scarletra proudly stepped forward, regality in her stride. Just as she would if she was addressing a group of rowdy soldiers. Samuel used to wonder about that presence she occasionally showed, but after learning about her past, he understands it now. She cleared her throat and breathed deeply before unleashing a thunderous roar.

　　All sounds were drowned out by her command, her defiance. The bows of the trees shivered in fear, dropping snow onto the ground, showering the now frozen pack of beasts. The ground beneath them shook like a small earthquake.

　　Samuel`s chest quaved, diaphragm vibrating as the pressure nearly caused him to buckle over and vomit. He would be facefirst in the sleet if he had not used the shotguns to brace himself.

　　The moment her voluminous roar cut off, Scareltra scanned the cowering beasts, pride filling her chest as their tails tucked, and they slowly backed away. She was the master of this territory and would not be threatened by them, nor would they dare bare their teeth at Samuel. Most of the lessons Mother taught her about being a Matriarch were useless, but she still knew how to command respect from beasts or mortals when needed.

　　They looked between one another and Scarletra hesitantly, as if there was still a question of if this was a fight they wanted. To help them decide, Scarletra strode toward the pack leader, her shoulder back and head held high, a venomous glower in her eye as she looked at something truly beneath her.

　　That simple act did it.

　　The instant her foot lifted, its eyes locked onto her, fear oozing out of them, just as they should. With a short yelp, the pack leader whipped about and dashed away from the flickering firelight, his pack following shortly behind.

　　Samuel stared in awe as the shadows around the fire flowed like water, weaving in and out of the trees, desperately following their leader. Scarletra sighed, dropping her facade. She took a few moments to turn around and walk back to the fire, wrapping Samuel in her arms and pinning his weapon between them.

　　"Are you alright?" Scarletra questioned.

　　Samuel`s racing heart took a few seconds to relax and catch his breath. It also took a moment for his mind to process the eternity of what likely was only a thirty-second ordeal. He had never been hunted by a pack of anything and would rather never experience that again. But Scarletra got them through it with no injuries on either side.

　　"Yeah, I am," Samuel replied, sounding somewhat shaken.

　　"Good. Let`s get some rest, just in case bigger animals come," Scarletra breathed as calmly as if they were just relaxing at home.

　　For her, animal encounters like that used to be a daily thing. They had decreased after a few dozen brawls with packs or lone beasts. They had learned fighting her was a quick way to meet their end. Thankfully, this pack took the warning. An open fight with Samuel nearby would not be easy. How could she keep him safe while also not listening to Hurot?

　　"Yeah, let`s do that," Samuel replied, stepping back and turning toward the Varintluk`s cab.