An Alien Love Bk. 02 Ch. 12

So this week I am working on a gay love story that I have been thinking about for a while. It's for my Ice Era Chronicles, but I want to finish this story too. Also, I do plan to give Rhylent and JP their own story. I really think that all the aliens of the royal family should find love... but that might just be the romantic in me. So we will see if I can stop hanging out on Twitter and get to writing. Anyway, I hope you like what I've added. Thanks again for reading.

Be well,

~M. from C.M. Moore

*Chapter 12*

Learning to fight.

When Sloan woke, he was alone in the darkness. Struggling, he tried to remember where the water stream was located. His eyes adjusted to the slivers of brightness here and there. Earlier, Octnavin said the light came from the arena and the other cells. He said some aliens produced a glow and that was what Sloan was seeing through the cracks. Even though Sloan was getting better at navigating the low light, he still missed his alien. Without Octnavin letting him use his eyes, he was at a disadvantage.

Stumbling around, he finally found the dripping water. He used his hearing to figure out where the drops hit the tiny rock pool. After scooping up the water, he splashed his face. Then he pissed in the hole in the corner.

His eyes adjusted and he caught flickers that must be from where the platform dropped down from the dome. After washing his teeth the best he could, he moved to the rotting fruit and hunted for something to eat. A new batch of fruit had fallen in from a hole in the roof of the cavern.

He'd just peeled an orange when there was a bright flash. The platform dropped with Octavian on the metal next to a Folanto. The Dagerstanteen stood straight and tall next to a tiny Folanto with a metal rod. Without looking at the other alien, Octnavin jumped off the last little space into the muddy cell. Smirking, he waved a tentacle at the teenage snake girl.

"You are dismissed." He tossed some of his tube hair over his shoulder.

"I can't wait until you die." The Folanto growled. Snake girl then began to ascend once more leaving them in the dark.

"Way to be a dick."

"It is my forte." Octnavin sat next to him. "How are you doing, little pebble?"

"I'm fine." Sloan curled next to Octnavin's body heat. "Did you fight?"

"I did." Octnavin wound a tentacle around Sloan's shoulder. "You can see the battle in my mind if you would like."

Surprised, Sloan closed his eyes. He looked for the memory. Octnavin presented the image to him like a movie. The recollection was interesting since Sloan could only see the brawl from Octnavin's perspective. The creature Octnavin took on was three times his size and was a cross between a T-Rex and a scorpion.

"That is a Tarpodual. They eat everything they can catch."

The opponent had a long tail with what appeared to be a huge sword at the tip. Sloan sat enthralled by Octnavin's fighting ability. The alien had mad skills. In his mind's eye, he watched as Octnavin tired the alien out, and then at the end, Octnavin went for the kill. Unarmed, Octnavin stood perfectly still while the Tarpodual used his tail to hit the Dagerstanteen. Octnavin was fast. His alien moved just in time. Octnavin used the scary-looking alien's tail to drive the blade through the T-Rex's huge head.

At the wash of blood, Sloan pulled away from the memory.

"You've got fucking talent. Can you teach me to throw down like that?"

"Maybe that is a good idea." Octnavin hummed. "I will let you explore my thoughts and we can do some training before you are brought to the dome. You might live longer than ten seconds."

"Thanks, dick."

"You are welcome." Octavin grinned. "The first thing you must do when you face your opponent is know exactly what you are fighting. In my head, you must find the information on your adversary. When you know what you are up against, you will better know how to destroy the enemy."

Sloan thought about that for a moment. Octnavin knew how to fight like a herculean gladiator.

"Back in the fake hotel room, you didn't know how to beat the Folantos? You didn't know their weakness?"

"I could have won, but I choose to save you instead. I made a choice in that moment. I cannot have regrets or apologies. I make the best decision I can with the information I have."

Sloan was quiet. Octnavin lost to the snake girls to help him. Sloan had begged the alien for help in his head. Octnavin could have left him. Other than Elijah, Sloan didn't have a single person in his life who would do that for him.

"Thank you," he whispered into Octnavin's chest.

"Do not say thank you. You owe me nothing. I should have returned you to Earth as I said I would. I should have never taken you to begin with. I was distracted by your mouth." Octnavin shook his head. "It is the past now. I must let it go because I cannot change anything. We simply must move ahead. I will now help you improve your fighting skills. Rise and we shall begin."

Sloan hopped to his feet and then paused in the middle of the muddy cell. "Why don't you make a deal with the Folantos? Tell them you're a ruler of a planet and you will give them money or something if they let you out of here."

Gracefully, Octnavin rose from his seat and took a spot in the center of the cell. He was silent as he stretched out his tentacles, but Sloan found the answer. The alien hid literally nothing from him. Octnavin was sure that the Folantos would let him go and maybe even apologize for the mistake. The Folantos were nothing more than a bunch of space mobsters making some money with these fights. What held up Octnavin on making a deal was Sloan. He was positive the gangsters wouldn't care about a lone human and Sloan would be left here or killed.

"Let us begin." Octnavin waved his middle tentacle at Sloan.