Archive of Our Own

As his armored boot stepped into a mess of what was once a Terran female, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ couldn’t retain his disgust. 

The Council had stated they were here to offer aid to the Terrans, to demonstrate how to advance much further than they had for they had the budding potential to be much more. Instead, as of course a species with a history of distrust and war, they had attacked and despite knowing they had significantly more artillery, the Council allowed for a retaliation. 

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ scoffed. This was no retaliation, they were not fighting flora that could swallow their men before their own maws could. ꌚꄡꅔꎡꁄꄡꎡꅂꋃ who’s spat out a vile toxin that made one’s worst nightmares manifest as they devoured their minds. ꃲꅔꍈꁄ who had finally discovered the precious liquid of their world that allowed their bodies to grow ten times their size with strength that couldn’t possibly be maintained and thus they fight as if they were to die the next day. 

These were fragile, squishy, and small lifeforms that despite their endurance were easily obliterated from a single blast, easily crushed and crumbled from a hit, and unfortunately, the perfect size to be easily consumed with an even more unfortunate pairing of being absolutely delicious to ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s kind. 

This was no war. This was a massacre. 

And despite how long this “war” had been going for, it still made ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ sick to watch comrades that he had respected and even admired eagerly participate. To even pretend that this was an honor and that they were protecting their home and their people. It was revolting. 

They simply were gorging and indulging and to think ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ allowed these men and women to be even close to his hatchling. Luckily, he had been slowly distancing himself as each of his former allies demonstrated their true nature to him. It pained him that ꄤꅔꉈꀧꅔꍈꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ was losing more and more potential idols but it was for the best. 

꓅ꅔ꒒ꀧꅔꋫ꒒ꁍ꒦꒒ had especially agreed, angered by these “warriors’” actions even more so than him. 

“ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ! Are you sure you don’t want even a nibble?” His long-time friend , ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ called out to him, the remnants of a Terran male utterly reduced to a grotesque mess below him as he shoveled what ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ believed to be once the male’s organs into his wide and panting lower maw. “You are missing out, pal” ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ chuckled from his upper maw as ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ simply shook his head. “More for me” 

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ knew the taste of the Terrans, he simply did not find them as delectable and irresistible as the others had. They were not simply cattle, they had potential, and that soured the taste. 

“ ꃲꅔꇞꉈꅔꍈ, one of the proximity alarms was triggered in an area near you, dubbed Park Row. Your team is to investigate and contain” The voice through the coms and with a quick glance to his feasting allies, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ made a decision. 

“I will handle it myself, let the others finish containing this area.” ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ reported to the disgustingly delightful chirps from his allies. ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ’s the loudest. 

It would certainly be a pain to distance himself. He likely would have to have ꓅ꅔ꒒ꀧꅔꋫ꒒ꁍ꒦꒒ play up the overprotective and aggressive dam of a freshly hatched hatchling role. Not that she wasn’t. 

“ Understood. Report when finished” 

“Thanks ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ, next time we find an especially juicy one, it's all yours!” ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ managed to hold in his shudder as he merely nodded toward ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ and proceeded toward Park Row.

He missed his mate and hatchling. Once this mission was over, he would be requesting a leave. 

___________________________

Dick was terrified. 

Of course, he had three children to look after so despite being only 16 and still reeling from the fact that his parents had been devoured right in front of him only a couple of years ago and then shortly after becoming the older brother to three equally traumatized (possibly more) children.

And at this very moment, he had an eight-year-old who was way too tiny and his eyes were as big as saucers, likely just as terrified as Dick.  

So despite the terror he felt as he knew Tim had for sure set off an alarm, dinner bell his brain corrected, Dick did not falter. He plastered his classic stupid grin as he gripped Tim’s far too-tiny hand and the bag of their loot in his other. 

“It's nothing, Timmy! You did great for your first supply run!” Tim did not relax and despite how heartbreaking that was, Dick was secretly glad his instincts warned the boy otherwise. “But we should get going, come on!” His grin strained. 

“I–I–Im” Tim started and Dick just shook his head, grip tightening. He would smother Tim with all the kisses and cuddles once they were back in the hideout along with Jason and Cass. Right now, they had to leave. 

“Nuh-uh, no apologies. Come on, we should get going.” Dick pulled and a sense of relief passed through him as Tim easily followed. They had lost some time but those freaks were so easily distracted by bodies that whoever was coming to feast on two skinny kids would probably enjoy a quick snack from the many desecrated bodies nearby. 

They would make it home, they had to. Jason and Cass hadn’t been eating much, Dick knew that. Despite how much he tried to save food for them, assuring them he ate, they saw through him. They didn’t eat cause Dick didn’t eat, all three just lying to Tim in order for him to eat. 

A smart kid who has seen too much blood but was still easily fooled by his older sibling’s lies. 

But with this small haul, Dick would convince them to eat. There was enough for them all. He even managed to find some Twinkies, those don’t expire, right? Hopefully not, they would be such a nice treat. 

But first getting out of the store. 

“Hold” Dick commanded as he slowly stuck his head out of the shattered window they had entered. They hadn’t shattered it, no way, they weren’t stupid but luckily for them, some other poor soul had. They found his ring finger and his driver’s license by the window as they entered. 

A Mister Nester Sanders. 

With quick glances to the left and right, there was no one. No freakishly tall creatures that wore insanely bulky armor that might be actually a part of their skin since it somehow would open in the stomach area to reveal a gaping maw with so many rows of teeth. There were no glowing guns ready to incinerate. No sharp claws ready to peel back their soft skin or pluck their eyes. And no waiting tentacles ready to strike and drag to the shadows. 

Just their victims or rather what's left of them laid about in various forms, along with broken into, crumbling, and destroyed buildings. 

But no predators, they should be safe to run across. 

“Remember, Timmy, when I say run we book it across. No looking around, no stalling, and if someone calls out, we just keep running. Okay?” Dick stared down at his brother and he didn’t want to scare Tim. He was still so little. 8 years old and looking 5, but it was either being scared to death or being devoured. 

Tim nodded furiously to which Dick smiled. A genuine smile. At least he still had some little kid traits. Probably because he went from being cooped up in a manor to being cooped up in an abandoned room.

“Let's go. Come on, run with all your might” Dick commanded and with a tight hold on his brother, and a tight grip back, the pair carefully crossed the shattered window and then sprinted across. 

It didn’t take too long to run across this street to the alley that would lead them back home but it felt like they were running across the desert to an oasis. 

They were so exposed and even though Dick checked around, these bastards easily could appear due to their freakish alien tech. In just a flash, they would appear and that horrific long tongue could pierce through their skull for a quick and never-even-see-it-coming death.

That was the best way to go.

Hardly anyone ever got it though. 

That tongue would often pierce through your leg, your thigh, your arm or even your stomach and then drag and drag until you were sealed right inside the waiting lower maw. Those who were lucky were in such a position that the teeth instantly decapitated them, a quick death.

Others were still alive as the teeth sliced through their bodies, one half inside and the other outside, screaming as they watched their intestines being slurped up like spaghetti. Others, often those who were small children , often were pulled inside entirely.

Dick remembered seeing a kid getting swallowed like that. He could still hear her little wails for her mama and papa. Her screeching wails turned muffled as her fate was sealed. Jason had been with him, he had been inconsolable. He knew her. 

A small little girl whose parents had been kind and warm, despite their hardships, they helped Jason from here and there. 

At least it had been the lower maw, when people were dragged into the upper maw, that looked like a helmet yet it too opened to reveal a maw, it tended to be messy. 

Cass once drew for Dick, when she had woken up from a nightmare, a crude but rather detailed image of someone being eaten from the upper maw. Dick had comforted her but he couldn’t deny the intense fear as she included how the man had been struggling and she could see his form through the alien’s throat and into what they assumed was his stomach. A small form considering the alien’s bulk but it haunted Cass clearly. 

Regardless, whoever was out there above showed mercy to the two brothers as they made it to the safety of the shadows. As Dick looked around once more, not willing to lead an alien to their hideout, he let himself be joyous. 

They had practically made it. It was just a few turns to get home and then they would eat and whichever alien got to the store in hopes of a snack would get nothing. 

“Come on Tim, we’re almost home.” 

Looking back, Dick shouldn’t have been so careless to let his guard down after just crossing the street. Perhaps then he would have remembered to look up when checking for enemies. 

_________________________________

Terran hatchlings, children, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s brain instantly corrected. Terrans didn’t hatch, they gestated in their dam’s. Regardless, it was Terran children that had set the alarm off and it was mere children that ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ was expected to “contain”. 

There had been many statements sent by the Council to avoid Terran young, that instead they should be either left in the care of their sire and dam or a nearby Terran adult. If that was not an option, a common reality, they were to be contained and sent off to the Council’s Terran Care System. 

So far, no Terran children have been returned to truly establish the Care System. 

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ couldn’t contain the growl at the thought of many young lives being cut short. Terran Adults were delectable but their young have been described as irresistible. ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ saw the appeal but not in the way his kind seemed to think. The stench of fear that he smelled had his lower maw opening, not in the way of preparing to consume but how it would open if ꄤꅔꉈꀧꅔꍈꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ had smelled so terrified. 

His maw was ready to groom the Terran hatchlings young. He wanted to wrap himself around the two until they no longer smelled of fear. 

His maw began to pant as he began to feel restless. He couldn’t just leave these two. They were tiny, too small, they somehow looked even smaller than ꄤꅔꉈꀧꅔꍈꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ, and he was a freshly hatched! 

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ has decided. He was a highly respectable warrior of ꁍꅂꇞꀟꅔꉈ. He was ꃲꅔꇞꉈꅔꍈ! He would certainly be allowed two Terrans for all of his effort in the “war” against Terrans, even if he had been artificially creating the high numbers of casualties. 

So as the hatchlings young began to venture deeper into the shadows that the alley provided, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ readied himself. The pair would no doubt be afraid and ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ had to be prepared to not hurt them, on accident of course. So switching his plasma blaster to the containment blaster and ensuring the cuffs made specifically for weak and small species were on hand, he quickly followed in pursuit of the two. 

Hopefully, only the cuffs would be used, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ did have to convince the others that he simply wanted the Terrans as personal pets. Which was technically “illegal” in the way that preying on Terran young was “illegal” but at worst, he received a slap on the wrist and told of the responsibilities of caring for the two. 

The only ones that ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ had to fear was ꓅ꅔ꒒ꀧꅔꋫ꒒ꁍ꒦꒒  and ꋫ꒒ꌺꎡꁄꁕꇛꁄꍈꍈꒄꋃꅂꎡꇞꀟ reactions when they discover he has returned with two Terran children. 

Not for the fear of the children but for him. He would like to see his hatchling, hatchlings grow up. 

“Dick, do you hear that?” ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ paused, he was directly above the two, resting on a roof that was surprisingly intact. The younger Terran’s head swiveled as did the older one as they tried to identify the sound.

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ looked down to himself and mentally cursed. He had forgotten how loud his lower maw’s panting could be. The boys began to stench of fear once more and ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ took a deep breath. Despite the growing anxiety as he forced his lower maw closed, after a few minutes of silence, the Terrans relaxed. 

“Come on, we’re almost home. Almost home to Jay and Cass.” The older Terran whispered before beginning to lead the younger Terran again. 

The two were clearly nestmates, their appearances extremely similar. And to ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ ‘s luck, it seemed that they had at least two more nestmates. A mix of excitement and anxiety built at the thought of four hatchlings young. 

He had only thought of taking the pair here but he hardly saw the issue of two more. No one would truly care, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ had earned this. 

But first…he swooped down and continued following the young ones. As the two came up to a board, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s restlessness grew to the point where it took all his years of training to contain his form. 

And even then it took perhaps the strong will he had naturally been born with as the older Terran slowly peeled the board back and gently pushed the younger boy in. Then he followed, setting the board back in place he crawled backward in. 

He would allow them a few minutes, then they would have to leave. 

_________________________________

“We’re home~” Jason startled awake from the mattress he had been nodding off on as Dick entered their little hobbit hole. 

Usually, he would have been up, too anxious to even think of sleeping when his family was out but guess not eating as much means being sleepier than usual, figures. 

He let out a grunt in greeting as he began to set up and glanced up to see Cass coming over, in the guise of greeting them but they all knew she was fussing in her own way. Dick often had a problem with hiding wounds and it was only thanks to nearly nothing getting past Cass that Dick hasn’t croaked yet. 

The same could and has been said about Jason but he denied all of it.

“I know what you're doing, Cass. We’re both fine, scouts hour” Dick laughed before placing one hand, the one not gripping the bag of loot, onto his chest and then into the air. 

“You were never a boy scout though,” Tim remarked, huffing as Cass moved onto him to fuss over regardless of what Dick said though clearly he had been telling the truth since she let him go set the bag down in their “kitchen”. 

Which really was just a table and a few boxes. 

“Fine, Circus Boy Honor” Dick grinned, doing the same motion but now with a free hand. Meaning he looked stupid cause didn’t Boy Scouts do some sort of salute, this was like the Hunger Games. 

“That's not even the Boy Scout salute” Jason grinned but Dick shook his head. 

“Of course not, this is the Circus Boy salute” Dick tutted. “Of course, none of you would know this but I forgive you for assuming. Now let's see what we’re having for dinner, and I mean we.” 

Jason sighed but still got up as Cass continued fussing over Tim who now was getting annoyed. Something was off but seeing as she wasn’t grabbing their attention, he wasn’t going to fuss as well. 

“What did you guys get?” Jason asked as he came up to the table. 

“We, well mostly Tim did, found some canned soup. We got cream of wheat, chicken noddle, and tomato or rather...." Jason knew where this was going. "Timato soup" Dick's stupid grin grew impossibly bigger which dropped into a pout as Jason rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't appreciate my beautifully crafted pun. Tim was also able to find some granola bars and ... .drum roll please” Dick paused and Jason of course obliged cause he was hungry if it made Dick go faster, why not? So he bent down slightly to start patting his thighs. 

Then Dick showed off the prize. A mostly intact box of Twinkies.

“And there's enough for each of us and a couple extra!” Dick cheered and Cass began to softly clap. “Please everyone thank Tim for this find” He gestured to Tim to which Cass hopped a little. 

Jason was ready to say his thanks too when he noticed how stiff Tim had become. Cass had her eyes closed and was celebrating their brother’s find and Dick had his back to them as he began to organize. 

He was about to ask what was wrong but there was a knock which stopped all movement and they all were stiff. 

“ Children, I ask you to come out now” They had been found out. There was one of those alien freaks right outside their door. Right there, and they wanted to play. 

The worst aliens were those who wanted to play. They all were terrible but when they didn’t just eat or blast them, it meant they wanted to torture them for their amusement. A little entertainment before their meal. 

And they were stuck here. There was nowhere to go besides their entrance. 

It was risky when they decided to settle down here but it meant there was only one place anyone could come in. One place they could guard, as if they could fight off aliens . 

Now it was blocked by ones. 

Jason turned to Dick, hoping the teen had a plan but by how his back was still turned to them, the teen was just as terrified. He always tried to put on a brave face but Jason knew when Dick was scared. 

Cass was, so still, that Jason wasn’t even sure she was breathing and she had taken to holding onto Tim in a death grip, wrong choice of wording, wrong choice–

And Tim…tears had already begun to stream down his face and he began to bite down on his lip.

“Children, I ask once more or else I will have to come inside myself.” The voice spoke again and all of Jason’s instincts told him to flee, to run away as fast and far as he could. To someone break down a wall and escape. 

But there was nothing they could do. Why did Jason even lead them here, this place was terrible. Why did he ever think this was a good place to hide?

Why–

“Cass…Tim…Jason behind me. Im…Im going to go out there first” Dick finally spoke and he turned around. His chest was puffed out and he stood tall, he was trying to act brave. But he was pale. His hands were clenched and Jason wasn’t a genius in body language like Cass but it was obvious. 

Dick was trying to be brave. Jason couldn’t help the flash of anger. 

“No Dick, you are not going to–” He started and stepped back when Dick’s fear turned to anger as well. 

“There is nothing else we can do, Jason! I will be going out first and when the guy starts to have his way with me, you try and run. Please try .” Dick’s anger turned to a plea and Jason’s anger quickly soothed. 

He didn’t want to die. He spent all this time trying not to. He had been a street kid before the aliens came and decided to fuck everyone over. He did selfish and bad things to ensure he didn’t die back then and before Dick and Cass and Tim, he let people die. 

He couldn’t let Dick die. 

But Dick wasn’t going to let them die. And he was right. What was Jason going to do? 

“Please Jason, just live for me” 

Dick turned away and began towards the door and Tim began to shift towards the door but a simple hand wave stopped him. 

“It's alright Timmy. Just promise me you’ll practice more okay?” Jason didn’t know what the hell Dick was referencing but all it did was make Tim cry even more as Dick took a deep breath and began to move the board. 

“And Cass, take care of them, please. I know they're going to try and hide it all. I know you can knock some sense into them” Dick’s voice was cracking but he didn’t turn to look at them. 

He just moved the board and slowly walked out and the rest of them had to follow. 

They would have to run as soon as Dick was taken in whichever way. And while they needed all the time they could get, Jason still prayed his brother got a quick death. He didn’t deserve to be tortured, to see his organs and intestines spewed out in front. To be swallowed whole or even the upper half and watch himself be digested. 

Dick was too good a brother for that. It wasn’t fair. 

It wasn’t fair. 

“Good. Now please step closer, we must–” The bastard began and Jason couldn’t stand it. 

He rushed forever, arms out as if to cover Dick. As if he wasn’t too small. As if the asshole wasn’t like 10 feet, looming over them, barely allowing any chance of escape. 

Cass and Tim could manage but Jason couldn’t. 

“Jason!” Dick yelled as he tried to push his brother back. Back to where Cass and Tim stood, to which Jason had to assume Cass was trying to find some way out. The alien was huge, blocking them and there was a high chance he had tentacles out, ready to strike. 

Jason snarled. “Fuck you! Fuck you!” It was childish, it was immature, and likely he would get a longer death but maybe…maybe Dick could find some way out. 

“Jason!” Dick yelled, trying his hardest to pull but Jason fought him. 

“Child please–” The alien tried again and he lifted his gun. Jason’s blood turned cold. That…that wasn’t the plan. 

If they got blasted to nothing then…nothing could protect Cass or Tim. Dick and Jason would be gone in a blink of an eye. 

“No! Jason, please,” Dick shoved hard and the alien readied the gun as Jason fell. “Pl–please! Ju–ust take me. Pl–lease! They're too young, please!” The teen begged. 

“Dick!” Tim finally spoke and he too began to struggle. Cass’s grip was strong but Tim had been eating, Cass had not. 

So as she too joined Jason on the floor and Tim joined Dick, Jason couldn’t help his own tears. 

This was a shit show. Now they all would be blasted to cinders and…they were all going to die. 

Jason didn’t want to die. Cass didn’t deserve to die. Dick didn’t deserve to die. Tim didn’t deserve to die. They were just kids, why did they have to die? Why?

“It will not hurt children. Just a blink and we will be on our way” The alien spoke and if Jason cared, he might have noticed the slight shakiness somewhere in that voice. But he didn't, he just laughed with no humor in sight as he shut his eyes tight. 

Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt, just would kill them. 

And then a light enveloped them as the alien shot the beam. 

…

…

…

And the afterlife sucked since Jason could still feel the hunger pangs. And his knees and his shoulder still ached a little from when he was shoved and fell.

And whatever his hands were touching was really cold and smooth. Felt clean. Way too clean for Crime Alley. 

But he had to be dead since he was pretty sure he felt Cass’s hand on his shoulder, shaking him. 

As he opened his eyes, he did not expect to be in a big blue clear box. 

“What the fuck…” He gasped as he looked towards Cass who shrugged. A casual motion that did not match the mood. 

They were in a box. Not the afterlife as when he turned around to get a better look, Dick and Tim were in a tight embrace on the floor and the alien bastard was outside the box, speaking away from them. 

“Cass, what the fuck?” He asked again to which Cass simply shrugged once more. Great, amazing. Jason barked a laugh again. 

“Dickface, do you know what's going on?” He called, ignoring the look on his face at the nickname. Dick was only 4 years older than him, and he grew up on Crime Alley they were stuck in some alien box that probably was a takeout container, and who cared about the language he used. 

“No…I don’t. But come here” Dick commanded, his arms opened up and Jason knew what that meant. A nearly inescapable cuddle pile considering Dick’s octopus hold and Jason sighed. This was too much to handle and y'know what? Why not cuddle? 

Cass and Jason made their way, on their knees and slowly, an eye out for the alien who continued to talk to something. Then suddenly they were grasp to the floor and the cuddle pile was completed. 

Tim was in the center, protected to the best of their ability. Dick was on the outside and Cass on the other. Jason scowled at the implication that he needed protection, Cass was only older by a few months. 

But who cared? He would relish this comfort before the pain would begin because it would and his only comfort would be this last memory. 

So fuck the alien outside. Fuck all of them. Right now, he was sleepy. 

_________________________________

It was taking all of ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s will and more to not began to berate his allies for their comments as he asked for their assistance in transporting the Terran hatchlings children. 

No he could not spare one. No , he did not owe ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ any. In fact, ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ  owed him one. Not that these children were anything to be owned but in the eyes of the Council, they would be ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s property. 

It would be best that way. 

“ Alright ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ, won’t cash in any favors yet. We’re on our way over” ꑛꅔꎡꃴꁄꒄꄤꁄꍈꇞ finally accepted and it didn’t matter if there actually was any favors to be cashed in, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄwould not allow his hatchling children to be violated in such a way. 

Now to try and calm said children. 

He focused on the children in the containment box, wishing he truly had hoped he would not have to use, it was more of a hassle, a spectacle but they had been terrified and not listening. In order to ensure their safety and eliminate the risk of them running and ending in another’s gullet, he had to. 

He did not expect the children to form a sleep pile. 

“ Which of you is the eldest?” He asked, though he likely knew the answer. There were two on the outside of the pile, they had to the oldest of the four though the male was the closest to the perceived threat, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ. And he had been the one to try and offer himself up, that was the oldest, the protector of the pack behavior. 

Hopefully ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ would be able to show him not to do that. To rely on ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ instead. 

“I–I am” The male answered, and despite the youngest trying to cling to him, he sat up straight and faced him. Yes, this was protector behavior, how sweet, how strong. 

ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ couldn’t help the coo from his lower maw which he instantly regretted as the Terran’s eyes widen and glanced down. 

Moving on. 

“ Now that you have calmed, I will explain. You and your hatchmates will be mine. You will be safe from harm. Feed as often as you may, cleaned, provide clothing, and any other necessities.” ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ explained, the male’s eyes widening but no protests left his trembling lips so he continued. “ We are awaiting my allies to transfer you to the ship, we will leave for my home and we will work together to accommodate you. This will be the last time you will be on your home planet.” 

The Terran simply nodded. His posture suggested he was still terrified despite the direct answers that ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ provided but he understood. He and his hatchmates would be going off their home planet to the stars with their enemy, it would be quite scary for them. 

But they would learn and soon, ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ would have five hatchlings clinging to him, a dream considering their low fertility rate. ꓅ꅔ꒒ꀧꅔꋫ꒒ꁍ꒦꒒ would be angry, ꋫ꒒ꌺꎡꁄꁕꇛꁄꍈꍈꒄꋃꅂꎡꇞꀟ would be angry for ꃲꎡ꒦ꄡꁄꅐꅔꒄꍈꁄ’s rashness but they would come to understand why he had to bring the hatchlings. It was safer this way. 

“ Do not worry, no harm will come to you. You are strictly mine now. Forever and nothing will change that ”