Nyt chuckled at this. "You kind of look like monsters to us as well. Well at least, that's what I was told. Humans look so beautiful up close." She said as she rested a hand on her arm. "Would you like to see some of the human stuff I collected?"
Abby chuckled, ”Yeah, I guess we don't have any room or right to judge… Some humans didn't treat other humans right because of how they look.” She blushed slightly before looking Nyt over. ”You don't actually look that scary either. Though now I'm curious about in what ways you considered us monsters.” She gave an intrigued smirk. ”Maybe I can tell you exactly what you found.”
"Let's go then!" She said, scooping Abby up again. "Also, are all humans this small?" She asked. Nyt's race stood around 6'6 tall. Nyt was 6'2. "I thought humans were bigger." She mused.
Abby squeaked a bit at being picked up again, her face turning red. ”I can still walk you know.” She rolled her eyes with a slight huff, ”Not really. I haven't met many but some humans could get up to 6 feet tall. Though most of them used to play a sport called basketball.”
Abby was only 5’5” herself.
"Not with that leg you can't!" Night said. "You're so small! It's adorable!" She giggled as she spun around. "Maybe we should wait till morning before I show you everything." She said, thinking about the animals out there.
”I’ve managed with worse.” Abby muttered before being spun around in Nyt’s arms. Her blush turning a deeper shade of red as she had to hide her face against the alien’s chest.
”Y-yeah maybe tomorrow would be better.” Speaking up again. ”And it's not my fault I got the shorter genetics. Though it does have some benefits with me being a scavenger.”
Nyt plopped down onto her nest, pulling Abby onto her. "How many of you are still alive?" Nyt asked. She wanted to know if she could help them, even if she couldn't do much else than maybe provide shelter and food.
”Globally? I have no idea. Where I live…” Abby had to think it over for a minute, ”Ya know, I've never done a headcount but I’d have to guess… at least a couple hundred? Maybe.” She tried to pull herself out of Nyt’s grip but the taller girl was too strong. ”Are you going to let me go or did you plan on treating me like a teddy bear for the night?”
Nyt was surprised to hear so many. "Huh. Didn't expect there to be so many." She mused. "And what's a teddy bear?" She asked as she pulled Abby closer. "Also, you said you were a scavenger. What's that?"
What is the purpose of a rubber duck?
Abby had to chuckle at that, unable to keep the broad smile off her face. ”A Teddy Bear is a stuffed toy animal that people, especially young kids, snuggle with when they sleep. It makes them feel safe.” Calming down a bit she continued, ”Yeah, I'm a scavenger. It’s kinda like my job. I go out and look for stuff we can use. It can be just about anything; mostly scraps of metal or something. Sometimes I’ll get lucky and find some stuff we can use for food.”
She gave a sigh at the last question Nyt asked. ”It’s not really that many. There used to be 6 billion of us on the whole planet.” Abby managed to tuck a strand her wild hair back, ”It’s kinda ironic actually. We used to think we were so special; the apex predator. But now we're more like the dinosaurs, except we’re only endangered at this point instead of extinct.”
"6 billion's a good number. Our race used to be around 8 billion before our planet got destroyed." Nyt explained. "Is that how you got hurt? You were scavenging? And yes, I do intend to use you as a teddy bear." She said cuddling into Abby. "You're so small and cute."
Abby huffed in partial annoyance but didn't fight. She had heard just about every nickname regarding her height but when Nyt called her cute… It was different from how the people back home did. They mostly did it to tease her.
Her face still red from being held, she attempted to shrug. ”I guess so. I mean, I was scavenging but I didn't see what got me.”
Nyt pursed her lips. "Well that wasn't good," She said, slightly upset. She looked over Abby. "Do you need a change of clothes?" She asked, looking over Abby's old clothes.
Abby raised a brow at the suggestion. “I don’t think you’d have anything that would fit me. And don’t worry about the cut. It was probably just a piece of metal or broken glass. Kinda thing happens all the time. After a while you get used to it.”
"They might be a bit big but they would fit. But if you don't want it then I won't push." Nyt said as she laid down a bit more. "Do you need anything else?"
“Not really.” She yawned. Abby tried to remember the last time she slept on something this soft. It’s not that her bed back home was uncomfortable… but beggars really can’t afford to be picky. She did remember the last time someone held her until she fell asleep.
“Actually, can I take of my coat and shoes real quick? They’re not very comfortable to sleep in.”
"Sure!" Nyt said, letting go of her so that she was free to do whatever she needed to do.
“Thanks.” Abby had a small sleepy smile as she sat up. Her “coat” wasn’t really as dirty as it looked, it was supposed to be the new camouflage. It almost looked like a cross between a pullover hoodie and a cloak. She pulled it over her head stretching a bit, though she hid a small wince at a new bruise on her shoulder.
Probably happened when I fell.
She ignored the pain proceeding to take off her well worn cobbled together shoes.
Nyt watched her shed her clothes. She didn't have much else to do. She wanted to ask her more questions but she figured she should wait until she was done getting comfortable or til morning.
Abby took a moment to decide that sleeping with her knife would be a bad idea tonight. Taking great care she folded her coat around it, then set it and her shoes next to the nest bed.
Feeling the soft fabric, she suddenly felt like she was imposing. Luxury like this was usually reserved for the old and invalid.
“Are you sure you want me to stay here? I’m fine with sleeping on the floor.” Abby said with a red face.
"Why would I have you sleep on the floor? You're my guest." Nyt asked. "Would that be more comfortable for you? If so you can but if you just feel like you don't deserve it than you do."
”Comfort is secondary to survival. I’ve slept in worse places.” She laughed a little dryly. ”One time it got too dark for me to get home so I made a little shelter in a junkyard. It was the worst looking thing I've ever seen, barely a shack, and I was cold all night but it kept me safe.” Abby shrugged. ”We learn that kinda lesson early.”
"Am I going to kill you in your sleep?" Nyt asked, with a smile. "You're not in danger so why is survival important now?" She said as she pulled Abby close.
Abby couldn't help a genuine laugh as she was pulled back into the alien’s arms. ”No, I don't think you would.” She smiled. ”It’s always important but I guess it's mostly habit to think of that stuff.”
Nyt chuckled. "I understand." She said. "It was like that a bit after we had to leave our planet." She said with a soulful tone.