Hello, and welcome to the newest Reptile addition to my story. Chapters may take longer to be published due to school and work coming up, but they'll still be coming. Anyways, hope you guys like the chapter, and if you do like it, let me know. Drop a comment, a vote, or hit the follow button. Now on with the story.

"D-don't move," the armed Earthrealmer warned Reptile, cleaver raised high in the air. "Quick as a flash, Reptile grabbed the Earthrealmer by the forearm and twisted, forcing his hand behind his back and wrenching the cleaver from his grip. The Zaterran then wrapped his scaly arm around the the man's-- boy's would be more accurate-- neck.

"You do not command me," Reptile hissed into the boy's ear. The Earthrealmer was a few inches taller than him, and he had a lean frame. He had brown hair and tanned skin, but he had a different hue than the other residents. Also, it just occurred to him that the Earthrealmer just spoke normally.

"You speak my language?" Reptile questioned harshly.

"What?" the boy was panting with fear, "English? Yeah. A-are you going to kill me?"

"Silence!" Reptile hissed, "I haven't decided yet." He didn't see any reason to kill the Earthrealmer. Granted, he did threaten him with the cleaver, but Reptile was honestly getting used to being attacked in this forsaken realm.

If need be, he could be food. He was hungry.

No, I have the bacon. I will survive. But what to do with him?

"H-hey, uh, sir," the Earthrealmer quietly spoke up, "C-can I--"

The boy was interrupted by the flow of oxygen being cut off as Reptile tightened his hold. He futilely struggled before quickly losing consciousness. Reptile checked quickly to see if he was alive with a finger to the neck; the boy was fine. Now, he had to get out of here, and hope that the late-nighter pegged this off as a dream.

______________________________________

The next morning, Reptile found himself feasting in the trees with Jaguar, both purring contentedly with food in their stomachs. Unfortunately most of the meat had to go to the cat, for it refused to eat anything else, but that was fine with him; as long as he got the bacon he fought for.

The raptor and his pet were happily smacking away when both creatures sensed figures approaching; probably another search party. Reptile and Jaguar both tensed up and rose to their feet, growling.

A few moments later, three Earthrealmers appeared, none armed. Instead, two held strange tins in their hands, while the third...

...the late-nighter!

"I don't know, this wasn't on the pamphlet," he was saying.

One of the other Earthrealmers-- one of the darker skinned ones-- replied, heavily accented, "You sign up to learn about way of life. This way of life." He the proceeded to spray red paint out of their tins in an "X" shape on his and Jaguar's tree.

"I just..." the boy drifted off, "Isn't this one of the big no-no's of the world; deforestation? I just feel like there are plenty other ways to show your culture. Maybe-"

"Don't care. You are not here for your ideas. You are here for ours. So shut up and make this quick, por favor."

The other dark-skinned Earthrealmer spoke up, babbling the language that was foreign to him and apparently the boy as well. The other man translated, "Rico say you should listen to us. Especially now that we have a wild animal on the loose."

Animal?

"Fine," the boy moaned. The foreign man nodded and handed him one of the paint tins. Without a word, they both walked off, leaving the younger Earthrealmer alone in the jungle. How cruel.

Reptile almost found the little back-and-forth entertaining. By now, he guessed that the young man wasn't from around here; he spoke a different language and looked all in all foreign from this place.

An outsider ostracized simply because he is different from the ones who originally dwelled there; familiar.

From context, Reptile assumed that the boy was supposed to spray more red X's on the surrounding trees, but, surprisingly, he threw the tin on the ground and rushed over to Reptile's tree. The Zaterran had to rest a hand on Jaguar's neck to stop the cat from pouncing on the Earthrealmer while he observed.

The boy took out a small pocket knife and began scratching and slashing at the tree, slowly carving off the red paint.

Hmm. Interesting.

The Earthrealmer seemed to hold a rightful value to nature; a trait that immediately gained him respect from the Zaterran.

He can speak my language. He seems quite bold as well. Perhaps it would be beneficial to speak to him.

"What do you think?" he whispered to Jaguar before remembering it couldn't speak. Confound it. If it proves foolish I could always just kill him.

Finally making up his mind, Reptile jumped from his tree onto the jungle floor, soundlessly landing behind the young Earthrealmer. Sensing a presence, said boy turned around to see the Zaterran crouched on the ground, staring up at him. The boy jumped in fear and dropped his knife.

"Oh God!" he exclaimed, startled. Reptile shoved a scaly hand over his mouth.

"Silence, fool," Reptile growled quietly. Much to the Earthrealmer's surprise, he removed his hand afterwards, "I came only to speak with you."

The boy blinked in surprise before regaining his composure surprisingly quickly. "R-really? Then, um, hello, uh, Mister..." he stuttered.

"Mister nothing," the raptor answered, "I am Reptile. What is your name?"

"Uh, Derek," Derek was apparently still a bit shaken. "Derek Franciosi"

"A strange name," Reptile stated.

"Well, it's Italian," Derek explained.

Italian?

"I care not," I know not. "Why do you carve the trees, Derek?"

"Uh, what?" the Earthrealmer obviously hadn't expected that question.

"You carve the markings off of the tree. Why?" Reptile repeated.

"Well uh, you see, the marks mark the trees that are to be cut down. I can't let them do that." The Earthrealmer was nervous but sure of his answer. "I mean, look at yourself. There's tons of undiscovered life that live in the jungle."

"I do not live here." Reptile corrected him. "Where are you from, human?"

"Michigan," Derek answered, "Uh, in America. But, I'm guessing that doesn't mean anything to you. H-how about you?"

"It matters not. You are not from here?"

"Uh, no. I'm here to study South American culture. For school."

"Hm," Reptile hummed. In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he started this conversation in the first place, but gods it felt good to talk to someone again. It was a feeling he doubted he would miss but there he was.

"Uh, this may be a long shot," the Earthrealmer regained Reptile's attention, "but could I, uh, please ask you a few questions? I'm guessing you're not from around here either, and, uh, it'd be interesting to..."

"I am not--" his refusal was interrupted by a shout behind him. Turning around and getting into a battle stance, Reptile saw the other two Earthrealmers, shouting hostilely in their language. The duo charged at him using their tins as bludgeons.

Reptile dashed into kombat, first kicking away to closest and more muscular one and blocking a downward strike coming from the other. While blocking, he punched the Earthrealmer twice in the stomach, spun, and elbowed him in the head. He finished him quickly with a clawed slash to the nape.

When he turned around to face the other opponent, however, the man was armed with Derek's knife. Reptile blocked the stab, but the man followed up with a punch aimed at his jaw. His fist made contact, and he reeled his fist back for a second blow.

However, his punch was stopped not by a green, scaled hand, but by a tanned, human hand grabbing him by the forearm and twirling him around. Derek grabbed the man by the shoulder and held up one of the paint tins, spraying red paint into his eyes. The blinded man's cries were silenced by Derek punching him in the jaw, knocking him out.

Reptile looked on as the young man-- he could no longer call him "boy"-- stared at his downed opponent. "I have wanted to do that for a while now, dickwad," Derek muttered.

"Impressive," Reptile commented after a pause.The Earthrealmer fought members of his own race for a monster like him, though. It made little sense. "Why did you help me?"

Derek turned his head towards the Zaterran. After a short hesitation, he said "Well, they only attacked you because they assumed you meant harm, while you attacked in self defense. Same as last night with the cleaver. In a lot of ways, actually, you're a lot better than them."

He fought for the side of a creature like me, who left him unconscious on his kitchen floor last night, simply because he believed it just? Perhaps it is possible to make an ally of this Earthrealmer.

Reptile hissed before quietly mumbling, "Thanks." he mentally sighed before adding, "I will now answer any questions you have for me."

Another chapter done! Almost hitting 30 :D

This chapter's cover was once again made by TheEqualizer, who recently published the fourth chapter of his own book. Be sure to check it out. Its great!

Next chapter will be Ferra/Torr going along the cycle

OR WILL IT?!

Thats all for now. Until later my gators!