In Search of Home

Chapter 66

Thruul's breakfast was delicious as always. Viktor, in a gracious mood that morning with the warm food in his belly, even let the alien pat the top of his head briefly. One would think Viktor had just hugged him with the way he had acted after that. 

"He is warming up to me," Thruul fake sniffed. Viktor squinted at him. He still didn't know if these aliens could cry or not. 

"Of course he is. You are making him fat," Vok'Rul grumped. He was just grouchy Viktor had used his body as a landing pad when he had jumped onto the bed to wake him up. In Viktor's defense, the bed had been really lumpy. He had no clue what had been blanket or alien. 

"I'm malnourished," Viktor said, just as Thruul came to his defense with a boisterous, "He was treated so poorly!" 

"Thruul gets me," Viktor raised his hand for a high-five. Bemused, Thruul simply blinked at him. "Aw, do you guys not have high-fives? What are you doing with your lives?" 

Vok'Rul tilted his head, opening his mouth to no doubt ask what a high-five was before Rukka, Kac, and a sleepy Nohkka came in. 

"Excellent, skewers are my favorite," Rukka said, sitting heavily in a chair and immediately picking up one of the meat skewers and tearing into it with sharp teeth. Kac dropped a half-asleep Nohkka into Vok'Rul's arms, despite the alien's protests, before taking a seat next to her partner and eating at a more sedated pace. 

"Hello!" Viktor greeted with a wave. Rukka grunted her acknowledgment, mouth full. Kac tilted her head at him, giving him a small smile. 

"Nohkka, want some breakfast?" Vok'Rul prodded the sleeping kid awake. Nohkka grumbled something incomprehensible. Kac made a dismissive noise. 

"Don't bother, Your Highness," Rukka elbowed her with an annoyed grunt. "She ate her fill on leftovers before we came over. Though, it was mostly sweets." 

"After my own heart," Vok'Rul cooed to the bundle in his arms. 

"When do we go?" Viktor asked. "It's games and stuff today, right?" He had to admit that he was a little curious about what kind of games the Vokkrus had. Though, the only type of 'game' he knew these aliens had were the arena fights. He suddenly grew nervous. "There won't be like... an arena, will there?" 

"No," Vok'Rul growled firmly. "No, there's no arena. No animal fights." Viktor's shoulders loosened. 

"Good," was his weak reply. Thruul shoved another skewer next to him, much smaller than the ones made for the other aliens. Viktor half-heartedly chewed on it. 

"We will go soon, little one," Vok'Rul told him, looking like he wanted to reach out and touch him but was unable to with Nohkka in his arms. "There'll be a little area for mammals... I think." 

Rukka sighed. 

Viktor managed to stay awake for the entire drive up to the festival venue. He had slept rather well last night, uninterrupted by nightmares. It was a pleasant change, one he was definitely willing to accept. Vok'Rul coerced him to sit in his arms the whole ride (the bastard had bribed him with one of the starfruits), and he got to enjoy the view. 

He had to admit that this planet was rather pretty. 

"Hey," he piped up, looking up at Vok'Rul, who was speaking idly with Rukka, Kac, and Thruul (the alien had been peer pressured by the three to come along, and he looked terribly awkward crammed into the limo with the rest of the aliens). "What do you call your planet?" 

"Oh! I suppose I never told you. Our planet is called A1-308." 

Viktor frowned. "But... that's not a name."