Caged

Blinking rapidly, she tried to see if maybe she had lost her mind. Maybe he had banged her head when he tackled her to the ground.

"Wh..at did you say?" she stammered, trying to find the words.

Staring directly at his face, into his eyes, she watched as his mouth moved.

"I said don't."

"You talk!!!" Bounding upward, causing him to pull back. On hands and needs she began to bombard him with questions, invading his space as she seemed to have forgotten where she was.

How strange, he thought. Most people would have been screaming out of the room by now but she was just jabbering away, forgetting her place. Surprisingly though, he found all this attention from her to rather amusing. Leaning forward a bit, it was then that he was able to take a good whiff her.

The smell was intoxicating. It was a mixture of her fear and excitement with hints of her feminine scent. It was enticing him and unfortunately causing a bit of arousal on his part. Pulling back now, he growled at her menacing which caused her to gather some of her senses back. Creating some distance between them, she watched as he began to stand upright.

Dumbfounded, she only watched as he stalked towards the door. Her mind was unable to make coherent thoughts. She could not even fathom how to fully assess this situation. All she could do is watch and examine how odd his posture appeared to her. Gathering herself up now, she clamored towards him, taking hold of him as he turned back to her, snarling.

"Don't touch me." he roared, causing her to fall back.

Looking down at her, he tensed, realizing that she was frightened. He did not want that...he was agitated by the situation, yes, but that was no excuse for his treatment of her now. Looking at her, she only stared blankly.

She had to collect herself. Trying as best she could, she was now standing, heart racing as she kept both eyes upon him.

"What are you? There is no scientific reasoning behind your existence."

"And yet here I stand." He answered back in a mocking tone.

He was walking now, pacing back and forth, eyes still lock on her. Again there was a silence between them, each wondering what the other was thinking. Finally, it was Ari that decided to break it, stepping forward as calmly and carefully as she could.

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"Have you been like this? Able to speak? Why did you remain silent this whole time?"

He had to hold back from laughing. His mouth curled up in a garish smile. A row of sharp teeth gleamed in her direction, sending a chill down her spine. Still a few feet away, she remained at her stationed. Her eyes were always on, very weary of him and watching to see what he would do.

"I have been able to speak since I was brought in."

"Why speak now?"

For that, he did not have an answer. It could be that after all this time in quiet isolation, he was lonely.

Ari only studied his face, search for any answer that he may be hiding from her. Taking a step forward, she watched him then looked at the door. She knew now that she had to get out of there. Even if he was being cordial, she was still in danger. Maybe if she continued to talk to him, she could get him away from the door.

Moving closer, she started to speak again, trying to be as familiar as possible.

"Alright fine, so why were you here in this region?"

Prompted with that question, it was only then that he seemed to want to openly respond to her.

"You humans just come into my territory, set up shop and I began to investigate. Like an idiot, I got caught."

"Your territory?" she questioned, eyebrows raised and face filled with curiosity.

"Yes, mine. I have lived here all my life. I have protected this land but I became callous."

She went silent now. She did not want to pry but a part of her was too curious to not keep pressing him about the matter. From what was being said and not said it was probably difficult to say if there were more like him. He may have even been the last of his kind. This discovery would a scientific breakthrough but something was bothering her.

"Why are you being so open? Why, whenever I am near, you seem more docile?"

"You come to me. You sometimes smile at me. You treat me as something other than a project. Not to mention you stand here before me and take pity on me. Knowing I could kill you. You released me. Either you are brave or stupid. I have yet to decide."

He did not know how else to explain it; this was all he could think of.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, moving closer to him now, still afraid but curiosity getting the best of her.

He moved a bit closer, following her steps until they were mere inches from each other. Both could smell the other. He her fear and she his crime but it did not bother them. In fact, it was all the more exciting to each. Moving closer now, she stared into his eyes. Those same honey eyes from the first night. Without any thought, she reached out for him, hands mere inches from his face before reality snapped her out of it.

Pulling away, he seemed to sulk, wondering why she would turn from him now. Looking at her, he had to reassure her that he was not a threat.

"I am not going to kill you." He grumbled, hands at his side and head down in a gesture of semi-submission.

There was something about her; something that was making him unsure of how to respond to her. Most would have the common sense to be afraid but she was lacking much of it. Moving back now, he sidestepped, allowing her clear sighting of the door. He watched her carefully seeing if she would motion for it but she remained.

"You could leave if you want, I will not stop you."

"I will stay. I need to document this, to ask you so much...there is just too much to...."

"No. I may be a creature, monster to you even but I will not be treated like an animal that you can continue to poke and prod at your leisure."

"That is not our...my intent. I am just curious. I would not be a scientist if I wasn't."

Smiling coyly, she stepped closer now, face to chest to him. He was rather large, there was so much of him to look at, to review him, to study.

"I am sorry. I am upsetting you.... I will leave you alone but I will be back. I think you will be calm if I treat you as you wish to be treated."

Moving carefully, she headed to the door, unlocking it while he stood there alone. He had not a clue what on earth was going to happen but he just went back to his spot, sitting and somewhat waiting for her return.