Always remember, if you can see it it already knows you are there.
Good news, this alien rock had enough breathable air to make resource gathering less of a problem.
Bad news, resource gathering was going to happen from the ground up. Literally.
Good news, the edible flora and fauna were easily identifiable.
Bad news… there was a human in the area.
Like K'tole, the human had landed here because of its plentiful resources very close to the surface. And all the fresh water and edible biota a cogniscent could desire.
K'tole was very glad of the thick underbrush, the first few times.
But the last time, K'tole was caught on a rocky mesa. Trying to gather ore with substandard tools. The human’s shadow passed her by. She froze. Hoping a lack of movement would fool its primitive mammalian eyes.
The shadow paused for a hearts-stopping length of time. Something made a noise against the stone that was K'tole’s only protection in this blasted mesa.
And then the shadow moved away.
K'tole regained her breath and her wits before she peeked over the black granite boulder to watch the human retreating.
It had left her a better tool.
Which meant that the human had known she was here this entire time. And had decided to help.
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