#cb-comic

Ash wandered through the forest, looking for a good tree to spend the night in. The sun had set hours ago and the cool night air was familiar, even on this new planet. They stop when they notice Chokma some feet away, sitting against a fallen log.

The alien was so still that Ash would have thought they were asleep except that xier face was tilted towards the night sky. Not sure if they were intruding Ash started to move away and continue their walk, but stopped when Chokma turned to face them. “Hello.” Chokma’s voice was so soft that Ash wonders if they imagined it.  

Normally Ash would just continue on their way, but something about the curious eyes on them drew Ash in closer. They sit down on the log next to xem, the log balances the drastic height difference between the two. “What are you doing out here?” they ask. Chokma looks down and fidgets with xier cuffs as Ash patiently waits for an answer. They are aware that Chokma rarely speaks, let alone without Ketier’s express permission, but they’re not really sure why. Ash hasn’t spent enough time with the group to listen for the answer.

“I am looking for Constellations.” Chokma says when xe looks up at Ash.

“What?”

Chokma’s head tilts slightly and xier orange eyes look at Ash a little more closely. Xe raises xier arm and points at the stars. “Pictures in the stars.”

“Oh, those things.” Ash says a little sheepishly. “Never learned any.”

Chokma looks back up at the sky and they just sit together quietly for a while.

“There’s none in this sky we know. The stars look different from this planet than from our homes.”

Xe looks back to Ash, “No one has lived here long enough to name any.”

Ash looks up says “Well now I live here.” They trace a stick figure in the sky with their hand so Chokma can see. “See that? That’s me! Now the sky looks better with me in it.”

Chokma smiles and looks back at the sky. “I suppose it does.” Then they lean closer before pointing out a star a little to the left of the new constellation. Ash can feel their cheeks heat up. “That one should be my home planet.”

“Can do you know any other stars?”

“A few.”

“Feel like teaching me?”