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Well, it must have been morning. Having slept as well as you could from lying on a mud brick floor I turned onto my stomach, and pushed myself up into a sitting postion.

When I was first stranded for the longest time I thought it was just a bad dream and that I would wake up with everything being back to normal.

As much as I wished it was all just one long dream, I wasn't waking up, and everything felt pretty real, so despite my silent pleading for it all to be a dream, it wasn't the case, and this was very much, reality.

Sometimes when I would wake from sleeping I thought I would be back there, safe, clean, and fed. But these brief seconds of respite were soon crushed when I found myself waking up where I had fallen asleep to.

I was still here, where I had last fallen asleep to.

The worst part. I didn't completley remember what the place was. I had glimpses every now and again but I couldn't really place my finger on where this place could be or what it was. From what I remember, I was a lot better off there than where I was now and that it had a lot of white walls and lights. Sometimes I question on whether or not the place was real and that these "memories" are just fantasies conjured up from my subconscience in order to cope with the reality I now face.

Maybe I was born somewhere and just kept wandering from place to place until I found myself where I am now. Perhaps along the way I damaged my skull and it caused memory loss. I mean, I did wake up wearing clothes but they were what an everyday person would wear. Jeans with a T-shirt and hiking shoes.

At this point its somehing else that keeps me up at night.

Aside from that...

The fact I that my odds of survival increased last night, I took it as a sign that things were looking up, and that maybe things wern't so bad. At least I wasn't alone anymore.

How long that lasted, remained to be seen. I don't know how the people here would react to me, but perhaps they wouldn't be so judgemental.

Looking around the empty room, it consisted of nothing but a floor, four walls, and a ceeling.

Standing to my feet I walked over to the purple curtian I moved it aside ever so slightly to get a peek of what lied beyond.

From what I remembered from last night, my scaly guide took me in, and then turned left, so based on this the entrance was to my right.

Directly ahead and to my left were rooms I had not yet gone into.

All doorways had the same purple coverings as the one that blocked anyone from the outside from viewing inside.

So unless she wasn't here and was out and about, she was in either one of those rooms. Or by the entranceway into the house...for some reason.

Back to the room I saw before me, there was a single blue carpet with, what looked to be hyrogliphic designs on it, as well as some pots of unfamiliar design.

Walking out from the room I woke up in, I carefully went over to the rug.

I was going to examine these objects further until I was interupted by the owner entering her house.

"Oh, good your up." She said.

I nodded as she moved over to the door directly across from the way she came from.

Watching her as she pulled the curtian aside to reveal a room filled with more of those pots. Strange. Food or water storage perhaps?

Well, from what I've seen already, the room she was currently in was storage, the room I slept in was...just an empty room which meant that the last room left unexplored was either where she slept, or it was used for another purpose that was unknown to me.

Such a small house.

I just kept still as she finished up whatever she was doing in the room. A few minutes went by before she emerged from the room and- well she got into a comfortable position on the rug.

She gestured for me to sit, which I did. Honestly, I could fall asleep on this rug because the rug was a heck of a lot better than sitting on the stone floor.

"Well, I promised answers to your questions, so go ahead, ask away." She said.

Thinking it over, I wanted to ask what she was, but decided names were a good place to start.

"Firstly, what is your name?" I asked.

"Nes. What is your name?"

Telling her my name, I went off to the next question.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but- what exactly are you?"

"That is a good question. I never seen any other creature like myself, so your guess is as good as mine."

Wait seriously? She didn't know what she was? More concerning is that she didn't know anyone else like herself? Was she some kind of endangered intelligent humanoid snake species?

Well the only thing I can think of is mass extinction, if humans were in the picture then its possible fear would be a cause of her species endangered state.

"So, you never seen your parents?" I asked.

Silence, but only for a few moments.

"I'm sorry, if that was too personal I-"

"No, its fine. No I never seen them nor remember them." She said.

That makes sense I guess, once snakes hatch they just slither away and start their life. Seeing is how she doesn't remember her parents, the same principle most likely applies here.

Still, the fact she hasn't seen any other of her species though- you would think by now she would see another of her species.

Depending on her age. It may or may not be offensive seeing is how she's not human. Still, not taking a chance, she did save me from dying out in the wilderness.

Which brought up the next question.

"How did you find me?"

"Luck." She answered.

Ok- I'm having a hard time believing it was pure luck. I could be wrong though.

"I noticed for several nights that the same rock was being knocked over, was that you?" I asked, though I think I already knew the answer.

"Yes, that was me."

"So why didn't you just confront me when you first noticed me." I asked.

"Well, based on your reaction to seeing me for the first time I had a right to be cautious."

Well she got me there. Honestly I would likely have ran away despite having a knife, but still I could understand her reasoning.

Mostly...

"So, where are we? Does this place have a name?"

"No, not really. From what I've been told this place was abandoned when the first residents arrived here years ago. I am- or was the newest addition to this place and claimed the last vacant house."

"How long have you been here?"

"A few months."

"Ok, sooo...what are the people here like?"

"There friendly enough, it took them a bit to get used to me, seeing is how I don't share the same social traits as the mammals here, the other reptiles besides myself are nice enough as well. We reptiles mostly prefer to be alone rather than interact socially."

Wait, other reptiles? There are other species of bipedal intelligent reptiles here? And did she say mammals? Why didn't she say humans?

"So, by mammals you mean humans, right?"

"I don't know what a human is, if your referring to yourself then no, there isn't any others like yourself here." She informed me.

Ok, so there are no humans, which means the mammals are bipedal intelligent creatures as well.

I'm not sure how to take all this. On one hand I was a bit disappointed that there were no other humans besides myself, and another part of me was nervous about the villages inhabitants. Despite Nes' description of them being nice enough.

How would they react to me?

Well, seeing is how Nes was accepted there is a chance that they might accept me as well. But I wasn't planning on staying forever.

Where would I go though?

No, I can ponder on that later, for now just focus on what is currently going on.

If I was to stay here, I needed to know if there were any rules, or responsibilities I needed to take up.

"So, if I'm going to be a member of this village, what are some things I should know?"

"Well, don't kill anyone or steal their stuff.. Don't start fights, stuff like that. You don't have to be a social butterfly, if you prefer to be solitary, no one will think less of you for it. Other than that, just try to live peacefully, oh and help around whenever needed."

She did mention that the reptile inhabitants were less social than the mammals. I guess the people here didn't like freeloaders regardless of what species they were, which I could understand.

However I lacked the knowledge to do...well village stuff. When I asked what some of the duties I needed to perform, she mentioned things related to farming, pottery, animal husbandry, that sort of stuff.

I think I could make myself useful. Now there was the question on where I was going to lay my head.

Nes said I could sleep where I slept last night and that she didn't mind having someone living with her as long as I wasn't a nuisance.

After thanking her she started to ask me questions.

"Now that you satisfied your curiosity, care to allow me to satisfy mine?"

"No, I don't mind, go ahead, ask away."

"What were you doing out there all alone? Despite having equipment I didn't see any camels, so either your a nomad who has had bad luck or your a wanderer or some kind. Am I wrong?" She asked.

After some thinking, I came up with something. Not a complete lie, but not the complete truth either.

"I guess you can say I am a wanderer or sorts, I don't really remember a lot. My earliest memory is waking up in the middle of nowhere and wandering from place to place. I might have hit my head because when I woke up there was a large bump." I informed her.

"I see.."

She looked at the ground, as if in thought for a few minutes before looking back up to me.

"I was going to ask more about your species, but seeing is how you don't remember much it would seem like a waste in trying to figure it out."

I just nodded once after her response.

She looked like she had something she wanted to say or point out, however she decided kept it to herself.

"Well, that was all." She then sat up, or I guess raised herself up to her normal height.

"If your going to live here, you might as well get used to the people living here, I already talked to Aria, she should be on her way here shortly, she will- well she wanted to see you for herself."

I wanted to inquire more about this Aria, but I just slowly nodded my head and shifted my position on the carpet.

After a few minutes passed I heard the sounds of someone entering the home.

Looking in the direction of the entrance I heard a female voice call out.

"Nes? You in there?"

"Yeah. Come in." Nes called out.

The cloth covering was moved to the side as a kangaroo came inside the house.

While kangaroos were already capable of being bipedal, like Nes' upper body, hers was more shaped like a human woman's body, the only difference was Aria had mostly human shaped legs and...breasts. Aside from her torso, arms and legs. Her feet, tail and head were anything but human shaped. The fur that covered her entire body was desert sand color on her stomach chest and pelvis area as well as on the tips of her ears, she also had what I guessed to be a pouch on her stomach. The rest of her body was a light brown color, at least from what I could see, I don't think the first thing I say to her should be asking her to turn around so I could see more of her.

That would get me kicked out for sure...

Her eyes were a light green color, and strangely looked less like a kangaroos and more like a humans.

There was also something she did, or had that Nes apparently didn't have to worry so much about. She had cloth coverings to cover her lady parts. Giving her a tribal look.

She stared at me for a good few minutes, as if she was expecting me to say something.

"You must be Aria." I said.

Taking a chance and offering my hand to shake, she looked at it for a few seconds before looking back to me and grasping my hand, giving it a firm shake.

I guess it is no surprise to see that she had the edge when it came to strength, Nes definitely was a good deal stronger than I was being able to hold me in place when I panicked.

"Yes, and you are?"

I told her my name.

"Forgive me for being so forward, but what is your species called? I never seen any others like yourself." Aria asked.

Before Nes could interject, Aria raised her right hand/paw, a gesture that silenced Nes.

Strange, she didn't even look in her direction...

"Though I don't really remember much because I bumped my head, my species is called a human."

And just like that, her attitude changed, or maybe her aura, the way she held herself, I just could sense a change in her demeanor.

"Nes, can I talk to you? Outside?" Aria said, backing up some.

Nes looked at me, then to Aria, then to me once again before following Aria outside.

Shit...This isn't good.

Ok, so based on what just happened, Aria knew what a human was, which meant that she is more informative than Nes, but if its true, then maybe Aria knows of a place where there's humans dwelling?

I had to know more, but I couldn't try to eavesdrop on their conversation, if Nes couldn't hear me approaching then Aria definitely would.

So, I just stayed in place, not moving a single inch.

When they came back, both Nes and Aria's expressions were neutral, which made me nervous.

It wasn't long before Aria asked me something.

"Tell me, are there others? Will they come looking for you?"

Her tone wasn't threatening. Ok it was a little bit, but above all it was authoritative, like the vibe you would get from a police officer.

The kind of situaton to where if you did something wrong, you had something to worry about, however if you were innocent, you would be alright.

"Other...what?"

"Humans."

"No?"

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't? I never really seen other humans."

"Ok, so if you bumped your head and and lost memories, and based on what Nes told me you don't remember a lot from before waking up in the middle of nowhere."

Looking to Nes, she held the same kind of mask Aria held.

Fuck...

The only thing I can think of is Aria, and Nes are worried other humans might come looking for me, but if that is true, then that means she knows...

She knows a lot more about humans that Nes does.

If she was acting like this by just hearing the word human...

But she did ask me what species I was, so she didn't know what a human looked like. Until now that is.

I just went with the first thing that came to mind.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked.

"Depends, will someone come looking for you?" Aria asked.

Oh. So that's why her change happened.

"I honestly doubt it."

"How can you be sure? If you don't remember then you can't be sure, can you?" Aria said, her tone never changing.

"I didn't wake up near any sort of settlement, I honestly, do not think, no one will look for me." I said.

Aria and I stared at each other for the longest time, our gazes never breaking.

After what felt like an eternity, Aria sighed.

"Fine, but if they do show up, I expect you to go willingly." Aria said.

"I will, the last thing I want to do is bring you trouble." I said.

Aria said nothing as she exited Nes' home.

I looked at Nes, while she stared at me.

"So you are hiding something." Nes said as she laid herself next to me.

"Its personal, but rest assured, it will not bring your home trouble."

"If you want to stay here, you need to be honest when it concerns the whole village, if this place falls, we will have nowhere else to go."

"Well then that is something we have in common at least."

She got closer and semi-coiled around me, putting a hand to my shoulder.

"Did you mean what you said? You wouldn't bring trouble here?"

Her voice was almost...pleading.

"No, no trouble. Being here, is leagues better than wandering in the wild, why would I endanger something that would help me in living longer and easier?"

"You make a good point, but what about the ones who already call this place home?"

"I would do my best to preserve what is here."

"So its self preservation then?" She got closer.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to live, right?"

"No, but still, if you could save someone, would you?"

"Well if there life is in danger I would do what I could."

"Not much else though? Not play the hero?" She drew closer.

"You wanted honesty, I'm giving you honest answers."

She then started to coil around me.

"What could a fragile thing like you do anyway? From what I've seen you aren't very strong when compared to me."

"Well I could abandon the place if trouble came, but like I told you before I would do my best to defend, that counts for something doesn't it?" I asked.

"I suppose it would." She begun to uncoil from me.

"You could help put out the fires, or perhaps be a tribute of peace to the raiding party." She said.

"Your joking, right?"

"Maybe? Where was this level of honesty when Aria was here?" She asked.

"Well, you did save me from dying in the wilderness, so I owe you something, you asked for honesty."

"Yeah, when it concerned the whole village."

I just shrugged.

She inhaled, then exhaled.

"To be honest, I'm not really going to try to pry personal secrets out of you, as long as it doesn't endanger me or my home you don't have to tell me."

"So, its about self preservation in the end huh?" I said.

"You said there's nothing wrong with it."

...

"You played me, you don't really care for the ones living here, just yourself."

"I never said I didn't care, sure I would try to do what I could. Like you though, if it comes down to my life I will preserve that first, after all, I can't help when I'm dead now can I?"

"And here I thought I was off to a bad start here, now were being both being honest with each other, unless your still playing me."

"Being wary is useful, however don't let it overcome everything you perceive." Nes said.

She then turned to face the doorway that led outside.

"C'mon, I think you should become familiar with the layout of the place your calling home now."

I got up and followed Nes outside.

Something tells me this is going to be an interesting stay.