I didn't know what to think when a black hamster with a white stripe across his nose appeared. Billy. His cheeks bulged with food. And he stopped when he caught sight of me. He turned to look back the way he'd come. Checking for the others? I thought I'd understood what John was getting at in his hamster speak, but now I wondered, had he meant only himself.
Even though I hoped that that wasn't the case, I took a step back, readying myself to run.
Billy shook his head with a muffled squeak. "Not hurt." He said pulling out a couple of the dry cheerios from his cheeks and pushing them towards me. "Bad night, Alpha?" He glanced over his shoulder again. "No others come. Me here. Not long. No Hurt" he looked back to me.
If hamsters could cry I would have been trying to hide tears. I hadn't truly thought Billy would go against me, to have it confirmed, relaxed some of the tension.
Some of it. I took a step forward to take one of the cheerios. "Bad Night. Bad time. Bad everywhere."
He nodded. "Not Good, Tried Not Hurt. Tried. Beta look out. Safety Me. Had Fight. Safety."
I hated this hamster speak. It wasn't as clear as I wanted it to be. My nose twitched as I nibbled on the food. "Beta Look Out?"
"He Here Many Seasons. Alpha Here. Bad Alpha here. Wants all Food, Wants All Others Alpha Him. None say Not Alpha." His ears wilted. "Not want hurt. Safety me. But You Alpha. Want Help. No Help No food. Bad. Survive Need. You. Me. Others."
Yes, I definitely hated this hamster speak. But, I could understand it after a fashion. Billy hadn't wanted to hurt me, but he had to because if he didn't John was going to hurt him. John ruled here, and to go against him would mean probably getting the same treatment I had just received.
"You Danger, Come Here?"
He nodded. "You Alpha. Alpha Needs Protect."
"Alpha Needs You Survive. Understand Fight Bite Fight." I cared more about his safety then my own. My crew took priority over my needs.
"Tail. Tail Only. Small Hurt."
I squeaked out a laugh. Come to think of it, he had only come after that nubby thing of a tail. "Others think same you?"
He shook his head. "All Mad. All Mad mad mad mad. Me Quiet. See. Hope. All Mad." he cocked his head. "Hope one. One Not Madmad. Suns wait. See. Mad. Scared. Mad Bad Gathering. All Want Burrows. Homes. Here Many Suns. All Scared Be Here Many Suns More."

#Henry