The room had a small window, the moon adding a little light to the room, but the flickering candle on the nightstand gave more light. The shadows were mostly still, the lump on a small bed, and the body sitting next to it.
"I can't believe you are still here." Lem's breathing was heavy, yet their flesh barely moved. "Not with your egg-child so far from here."
"And leave my hatch-mate alone during their time of need?" Leama reached out, twirling one of their tentacles around the last one of Lem's they could sustain in their ill state. The tentacle hung limply off the side of the bed.
"We both knew this was coming." Lem started coughing. It didn't sound much different from before the famine started and Lem decided to give Leama their emergency rations. Lem flexed their tentacle. "We said our goodbyes long ago."
"I'd regret it if I didn't say mine again." Leama leaned in close, their eye stalk hovering over Lem's eye. The ill Qwortarian's pupil was fully dilated, a black abyss.
"Won't you regret not helping Skylar?"
"My child is resourceful, and if they believe they are fully capable of finding an alternate food source, which can resist this blight, then I believe them."
"You are speaking of the same child who has failed their landing test several times." Lem almost chuckled, but wheezed instead.
"They have vastly improved since the simulation they had wiped out a major city." Leama did chuckle. "But it is a shame they didn't get a ship equipped with a short range transporter."
"Make good use of those rations." Lem's eye started to close. "And remind Jatydid and Skylar that I love them."
"Of course Lem." Lem's tentacle tightened a little, and Leama nuzzled their beak with their own. "We love you too. Enjoy The Great Afterlife."
Lem chirped and their heavy breaths stopped. Leama draped the blanket over Lem and left the room.
Word count: 324
