Meeting New friends in unexpected places

The metal of the car groaned under the pressure from Fable’s foot as he stepped up onto it. The large tan and blue-grey iguanodon leaned his head down to sniff curiously at the strange object. “What is this even…?” he asked no one in particular as he inspected the rusted old car. The exterior of the car was melted and warped, seeming to have fused with the cold, odd-textured asphalt below.
“That would be a car,” an unfamiliar voice startled Fable out of his own thoughts.  Swinging around quickly to face the stranger, he was met with a dark feathered female iguanodon. White tear-like feathers led down from her eyes, and nine white rib-like stripes trailed down her flank, contrasting the raven dark feathers that covered most of her body. She stepped out of a derailed train car, watching him quizzically, “Have you never seen one before?” she asked, tilting her head slightly. 

“I- I uh…” Fable stammered slightly, caught off guard. “N-no, I haven't been in a human place before..” he finally managed to answer. “I uh… I’m Fable. W-who might you be?” He watched her as she moved around him, looking him over with deep night-shade purple eyes.
“My name is Xenia,” she answered, stopping on the other side of the car, watching him from over the rusted, mangled roof. “You should be careful around here. Human buildings are falling apart, and you could easily get hurt if you don’t know how to get around.”

Fable gave a slight nod, breaking his gaze from Xenia to look around the area. A railway stood crumbled to one side with the derailed cars that Xenia had emerged from. A few buildings with broken windows and some with collapsed roofs lined the street the other way. Old bottles and cans lay scattered, having been knocked out of trash cans by scavengers, and the asphalt that made up the road was broken and crumbling, allowing for the earth to reclaim areas as plants overtook the angular construction the humans left behind. He swallowed down his nerves slightly, then looked back at Xenia. “Do you come around here often?” he asked, straightening himself up and doing his best to steady his voice. Fable was far from the bravest or manliest iggy out there, nor was he very good at talking to the opposite sex; however, he did not let that stop him from trying.
Xenia watched him straighten up and couldn't help but suppress a laugh. She did a slow 360-turn and raised her head proudly, “Well, of course, this is my home!” She puffed up her chest slightly, smiling, “If you would like, I can show you around.” She turned her head back to him, tilting her head questioningly.
Fable’s blue and gold eyes lit up with excitement, “That would be great!” he exclaimed, then cleared his throat, “I-I mean, yes, I would appreciate that,” his voice dropping an octave as he tried to be more manly.
Xenia could not suppress the laugh this time and shook her head, turning and flicking her head in motion, “Come this way. And try to stay close, some of the floors are not stable and will give way.” She spoke calmly, then started toward the train car she had come from to lead him up onto the downed railway. Fable smiled and followed after looking around curiously.
“So uh w-what made you wanna live here?” he asked, carefully following her lead, slipping now and then on the smooth interior of the train car. Xenia moved with ease, not slipping once, having learned the best way to walk on the slippery surfaces of human architecture. She jumped from the open train car door and landed with ease in the opening of another train car that was still on the tracks.
“It's where I grew up. It is what I know.” She looked back over her shoulder, chuckling as she watched Fable’s poor attempts to follow. Fable was splayed out, feet anchored on what remained of the train car seats. The carpet of the center aisle of the train car was no longer really a carpet and was more or less a few tatters, leaving mostly cold, slick metal. As Fable shakily and slowly made his way up the train car, Xenia leaned down and grabbed the loose skin between his shoulders at the base of his neck, helping to pull Fable up into the next train car. Much to Fable’s gratitude, this car was horizontal and much less slick underfoot. 

“Have you been outside of here?” he asked as he caught his breath.
Xenia tilted her head slightly. “No, I have not, I have no reason to leave.” She answered calmly, standing in the aisle of the train car facing toward the doorway at the other end. 

Fable scrambled up quickly and hurried after her, “Are you not even the least bit curious about what is outside the human place?” he asked, catching up to her only to slide to a stop as she started down some rubble on the other side of the tracks.

“Well, of course, I have been curious,” she moved with grace and ease, finding steady footholds with ease. Fable watched, trying to remember where she stepped, then blew out a shaky breath before starting to follow her. 

“I could show you around. I know the jung- AHHHH” Fable was cut off, a yelp ripped from his throat, as he misstepped and the rubble crumbled, sending him tumbling down to the pavement below. Xenia blinked and rushed over to his side.
“Oh my, are you alright??” she asked quickly. Fable groaned slightly, sitting up, shaking dirt and dust from his feathers.
“I’m ok, I’m ok,” he repeated, wincing slightly as he stood. Xenia looked at him with concern written across her face. “I am sorry I should have slowed down…” “No, no, it's ok, really, I uh…. I am a bit of a clutz…” he lowered his head slightly, embarrassed to admit it, but he would rather ease her guilt than save his own pride, and honestly, it wasn't a far cry from the truth. Fable had always had a bit of a bad luck streak. She watched him slightly, then nudged his head. “Come on, I can show you how to get out of the city,” she said, softening her voice. Fable gave a slight nod, standing up and following after, much closer this time. Xenia moved more slowly this time through the city, leading him through the streets. After a long while of silence, she glanced at him over her shoulder. He was following closely but seemed lost in his own thoughts, head low, eyes downcast. “I would love to take you up on your offer,” she dropped back lightly to walk side by side.
“Huh, my offer?” Fable looked taken aback, slightly looking up at her. She offered a smile and walked up over another broken-down, melted car before lying on the top. The car creaked and strained under the full weight of a four-thousand-kilo iggy. She laughed lightly, “Your offer to show me around the jungle outside the city,” she reminded him. Fable looked at her, blinking slowly, before realisation dawned on him. “o-OH right! Y-Yeah!” he stammered, thankful that his feathers hid the flush that flooded his face. Xenia laughed and rolled off the car, landing on her feet with ease. 

“So tell me, why did you go so deep into the city?” she asked, continuing forward with him. “Well… I had seen it from the outside a few times, but never went in…. My friend Birch finally dared me to go in.” Fable walked alongside her eyes scanning the desolate streets. Xenia listened curiously, “Your friend Birch?” “Yes, Birch is a styrac! She’s a lil’ headstrong and likes to dare me to do things.” Fable shook his head. Xenia nodded slightly and looked up at the sky. Shades of orange and red were bleeding into the blues, and the harsh light bounced off the remaining glass of the surrounding buildings, casting an eerie glow down on the streets below. Though the sun was hidden by the tall human buildings, the change in the colors of the sky told the two iguanadons that the sun was setting.
Xenia looked back at Fable and stopped blinking. The blue and gold markings twisting down his body gave off a soft glow that had not been noticeable before in the bright light of the day. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts before taking a few quick steps to catch up. “But how did you end up so far in the city?”
Fable stopped and pawed at the ground, “I uh… got turned around…” he said shyly. Xenia laughed and looked at him, then around at the towering buildings. “Do not feel too bad, it is easy to get lost here. The humans liked large houses… and they block out the horizon, so finding your way if you don't know how is hard.” She walked over and bumped her shoulder to his reassuringly. “Come on, it is going to be dark soon, you can stay with me, and in the morning I can show you out of these streets,” she offered and started off again. Fable watched her go for a moment, swallowing down his nerves before following after, not able to find the words he wanted to say.