The ball of feathers, just a little bigger than the girl, is trembling horribly, the breathing underneath quick and panicked and accented with sobs. She's going into the vat again, they're gonna cut her apart and she can't breathe, she's so scared.

...but the human backs off a little. He doesn't grab her, doesn't stick her with any needles. Part of Tessla understands that he's a child and probably not a scientist about to vivisect her, but the trauma response doesn't exactly do logic.

"Help me, help me, please. I want my brothers, I don't want to be hurt any more. Pl-eaahse-!" She sobs, and to even more horror the sand gets wet underneath her.