Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

The Great Serpent (M2) Dreamie~Middie

Midnight

Midnight

Supernova
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
The oasis was a peaceful place to live... full of life and colored a vibrant shade of green, with plantlife providing shade to weary passerby who stayed at the edge, wildlife that provided nourishment and water that quenched the thirst of those traveling the great desert, this oasis had not been touched by humans for a very long time.

One the large rock in the middle of the body of water lie coiled a great serpent, a fascinating creature by the name of Sei'raan, a Naga. 'Raan was lying back, with most of his serpentine body coiled around the rock, the human upper body hanging off the edge near the water, eyes closed while he soaked up the sun.

'Raan was a beautiful Naga, an excellent specimen of his kind, attractive to other Naga, and unfortunately even moreso by humans, his human upper "Half" was incredibly attractive by human standards, a lithe upper torso and arms, muscled well through exercise, though nowhere near bulky. The muscle was lean, and accented the well-tanned skin that covered his body, scars covered his form, several across his back from a slavery a long time past, fresher ones that were slightly more interesting marked the area where human skin met snake scales, several gashes from a female's talons, indicating he was not a virgin. 'Raan's angles were well sculpted, especially in his face, soft angles in some places, hard one where they needed to be. Golden eyes marked nearly straight through with slit-pupils looked lazily out from his basking rock, and a mane of messy blood red hair fell to a length that fell past his shoulders. Even more striking was the coloration of his scales, vibrant reds mixed with browns and tans provided camouflage and protection from the hot sands of 'Raan's home, the colors mixing into intricate patterns along the back of his long, serpentine tail. Altogether, 'Raan's body was longer than three humans stood tall, and it was essencially made of pure muscle. The creature was also formidable in that instead of humanlike fingers and fingernails, the bones in his hands were hardened and sharpened, his fingers terminating in slightly hooked talons. 'Raan hung from his rock lazily, absorbing the sun and enjoying himself

A smell 'Raan had not recognized caught his attention, it was a sweet smell, one he did not recognized... it smelled really good. 'Raan's mouth watered at the smell and his body uncoiled, sliding off the rock and moving towardes the smell. In an opening in the trees 'raan spotted what looked like a dead deer, though it smelled far better than any carrion he had ever smelled. Though 'raan preferred his prey much more alive, he was curious, he slid through the trees, remaining low to the ground and curious. The Naga approached the thing, wondering what it could possibly be.

'Raan was interrupted by scuffling sounds coming from near the outside of the oasis, his pointed ears were much sharper than a humans, he heard the sound of grinding sand, a human foot sinking into in it. The great Serpent's attention moved instantly away from the deer and towards the sound. Those who had tried to lure him out of the safety of his oasis were going to pay for their transgression. The humans likely didn't know that the Naga had heard them, they were fairly stupid creatures, and thought the same of Naga kind, it was easy to get them to underestimate him. The carcass was bait, they were trying to lure him out and capture him. The Naga male slid towards the carcass, moving curiously and cautiously to the free meal... 'Raan could assume that the deer had died of heat, but there was no sign of it dragging itself towards the Oasis, as those who died from the wrath of the desert always did. When 'raan grew close enough the sound of scuffling came from behind him, he noticed a wire in the sand, and every sense went on red alert. The human moved quickly through the deep sand, a club in hand... One of the slavers got impatient, and perhaps thought he could chase the Naga into the trap.

The slaver was young, and inexperienced, he thought he could actually chase the Naga into the trap. 'Raan moved before the human could react, spinning and aiming a vicious backhand swipe of his claws at the human's face. The blow landed despite the human's intentions. 'Raa's backhand strike killed the human who was leaping towards him instantly. The miserable creature hit the sandy ground hard and bounced a couple time before rolling to a stop. The hard bones of the back or 'Raan's talons had smashed face and crushed his skull. The charging humans didn't have time to cast the net, the great snake moved far too quickly for them to catch up with, the net that they had prepared hit the sand and covered the end of his tail, not the area they had planned to net. 'Raan's feelings sunk when he noticed there were many of them, they likely had been traveling and had spotted him, this raid was inevitable.

"Fuckit" One of the humans roared, the rest of them rushing from their hiding spots to confront the great serpent. The humans attacked him en masse, trying to overwhelm him. 'Raan reared back, his upper body rising a good seven feet in the air, towering over the humans. They came at him with clubs and axes and nets, intent to bring him down by force. 'Raam grabbed the first one by the arm and squeezed, tossing him aside when he heard the crunch of bone, the second human wasn't so lucky, the talonlike claws cut through him nearly effortlessly, gouging four even lines into his chest. Blood met with sand as the battle waged on. 'Raan fought hard, striking with his tail and with his claws when the humans had gotten too close. Humans were nowhere near as tough as a Desert Naga, they were notoriously hard to capture, but collectors payed a royal ransom for them, especially full grown, handsome Naga like 'Raan. The slavers had likely been watching him from the shadows for some time, waiting to set their trap.

'Raan killed another human, but more took his place, the humans outnumbered him greatly, and eventually one might get lucky. Two humans swung ropes, catching one of 'raan's hands and one going around his neck, the loops at the end of them tightening. The naga hissed angrily, showing the full of his fangs to the humans as they gathered, trying to force him to the ground. 'Raan was beginning to tire, there was far too many of them. 'Raan roared, he would fight to the death if need be, there was no way the humans would capture him again.
 


      • The trek from the merchant city along the coastline to Haven was constantly a journey filled with trials. It was rare that the revolutionaries and rebels successfully completed the venture without any casualties. Though their routes to city often changed with the coming of seasons and appearances of slave drivers and mercenaries, losses were virtually impossible to avoid. The slaves they freed would sometimes succumb to heat exhaustion, water deprivation and heart failure, but never were any of their trips unsuccessful. The relief efforts began three years ago after a man named Deacon Dai C'zeron fled from his captors and murdered several hundred slave drivers with his bare hands. Bearing the hunter's brand that marked him eternally a slave, he attained the simple title "Deacon the Bear" that described his raw power and his lack of abjuration. He inspired hundreds of slaves that were surfeited to free themselves. This movement was called simply the Paradigm Shift. Since then Deacon attained hundreds upon hundreds of loyal followers that indebted their life to him and his effort to put an end to the slave trade in their isolated, unnamed country. Slavery elsewhere was frowned upon and if ever superiors, kings, tyrants or rulers in neighboring countries learned of such a genocide they would swiftly ensue justice. However, such a plight could easily be mistaken as a lie. If three or four people managed to flee from the country and inform other ruling bodies, what worth did their word mean? But, if thousands upon thousands could vouch then something would have to be done.

        This was Deacon's plan. He schemed to bring approximately three thousands slaves to the neighboring country across the sea and inform the pharaoh their if the ill-doing elsewhere. This was the last trip to the city of Haven - a city erected years ago when merchants sensed the coming slave era. Deacon himself joined the raid of a slave encampment and promised to personally escort each slave to Haven. Along the way they ran into a formidable foe - slavers who had found their trekking route - and made an attempt to recapture slaves who were too feeble to oppose them and slaughter those who were brazen enough to do so. Deacon fought mercilessly and insured his comrades were protected but not without injury. Several bore physical impairments that would need rest and time to heal before they continued the journey to Haven. It was risky, and despite the plight of his comrades, Deacon demanded they set up camp in the nearest oasis (which he had deemed safe and unmapped) to lick their wounds, ration their supplies and regroup entirely. The darkness was their comrade and acted as a shadowy veil over their resting spot near a natural spring aside a copse of massive palm trees. Several of the men - revolutionaries and slaves alike - gathered around a foot of one of the enormous coconut trees and accumulated their efforts to farm the fruits whereas others - who were injured - huddled around a dull camp fire to get warm. Deacon knew if they made a fire too large it could attract slave caravans streaming across the desert at night, but he realized with the foliage cover they were receiving it would be difficult to spot them. That, and smoke was virtually unseen during moonless nights.

        "Where's Ammon?" The man's inquisitive tone did not irk his superior, Deacon. The massive man shrugged his broad shoulders, heaving a strong breath and continued to strip a freshly harvested water root from the oasis spring. His best friend and loyal follower Irvine was disgusted by his comrade's eating habits. Deacon would preach how important it was to keep one's energy level's as high as possibly even if it meant feasting on unappetizing sources of nutrients. Irvine cringed as Deacon bore into the root, viciously ripping the girth from its lush leaves. "I hardly find that appropriate," Irvine jested. Unlike his comrade Deacon, Irvine was nearly a head smaller and much less muscular. His eyes were chocolate brown unlike Deacon's whose were jade, and he also had many less tattoos and brands to call his own. Irvine found his view clouded by the dark mess that was night then shuffled over towards a log they had dragged over to the fire pit earlier. "You know, Mister Bear, it's not right to leave your sister pussyfooting about in the darkness. This spring is notorious for naga! She'd be devoured whole by one of those snaky fiends!" To get his point across, Irvine curled his fingers into make-shift talons (which he found quite menacing!) and hissed. Deacon chuckled for the first time in days. His voice was so notoriously deep one would believe it could split fissures in the earth and rip quakes through canyons. "Ammon is resourceful and wise for her age. We wouldn't have made it this far if it wasn't for her quick thinking. She would be hurt if she learned you were underestimating her ability this entire trip."

        Suddenly, Irvine yelped. He peered downward at his feet where a beaten and bloodied boar lay. He directed his horrified gaze upward where he was blessed with an attractive image. That of a woman, a tall, curvaceous one, though her soft visage was covered in clods of dirt and mud. "Damn! You killed that?" he questioned, prodding at the woman's questionable kill. "No, Irvine. She just happened to find it half-digested by a rainbow colored naga." Irvine sneered at his larger companion and rolled his eyes, shuffling closer to further examine their late night meal. Already the woman had knelt down, wielding a particularly sharp dagger, and had ripped open the boar's gut with little to no warning. Its organs sloshed out with an unnerving watery gush, staining the grass and sand with blood and other such bodily fluids. Deacon intervened and plucked his sister's knife from his sister's hands saying, "You have been nonstop all day. I think it's time for rest." Ammon had translated to that as, "I'm hungry and you're far too precise when it comes to gutting a pig and I can do it faster!" in Deacon-speak. She heaved a nod as an approval and removed her shawl, simply laying it to rest on the girth of her shoulders. Around her people were ... happy. Families huddled close together underneath the stars, reminiscing and praising to their gods how lucky they were to be free. This was all Deacon's doing - if he hadn't come around they would still be cooped up in outlandishly small cages ... young girls raped and demeaned, elderly sentenced to arduous labor ... to think how a human could treat another human as such.

        The following morning, as perusal, Deacon's sister Ammon was the first to awaken. She was not put at ease like her brother. The footprints on the sand dunes they passed on the way to their weystation told her that it was a frequently used path by slave drivers. If her assumptions were correct, this oasis wasn't as uninhabited as Deacon believed. Aside from that she wasn't daft. Deacon's true intentions here weren't just to give the freed slaves rest, but to capture a desert naga. These naga were particularly resilient to the elements and easily just as feisty. As not to hurt her brother's ego, the amazon took it upon herself to quickly survey the immediate area to insure they were in no danger. At first glance things were completely fine ... but then she noted footfalls in the sand near the spring. Her pace quickened as she approached a copse of palm trees. A fire was left dully lit nearby, the cinders still left with an essence of life. Ammon gently padded about and remained ensconced amongst a bush until she heard cries of restraint nearby. Bright red coils caught her tart, ginger-ale eyes for an instant. A naga? So Deacon was right. With no weapon in hand she knew she would have to resort to brute strength - of which she had plenty of. With delicate stealth she parted through the bushes and grasped one of the naga's assailant's necks, violently jerking it upward causing instantaneous death. The other two humans were subdued just as easily. The first she hindered by booting him in his stomach, the other was tripped by the rope he used to tie the naga. While the men were left in a daze, Ammon fled down upon her knees and skillfully untied the knots keeping the naga from freedom.

        ooc; sorry if that was a little choppy and quick ... the next one will flow more, and I'll also describe Ammon more too. xD
        [/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
 
The humans staked the ropes that they had secured around the Naga's neck and arm to the ground, one of the phases they had to taking him down. They weren't going to give up, even though they were being stared down by a creature that could easily rip them in half with nothing but brute strength and his razor sharp claws... or crush every one of their bones to dust in his coils. The naga was rather obviously pissed off, radiating rage and slashing at humans with his free hand and claws. He wasn't going to be taken alive, they would have to kill him if they wanted to drag him back to civilization, that might even be their plan. (Though a living Naga was obviously worth far more than a dead one) 'Raan was starting to tire, and the ropes were cutting into his skin. The serpent would not be captured, not again, he was an adolescent then, now he was an adult, a fully grown, fully mature Naga. Another rope bound the Naga's hands together while the rope at his neck was tightened, further enraging him.

Out of nowhere, a human female appeared, by then there was only three attackers left in sight, the human killed the leader, who had been standing back, and the other two humans were quickly dealt with as well. 'Raan stopped hissing, curious as the female approached him... she wasn't like the other humans, having a different air about her. The Female rushed towards the Naga, who tensed in anticipation of an attack when she did, letting out a low, slow hiss, but when she reached for the ropes that bound him he relaxed a little. This human seemed less intent on capturing 'Raan, and by freeing him she had removed most of the chip on his shoulders, most of his wrath directed at the humans was cooled as his hands came free and he was able to raise his upper body off the ground., 'Raan flexed his shoulders and hands, stretching and casting the human a strange look, she looked rather familiar. The naga eyed the human female, lowering himself a little bit, more level or at her her height instead of towering should he be more threatened. 'Raan was still quite a spectacle, his ruby scales and patterns shone brightly in the light of the overbearing sun, golden eyes clashed with the color of his hair and scales. 'Raan had been bloodied, most of it was not his, but a couple injuries could be seen on his body, mostly on the upper body, his scales were like armor, hard to pierce, though they were still battered in some places. Compared to 'Raam of course, the slavers were nowhere as lucky.

The slavers had suffered greatly, many dead, one with a crushed skull, one lying in the sand, disemboweled but still alive. 'Raan had caused some serious damage to the humans, and the human female hadn't exactly helped with their plight. One of the humans recovered, the one who had tripped over the rope, he charged the female human, but was intercepted by the furious serpent. The human didn't stand a chance, and a few seconds later the male was released from the coils, broken and very dead. 'Raan uncoiled and moved away from the human, he had attacked in a lightning quick fashion, the human didn't stand a chance. 'Raan quickly moved to finish off the final slaver, and satisfied with his kills he relaxed, the muscles easing to a relaxed position away from his combat mode.

'Raan was still supremely irritated with the actions of the human slavers, even though he had been rescued by another human. He had reasons to be grateful, and the female must have been under the inclination that she would not be immediately killed by the irate serpent. 'Raan knew the consequences of being captured. Male Desert Naga were rare, beautifully colored and far less common than females of the species... they were difficult to find and were beautiful to look at... Collectors enjoyed using them as living decorations and as slaves, they were strong and hardy, They were useful for physical labor, and some more eccentric female collectors used them for sex. Naga sex slaves or harems were not as rare as they should be, a race enslaved for sex or labor, and a slaver could earn top dollar from Naga like 'Raan. 'Raan knew all of this because he had been through all of that once, but that was a time he hated thinking about that time as a slave.

'Raan examined the female human, looking over her as he moved, his body sliding along the ground effortlessly through the sands of the desert. 'Raan slid by the female, looking down at her "Thank you" he whispered, hoarse in his voice but gentle. 'Raan recognized the female a bit, but he was tired and hurt, and couldn't think very well, his mind was a little hazy still. 'Raan's body language stated that he wasn't too threatened by the female... he was still cautious, something about her made him feel less tense. The male slid towards his oasis, towards the water, he wanted to wash off. The female had earned the right to at least use his oasis if she needed to.
 


      • A wave of nostalgia hit Ammon like an overpowering ocean wave. This man's - no, this naga's - features were overwhelmingly familiar. The ardent glimmer within his serpentine eyes and the flicker of his desert scales made her stop and ponder. But, this was no time to fantasize. With the sun quickly rising the rest of the caravan would be up, fed, and ready to continue the journey to Haven though Ammon still planned on sharing the presence of slavers in the area with Deacon. For some odd reason she found that at the bottom of her list. This creature. She knew him. There was no doubt about it. But from where? When? Who was he? A name make things easier for her pinpoint but she chided herself and said she would worry about it during another time.

        She gave the naga a reassuring nod, her coal lion's mane bounding up and down with the movement of her skull. "Ammon? Why are you out here?" Irvine, being the nosy, intruding bastard he was, came parting the bushes and toting about an oversized broadsword. "A naga!" he fumbled to wield the weapon - which was larger then him - but held with the utmost grace. He took a defensive stance and stepped in front of Ammon, dwarfing her in his height even though she stood nearly six feet tall. "A desert naga ... help me subdue him. He'll put up a fight." Irvine prepared to lunge forward but not before Ammon could intervene. She took position in front of him, driving her hands into his chest as to thwart his attack. "What are you doing?" His genuinely inquisitive tone irked Ammon to unfathomable reaches.

        "Are you out of your mind?" The pure vehemence in her usual soft, nonchalant tone made Irvine feel as if he had just slaughtered an innocent doe for fun. "Are you?" he retorted, his voice suddenly low, "I know you know Deacon has need for a desert serpent. We need to bring him back -" Before the dark haired man had the pleasure of finishing his plight, Ammon thrust a furled fist forward which made perfect contact with Irvine's jaw. His bastard sword planted its blade firmly in the soil while his tumid body fell idle towards the marshland that covered the oasis' strand. "They're sentient. Attacking them, threatening them ... this makes them violent, irate and if anything frightened. You won't report this sighting to Deacon either."

        "Damn, woman ... you hit like a man. Jesus." He pressed his clammy, muddled palm against his jawline to check for a wound. If anything was wounded, it was his price. "We don't need a naga to protect us on the way to haven. What we need is to be prudent and cover our footfalls. Changing travel patterns every once and a blue moon may hinder any followers for a certain period of time but that's just it. It only hinders them. Sooner or later they'll recover and chase after us with a divine vengeance." Irvine wasn't paying attention to Ammon's bible-school preaching. Rather he had caught a glimpse of an attractive desert insect which hindquarters were vivid like quartz. He watched it until Ammon retorted. She threw herself on the ground, upon his lap, and took the crown of his tunic in her hands. "Are you listening!?" she cried. Her voice was a voice not to be reckoned with, deep and honey-like. It had authority.

        "Those fucking slave drivers are following us. We slip up this time and it's all over. All of those little girls go right back to their cells to be brutally raped and molested. The mothers will be put to work, raped alongside their daughters, and sons left to toil in the desert sun all day with no food or water. Get your head out of the fucking clouds and pay attention, Irvine. Things were fun once upon of time but this is no longer a game, for the price of losing this time is far greater then it's ever been before."[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
 
'Raan tensed with surprise when another human appeared from the foliage, a male human who knew the one who had just rescued him, possibly an ally of hers, the human was male and was wielding a sword almost the size of his body. 'Raan tensed bodily, a reaction to the human's drawing of his weapon. 'Raan had a feeling that this human could have been trouble, and as soon as he spotted the great serpent he proved his suspicions immediately. Humans were currently not 'Raan's favorite creatures in the world, and it was no wonder why, many were brutal and primitive, they stole away his kind for use as slaves and pets, even though they were just as sentient as humans themselves.

The human male immediately mentioned subduing 'Raan, speaking as if the great serpent couldn't even understand his words. 'Raan had a very good comprehension of the language, he had been taught by another slave during his time as a captive of the humans. The human still spoke of him as if he were an animal. 'Raan's hand opened, exposing the wicked claws that adorned each finger. 'Raan scowled and showed his teeth at the human, preparing to stop him fully with his claws when he charged, but when he did, the female stepped in front of him and stopped what could have ended up as a rather bloody conflict... 'Raan had just slaughtered multiple humans, though none were quite as big as this human and none of them were as well armed. 'Raan was still quite ready to defend himself, even if the female were to join in and try to assist him. The human male mad it obvious that his group too wanted to capture a Naga of 'Raan's breed, which didn't do wonder's for 'Raan's trust and confidence in the humans.

Fortunately, the attack that 'Raan was anticipating never came. Ammon intercepted the human male, stopping his attack by getting between them, stopping him from lunging forward. Ammon was tring to protect him, again, which was something that 'Raan appreciated, when the male again suggested that he be captured, she struck him. The action was pleasing but painful to watch, making 'Raan wince slightly, but relaxed a little, nodding when Ammon stated that Naga were sentient, not just monsters or beasts that the humans were free to just take from their homes. This made 'Raan feel a little better about his situation, that at least the female didn't want him captured like everyone else did. 'Raan had a good grasp of the human language, having been taught the language when he himself was a slave, a time that he would have rather forgotten.

"She is right" 'Raan spoke, something that would likely frighten or confuse the human as it often did, his voice was soft but strong, like the purr from a tiger, with a certain softness to the natural strength of his voice and a strong accent. The human was right, all this talk about capturing 'Raan and taking him back to their leader was only infuriating the Naga, his irritation was shown clearly through fine movements in his tail. There were hints of emotion to his voice, it was clear that he was still rather irritated with all the events of this day, so far things had not been going his way on this day. He decided not to speak further, it was evident enough that he was, he had emotions and feelings, and he did not appreciate it when humans repeatedly intruded in his oasis, attempting to drag him off for his own purposes.

With the threat from the humans gone, 'Raan wandered away to his oasis and washed up, splashing the water on his body and washing the blood from his hair and claws. When he was done he moved back, just in time for Ammon's speech aimed at the other human. 'Raan winced at the female's mention, girls being raped and boys being worked to death, those sentences brought back many many memories of less pleasant times. 'Raan figured that these humans were also being chased, but by members of their own kind, the idea that there was a possibility that these humans could have lead the slavers right to him made 'Raan uncomfortable. If more slavers came he would be forced to move, and he he would not like to do that, he had just found his little oasis after all, and if he had to leave he would have been less than pleased.

Something however made 'Raan a little more curious about the human's plight, perhaps that he at least assumed they were talking about protecting former slaves. The Naga coiled himself, making himself comfortable as he listened to the humans talk to eachother. They were clearly no friends to the slavers, though 'Raan couldn't be totally certain they wouldn't harm him in any way. The male waved his hand to get the attention of the female human. "Were those slavers following you? what are you doing out here?" 'Raan blinked and looked at Ammon, golden eyes inquisitive. "They normally do not come out this far, though I don't think any survived, some may not have attacked or even have gotten away." 'Raan fidgeted, resting back on his coils. "Again, thank you for helping me." 'Raan reached up and ran his nails through his hair, waiting a little for his answer.
 


      • Needless to say, Irvine was genuinely guffawed at the two that stood before him. His own companion had turned on him and allied herself with a serpent. But, he was in no position to oppose Ammon's command. At her behest he would lay his neck down for an angry mob. This particular adjuration was no different. He retreated from his defensive stance and skillfully re-sheathed his blade. "As long as I don't get in trouble with Deacon for this then ... we'll leave him be." In the midst of watching Ammon, the naga spoke, leaving Irvine once again dumbfounded. "You can speak?" he blanched, awkwardly and rather rudely pointing at the desert naga. In the thick of their bungling introduction, Ammon intervened and gently placed her hand upon his own and guided it back down toward his side. Even simple gestures like pointing could be seen as offensive to a naga, this much she knew.

        Stressing the lack of severity, now, Irvine decided to act like his usual bumbling self. "Don't thank her," he jested, "It's her job. She's a revolutionary. Well, she says she 'has no occupation' but she does. And I'm ... dreadfully sorry for being so hot-headed earlier. It was an order from our commander. He's been looking for a desert naga to help protect the caravan to Haven-" He stopped dead in his tracks after witnessing Ammon's menacing glare. Of course amongst his friendly stupor, Irvine decided to share virtually every secret he vouched to protect. "And I ... probably shouldn't have shared all of that. Sorry!" His childish grin only made Ammon heave a sigh, a rather jaded one at that. Her dark mane fell in heavy though glossy ringlets around her shoulder and lay elegantly draped on her tunic. She peered towards the path she and Irvine had used to travel to the oasis lakebed, then back to the naga, and a familiar one at that. She caught herself mulling over his marred flesh, registering the texture of his skin and scales.

        "I smell smoke," she noted blandly. Irvine rubbed his head of shaggy ecru-colored mop and craned his neck, straining to see up over the palm tree canopy. "Eh ... everyone's prolly woken up by now. If anything Deacon knows we're still gone, and he's probably flippin' shit. So, we should go back. Not sure how we're going to explain the situation or the mess. Knowing slave drivers were camping here will only add to his worry. He'll make everyone pack up and move out immediately. But, we both know the injured still need rest and food. So what do you say, boss? We tell 'em about the attack or just shove it all under the carpet." All Ammon needed to go was give Irvine the look and he knew precisely what it was he had to do. At that instant he approached the bodies, and with the strength of a bull, toted two of them over his shoulders and pressed on into the thicket. "I seen a tiny mire around the oasis strand. If we're lucky the mud is loose. We can throw the bodies in there ... the mud'll swallow 'em whole, and voila. Evidence destroyed."

        As Irvine went about his business, Ammon was left to converse with the nameless naga. As Irvine was going about his business, Ammon managed to put two and two together. The result was shocking despite the nonchalant expression on her sweet facade. "You're ... 'Raan," she began, letting her arms lay loose to either side of her wide hips, "The naga child from the merchant town. I remember you now, your eyes were so familiar." She took a moment to drink in his appearance to verify. There was no doubt in his mind about who he was. However. This was no time for idle chat or reminiscing. Casual conversation would have to come later. She had question she wished to be answered, and no doubt he did too. "'Raan. My brother has discovered a large group of slave drivers from the border that are traveling in this immediate direction. These men here were no doubt erecting an outpost to maintain contact between themselves and the other half of their caravan. Now that the contact has been severed, they'll get worried and come straight here. I think the outcome is apparent, so I won't beat around the bush - you're in danger, and more then welcome to come with us. The oasis will be swarming with slave drivers within the next twenty-four hours. But ultimately the choice is yours."[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
 
"Yes... I speak" 'Raan's response was slightly irritated. He didn't blame the human for his ignorance. "All of my kind can speak, we simply choose not to speak, most others cannot speak your language, slaves are usually not taught to speak the language, only understand it like obedient animals should. 'Raan only learned the human language from other slaves, it was unpleasant to speak to him, too far away from his own language, the one he spoke as a child before he was abducted and enslaved, locked up in a cage and sold to the highest bidder for whatever sick purpose they had. "Our language, at least to you, sounds like hissing noises, you cannot understand it unless you learned it." Naga also communicated through body language, though 'Raan hadn't encountered many desert naga since he escaped humanity, a couple have been unpleasant, other males were territorial, females would attempt to reproduce when they run into a rare male, by force if they needed to. 'Raan was still slightly bemused with the reaction he got from the human when he spoke,then when he decided to apologies for attempting to capture him.

When the human male mentioned that their commander had in fact sent them to capture a desert Naga in order to have one to defend them, 'Raan snickered, it wasn't unusual that he would find something like that humorous... Humans could be cute sometimes in their ignorance. "Perhaps you should have considered asking then rather than just trying to capture me like some beast in the woods, I don't know much of my own kind, but I am sure none appreciate that treatment." 'Raan blinked when the human retracted what he said, apologizing "Doesn't really matter, it isn't like I am going to go and tell the slavers anything, I am not exactly friendly with them." 'Raan spoke truthfully, he had no reason to like humans, especially since they held him as a slave during his younger years, the only reason he wasn't outright hostile towards these individuals was that they had proved themselves to be the enemies of his enemies. Something more primal in 'Raan just made him want to chase this humans away from the place where he decided to make his home after much wandering in his part. The human had shifted from wanting to capture him to a buffoon in a few minutes, the change had startled 'raan a bit actually.

Again, 'Raan didn't pay much attention when it came to the getting rid of the human's bodies. "Leave the rest if you desire, the desert will do it's job" 'Raan didn't care much for bodies stinking up his little slice of heaven, but appearance it was necessary to get rid of them right now.

'Raan gave Ammon a look when she noted and spoke his name, at first, he didn't recognize her at all. It took a bit, and a hard stare from his golden eyes before things clicked. "How do you..." IT finally connected, and his eyes softened rather visibly. Once he recognized her of course his feelings changed swiftly "Ammon?" The naga cocked his head, almost wincing when he referred to him as the "Naga child" That was a long time ago, long enough for 'Raan to figure out how radically Ammon had changed from the last time he had seen her. 'Raan had not changed that much, or at least in his eyes he hadn't,. he certainly had grown though, into a handsome adult Naga, a formidable one at that. "That... was a very long time ago" 'Raan's tail twitched and he folded his arms before his chest, a sign he was uncomfortable. The change in topics was a relief, though at the same time confirmed what 'Raan had feared, his little slice of paradise was forfeit, the slavers would be coming for their comrades, and chances were that they would be coming straight for his Oasis. "Really?" 'Raan's expression darkened.

'Raan moved a bit in his coils, moving to a position that would approximate to a human 'standing up' from a sitting position. "I don't have much of a choice then do I?" The Naga looked around "So long as your people don't try to capture me, I can go with you, it is certainly preferable to fighting an army of angry slavers." 'Raan sighed, his eyes moving down a bit, away from Ammon's, he was in no good mood with today's events, perhaps these humans would help him find a haven even further from humanity's grasp, he wasn't about to let himself be captured again. "If you wish, your people may use my oasis to refresh their supplies and rest, I will go with you, so I do not need the supplies" 'Raan frowned "When are you going to leave, and where are you going?" He had other questions to be answered.
 



      • With 'Raan's blessing, the group returned to the campsite where - as Ammon had predicted - everyone was just beginning to awaken. "We're going to Haven," Irvine explained as emerged through a brambly thistle bush, "It's a city at the edge of the country where slaves flee to after they've been freed from the clutches of their masters. Its ruled by Ramses La'Vaen, he's a desert remnant like Ammon, Deacon and myself. What we're trying to do is bring three thousand slaves to the country across the sea and explain to the king the genocide being committed here. Three thousand slaves will be enough to vouch and show the king that this accusation is no lie." Irvine directed 'Raan to a more silent portion of the encampment where younger slaves and the injured had been slumbering. He planted himself firmly upon a neatly stacked pile of burlap sacks filled healthily to the brim with oatmeal and dried fruit rations. "We'll be leaving within the hour and moving out double time. Our next weystation isn't for a few days."

        Meanwhile, Ammon had reported to her brother's yurt where he had been having a private discussion with one of the revolutionaries. Though his sister's entrance was soundless, he knew immediately it was her that had entered. Left unhindered by the dull darkness within the cowhide tent, Ammon brazenly stepped forward. Her brother's sweet jade eyes bore through the darkness where he had found his sister's, laden with nonchalance and obscurity. "I know," he began, leaving his gaze unturned, "You needn't utter a word, sister." Immediately Ammon realized he was speaking of the desert naga, 'Raan, who had been brought to their tiny encampment. How he knew was a mystery, and she dare not waste precious time to sate her intrigue. "Kale and I have been discussing an important matter. I need to stress the severity of our situation, dear sister, and things are beginning to look grim." For those who knew Kale, he was an elder man, one of Deacon's father's close companions. It was Kale who helped Deacon become the man he was today and promised his late comrade that he would see his godson become successful.

        "I have returned from Tevinter where Deacon has asked me to investigate. I have learned that another slave driver caravan has been dispatched and somehow has been informed of our current position. I believe that it would be in our best interest to split the caravan in half and take two completely different paths to Haven in hopes to hinder our pursuers. The plan isn't fool proof and will take us much longer to arrive then expected but ... I do believe it will increase our chances of arriving safely immensely. Deacon has asked me to consult you before anything is written in stone, Ammon, so what do you think?"

        "They'll be expecting that." Her immediate response startled the elder revolutionary Kale, but it was somewhat to be expected. "Splitting the caravan in two also halves are defenses. If we were to run into a slave driver group at one of our weystations we'd stand no chance. What we need is a decoy." Kale's drab eyes went wide. "A decoy? I have to admit that's clever, but ... isn't it a little audacious?"

        "Of course it is. I volunteer myself and Irvine to act as the decoys. I know another means to Haven though I've never been there before, but ... we can most certainly make some hell on the way there." Kale smirked. "You two are the spit from your father's mouth, I swear!" Deacon's eyes went low; he peered rather disgustedly at Kale, uttering, "That's a little atypical of you to say, Kale. "The spit from his mouth?" Couldn't you have used a more befitting allegory?" Deacon slathered on the convival nonsense while he could as he realized dark times were ahead of them. One slip up and it was game over. "Take the desert naga with you too. You're going to need as much strength as you can possibly acquire, sister." Deacon stood and approached his kin, taking her hand in his. It was then Ammon felt the cool caress of metal against her palm and the glint of quartz and agate. "Take this. You'll need it. Any who ... it's time to pack up. Take what you need; you should leave before us. Kale will be traveling between caravans for reports, so make sure to keep us updated, alright?"[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
 
'Raan blinked at the human male when he announced what their mission was, taking three thousand slaves to another country... that these humans rescued three thousand of their own kind was enough to surprise the Naga, then again, he probably had not even seen a thousand humans over the course of his lifetime anyway, in the marketplace he had seen many, but probably not that many. The amount of people they were moving would be incredibly noticeable, The slavers were on them, and if they failed, three thousand human slaves would go back to their masters. It was an unpleasant thought, knowing that he would willingly fight to the death rather than be captured again by humans, and a huge responsibility for those who were watching over all the delicious little sheep, with a huge and hungry pack of wolves nearby.

When they reached the area they were to wait in, 'Raan coiled himself up again into his default resting position, his coils nice and loose, with plenty of room to lounge around in, resting back into his coils and looking at the human. 'Raan liked lounging around, though he preferred to do so with a heat source so he could really relax. Like most Naga, 'Raan was not quite warm blooded, heat had a profound effect on him, it made him relaxed and happy, compared to the cold desert nights which strongly displeased him. His kind were built to live in the desert, and the lives of his species depended on the vast desert to survive. 'Raan rested back, his hands exploring the scales of his tail... the injuries the slavers had given him were starting to bother him, but he still did his best to hide them from the humans. The Naga stuck close to the dwindling fire, it's warmth pleasing to him in the colder air.

A light prodding sensation caught 'Raan's attention, bringing him away from his little fantasy in the fire. The Naga stirred, and gazed down to the source of the sensation. A human child had wandered up to him, a boy with wide green eyes and messy dark hair, very young in his age. The boy had been feeling the texture of 'raan's scales, probably thinking that the Naga would fail to notice his little exploration. 'Raan turned a little and gave the child a nice stare, though his eyes softened when he noticed the boy was driven more by curiosity and was not annoying him on purpose. The naga patted the child on the head before he was snatched away by a particularly haggard looking mother. The mother looked defensive, as if 'Raan would hurt her child... the look she gave him hurt a bit. 'Raan pushed the bigoted look out of his mind and closed his eyes... taking a deep breath.

'Raan turned back to Irvine "Are there any Naga traveling with you?" 'Raan was unsure what the freed ones did with the Naga they freed... if they freed them... did they bring them with them? or did they just release them into the wild like one would to an animal... 'Raan wouldn't be surprised to see green Naga amongst the humans, they were the smartest and most social naga, and a human favorite for exotic pets. The Naga looked around the camp for any sign of another Naga, or Ammon, whichever was to show up first. The naga moved, unsettled, he was a little hungry, and sorely missed the idea that he could have actually done something with the bait that the human hunters had set for him in the clearing.
 


    • At 'Raan's inquiry, Irvine quickly redirected his gaze towards the desert serpent. His eyes suddenly softened and muscles fell loose. "There is one. A child that Ammon saved two years ago - Taz'evra. His parents were murdered by their captors and Ammon has since blamed herself for his loss. She acts as his mother now, feeding him, nurturing him, loving him. He has an undying affection for her and undoubtedly, it's mutual." He heaved a sigh and rolled his shoulders then pressed his waterskin to his parched lips and let the smooth, untainted water flow down his barren throat. At that very instant Ammon appeared, toting about her trademark salmon-skin satchel. Clutched in her hands was a parcel wrapped in waxy brown paper and bound with frayed burlap string. She approached the regal desert serpent 'Raan and prudently showcased the package to him. "Raw, salted venison," she explained, "A gift. I understand that Evra enjoys them so ... maybe you will too."

      She shot the naga a reassuring glance as if to promise "we'll have the chance to talk soon" and proceeded to a dune of potato-filled sacks where she took a seat. With her carrier bag rested neatly in her lap she skillfully unfastened the latch and began archiving the items within. This was a satchel that Ammon fashioned with her bare hands, insuring its quality was far past grade A. She lined the inside with salmon scales so if they were to venture through a moist or water oriented passage the satchel's contents would not spoil or be destroyed. The material itself that forged the entire tote was a thick durable, tanned hide belonging to a bovine of some sort. Irvine would ask but often was given a vague answer by Ammon who wasn't too enthused to respond.

      "Whatcha got there, Ammon?" Irvine questioned.

      He scooted close to her and watched the tattered piece of parchment she had curled in her hands as well as the thin piece of brittle charcoal. Immediately he learned she was counting their inventory, packing vital things like medicinal herbs, hardy foods and currency. While she continued to strategically - and neatly - pack away important items, she peered downward and heard a familiar rattling sound and lastly, a pair of big, striking blue eyes leering her dead in her own. "I smell meat!" The child's voice was playful and innocent, as if he were crying for the attention of his guardian who was none other them Ammon. His emerald coils lay resting on Ammon's soles while she placed her bag aside to greet her 'child', so to speak. "Not for you," she chided in a motherly tone, running her long, elegant fingers through his shaggy flaxen locks. She then motioned to 'Raan, the adult naga, who had hopefully been feasting on the meal Ammon provided for him. "Is he your husband?" The naga child, Evra, questioned. He knew Ammon had a strong adoration for naga, he wouldn't be surprised if she married one.

      "An old companion," she replied, simply entertaining the child's nautical antics. He watched 'Raan with wide sky blue eyes then back to Ammon who fastened her tote back up and strapped it on her backside where she had usually positioned it. Ezra's coils wound up around his mother, smothering her with affectionate cuddling by rubbing his cheek against hers. "Are we sharing a yurt tonight? Will you tell me more stories about the goddess of the harvest? You told me she can make all of these big fruits, like watermelon, appear just by wriggling her nose!" Ammon could do nothing but smile. She ran her hand through the child's shaggy mop once more and tilted his chin up to meet her beryl gaze. "Listen to me, Evra. I will be escorting this naga to Haven personally ... Deacon has asked me to." Evra's face went white. He was a child, guillable even, but not daft. "But that means ... those slavers'll come after you! Why can't you travel with us? And the big naga too!"

      "Because it's too dangerous. I cannot protect you if slavers attack. Deacon will watch over you and act as I have. I promise when I come back, I'll finish your story and bring you the biggest, fattest, juiciest fruit from the most lush oasis I can find and we'll eat it together ... and I'll tell you that story as many times as you want." She planted a tiny kiss on the child's head as he began to sob, wrapping both arms and coils around the woman. Irvine was taken aback by the scene but Ammon felt perfectly comfortable. "I want you to go in Deacon's yurt now. We'll be leaving shortly." Evra left sobbing, watching his guardian through teary eyes, said his last goodbye and slithered off. Ammon was left purely heart-broken but subdued her emotion and kept a stern, hard face with equally as stony eyes. She advanced towards 'Raan and patted him on the shoulder just as Irvine stood. "Gather anything you need. We'll leave now. The path we're taking is longer ... the main group will wind up ahead of us within twenty-four hours."[/list:u][/list:u]
 
"Really?" Raan glanced at the human, frowning a bit, so Ammon adopted a young naga? The news made him stir, he was frankly pissed at humans still, and learning that they had murdered the young child's parents, leaving him an orphan in a harsh world. The Naga seemed visibly disturbed, he shifted a little, though the Amazon's appearance allowed him to rest a bit easier. The woman approached him and thrust a small package in his direction. The Naga examined the package cautiously and opened it carefully, trying not to teat or shred it's packaging. "Venison" Raan had never heard the term before, though he would likely figure it out as soon as he took a bite. Raan looked at the hunk of meat, distracting himself with removing the packaging when Ammon wandered off to attend to her business.

'Raan tried the meat, carefully lifting it up and taking a small bite from it. He had grown accustomed to catching and killing his own food over the years, so a gift of food from a human was a tad odd. The naga took his bite from the food and tasted it thoughtfully, he found he quite liked the meat, it tasted familiar, but the salt was an unexpected surprise for him. The male looked surprised, pausing with a bewildered look on his face before tearing into the food. 'Raan didn't realize he was tearing into the food until a couple seconds later when he heard the child's voice piped up. 'Raan hadn't really noticed how hungry he was. The male naga looked up from the meat he was scarfing down to catch sight of the child that Irving had mentioned, pestering Ammon about food.

The Naga child was quick to begin with his mother, first asking if 'Raan was her husband, the naga almost snickered, but held it back, it WAS an amusing thought at least, the child's innocence brought him back a bit as well. 'Raan paused, stopping his eating long enough to watch the interactions between the woman and the child, his eyes sliding from one to the other... when the talk turned to Ammon leaving with 'Raan and tears came up, he couldn't help but feel a little bad for the child, he was obviously quite attached to the human woman. The naga watched as the child cried, and was sent off, before he could get away though, 'Raan stirred from his position, moving away from his spot.

'Raan moved quickly, moving in front of the child, it was odd for him to feel this way, but he saw too much of himself in 'Evra to simply let the child go thinking his adoptive mother was abandoning him, or worrying about her while she was gone with him, it moved the Naga greatly, even though he wasn't of Evra's breed, he still felt a tug of a paternal instant inside of him. 'Raan cut the boy off, moving in front of him, a great frown on his face, without a word he stooped over and placed a hand on the child's head, using the other to carefully remove a tear. "Be strong, little one. I will take very good care of her, and she will take good care of me. 'Raan's golden eyes were unusually soft, he likely had a child of his own, though he wouldn't recognize that child unless he saw her. 'Raan was abandoned by his parents, he raised himself, though during the time he was with humans they attempted to 'raise' him in their own way, which he did not appreciate. 'Raan had moved in before Ezra could get too far away, he simply couldn't have let the child leave so heartbroken. 'Raan moved his hands, tilting the child's chin up to look into his eyes. "We will return, do not worry about that." 'Raan smiled before he moved to the side, letting Ezra pass "Go ahead, keep your chin up, be strong." 'Raan turned around and moved back to Ammon and the male human, 'Raan didn't know what the humans would think from 'Raan's sudden and unprovoked attempt to calm a child he did not even know... but he certainly felt better now.

When he returned, 'Raan looked at Ammon "Alright, I am fine to leave whenever you are" The naga 'stood at his natural height, a little taller than most humans could stand on their toes, settling back a bit again. His body was still sore from the attack, in several places the humans had struck him or attempted to cut him, the Naga would likely have appreciated a little more rest. "Where are we going though?" Raan was a little curious, if they weren't going to travel with the main group, then what path would they be taking to get to this Haven place?. The Naga's golden gaze settled on Ammon, she was likely still not feeling too fantastic about having to part with Ezra, perhaps it wasn't best if they totally left. "Do you have anything you need to gather before we leave" 'Raan lowered a hand to his side, covering the painful, spot below his ribs.
 
    • Speedpaint__Desert_mountains_by_-1.jpg

      Throughout the entire trip from 'Raan's oasis and to their destination, Brahda, Ammon seemed troubled. She prided herself for being able to secure an otherwise unclouded mind, but Ezra's callow expression haunted her unfailingly. Her brother was a capable man; a monstrous mercenary who had caused a paradigm with a wave of his hand. If anyone could protect Ezra, it would be him ... but the risk of carrying so may slaves was needless to say, enormous. With the rumor of these freed commodities wandering in bulk around the desert, the slave driving effort would be dramatically increased and soon, antagonists that matched Deacon's strength would pursue them. Irvine, unlike Ammon, seemed untroubled by such ailments. He was, however, concerned for the woman. "Ezra's fine!" he reassured her, his colorful tone cast to the empty wind, "Not only is Deacon there, but Kale as well. Both of them will gladly put their neck down for Ezra, you and I both know that."

      Ammon did not feel so soothed but Irvine's kind attempt at sating her ambling mind was genuine. Their trek undoubtedly was well over four hours with little to no rest. Irvine stressed that if they did not make it to Brahda before nightfall, they would be at not only the mercy of the desert, but that of emaciated sand serpents stalking the unlit dunes. The dark-haired woman's pace unnoticably slowed until she came to sloppy halt. She drew in a short breath of the desert air, casting her glanced towards the jagged mesa peaks which towered over them, then to the undisturbed clay below her burning soles. A durable woman she may have been, but human nonetheless; her body was tumid and fatigued, crying for her to rest so it may have a window to rebuild lost energy. Admittedly Irvine was tired as well, but the pair were sure that 'Raan had not experienced the same elements of fatigue they had.

      "Alright, Ammon. Five minutes. I'm going to scout ahead and see if there's anything. I'll be right back." He eyed 'Raan suspiciously for an instant then departed, warily traveling around the mesa bend aside a throng of lazily laid boulders. This gave Ammon an instant to rest though her primary concern was the companion they were traveling with - 'Raan. She rested her rear on a grooved rock, her stave placed idle against her body's strong structure. "Are you injured?" she questioned. However, Ammon already knew the answer. She seemed genuinely worried for his well-being, but before she could consult her satchel for a poultice or medicinal relief, Irvine flooded around the mesa's bend flailing like a rogue fire. "It's just up ahead!" he blanched, "Brahda! I can see it!" Ammon knew then she would not have to nurse his wounds out in the open.

      Brahda, the hidden merchant city, was notorious for its ... questionable wares. While their was some foul play known to go on during nightfall, the city was virtually slave-driver free. Slavery was not condoned in Brahda and Irvine took advantage of this well-hidden, slaver free haven. As they approached the gates, a pair of stalky looking men stopped them. "No naga allowed," one of the mysterious figures growled. He eyed 'Raan with a peculiar glare as Irvine stepped in. "Listen ... my wife here is pregnant; due to give birth any day now. She's weak, in dire pain and in needs of a bed. This naga saved her from being ripped to shreds by those fucking sand serpents. Now. If you don't let us in there's going to be a child's blood on your hands." The two guards felt a wave of remorse wash over them, and so, they reluctantly peeled back the gate doors. "I'm so sorry," one whispered coyly, "There's an inn down the main terrace, please be safe. I have a kid of my own; she's getting big, now. Looks just like her mother." Irvine smiled and said his goodbyes to the guards - wishing he could stay to slather on more lies and justify his immaculate fibs - when Ammon motioned for him to follow.

      The streets were teeming with colorful sights, from humans to elven creatures, but not a naga in sight, save for 'Raan. After visiting the inn and managing to procure a room, Irvine disappered. Ammon knew that Kale, Deacon's father-figure and advisor, had left them a package in one of the questionable yurts near the slums. Undoubtedly this was something useful, but Ammon believed Irvine wouldn't be returning until the early morning, not with gambling, alcohol and pretty young barmaids out and about. Inside of their chamber, Ammon was able to rest, kicking off her sandals and resting on one of the outlandishly comfortable cots. They were dense, but anything felt nice after being in the searing sun all day. "'Raan ... let me see your wound. I can heal you, if you'll let me."[/list:u][/list:u]
 
Luckily, the desert Naga was one of the most sturdy breeds, having great endurance for patrolling great areas of territory for prey and for rivals. He did occasionally express concern for his human companions, they were wearing down quickly, and Raan knew that they would be in trouble should night fall and the desert snakes came out. Those things would likely have ignored raan if he wasn't injured, but his human companions were always high priority targets for them. Raan stuck with his companions the entire trip, not showing many signs of fatigue or stress, though he did show little signs of irritations from his injury. 'Raan closely watched his new companions, taking note of how quickly humans tired in this environment, they weren't built as well for survival deep in the desert as his kind were.

When the guard stopped them at the gate, declaring that no Naga were allowed within the city, 'Raan scowled, obviously irritated by the guard's ignorance... in many parts of the desert all naga were considered monsters still while elves and other nonhumans took steps up. While there was little the guards could do to stop him from entering the city if he wanted to, but that wouldn't be... civilized would it? Raan watched Irving lie his way into the city, getting the entire group in, including their Naga companion. Inside the city Raan followed Ammon to their destination, staying shortly behind her. Raan was amazed with all the different colors and creatures wandering the city, he remained quiet the whole time along the way. Raan had actually never seen some of the beings he saw in the city. 'Raan also attracted quite a few eyes, looks of awe, looks of fright from smaller beings, even dirtier looks from certain females in the crowd. Raan guessed most of them had never seen a Naga, especially one so close to the feral.

'Raan settled into one of the cots, 'sitting' in it as well as he could, the cot obviously not built to a Naga's proportions... he would probably find a nice corner that he could settle into when the human. He turned his head to Ammon when she mentioned healing his wound, he glanced at her and contemplated it for a second, then gave his head a nod and smiled a little bit, wincing a bit at the bit of pain that seemed to come in through the wounds.

"Very well" 'Raan said, frowning, he trusted Ammon well enough to allow her to tend to his wounds. He didn't much care about what the oafish male was out doing, that human had yet to earn the great serpent's trust... He scooted closer to the female, exposing his injured side, revealing a nice deep cut that he had been trying to ignore for most of the trip... he had survived worse of course, and it had stopped bleeding and would heal on it's own given time... but it was still a burden and it still hurt. 'Raan exposed his side to Ammon so she could apply whatever medicines she felt like applying.

"If we could get a weapon and supplies for me while we are here I would be grateful, and much more useful should we end up in a fight" Raan could fight with his talons easily, but he preferred to use a sword or other weapon if he had to fight and he knew one was coming.
 


    • The naga's useless whining went through one ear and directly out the other. As he finally yielded to her kindness she took to the floor on strong knees and gently braced the naga's coils with a clammy palm. "If we have time," she uttered absentmindedly. Ammon realized their supplies were not plentiful nor was their currency; she may have to skulk around the city where shadows loomed to collect what they could. However, Irvine knew a weaponsmith in the slums whose skill was both unrefined and undermined. There had been several instances where Irvine saved the man's life. If anything, forging a simple broadsword of offering one up free of charge would quite literally be the least he could do.

      Ammon let her skilled digits venture down the naga's immaculate sunny scales until she found the anomaly. It was a decent sized wound and she could tell how it would have hindered him. Specs of sand and dirt clung to the caked blood where the wound began to heal. She grew back to her feet and began untying her sullied white shawl from around her neck and neatly laid it on one of the cots provided for them. Her starless black mane spilled from the material, draping her exotic face and shoulders in an appealing fashion. Next to go was her robes which shielded her flesh from the damaging rays of the sun. Underneath the bulk and apparel Ammon had a real woman's body. She had a healthy, curvaceous frame, one that aided her well in battle as she was not so easily subdued by an enemy.

      She found her satchel and trekked over to a ledge where a pail of clean water was already placed. She dipped the corner of a tiny cotton cloth into it then returned to her original position which was at the foot of 'Raan's coils. She did her job quickly and silently, cleaning the wound and slathering it with a painkilling ointment then sealing it with a bandage which would protect it from anything that would stop it from healing properly. She was very gentle with the enormous desert serpent though admittedly enthralled by the sensation of his flexible scales. "You need to tell me about these things before they escalate into something worse, like an infection."[/list:u][/list:u]
 
"We don't have to" Raan had taken notice of Ammon's hesitance in that regard, she didn't seem too interested in his little suggestion. Of course, if they were unable to obtain a weapon for him it wouldn't bother him much at all, especially if obtaining that weapon turned out to be something that would hinder them or their goals. Raan had little knowledge of what kind of supply they had, and for all he knew, the human male could have been outside at that moment spending what they did have. For now though the male focused more on Ammon as she prepared to heal his wound. The Naga's coils tightened slightly, tensing under the female's touch. He could actually barely feel her touch. Raan did not like being a burden, but this injury, even if he would recover from it eventually would slow him down and provided a distraction which could have turned out costly.

Raan's golden eyes watched her fingers explore his scales, searching out the injury on his body. The area around the injury was far more sensitive than the area beyond it. Raan watched her carefully, a little nervous with having someone touch his injury. When Ammon pulled back and removed the shawl from her form, Raan tilted his head slightly to the side, watching curiously as she removed much of the other garnment from her form, revealing what was underneath. The desert naga shifted slightly, slightly uncomfortable as she got back to work.... he watched her and her face as she resumed her position before him where she could resume her attention to his injury. The serpent couldn't help but admire her frame, he tried to avert his eyes from the time, turning to look away while she got back to work on his injury.

The Naga straightened as the female went to work, allowing her to clean and treat his injury, enjoying the cooling sensation of the water and then the ointment on his body, and then the relief as she bandaged the wound with her dexterous fingers. Raan could likely not do such a thing with his own hands. When she was finished, the great serpent straightened, examining the bandage, running his talons over it, she did a very good job, he was relieved that that was out of the way too. When Ammon mentioned that he should report such things to her, he frowned. "I have survived worse..." he said stubbornly, it was true, he was a very touch creature. Raan's look softened slightly after, he smiled and chuckled. "But thank you for attending to it, I am grateful" Raan checked the rest of his body for injuries, running his talons over his bronze skin then the colorful scales below his waist...

Raan's scales glimmered slightly in the fading light, he was a majestic creature, especially with the abnormality of his injury taken care of... He looked very satisfied, content with the deal. Raan's attention returned to Ammon. Raan took notice of the tire handing about her and frowned. Raan had seen the effects of the fatigue in Ammon, and it did concern him. Raan himself knew that soon the sun would set, and the desert would go from very hot to very cold, Raan did not yet show any signs of a chill though. "You should get some rest" Raan voiced his concern for the human, she had selflessly focused on healing his wound even though she was so tired. The naga moved over a little bit on his cot, should Ammon decide to sit with him, it was also in a way an invitation to do so from the great serpent. .
 


    • "No, 'Raan. That's not what I meant ... I. I, uh ... apologize for my indecisiveness." She had fetched her satchel in the meantime, rummaging through its contents and listing the supplies they had. In the morning she would have to search for more medical supplies. This would be a hindrance, but if one of their party members were to become mortally wounded a simple painkilling agent would mean the difference between life and death. With her back to the grand desert naga she began to hear the wood sing a painful song and cry out in protest as the serpent's coils wound upon it. She leered discreetly over her shoulder, glanced at the naga for an instant then collected her satchel and gently seated herself aside him.

      She felt the smooth, almost hawkish sensation of his coils against her bare flesh, a feeling that she found foreign at first but slowly grew to be inviting. Concerning his weapon, however, she would certainly speak to the blacksmith about commissioning a weapon for 'Raan. The mere sight of a live naga - a desert one no less - may inspire him to do so for free without pay. Her own weapon was a grand one, something rare and unseen of in the desert. It sat against the all near the heart deflecting the flame like a broadsided mirror. A machete. Its underside was beaten and worn, teeth carved from the material, though the blade itself depicted an unaverage shade for a sword - bronze. It was somewhat drab but still adorned a slight kaleidoscopic sparkle to it.

      "Of course. If ever you have wounds which need attention, don't hesitate to talk to me." The amazonian woman rested brazenly against the serpent's coils. She was admittedly soothed by their softness and the fashion in which they folded around her frame was rather pleasant. "I will, 'Raan. But I wanted to talk to you first. About ... well. How did you get away from the slave drivers? It may have not seemed so, but I worried about you when I left. I know desert naga are renown for their "sexual superiority" and abused by wealthy women. I didn't want that for you ... not that mindless emotion, anyhow."
      [/list:u][/list:u]
 
When Raan moved the bed again groaned in protest. The Naga's eyes turned curious and he glanced down at it, it had obviously never been intended for a creature as large as he to be resting in it. Raan did have around twelve feet of his coils to stack up, he let most of it hand off the bed. Ammon apologized to him, and he gave her an even more curious look. Raan let Ammon sit beside him, smiling at her. He liked it when she was close, much like how she enjoyed his smooth scales he did like the softness of her skin. and her warmth...

"Alright" he said with a smile "I will make sure to tell you if I have any other injuries... You did a very good job with this one" Raan trusted Ammon to attend to his injuries if he received any on their journey. Raan shifted when Ammon rested her body up against his coils, shifting to become more comfortable around her as she rested against him... he didn't mind it at all, he actually kind of liked it... she was very warm, and with the setting sun, that warmth would be something Raan truly appreciated. Raan resisted the urge to get closer to the source of warmth, instead listening to her when she spoke to him, wondered how he got away from the slavers that had captured both of them after they were separated so long ago. Raan frowned, it was not something he liked to think about, those years he spent in bondage... Desert Naga were valued both as beasts of burden and their incredible stamina was not limited to traveling and work, as Ammon had mentioned. Unfortunately, the human demand for desert Naga slaves took a toll on their species, they used to be so plentiful, but now they were rare, and Raan was one of those rare breeds.

Raan hesitated for a full moment, grimacing as the memories came to him, he was much younger then, and he still bore the scars on his skin from that, his second most distinguishable ones were from whips and shackles, his first were on his sides. "I got lucky... I guess, they were preparing to sell me off and my new owner tried to break me and failed miserably, the other slaves started a little revolt and I got a chance to get away... I used my claws... my overseer was the first human I had ever killed. They sent others after me but they never made it, and I had to move a lot"

"No wealthy women managed to get me, if that was what you meant" Raan chuckled, his smile returning as he brushed that chapter to the side.

Raan shifted again, his coils embracing Ammon's form, making things more comfortable and soaking up her body's warmth. Raan' moved his torso a little closer to her, inviting her to get more comfortable with him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom