The swamps were no place for the average human. The swamps were no place for an Akalak or Isur or Vantha or Charoda, probably even a Zith would be out of his element here. There were a handful of races that could survive in the wilds, let alone here, Ksandaer was one. Ksandaer was able to survive for several reasons. One, he was one-hundred and ten years old, that was one-hundred and ten long years of practicing for survival, hunting, fighting for his life. Two, he was tenacious, dedicated, and valued his survival more than anything else, which was fine because he carried no possessions around with him, they were a nuisance when he decided to shift forms. And Three, he was Dhani, Constrictor to be exact. There was very little that was longer, heavier, or more powerful than he.
"Do not be frightened little one. Come to me." Ksandaer's voice was hardly a whisper, but the large swamp rat was locked in Ksandaer's gaze. Eyes watching eyes, neither body was moving except for very minuscule motions, such as the expanding of the chest when the large rat inhales, or Ksandaer's lengthy tail (He was in his Dhani form, Half Man/Half Snake) was slowly crawling around the furry creature, trying to position itself out of its sight but without alerting the prey. Everything in the rat told it to run. Instincts, natural desire to survive, the twitching muscles suggested it was about to, but it wasn't, not yet. As long as it was peering into Ksandaer's red-tinted eyes, the rat's emotions were altered. He should have been afraid, but it felt calm, trusting, perhaps almost affectionate towards Ksandaer. Ksandaer knew his Hypnotism had taken effect.
Now, there was no room for distraction, since Ksandaer relied on the Hypnotism through his eyes more so his voice or actions (since nothing else was really soothing enough in this situation to work as a soothing emotion for Hypnotism). Slowly the large Swamp Rat began to inch towards Ksandaer, it's little inferior mind giving into the temptation that Ksandaer was a friend rather than a foe, or a predator that was only moments from swallowing him whole.
The strike was quickly. With the large tail, and majority of his body being like a snake, he was able to coil around the rat, all feelings from the Hypnotism was gone now as the rat began to squeal and cry in terror and pain, but before long, the tail tightened, no air, no cries of pain. Bones would be broken easily, but Ksandaer continued to hold the rat there as he watched his own tail, marveling at the small lump created by coils on coils of muscular scaly tail. The rat wasn't even visible now, as every portion of it was hidden by the Dhani's Death Grip, and even though the rat was dead within seconds, Ksandaer made sure by refusing to let up. Old habits you could say. You never want an unconscious meal waking up mid-digestion. It was annoying at least. |
|