Closed Dangerous Escapades (Xen)

[Tinnok]

Her slits narrowed as Xen was nicked by an arrow, but there wasn't time to focus on their injuries yet. If she had been in this fang, she would leave archers behind to pin them, and send one or two scouts back to find reinforcements. The swiftness of which the two of them had killed their assailants would do them no favors unless they knew they had killed every member of this fang that was chasing them, and Tinnok knew there were no guarantees of that. As she crouched against the tree, she felt the warm trickle of blood down her side, each breath that came out of her bruised throat a reminder of bruises to come.

When Xen spoke, the half breed grimaced. She would have enjoyed instructions more specific, north, northwest. But she tried to piece together the instructions. Ahead, not too far...that was clear by the quickness of the arrow and its response time to the Dhani looking out. She nodded, fingers pulling back the bow string to half the long bows tautness before sliding out, yellow eyes scanning the greenery for movement. A faint rustle made her arrow leap to the side until she realized it was only a light breeze. That was when she heard another arrow whizzing towards her. She dropped low, hearing the weapon crashing into the canopy behind her. Whoever shot that one hadn't been the archer Xen had been referring to...that or the archer was trying to flank them.

She was sorely tempted to simply loose her arrow blindly, her muscles quivering, sweat appearing on her brow, but forced her fingers still, waiting again, watching int he area Xen had suggested. Moving was not wise...movement would give them away...THERE.

A couple ticks to her right she saw a fern frond rustle, the dark brown color of skin, a strip of leather. Tinnok squinted, drew her bow fully, and inhaled slowly...calmly, standing upright. It was a risk, but she wouldn't get a good shot off otherwise...couldn't at her current skill level. Her hips twisted, and when she saw the flash again she was ready. On her exhale the arrow was loosed from its perch, and whith a whistling hiss the barbed weapon shot off into the jungle. She heard the cry of pain, the sound of someone falling, and that was when the other archer took advantage of the half breed's fully exposed stance and loosed another arrow, this one catching her in the thigh.

Tinnok cried out and dropped to one knee, starring at grey and black fletching as she pulled another arrow out of her quiver.

"You see where that one come?" She said weakly. She had enough strength for another shot, maybe two...but then they had to leave. There wasn't another arrow, and 7 wasn't the right number for a Myrian fang. Hopefully the one she had shot was bleeding to death and would be stupid enough to pull out her barbed arrow, making the wound even worse...but hope was a silly thing to hold onto in the Jungle Wilds, that much she knew.

[Xen]

‘‘ I’m not sticking my face out there again. I don’t want to lose an eye this time.’’ Xen thought


Xen listened to Tinnok’s arrow as it flew through the canopy. He wasn’t sure of the situation: did the arrow hit its target? Xen wasn’t dumb enough to extend any portion of his body out there—they got him the first time but they would not get him a second time. He sat, while facing forward, in the essence of his current situation. He knew things were tense for Tinnok and himself with dire consequences waiting right around the corner. However, something had to be done, something. That’s when an idea strikes him! The area was filled with dense undergrowth, so much so that the ground was barely visible.

The only problem was that his current form was too large to remain hidden in the undergrowth and his movements would be exposed and he would be shot down. So, his snake form would be the key to his success. There were several problems he faced with his serpent form: he could not carry a weapon, nor engage in unarmed combat. The greatest of these obstacles was that he could not slither properly on land: his movements were clumsy and ineffective outside of water. Although, his movements and actions were limited greatly, he would have the benefit of stealth and surprise.


‘‘ All this is just too risky but I have to try. ’’ Xen thought


‘‘No, I hadn’t seen where that one came from but we’ll need to get rid of this one. I’m going to try and find this hidden myrian use my armor and clothing as decoys if you need to.’’


The plan was reckless and he could end up dying while searching for this myrian. Xen would determine whether the costs were profitable to weigh using his body and mind. He starts shifting into his serpent form, causing the muscle he had to fade and compress into his new form. In a chime he was in serpent form, his tongue flicking furiously to catch the scent of his enemy. Xen slithers from out of his armor and into the jungle. He turns left and slithers towards the location he believed the enemy occupied. Xen notices and remembers how startlingly different the world was in his serpent form. The vegetation, which stood against his knees in human form, now towered over his head and replaced the trees.

The slick scales along his body reduce the sounds he made. Xen moves quickly through the undergrowth and conceals his presence as best as he could and slithers using swift yet careful and cautious movements. The way he behaved and reacted to stimuli in the environment around him was like that of a wild snake. In five chimes of slithering a sudden vibration grabs Xen’s full attention, his tongue flicking in response. He was unable to judge the distance between the cause of the vibration and himself but it felt close. A myrian male writhed in pain on the ground. The cause of his suffering was an arrow lodged within his flesh.

The transfixing object was deep within the muscle just inches below his collar bone. The male moves his right arm and immediately feels a surge of pain shoot up his neck. He knew his days as a warrior would be limited but he had to kill the enemy and avenge his brethren. The man rolls onto his back and looks up at the beautiful canopy, he would miss hunting in the jungle after this. In his carelessness he fails to realize a large viper making a quiet approach. Xen crept closer to the myrian, inching ever so slightly into striking range. He tightens the muscles within his body and rears his neck back to prepare a strike as he moved in for the kill.

Xen could feel the myrian’s breathe in the air and could see the warmth of the blood coursing through his veins. It wasn’t long before the myrian feels the strange sensation of being watched and takes notice to the serpent in a striking posture. The myrian’s brown eyes met with deep indigo eyes with a white ring in their centers. These were beautiful eyes and the creature which possessed them was a fine specimen. The myrian stared and Xen gazed back with unmerciful eyes. In what was just a few ticks, felt like hours to the myrian and finally… he makes his move.

The myrian tries to reach for his only weapon: his bow, with his left hand to bludgeon this ferocious looking serpent with it. However, the cards were not on his side this day. Xen lunges forward with a gaping mouth. The myrian watches in horror as this large viper cascades over the ground and impales his throat with its fangs. Xen bites down on the upper part of his throat and coils around the lower part of the myrian’s neck. He tightens his muscles to strengthen his hold and restrict his prey’s breathing.


‘‘He…. L…p ’’


The myrian’s plea was heard clearly within the silent jungle. The warrior grabs onto Xen and pulls but finds that Xen had a firm grip on him—a lot more strength was needed. Xen holds for as long as he could before his strength fails him. The myrian was now standing, holding Xen within his left hand. He was sure to keep a firm grip to prevent Xen from escaping. Xen swung his head to the side and ejects venom from his fangs into the myrian’s eyes. The myrian throws Xen ahead of him, sending him flying through the air.


‘‘This is decision was…’’


Xen could not finish his sentence in time. He slams onto ground and was enveloped by the jungle undergrowth. Xen now lied on his side, looking up at the canopy with his right eye. Xen could see the myrian of his focus, the archer, crouching on a branch just a few meters away from him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to reach him but at least he had taken care of the other myrian. The warrior was probably struggling to see, completely unaware of the poison coursing through his veins. Xen sighs in relief and decides to remain motionless and hidden to avoid passing out.

[Tinnok]

Tinnok sat catching her breath, bow placed against her knees, another barbed arrow drawn and notched lazily against the bow. She had no idea where the other archer was, perhaps he had already run off in hopes of grabbing more Myrian support, an idea that frightened the half breed more than an arrow in the back. She glanced over at Xen as he spoke, taking a second to translate his common to Myrian so she could understand. Which she didn’t…at least not until his body started changing…shrinking. Tinnok was familiar with constrictors, and since encountering Aka, now knew what Vipers were. It was still a strange thing to her, thinking that some Dhani breeds transformed to be smaller than their human ones. She couldn’t help but admire the beauty of Xen’s snake form, his strange horns and bright indigo eyes, for a moment his glistening scales took her focus from the battlefield, but this ended shortly as he slithered off into the jungle.

“Be careful.” She whispered in Myrian. Then she took a deep inhalation, readied her bow and drew the string back halfway, and closed her eyes.

In a jungle this thick, her sight wouldn’t help her. First she focused on the faint rasping of the Dhani slithering over grass and fallen leaves, which quickly receded, then she began to focus on other noises. Branches lazily slid against one another in a breeze, and she identified a group of chattering cicadas, not too far off. A distant screech of a macaw cut through the jungle, but none of these noises were important to the half breed. What she was listening for was the distinct distribution of weight, feet, two of them upon the foliage, trying to sneak around to get a good angle to shoot or charge her.

The chimes felt like bells when she finally heard a strangled cry for help coming from the direction in which she had shot the Myrian. So the viper was ending his life, that was good, but what she needed was…

“What the petch?!” The guttural Myrian, an octave deeper than the cry for help went up from a distance away. Tinnok’s golden eyes snapped open and she whirled around the corner of the tree, trying to pinpoint the noise, but she needn’t have bothered, for the Myrian was pounding towards his dying fellow, leaving his bow loose in his hands. Tinnok could see a flash here, another there.

Her breathing was ragged as she drew back her bow, squinting, standing with a grunt, but not worrying about being exposed this time, for the warrior’s attention was on his fellow, not her. She took her time: One, two, three, four, five-

Twang

The arrow loosed from its hold and sprung across the forest floor sailing to catch the remaining Myrian male in the back, toppling him over with a scream of pain. Tinnok wasted no time and leapt up with a moan of pain from her side and began sprinting towards her enemy. The bow was thrown over her shoulder, and now her scimitar was in hand. She leapt over a root, lunged off a moss covered stone, sailing through the air on top of her half fallen opponent, her knees landing in the small of his back and forcing a choked cry from his lungs. She grabbed a chunk of thick mahogany hair, wrenching his head backwards to expose his neck before sliding the curved edge of her scimitar to fit around his neck.

“Myri and Dira guide me into the next life.” She knew that prayer, and it sent unbidden flashes of her time in the military fighting alongside her fellow Myrians rushing through her brain, her arm wavering, her mouth sliding open.

Her opponent was a soldier trained by the Taloban military the same as her, and realized her hesitation just as she did. An arm came up, grabbing hers and wrenching her over his head with a powerful heave that sent her sprawling on her back.

“Skurak, scum!” He cried, a gladius in his hand as he flipped over and lunged at her. Tinnok rolled to the side in just the nick of time, scimitar forgotten, a dagger in her hand as she scrambled into a kneeling position. He pushed himself off the ground just enough to tackle her, but his war cry turned into a pained grunt as her dagger used his own momentum against him, holding the weapon out so he could impale himself on it. Thick dark blood gushed out of the wound onto Tinnok’s legs and she grunted again, shoving the male back with a knee to his already torn gut, only to take that same dagger and slash it across his throat, his eyes widening in surprise and pain, body falling backwards as the life drained out of it.

Tinnok took one rasping breath after another, whole chest heaving, one hand going immediately to cover the bleeding wound in her side, leg screaming from where she took an arrow to it, which had snapped off in the process of the battle. She ripped off a section of her shirt, tying it around her waist to cover the side wound, deciding to leave the arrow in for now.

“Dhani.” She called weakly “Dhani, if alive we must go, now.” She glanced around, searching for snake.

[Xen]

Xen, as he lies on the jungle floor, could feel a presence weighing on him. The presence felt familiar but was not as loving in nature as a familiar presence should be. He could feel a breath of cold air hit the back of his neck: one that was colder than winters touch. A chill ran down Xen’s spine and he jumps awake after, what felt like a cold claw, digs into right side of his neck. He looks around and was alone. Xen raised his head off the ground and slithers cautiously through the undergrowth. What was that presence? It was...strange. Xen shakes off his mental daze and pushes forward, placing the thought aside for later.

He needed to get back to Tinnok and escape from this part of the jungle. Xen then slithers forward, forcibly moving his heavy and reluctant body across the earth. He picks up speed as the sluggishness of his body fades with each passing tick. Xen moved quickly but went on with his movements in a furtive and stealthy manner. He made sure to avoid thick roots that would rattle and give away his position and flattens the scales along his belly for smoother travel.


‘‘Uuuugh…’’


Xen heard a long groan and stops to listen. It was probably the myrian he envenomated earlier—the poison taking effect. He pokes his head from out of the undergrowth and witnesses a man groveling in the dirt: it was a saddening thing to see. What Xen felt after witnessing such a sight was mixture of pity, disgust and complacency. The myrian would choke to death soon but Xen would not watch the event occur, he knew the pain and severity of his venom and wouldn’t watch a man die like some twisted sadist. Yet, allowing such a slow and painful death to go on was a crueler act: much more so than sadism.

Xen flicks his tongue to catch a familiar scent in the air. He slithers by several myrian corpses before he reaches Tinnok. Xen was tired and wanted to go home but needed to escape from this side of the jungle: where the myrian’s roamed. He sits up out of the undergrowth and waves his body from side-to-side in order to grab Tinnok’s attention. Xen knew he was an odd serpent, carrying a rather perplexing appearance. He looks at his armor and katana resting at the bottom of the tree and knew that his current form was not capable of lifting these objects.

[Tinnok]

Tinnok heard the faint rustling of grasses, and froze not wanting to accidentally step on the snake. When he approached she admired the strange crest on his head and coloring, noticing him glance towards his weapons.

“I pick you up, weapons, carry to safe place to hide. No bite.” She didn’t know how to be nicer about the request with her common, but did not want to be bitten by an angry snake. Leaning forward she half picked up Xen, half let him slither up her arms to coil around her shoulders and neck. He would find her body fairly receptive to the position, she carried her Constrictor Nissila in a similar manner often, and she was heavier than the viper in his serpent form. Once she knew the snake was settled, Tinnok limped over to his weapons, sliding his katana into the leather on her back that held her spear in place, and draping his clothes over one arm before hurrying as fast as she was able to into the woods.

“More come soon, must be away.” She said as they escaped. She wanted to run, but didn’t trust her injured leg not to give out on her and send her and her Dhani companion sprawling into the dirt, instead she kept at a half limping jog, heading through the undergrowth. She happened upon a small stream a quarter of a mile from the scene of their fight, and immediately her feet were in the stream, walking along the sandy bottom. If another Myrian fang came upon the slaughtered one, they would be able to track her through the woods easily, unable to cover up her tracks where a limping limb dragging through the foliage and earth was concerned. Xen would notice that the direction she was headed up the stream bed, was actually away from Zinrah, but before he could protest, she was explaining this too.

“Safe to move up, around scouts, not go back to them.” She said. “We find spot to hide, you go Zinrah in morn.” It wasn’t precisely a question. If Xen wanted to separate from the half breed woman and make his own way back to the city, he was more than welcome, but Tinnok suspected the serpent’s energy was largely spent. Both of them needed to rest, and soon.

A couple bells later, Tinnok’s breath rasping in her throat, she stopped. She had, to the best of her ability, made a large arc, following the stream bed as far as she could before veering back off into the jungle, around to an area that is traversed, would hopefully, in a half days journey or so, lead back to Zinrah’s ruins, where the Dhani could return to at his leisure. She stopped because she had found a small cavern, its entrance partially concealed by hanging plants, feeling a waft of cooler air coming out of it. Tinnok took a few paces forward, trying to smell if any creatures were inhabiting the cavern, but when she poked her head inside, it smelled of old, faint odors. She sat down with a huff on the lip of the cave and began disarming herself, letting Xen slide off, and grabbing her water skin to pour on a seriously irritated leg injury, sighing as the cool water relieve the wound. She put Xen’s clothes and katana to the side, not sure if he’d transform or remain in serpent form now that they were….relatively safe, her focus returning to the broken arrow shaft imbedded in her leg.

She felt gingerly around the injury site, realizing the arrow was not imbedded deeply, which was good, and probably why she had managed to make it so far on her leg. Preparing some cool moss from the wall of the cave, she gritted her teeth and twisted the shaft, pulling it out of her leg with a groan of utter pain, and a wet sucking noise. Immediately she placed the moss into the wound, the cool sensation dulling the pain somewhat, her hand applying pressure to stem the initial bleeding, breathing trying to regulate itself.

“Hate arrow.” She muttered to herself in common.

[Xen]

‘‘So tired…’’


Xen was exhausted—all the strength he had was expended. If a situation that called for action appeared again, he would rely on his magic. Xen was beyond exhaustion, his tongue flicking scarcely from his mouth. The stress could physically be seen on his scales and in his unblinking eyes, as he lies there with his head titled slightly to the side: a sad sight to see. He remembers when his mother would pick him up and hold him in her arms when he was too exhausted to move. Xen recalled his father doing the same: only that dad would place him in his shirt pocket after picking him up.

That luxury was gone in the jungle, he was alone now and no longer a snakeling—reality had made this known. Xen tries to shift but didn’t have the strength to and felt his body slacken onto the cold earth. He remains silent even as pain from the blows he took, during close combat, wracked his body. In suffering, motionless and unable to move—Xen was like that of a fish outside of water, he suffers slowly, seeking a hand of comfort.

He looks to his right, outwards into the jungle. Xen stares blankly into vibrant colors that danced before his spiritless form—they were beautiful. It was like some part of the jungle cared for his well-being. Xen would have grin if he was in human form. Instead he nods, using what strength he had left to assure that he wouldn’t give up and remain steadfast. Xen remained still and relaxes on the earth next to Tinnok. He could smell the blood, sweat and earth on her but could not utter a single word.

Xen hisses quietly and gives Tinnok a look of concern, his tail curling slightly in woe. He was in her debt—she moved not only his belongings but also his tired form and hers own belongings. A deed this selfless could not be rewarded with a simple thank you and departure—she had saved his life and would be eternally indebted to her. Yet, until he had the strength to move and shift again, his gratitude and many thanks would have to wait.

[Tinnok]

She kept pressure on the wound, glancing over at the viper, who had lifted himself up enough to stare at her wound. She couldn’t read serpentine facial expressions, but he had plenty of time to bite her on the trip over, so she assumed the gesture was one of concern rather than glee or anger.

“It okay.” She said in common. “Cut not deep.” She lifted her injured leg up, bending at the knee and placing her foot up on level with her body so her arm wouldn’t get as sore holding the moss in place, then she glanced around.

“If hunger, have meat in pack.” It was smoked deer meat, dried so it would keep on her journey. She wasn’t sure if a snake could eat cooked meat, but surely he wouldn’t want her almonds or dried mango. She could rest a night, let the wound close up then be on her way, the viper on his. She only knew he was viper due to his small serpent form, she remembered Aka’s being like that as well. Was it strange that she now knew two vipers that lived in Zinrah? She wasn’t sure how Zinrah worked. Maybe there were many other Dhani other than Constrictors, having Rattlers and Vipers too? Were there more breeds than just those? Tinnok didn’t know, and at this moment in time, didn’t really care.

She watched Xen for a moment, then outstretched her hand towards his nose to let him scent her, as she new NIssila liked to do from time to time. She wasn’t sure if he just wanted to stay in snake form, or he was too weary, but she did not ask him why he would not shift, instead filling the silence with her broken understanding of common.

“Why I kill Myrian is they hate me.” She began, not sure why she was telling this. Probably because it was obvious she was not quite Myrian, yet looked quite a lot like one at the same time. “I part Dhani, Mother Myrian, Father Cohn Strick Tor.” She said, sounding out the word slowly. “I live with Myrian most life, but now live in jungle.” She didn’t want to bother trying to explain her mark from Caiyha or how she could survive out here, instead she looked at him.

“Should not be alone so near blockade, Dhani, may die.” Tinnok sighed, rubbing her face. Sometimes she tended to be a little too worried about others and not herself, such was the case today. Leaning forward, the half breed peered through the veil of plants, the splattering of a light rain dribbling down through the canopy. She held out her hands, filling them with rain water and splashing it upon her face. Hopefully the rain would wash away her tracks before the Myrians found them, hopefully they would be safe until dawn, because she had little energy left to run or fight.

Letting the plants fall back into place, Tinnok lay down on her back inside the cavern and stared up at the ceiling. What an odd day this had turned out to be.

Word Count520

[Xen]

‘‘…’’

Xen flicks his tongue and catches Tinnok’s scent—she smelled of the jungle. The scent wasn’t bad, as he loved the jungle deeply. Yet he found Tinnok’s action to be weird and a bit embarrassing. The deep blush he had would have manifested clearly upon his face, if he were in human form. However, the thick and many scales over his flesh kept the blush hidden. Xen then turns his head to the side and wonders why his companion would do such a thing, his bashful nature showing. Xen turns back after hearing the mentioning of food, he could really use some right about now.


‘‘I don’t have the strength to shift—pass me the food!’’


Instead of clear and audible words, only ‘‘hssst, hssst, hsss, hssst, hssst, hsss’’ was heard. Xen nods his head, replying with a yes and slithers carefully towards Tinnok to conserve strength. The promise of food would always have his attention: more so than the promise of money in fact. However, as he listens to Tinnok and her story, he realizes that they shared something in common—they were both outcasts. The constrictors never showed him warmth or solicitude, always shunning: pushing him away. There was only one true place he found peace in: the jungle.

The constrictors always made him feel unwelcomed and even now—they openly reveal their disdain to him. Siku, his divine mother, was the only reason he was allowed to live and continue to do so in Zinrah. A constrictor told him those words directly just eight years ago. Yet despite this and all he went through, he never hated the constrictors, not once. It was not fear that withheld him but kindness and understanding. So much so: that these things were mistaken for weakness. Xen never knew that dhani and myrian’s could have children, believing that their hatred for one another would prevent them from doing so.

He looks at Tinnok and now knew it was possible. Xen then realizes, now that he was closer, that Tinnok had the eyes of a constrictor and stares as a child would after seeing his reflection for the first time—amazement and intrigue. He could imagine the hardships Tinnok, his companion, endured in the jungle and lies close to her, expressing his fellow-feeling for his words could not. Xen had forgotten about food at this point and rests on the floor with his head concealed inside his coils.

[Tinnok]

The half breed stared quizzically at Xen’s hissing, his body moving barely at all, and though she had no idea what the hissing meant, she got the gist of the idea. Arms hurt to move, but she rummaged through her pack nevertheless, finding a strip of dried meat and sliding across the rock where it was closer to the viper’s reach. After this she snatched a handful of almonds for herself, meditatively chewing on them, slowly until they were a paste in her mouth before swallowing them. She wasn’t particularly hungry after the fight, but it would restore at least some of the energy shad lost.

“Apology.” She said slowly. “No need to hear story.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose thoughtfully, but that was when yellow eyes flickered to the snake and saw him staring intently at her, as if taking in the whole of her tale. Not used to undivided attention like that the half breed broke the snake’s gaze hurriedly, looking off to the side.

“Would talk to you, if you could…” She smirked slyly and shrugged, glancing over at Xen’s pile of clothes and his sword for a moment. She rarely saw such a blade, and wondered where its origin was from. Occasionally a Myrian would carry one, usually proudly as some trophy from a barbarian, but what kind, now that was the question.

Shaking her head Tinnok stepped forward slowly through the veil of plants that hid them, peeking out into the rain soaked jungle, ears open, but she heard nothing but the merry croaking of frogs and pitter patter of rain sluicing from the canopy to the understory from leaf to leaf. Returning into the cave Tinnok shrugged, looking at the viper.

“I not know if safe, but as safe as we get for now. Sleep best now?” She crawled a bit further into the cave to stay dry, sliding her pack beneath her head for a pillow and closed her eyes slowly, shifting into the most comfortable position she could. It would be better up in the trees, but here would have to do. The darkness of the cave was comforting, cooler than most of the forest, but even as she tried to clear her mind she saw the furious faces of her Myrian hunters, felt the warm gush of blood beneath her fingers. Her eyes opened and she stared up at the rough rocks above her. This would be a long night.

Word Count411

[Xen]

‘‘….’’

Xen rested quietly on the cavern floor, allowing what stress he had to vanish with the passing time. While he recovers, he listens to the rain outside and to the wind that directed its flow. Xen raises his head once he smells the tantalizing scent of food. He opens his mouth, preparing to consume the delicious item which would quench the flame within his stomach called hunger. Xen pauses after Tinnok’s comment and observes her for a tick—she seemed restless. He couldn’t blame her, they had slain many souls and most of which attacked and died with hateful faces.

Xen felt he understood Tinnok’s restlessness and her constant moving wasn’t going to help either of them get to sleep. He could shift into his dhani form but that would take a while: maybe some minutes? Xen wanted to conserve his energy yet recalls Tinnok giving hers for both of their safety. He wrestles with his thoughts for awhile before a decision was made—he would shift. Xen then changes into dhani: his body began to lengthen and become more distinct. A lightning bolt travels across the sky, prompting him to hope that nothing was touched by this incarnation of destruction.

Xen sighs as the chimes went by: shifting was taking far too long. A process that seemingly had no effect was causing his muscles to burn and his joints to scream in agony. There were no pauses during a shift unless he wanted to cripple his body in some horrific way. Xen did not want to think about the consequences of an incomplete transformation due to his lack of strength, thinking about it was like asking for something to go wrong.

Xen struggled to maintain his transformation for ten minutes before finally completing his form. He lied on the floor and hisses at a low-pitch in relief. Xen knew he wouldn’t be taking on a group of myrian’s again, his body feeling as though it had been ripped to pieces and then crudely placed back together. He looks down after remembering the meat-snack Tinnok had given him. The object was still there and Xen sluggishly picks up the morsel of meat and tosses it into his mouth. No chewing was involved. The object just vanishes from his mouth with a single gulp.


‘‘Yess, sssleeping would be good unlesss you care to talk more?’’


Xen twists up his body and rests his head on the resulting coils. He grabs his clothing, throws his pants on his back and then places his shirt over his head, using his two pieces of clothing as makeshift blankets. Xen shuffles away from the cavern entrance and relaxes on a bed of dry green moss. He scoffs at the cool air and would have blockaded the entrance of this shelter with dirt and moss. Xen’s keeled scales point upwards once he inhales and as he exhales they lay evenly along his body, giving him a smooth appearance. He raises a hand to his face to feel drying blood and damage, exposed and scaleless flesh. Xen knew he would have many days of soreness and itchiness on his face once his scales began to regenerate.