The Snake in the Ice

The Ally That Was Always There

I stayed on that dock for a long time, just watching the area that Bobazo and the other tribe members disappeared to. Not being able to bear taking my eyes off of it for even a moment.

The crowd around me dispersed until Y/S/N was the only one left on the dock with me. I heard the stone movers start to head out to Vouyootoyoo's bridge.

At the very least we were going to try and build the gateway again. Hopefully, we could get it fixed and working again. If not then I could still talk with the mother, she just could not come onto our physical plane.

I sighed and turned around. Slowly limping back up the stepps. Y/S/N slithered along beside me, her long body moving in waves to propel herself.

Around me, I could hear the village life continue, even if it sounded a bit more sour than usual. With both Chieftain Misaha and Shaman Bobazo gone that left the leading aspect of the tribe to Rusa, and the healing... to me. When we got to the hut I struck a spark to get the fire going again. With much difficulty since I only had one arm.

As the day went by my nerves only grew and grew, I tried not to show it since my panic might make some other people panic. It was mostly uneventful, I bandaged a stone movers hand after he got it crushed and sent him home for the day.

Then I tended a few spider bites, nothing too serious, and that was about it. Now here I was alone in the hut... I had Y/S/N, but it was unusually quiet in here.

I... I needed to go lie down. This was all too much and I did not sleep at all last night. I was awake for more than a full day. I needed to rest. Maybe if I did then My nerves would not be so high strung and I could relax a little more.

I started to get a brew going on the fire. The boiling pot was made of a certain type of bamboo-like plant. It grew in bowls and could be used to hold and boil water.

I gathered the certain plants I needed to make a soup that ould serve as both lunch and a broth that would put me to sleep. As I waited for the herbs to mix in with the water I closed my eyes and tried to see if I could get back in touch with the mother.

There was nothing but silence in my mind. I could not hear the mother, I could only hear the fire. I let out a disappointed sigh and opened my eyes again, looking over to Y/S/N next to me who had her head up as she stared at me.

I shrugged my shoulders at her and took the brew off of the fire. It was getting a bit low, but I decided I would let it burn down to embers.

I started my meal, thanking the sister of the worker I tended to earlier as she brought over a capybara for Y/S/N. Since she was the biggest snake in the village we had to upgrade her diet from small prey to larger ones.

I also added some mint to the soup since it reminded me so much of Bobazo. Just tasting it even slightly among all the other flavors made tears appear in my eyes.

I drank the whole thing rather quickly, as the sleeping effects I desired were already taking hold. I was already blinking heavily just keep my eyes open by the time the bowl was empty. Maybe I put in just a little too much.

I layed down, letting Y/S/N curl herself up around my legs. I actually enjoyed the feeling of her being so close. I layed on my back just staring up at the ceiling of the hut. At the sky hole we had to let the smoke from the fire escape.

I could see clouds passing from way above from the small breeze that was present. I was eventually able to let my eyes close completely and almost no time later, I was already in a deep sleep.

A deep sleep plagued by nightmares that was. All I could see everywhere were flashes of arrows, spears, and fire. Scarlet blood splashing everywhere.