The Snake in the Ice

Epilogue

I sat on a log next to the riverbed. Y/S/n's soot-covered head on my lap as I absentmindedly stroked the scales on her forehead. Causing all the blood that was on my hands to rub off on her.

When Bobazo and Owlowi got trapped in the flaming debris I instantly leaped on it and clawed at it wildly with my hand. I was ripped away though, they would not let me help. Zanili was perched next to me, nuzzling his beak into my side.

I could only stare at the water in front of me emotionless as the village finished burning down behind me. Large plumes of black smoke rose to the sky as the fires slowly died.

Behind me, I could hear many people crying in pain both physically and emotionally. For their wounds and the people they lost. Somewhere I could Hear Owlowi's cat howling mournfully.

That alone told me everything I needed to know. That was not the only thing karribou's last doing had done. The fire on our side had died yes, but on the other side of the village it still raged, it was too big to stop, and eventually it would swallow the entire jungle.

Not only that, there was a hole in the sky that kept growing and growing. The heat from the great fires was melting the ice dome above us.

We beat Karribou, but she had won. She destroyed our homes and took Bobazo away from me. With no way to summon the mothers... what were we going to do?

I slowly stood up, my mind distant and my emotions gone. I turned and made my way over to Minimi who's tear struck face was covered in soot. Her monkey's fur was completely black.

She had lost her chieftess too. All the chiefs were dead and two of the four shamans were gone. I could not say anything to her, I could only sit next to her, and cry along silently with her.

That was when a black figure suddenly burst out of the charred remains of the tree, stumbling out wildly as his body let off some smoke. and a mostly limp long snake body that was equally covered in soot hanging from one of his hands.

Everyone snapped their heads over to the man, and I jumped to my feet. I would recognize those multicolored eyes anywhere!!

Bobazo fell before I could reach him, but he was caught by other people and led over to the water where they started washing the soot off of his and Y'avashaaks skin.

I practically shoved people out of the way as I charged over to the river. Panting out sobs as I skidded to a halt. His burns were bad... Really, really bad... but he might just make it.

His brown body was riddled with third-degree burns and most of his hair had been singed off. Leaving only a small amount of blackened remains on his head. Y'avashaak only fared a little better.

I collapsed into the water and took his head in my arm, kneeling over him so that my face was over his. I clenched my eyes shut as I wailed into the open air for everyone to hear. He was alive! My Bobazo was alive!

His mouth moved as he whispered, but I could not hear anything he said. He started hacking and I pet down his head for comfort. I snapped my head up.

" I need a waterskin now!!" I demanded. One of the people helping wash him off snapped it off of their belt and held it to me. I tenderly placed it at Bobazo's lips and slowly poured a small amount into his mouth. He coughed at first but I was eventually able to coax him into taking more.

Eventually, he settled down, and it was dead silent. Until a piece of nice somewhere far above our heads broke off and fell to the jungle floor. We could all hear the ice cracking over us like an ice sheet over a lake splitting.

" What are we going to do?!?!" A dismayed voice cried out and suddenly everyone was talking and I could feel panic slowly start to set in again.

With Bobazo alive I felt the fire in my soul reignite. With the mothers sapped of all their energy, they would not be able to help us for a while. I knew what we needed to do.

I leaned over Bobazo. Looking deeply into his eyes that had cracked open and were looking up at me. I stroked down his face lovingly.

" A long time ago you took care of me. Now let me take care of you my sunlight of my life." I said down to him and placed a kiss gently on his lips. His chest shook with a hum before his eyes slowly closed as he passed out from the pain. I snapped my head up again as the panic started to escalate

" QUIET!!!!" I shrieked out to the crowd and they all shut up and looked over at me. " I know what to do.

- -

A few days later we were almost at our destination. Everyone, from all the tribes, including all the ones that stayed home for the fight were all here. We all had to pack up and leave our homes. The jungle was dying around us, and the fire spread every day. The ice above us melted more each minute.

We were running out of time, but we were almost to the surface. Urani was our last hope. If she could not help us, no one could.

We were all making our way up the side of the mountain to the cave that would take us to the ice. I was leading the group. Behind me Minimi and Rusa walked solemnly, this would be their first time in the cold antarctic air.

Right behind them was a group carrying a few carriers. Bobazo was on one of these stretches. Blanketed in furs, but otherwise unclothed as to not irritate his burns. Y'avashaak layed on his chest.

The other one held Owlowi's saber-toothed cat that was slowly withering away, we hoped to bond him to someone else and save him before he would die. Many other injured were carried all throughout the group.

There were hundreds, if not thousands of people needing help right now. Could Urani really help this many people? We reached the cave entrance and I stepped through with no hesitation. I had Y/S/N at my side, Zanili perched on my shoulder, and my people behind me. I wanted to be right next to Bobazo, but I had to lead the people up here, they trusted no one else to do so.

We filed into the cave entrance and made our way to the cave opening. I was hoping Uraani would be waiting for us, and I was right. However, she was not alone.

As we neared the exit I saw her peering in with a sad smile, next to her Shila had tears in his eyes. The next person was actually in the cave just in front of the entrance waiting for us. If you could call him a person?

The creature before us loomed about 7 to 8 feet fall. The body looked humanoid but was composed of ridged dark grey skin with large batlike wings that protruded from his back.

His lower face was a writhing mass of tentacles. And his eyes were pure white that glowed like moons in the darkness. He held out his webbed clawed hand to us and his tentacles started to move as he talked.

" Hello people, My name is Caiman, I am great friends with your ice spirit. We will help you. Welcome to the ice sheets."

-The End

The snake in the Ice will continue

Thank you all so much for reading my book. It would not have been possible without you! Great love and thanks from author!