Obsidian Scales

Chapter 7

 Lily stood in the forest, staring at the great tall trees that surrounded her. She did not think she would be stepping foot in those woods again. But here she was, and in broad daylight. Of course she was not alone – Silas was with her.

A very joyous Silas.

Ever since he chased Milo and his friends off the other day, he had been in an extremely good mood. Especially with helping her around the farm. After doing their chores for the day, he offered to take her to the forest, to show her "his home" as he had put it. She wasn't sure if that meant going to his village or just walking around the forest, but she didn't mind the break anyway. If anything, she found it peaceful, and she got to admire Silas in all his serpentine splendor. Despite saying this was break for her, he was still in his leather armor with the swords on his back.

By watching his actions she was able to see just what kind of creatures the Naga were. He climbed trees by using his claws to grip onto the bark, and used his tail to propel himself upward. As he explained it, his scales had grooves on the side that gripped to the bark and other surfaces, which held him up on the tree.

He had convinced her this last week to go into the woods with him, to take a break from her daily routine. She felt nervous, not wanting to leave her work so soon, but after being practically dragged away she had no choice but to obey. Now here she was, carefully walking through the woods while he slithered, crawled, and jumped across tree branch after tree branch."

"Are there other types of Naga?" she asked softly, looking up at him as she watched him move with grace, like a predator stalking it's prey.

His prey just happened to be whatever caught his eye in the trees.

Like a bird.

A woodpecker, actually.

His gaze not leaving the bird that was on the tree in front of him, he spoke. "There are many kinds. Not all Naga are Hassan-syn." he explained quietly, slowly slithering forward on his branch, trying to be stealthy. "What other kinds are there?" Lily asked, relaxing against a tree as she watched him hunt.

"There are us, the Hassan-syn, or the 'night-hunters.' Our scales are black and we use the shadows and the cover of night." he explained, moving closer to the bird, who was loudly pecking away at the bark of the tree. "Then, there are the Kraugest, they live near the volcanoes in the north. They're boastful warriors, I can't stand them." he hissed slightly. "There are the Amastin in the west, finding solace in the jungles. They're master shape-shifters, and proficient in magic." He moved quietly to another branch, his tail curling around the base of the tree behind him. So close now, he was so close to the woodpecker. "Lastly, there are the Eeleste, sea dwellers. Similar to mermaids but they have to surface to breathe air more often." After that, he pounced, pushing from the base of the tree, his tail uncoiling as he did. The woodpecker didn't stand a chance as Silas's hand slammed into it. He held it up, with it screeching as he did. He looked at her, victorious. Lily sighed. "Do you really have to eat the bird? You just ate." she frowned.

He frowned back at her and let the bird go. "You're no fun." he huffed and moved down the tree. The bird had flown off without a problem, so he hadn't injured it too much. "Why do you need to eat everything you see?" She asked, crossing her arms and standing up again after leaning back on the tree. He smirked at her, leaning closer and wrapping his tail around her slightly. "There's one thing I haven't eaten, and trust me, I'll be taking my time with that." he purred, looking down at her while raising his brow suggestively. Lily blushed. "In your dreams!" she said and stomped off.

"Oh come on! That was funny!"

"It was not!"

"You found it a little funny!"

"No!"

"I heard a chuckle in there!"

~/~

They ended up by a crystal clear pool, with a small brook running into it. They had decided to take a little rest there. It was nice and quiet, save for a breeze rustling the trees, the sound of the brook, and song of birds every now and then. Like she imagined, he stretched out on the grass with his tail draped over the odd boulder or fallen log. Silas was on his belly, his arms resting under his chin and his eyes closed as he relaxed in the sun. He heaved a sigh, completely content. Lily sat next to him, her legs pulled up slightly with her arms loosely wrapped around them. She looked to the sky. "Do the Naga's get along with each other?" she asked. Without opening his eyes, Silas responded. "Very rarely. We're possessive over our territories, but there's hardly been a turf war for ages." he said nonchalantly. Lily nodded and looked to him. "I'm very excited, and nervous, to see your home. That is if you are actually taking me to your village." She gave him a sly look.

He chuckled. "Very good. You have fallen right into my trap." He opened his eyes and grinned at her. "Now I will never let you go." He sat up and wrapped his tail around her snugly. He leaned down, his gaze meeting hers, filled with warmth, and gently pressed his forehead against hers. He let out a hissing purr, his body relaxing as his arms wrapped around her and held her close. She smiled at him. "Well, it's a lovely trap." she chuckled softly. He dipped down some more, his lips hovering over hers...

...Until she felt like her entire body was being crushed.

She flinched and panicked for a moment until she noticed that it was Silas who had wrapped his tail around her, almost protectively. His tail had loosened slightly, though his upper body stood in front of her like a shield. "Silas...?" She asked softly. He didn't look at her, but behind her. "When I say so," he began, a hostile hiss in his voice. "Run. Head deeper into the forest. Don't look back." He stared straight ahead. "You will run into a patrol soon enough. Tell them you're with me." She looked behind her, to see what he was looking at.

That was all it took.

There was a roar, so loud that it made her ears ring. Heavy paws thudded against the ground as it leapt out of the brush. Everything was a blur as Silas wrapped his tail around her again and quickly moved her out of the way, still shielding her as the massive beast ran past them. With a snarl it whirled around, and that was when she recognized the beast. At first glance it would appear to be a tiger, but it was much bigger, with long fangs that curled past it's jaw. It's entire body was pure muscle under the orange and black coat. It's lower half turned to chitinous scales, spreading to it's legs and to it's tail. The tail was the shape of a scorpions tail, barb and all, raised in aggression.

A manticore.