Forever Captive

Chapter 5

"You say you are human, one of them. They still treat you as a..." The deep, growl-like hisses return from the naga's lips as it seems to struggle to find a word, "You speak of a 'cage' with defeat and frustration. They treat you as inferior? Is this 'cage' your home?"

The naga's tail heavily rests my still tender leg and I wince slightly as the bone moves. It still hasn't healed? The bone has shifted that much? It would probably be better to cut it off, then.

"Anything that people do not understand is inferior." I hiss slightly as the naga's tail shifts further on my leg. I continue, however, "Cages are used to trap, confine, and limit the movement of an animal. That is not a home. It's just... where I stay when they won't let me study more of their so called 'inferiors.' I spend my time trying to gain and share knowledge— to show that not a damn thing in this world is inferior to humans. That's what I seek. Research is a way to gain more knowledge, though some people use it for different things."

"You... do not try to leave? Why save a human from me? They have surely done worse to you." The naga asks, its eyes slowly turning blue. Blue? Curiosity, confusion? What is it?

"Mr. Davis does not know of my... inability to die. He treated me as he would any other human. It's cruel and useless to let somebody die simply because he's the same type of thing that hurt me." I state calmly and notice the naga look down towards my leg.

I hesitate but gently rest my hand on its smooth, cool tail. When its head jerks back up to look at me, I hesitantly ask, "Is it possible for you to bite or tear a limb off in... this form?"

Its eyes slowly turn yellow with red streaks as it detaches from my body, finally letting my arms go, "Yes."

"Ah, I suppose I should ask if you are hungry. It would be rude to ask a favor of you without offering something in return." I state softly, "Broken bones are... hard to heal once they move from where they should be. It's easier to just take the... problem off of my body. If you... eat humans, or even can, please feel free to—"

"No." The hiss is followed very quickly by a strange, almost strangled sound as the naga flinches away from my hand, "I... will hurt you no further."

I don't have a knife, nor do I actually have a belt to just cut the circulation off. I need to either correct the bone with no visual of when I should stop or find a way to cut it off. It was compressed— and likely twisted— with the movement of the strong reptile. I have no way of knowing exactly where the break is or which bone it is. It could be both. Broken bones have a tendency to radiate the pain and make it incredibly hard to tell.

I sigh roughly, "Don't expect me to walk, then. I'll be stuck like this until my body either dissolves the bone and replaces it or it heals however it can."

I don't understand, though. The naga had no qualms with repeatedly wounding me. I mean, fuck, I still don't have a beating heart at the moment. Did I somehow garner sympathy from such a fierce predator? Is it even capable of sympathizing with me, considering that it seems rather foreign to it for humans to attack one another? Perhaps it just wants to use me for information and is worried about me developing hatred for it. I suppose I'm no different.

"Can... humans help you?" The reptile quietly asks, its eyes still blazing blue.

"By cutting it off? Absolutely." I reply gruffly, but move my leg away from it manually, "But it doesn't really matter. Hopefully they'll be packing up and leaving now that their... biggest weapon is assumed dead. In which case, I'll just... drift in the ocean for a while until I hit land, so you don't have to deal with me."

I know the government was debating on how to dispose of me, anyway. They were running out of uses for me and my words were actually starting to be listened to. They were getting a lot of hatred from civilians about the labs and inhumane zoos. 

The naga slithers closer to me, its keen eyes scanning my expression, "Why return? Other land... Land all has humans. Why return to them?"

Did... Did something hit its head while I was immobile? Does it think I would return with more people to put it down? It doesn't seem to see me as a threat so I doubt it, but where the hell does it expect me to go? Living in woods or mountains is possible, sure, but I don't want to be confined if I'm finally free. I'd rather just drift in the ocean. Even if I did somehow wind up in a densely populated place, that's fine too. People are all I know, despite my research into other animals. They are what I am most infinitely familiar with. I have nowhere else to go. 

My silence seems to concern it, inching closer to me. I hang my head down with a bitter smile, "I have no desire to answer that question, if I'm honest."

The slow slithering forward finally stops as its clawed finger gently cups under my chin, forcing me to meet its blue eyes, "You are warmer than the sun. Remain still."

It wraps its body around me without my consent but I just sigh as its chest lands solidly against my back. It is cold. I'm amazed at the speed it moved to bite me, in that case. I guess maybe it needs a slightly cooler environment, since this was a mostly underwater cave system with salt water. I remember that part. It must have went through the water in the swamp to the ocean, if I had to guess. Where the fuck am I? It doesn't matter, sure, but the single hole in the ceiling of this cave shines directly on the rock, but it doesn't seem to be obstructed by trees at all, at least not from the angle the sun is at.

I realize the naga's breathing has slowed even as its claws remain tight against my shoulder— likely hours after it initially decided I would be its heater. I remain perfectly still as I absentmindedly watch the light of the sun fade from view. It was morning, judging by how long it takes before the sky through that hole fades to darkness. That means I was incapacitated for an entire day... at least. 

So it is nocturnal. It should wake up soon.