Mythics: the search for Avia

Chapter 6 : Poison

"Whoa, it's hot!" Exclaimed Kyomi panting as her, Skylar, Gabby and Tori emerged into the bright, hot sun.
"Really? I think it's nice and warm." Said Tori slithering out of the trees as a lamia.
"Easy for you to say." Muttered Kyomi eyeing her smooth, cold blooded scales with envy.
"Yeah, you're part snake we're not." Said Skylar trying to use her wings to shade herself from the glaring sun.
"Well it's not going to get any cooler standing here," Said Gabby, "So let's keep moving." Together they moved forward into the grass and went in the direction Gabby was going with the map. The four made their way west until they met a large cave and a lot of  dirt hills.
"I don't think this is the right way..." Said Gabby looking at the map with a confused expression.
"Aren't we supposed to be standing in front of a maze by now?" Asked Skylar.
"My point exactly." Said Gabby "I think we're lost."
"And that's bad...right?" Said Tori.
Skylar looked over Gabby's shoulder at the map and Pascal crawled out of her backpack and onto her shoulder to take a peek as well...startling her and making her jump causing Pascal to land on the open map in Gabby's hands and Skylar to fall backwards onto her sitter.
"Ow..." Said Skylar rubbing her behind and standing up again. Pascal squeaked at Gabby and motioned for her to flip something. "Pancakes?" Asked Gabby, confused.
"I think he means for you to flip the map over." Said Kyomi. "You have it upside down." "Ohhh." Said Gabby and she flipped the map around with Pascal still on it. He fell off into the sandy, dusty ground.
"Sorry!" Said Gabby quickly picking him up and putting him in Kyomi's outstretched hands.

When he reached Kyomi's hands he turned around and started to growl. Soon the girls heard it too: a faint hissing noise coming from the cave before then and the holes in the mounds of dirt behind it.
"You guys?" Asked Tori uncertainly. Tori was suddenly surrounded by hissing lamias and Skylar, Kyomi and Gabby backed away slowly. "They wouldn't hurt their own kind would they?" Whispered Gabby to Skylar and Kyomi. "I hope not." Kyomi answered.
"But what would that make us?" Asked Skylar warily eyeing the situation.
"Umm...friends I hope?" Suggested Gabby. All at once, the lamias abandoned lamia Tori and surrounded Gabby, Kyomi and Skylar.
"Hi?" Said Gabby.
"I don't think they can understand you." Said Kyomi quietly through clenched teeth.
Pascal crawled from his recent perch in Kyomi's hands to he shoulder and continued to growl at the approaching lamias.
"Aww that's so cute!" Said Gabby.
"Gabby! Focus!" Whispered Skylar harshly. Skylar would have laughed if her friends weren't in danger but now was not the time. "Wait! Stop! They are my friends!" Tori yelled at the lamias not knowing if they could understand her. Pushing her way through the crowd of lamias, Tori reached her friends and wrapped her tail protectively around them. "These are my friends do not touch them!" spat Tori. Hissing in rage and apparently taking offense, the whole lamia population came flooding out of their burrows and caves like bees in a hive.
"We are way out numbered." Said Tori uneasily.
"Noted, but what are going to do?!" Asked Gabby in a high voice.
"Okay girls, on the count of three we'll split in different directions kay?" Said Skylar. The girls nodded their heads in agreement and Skylar started counting, "One!" She shouted and the lamias advanced a "step" closer.
"Two!" Even closer....
"THREE!!!" She shouted and they all made a run for it causing the whole clearing leap into action and chaos.

Skylar shot into the sky and flew in circles like a hawk watching the scene from above. Kyomi morphed full wolf and started to bite and claw at whatever she could reach to get out of the lamia circle they had made. Gabby spotted a lamia made, retention pond in a small ditch and started drenching and freezing lamias one by one to make a path out and Tori went hand to hand -or tail by tail- combat with the lamias punching, biting and whipping lamias left and right. Working together to create a path out of the lamia circle, Tori, Kyomi and Gabby made a run for it first chance they got with Skylar flying not far behind them.
On their way out of horde of lamias, a half frozen lamia bit Kyomi on the tail and she howled out in pain. Skylar dove down to help Kyomi and kicked the lamia right in the face, knocking it out and freeing Kyomi's tail from its fangs. Kyomi ran and Skylar followed her into the grass where the others were waiting for them.

Half way through the tall grasses, Kyomi, in human form, collapsed and moaned.
Pascal leapt off her shoulder just in time to avoid being crushed and started looking at the bite marks on her tail.
"That's probably the smartest lizard I have ever seen." Said Gabby and started looking at Kyomi's wound with Pascal. Skylar and Tori watched as Gabby helped Pascal examine Kyomi's bite and look for some medicinal herbs.
When he was done, Pascal crawled off of Kyomi and went into the tall grass coming back a minute later with some green herbs that smelled a bit like vinegar. He chewed them up and put them gently on Kyomi's tail as Gabby sat back and watched with Skylar and Tori. As he applied the leaves Kyomi's face softened showing the medicine was working, for now.
"Looks like we're staying here tonight." Said Skylar.
"I'll keep watch on Kyomi. Don't worry." Said Gabby.
"Ok" replied Tori and they settled down for a long night.

Alex woke up again to light filtering through a couple small cracks in the ceiling. In the semi darkness James whispered next to him, "Is anybody awake?"
Lucas's stomach growled in response and he sheepishly replied, "Excuse me."
Alex said, "I'm awake... What about Zach?" A loud sound that sounded like a dying pig erupted from the silence.
"I think so." Said Alex, looking to his left to see Zach snoring against the dusty stone.
"Hey Zach! Wake up!" James whispered as loud as he could and Zach woke with a start, rattling his chains.
"Wha- where am I?! Oh."
"Is everyone up again?" Called a sly voice all the boys remembered. Avia walked with a tray of bread and bowls of thick soupy stuff. "Hungry?" She asked. Alex and Lucas exchanged a glance while James looked at the food with literal saliva dripping from his mouth.
"Here." Said Avia and she snapped her fingers the chains on their hands popped of but their feet remained bound. Avia distributed the bread and weird liquid stuff to them.
Wary, but still hungry, Alex gave the bread a tiny sniff.
"Seriously? I'm trying to be a good host! If I wanted to kill you I would have already and that's all I'm saying so eat or don't either way I don't care." Said Avia in a hurt, but kind of angry voice.
Alex looked at the others not wanting to anger the lady and they simultaneously began to eat.
When they were finished Avia made the bowls vanish and said, "Hmph. Now that you've eaten I suppose you'll live for another few days." And with that Avia walked off again, sealing the cracks in the ceiling and locking their hand-chains with another snap of her fingers putting them into darkness.