The Snake in the Ice

The Spirit of the Ice above

" The Village?" You repeated, tilting your head slightly. Your jaw squishing up against your snakes cool scales as you did. Bobazo ducked into his hut and you followed suit. He disappeared behind his curtain though, so you stayed standing in the middle of the structure.

" So um, do we pack all of this?" You asked, looking around at everything in the hut. From sleeping mats to herbal supplies hanging from the rooftop. And a bunch of containers and baskets along with some sort of stick structure that held up the pots that he would boil water in.

" No." he called from behind the curtain. " Most of this stays here in case there is an emergency outside of the village. The reason we have stayed here so long and that I have not moved you into the village sooner is because you were too weak. Your alright to move that distance now, and I am needed there." He called from behind the curtain, a rustling sound accompanying it.

He reappeared a moment later with his antlered and feathered headdress and a satchel over his shoulder. He placed the cover over his head and tied the string to keep it still. Then he grabbed a blanket that you had not seen tucked under his arm.

He wrapped it around your shoulders. Y/S/N twitched slightly under the lightweight of the fabric but soothed into its soft touch

He grabbed some sort of staff that you had often seen him with, a medium-sized stick with a rounded end near the top. It was a brownish grey with natural intricate bark patterns.

He held the beads open for you, but you hesitated. Just like that? just like that, you were just going to leave behind the place that had been your haven for so long while you healed on a possible death bed who knew how many times?

It made you a little bit sad. This place had grown to become another home to you. It was where you not only met Bobazo but where Y/S/N was born on the very same day.

He was looking at you expectantly for a while now. So with a deep sigh, you limped out of the hut. You let Bobazo take the lead and followed him in the direction where the other man had left.

You could not help one last glance at the hut as you left. Watching its small structure disappear behind the greenery. Y/S/N copied your movements, looking back and silently saying goodbye to the place she was born.

You ran your hand down her body to comfort her, her muscles clenching where your fingers touched. She moved around to the front of your neck, making herself a little scarf around you like she did a lot of the times. You think it was her favorite position.

Curled tightly around your neck and soaking up your body warmth. pressing the top of her snout to the bottom of your chin lovingly. Her tail wrapped around your fingers when you finished petting her, so you kept your hand in the air so she could hold it as you limped through the jungle.

It did not take long for Bobazo to lead you to a river. It was slow, and the water was a deep grey-green. It offered a sense of calmness with the surrounding trees along both of its banks being void of all sound except for the light trickling of water and every now and then the rustling of the branches.

There was a canoe tied to the bank with a vine. He ushered you into the boat, and it rocked slightly under your weight. You froze, with your legs balance to you was practically nonexistent. A steady hand grabbed your shoulder and you looked back at Bobazo.

"It's alright, your not going to fall." He reassured, you smiled at him and took a seat. He grunted slightly as he pushed the canoe off of the sand with a grating sound and it slid smoothly into the water. He jumped in, making it rock more and you gripped onto it tightly with your hand.