Professor Gemstone in the snake pit. part 5 (46)

Ezera, just like any other creature in the biodiversity, however poor it was, had fought for his place in the group. In a way, he was now part of it. Of them. To these drakes, his human form wasn't important. A man was also only an animal, in the end.

Ilya was a special man, with firelight running in his blood. That made him a natural enemy.

But Ezera was just a man. And that made him a beast. A weak beast, a potential opponent, yet ultimately a peer, in the wild world. Which this was.

After he killed the drake, took his liver and heart, and left it behind to resume the pattern, other drakes eventually came there to eat its remains. But only after Ezera abandoned it. And only when it became clear that Ezera wouldn't go out of his way to attack them.

Ezera knew to follow the rules. If he went for another kill now, or cut straight to the center of the nest, all his efforts would be for naught. Now was the ideal time to make himself an animal, identical to them. It was all a show, to be able to move better in the future. His movements remained slow, measured, his senses sharp to detect potential opponents. But he did not cheat at this game.

It was a game that lasted hours upon hours. At least, that was how it felt to Ezera. He eventually came into the range of the nest. Ever so slowly, he came forward, to where he could hear the whimpers and hisses of the drake hatchlings. He felt eyes on him.

There was indeed a light, coming from above. It was faint and blueish, and it seemed very far in the darkness above the dome. Ezera divined that the cave was opened... It had no roof. There was a vertical tunnel, going higher, and higher... The only exit. From there, came the gleam of light.

The fact that the hatchlings' nest was situated right under that upward way gave Ezera just the minimum of visibility. It was still very dark, and he could not see well, but he could distinguish white little bodies at his feet, in the shade. They were crawling, hissing at him, at each other, around the broken shells of eggs half eaten, pieces of it spread all over the ground. It cracked a tiny noise when Ezera walked on it. He could also discern dead little bodies. It seemed the children ate each other to grow.

They were watching him.

They would kill him, if he did anything to their kids.

Impassive and silent, Ezera dropped his prizes in front of them. The bloody organs fell to the ground with a disgusting splash, wet and squishy. Ezera watched, unfeeling, as the hatchlings sniffed at the gift. He watched coldly as they threw themselves at the food, the meat of their own parents.

The eyes anchored on him turned away.

One of the little drakes came closer, rubbing itself against his pants. It didn't have enough strength yet to climb up the human body, but it could straighten high enough to examine Ezera's red-colored hand, and lick the blood off of it.

It was good, Ezera thought. The hatchlings left their scent on him. Which meant that, naturally, the other adult drakes would not assault him, by instinct.

It bit him.

Ezera pinched it harshly. The hatchling whimpered, having understood his mistake. Ezera was no food. Ezera was the adult.

He let it go, it didn't bite again. But it kept rubbing at Ezera's clothes, discolored by the vital liquid that had covered him during the previous fight. Ezera let it. Thinking.

If the only exit was up, then how to reach it? There was obviously something that could be done. Ezera only needed to figure out how.

He looked directly at the young drake that clung to his leg, and the few others coming in his direction. He stared at their small eyes, that he had trouble distinguishing. It was easier when they raised their heads, when the light from above reflected in their slit pupils...

The hatchling that looked up whimpered, shielding his eyes as soon as the light, however faint, hit them.

Ezera's eyebrows went up, even as he let them play with the edge of his pants.

Oh?

That was interesting.

Ezera remained another few hours with the hatchlings before his turn was over, and the pattern went on, now spiralling away.

In the next few hours, he had once again reached the entrance of their hideout, and he eclipsed himself discreetly while the drakes closest to him took their naps. He instantaneously felt marginally better, now that he was back in the protection that the cave offered.

Ilya wasn't yet asleep. In fact, Ezera had lost track of how much time had passed. He was... A bit tired. He forced a smile to elevate the corner of his lips, greeting Ilya when the other man raised his eyes to meet his.

"Missed me?"

Ilya closed his book. Strange, Ezera thought. He hadn't thought there had been enough space in Ilya's small bag for that thick a book. The fire was running, warm and spreading a yellow light on the stone around them.

Ilya's eyes widened slightly in alarm.

"You are injured," he noticed,standing up.

Ezera shook his head.

"No," he tried to reassure him, "it's not my blood. Don't worry about it."

But Ilya was already prodding at him. He raised a delicate eyebrow as it touched the shoulder.

"Then what is that?" He questioned flatly as he pushed.

Ezera winced, flinching away. Uh. He had forgotten about this.

"Alright," he laughed breathily, "so maybe some of it is my blood."

Ilya hummed, guiding him to go sit down against the wall.

"Get some rest. I'll clean it."

"Ah, but I've a lot to tell..."

Ilya shook his head.

"You can share it later. Get some sleep. I'm sure you want to check on your students."

Oh. Right. How long had it been?

"How long has it been?" Ezera asked aloud.

"I do not know."

"Oh. Ow."

"Apologies. It will hurt a bit."

Ezera closed his eyes, too tired to keep them opened any longer now that the tension had drained away.

"It's fine... I almost don't feel it, anyway..."

He didn't hear Ilya's reply, falling asleep as quickly as a baby.