Travels

We took off the next day with full bellies and 8 hours off sleep behind us. On our backs rested Backpacks full with provisions, clothes and a map marked with Marias current position that Ophelia had brought to us first thing in the morning. Apparently the mother of storms was able to sense something within the wind that gave away our targets approximate location so all we had to was to track her down and bring the stolen artifact back. Should be easy right?

Wrong. The first problem arose before we even left the city. Apparently I was too "slow" to travel efficiently so I had the "privilege" of riding Blackey. While I was staring at Venosa with my mouth forming the sentence "how will I fit on that snake", Blackey slithered down the huntresses body and over the ground towards me. While she came closer her body began to emit the same purple-black steam she when she had eaten, for lack of a better word, the giant bird. But instead of hundreds of tiny serpents coming out of her this time Blackey coiled her body around itself as she grew in size, her scales becoming larger, her tail longer and longer. Within a second she was at least 40 feet in size and 2 feet thick, her head looming triumphantly over mine.

"She doesn't like people insulting her size. She always gets competitive about it", Venosa said with a smile on her lips. The snake slithered in a circle around me, nodding her head.

"She wants you to hop on. Don't worry, she usually doesn't eat humanoids."

"Wait, why did you say usually?"

A snort came from behind me. Turning around I saw Skarra holding her hand on her mouth, trying to stop either a laugh or today breakfast from coming back out. The lack of choking made the case quite obvious.

"What, you scared?", she asked in a mocking tone. My hands on my hips I replied:

"Of cause I am worried. And stop acting like that is strange, just look at that snake. She could eat me and then come to you for seconds."

Upon hearing my commend Blackeys head began to rock up and down, like she was nodding to some inaudible music. Venosa laughed.

"You are a real snake-charmer Nothol, you know that?"

While she spoke I felt something long and scaly brushing against my back. Despite the mother of all chills running down my spine I managed to suppress a shudder. As I turned my head the snakes nose bumped softly against my forehead. I took a few steps back and Blackey holds part of her body in front of me at waist height.

"She want's you to get on her back."

Venosa, Skarra and Lopus begann to sprint towards the forrest, leaving me behind with Blackey. I point a finger at the snake.

"If you eat me or throw me off you aren't you are bad snake."

Unfazed by my comment, the snake pushed its mid-section towards me. With shaking feet and hands I climbed on her back, slinging my arms around her form to stop myself from falling off imminently. A few seconds nothing happened while Blackey waited for me to get a good grip on her, then the world begann to shoot past me.