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The day was clouded. There was no rain. . . but little light. Resting out near a pond, a python could be seen. His tan form was slender, and he'd rest curled with open eyes. Snakes, creatures of a cold nature, would typically stay huddled in their nests and await the sun's warmth. And even with that warmth, serpents preferred to bask upon a stone to gather more warmth or lay hidden within cover. This one did neither. Instead he'd lay in the open, along the cold dirt ground. . . almost as if he wanted to be seen. Intent focused eyes would scan ahead, with an occasional fidget. His long serpentine tongue would part, and passively flick the air.

A little mouse maid peeked shyly around the corner, scanning the path carefully, and the road up ahead. She wasn't so bold as she sometimes was. Her love was getting hungry, and heartbreaking as it was, if he hadn't made his catch, she didn't want him to see her. Spotting the serpent on the rock, she stared a while. It was unlikely he'd be out on the dirt in the open at this hour, unless he was waiting for her. Still, she wanted to be sure. He looked like he was staring intently. . . .perhaps for food?. . . perhaps for her?. Finally she'd reveal herself, walking into the open, making her way forward, though not too swiftly in case she'd made a mistake. "Jaabir?" she called out.

As the rodent still forward, the python's tongue would flick more rapidly. Those intent eyes. . . they'd begin to hone, lock. "Hisssss. . ." There would look to be some excitement, his coils tensing. The sigh of prey. . . it was pleasing to his senses. Senses that were just a little confused as to why the snake had rejected their proposal for cover, and potential ruined the chance to catch this. . . rather plump looking mouse. Was it coming nearer? Maybe he could still get a hold of it. If it just got in reach, he could feed well. . . on that that nice. . . white-fured. . . doe. The head would lift slow, and those eyes. . . looked to soften, if only lightly. "Ssss. . .SSS. . ." That long muzzle would shake hard "Ssssstay back. . .!" he'd call out, his words looking to be forced. The snake's eyes would shut, and he'd take several deep breaths. His lids would lift back slowly. "D-dont. . . come clossser. . . Lichthia. . ." There would look to be a frown, and pain in his expression: He wanted to much to hold her. . . to be with her.

The mouse came to a relaxed stop, placing her staff against the ground. Any sudden changes or signs that mind make her seem nervous would tempt the snake after all, so she just leaned forward, relaxed. "S'alright, love, I won't come closer," she said gently. "N'y'too far t'catch me, even if y'tried." She'd give a gentle smile, feeling a twinge of secret guilt. Well of course he hadn't fed, he was thin, his gaze intense, it was obvious. She'd only made a mistake because she'd wanted it to be true. Now she did her best to make amends, working to make herself a less attractive target. She was a mouse, aware of him, but not scared of him, and too far away to catch. His best chance was to wait and hope she dropped her guard, and give him an opportunity later to catch her.

*hisss. . .* *hisss. . .* " g-good. . ." Lichthia's attempts would seem to take root. He'd lose some of his tenseness. . . coils flexing out, body not so stiff. That rhythmic hissing would slowly quiet. His body didn't want to move now, didn't want to strike out, didn't want to hiss angrily. . . it might spook the mouse! The sudden calm would give Jaabir ample time to assume control, that gentle softness returning to his gaze. He'd continue his long steady breaths, peering down to judge their distance. "Yesss. . . " he'd agree. There would be a few more breaths, before Jaabir raised his head. . . to admire her. "I missssed. . . you." he'd whisper softly, a seam of drool forming along those dark tan lips. The snake wouldn't even try to hide his hunger for her, he couldn't.

Fortunately, the little mouse was better at hiding her feelings than the snake. She just leaned against her staff, watching him, taking care to present as modest a view as she was capable of. No doubt the mouse was a ilttle wary of him, but if he just stayed still she might forget about him and return to her foraging. Inside it was all quite different. Inside, as that mammoth meat eater raised his head and literally salivated over her when she wasn't even trying to look delectable, she felt a tingle go down her spine, and her heart beat a little faster. She couldn't help but imagine what would happen if she set down her staff and walked forwards, if she were to walk right in front of him, pull her robes down her shoulders and let them fall to the ground, turn her back to him, waver her tail in his face and give a scared mousey *squeak!* She knew how fast he was from their sparring, she'd be down his throat before she knew it, kicking and squealing as the famished serpent fed. Ohhhhhh, it was delicious, but the mouse had excellent self control, and there was no evidence of the fantasy playing out in her head, except perhaps her smile got a little wider. Of course Jaabir would be crushed if she were to do such a thing, and so fantasy would remain fantasy. "I missed you, too," she'd answer, concentrating on that soft sad gaze, and trying not to pay too much attention to that drooling maw that hungered for her, the enormous body that could so easily crush her. "It helps havin Jack and Tarik t'keep me company." She didn't want to dwell too much on the rabbit and the rat, and so continued, lest they tempt the serpent's hunger. "Anything happen while I been gone? Y'huntin somethin, or talkin t'anyone?" She didn't really care that much about the answer. It was just pleasant talking with her love, and so they needed something to talk about.

Jaabir eye's would slowly scan over her, though quickly raise back. No, he reminded himself, he coudnt do that. He had to control himself. He couldnt focus on those soft round ears. . . that were turned just so slightly, limiting a full view of either. He couldnt focus on those lovely curves either, it might tempt him too much, those lovely curves which. . . didnt extend out and present themselves as he so fondly remembered. And he certainly couldn't focus on that warm . . .bare. . . meaty pink tail, that would surely stir him. Well. . . fortunate that the appendage seemed to pull behind the mouse's body ever so subtly, hiding from him. The snake soon took notice, as the mouse's smile grew: He couldn't look at much else. Jaabir didn't know what she was thinking, but couldn't help but feel she was thinking of him. He'd manage a smile himself, a short, tired smile. He'd blink slow, and nod softly to her words. "That'ssss. . . good." Hearing the question, Jaabir's head would drape, and he'd look down. That smile too, seemed to fade, replaced with a saddened frown. "Yessss. . ." he'd reply, voice still keeping to a whisper. . . as if afraid to wake a sleeping beast. "I. . . found. . . a chipmunk." That drool along his lips would intensify slightly, as he recalled the prey held about his coils. He shake his head, visibly upset with his own thoughts. "A very sssmall chipmunk. . . very young."

The mouse leaned against her staff, staring into her love's eyes. Something was amiss. He looked so weary. Was it because he was hungry? She'd seen him hungry before. She listened, suppressing an impulse to spread her ears, as she sought to understand and to help bare her love's pain. Some understanding would come as he spoke of the chipmunk. "A nestling?" she'd ask softly.

That frown would lower, and his gaze grew glassy. "yesss. . ." He'd sigh, still looking down. "He. . . I. . . think he wasss. . . ssstill on hisss mothersss milk." The python raised his head very lightly.

The mouse would feel a twinge of tension through her body at the affirmation of her question, and her paws would tighten slightly on her staff. Oh, she hoped the kit was a alright, she hoped her love had sent him home. She kept her eyes fixed on Jaaibr head, taking care not to scan his body, not to suggest to him that she didn't trust him. Of course she'd seen him earlier and he looked thin, but he might have crushed the chipmunk before realizing what he was, and a nestling would not make much of a bulge. Oh, he'd feel so much guilt if he'd hurt him, he might never forgive himself, she prayed it wasn't so. Of course she knew it was wrong, she knew it was evil of her to worry about the python and not the kit. But she couldn't help it. Her love was her love, and the chipmunk, even if a child, was no one she knew. She instinctively felt she should say little, and let Jaabir tell the tale, She'd look into his eyes, face gentle. "S'what happened?' she'd ask softly.

"I sssmelled him. . . and came near sssome walnut treesss." he'd explain, his remorseful eyes locking with her own. "I watched him. . . ssscurry. . . gather. . . come near me. He. . ." The python's eyes briefly shut, tongue and lips smacking lightly. "l-looked ssso good." His face looked to turn to one of self-disgust, lids lifting "I wasss going to sssspring on him." He'd sigh. "Sssaw me asss he came into reach. Almossst got him then, but. . . ssstarted talking. . . chittering." Jaabir gave the lightest of smiles, it was brief. "Told me hello. Wasssnt ssssure why I wasss missing legsss. Asssked me what I wasss."

The mouse listened silently as the python spoke, feeling anxious as he told the story. One of her great fears was that some day the python's empathy would go so strong he'd be unable to live with himself, and the tone of self disgust in his voice alarmed her. She had to suppress an impulse to cringe as she heard the chipmunk's question. That young?!? Now she was angry. What sort of parents would let a nestling that young get away, and with no warning of what he'd find in the harsh wider world. Still, she'd say nothing, and her expression wouln't change. Jaabir wouldn't want her to make excuses for him, or to try to place the guilt on anyone else, how ever much she felt it was warranted. No, the best thing she could do was not to make excuses or to tell him everything was ok, the best thing she could do was to listen. "Go on," she said softly, her voice gentle.

"Told him I wasss a snake. Said he didn't remember what thossse were. Sssaid he wasss. . . ssstill trying to learn what thingsss were, and what to watch for. I think he. . . ssstarted to remember what he wasss taught. Asssked if I wasss mean. . . had long teeth . . bit and made thingsss sick. I told him no. . . that I. . . had no posioned. . . ssshowed him." Jaabir frowned again, perhaps feeling guilty for practically playing with the creature. He wasnt completely feral then, but was he even himself? Did the excitement of a meal, however small, please him so much? It was hard to recall. Maybe. . . he was trying to warn him? "Sssstarted to get hisss instinctsss, get nervousss. Sssaid he had to go." Jaabir shook his head, "I didn't let him. I coiled him. Squeezzzed at him." Jaabir was clearly looking upset, calling to mind what he put the young rodet though, even if he couldnt help it. "He wasss sssso scared. Told me he wasss going to bite me, ssso I held him tighter." The python would pause, to look down with an obvious indication of guilt. "I. . ." he'd swallow, "I losssened for him, calmed, breathed. Wasss able to jussst hold him then, and talk."

The weight of gloom and guilt the pressed upon the python was now pressing upon the mouse as well, and she discovered she was grateful for the support of her staff as she listened. This was her fault, she told herself. If she'd kept her mouth shut, if she hadn't spoken up for Tarik, then Jaabir would be fed and happy now, and they'd both be cuddling together in his nest along with Jack. Of course she didn't believe that. Jaabir would never have met Tarik were it not for her, he would have been Tabatha's dinner, so she could hardly be blamed for the loss of the rat buck. But she very much wanted it to be her fault. It pained her to see her love under the weight of all that guilt, and she wanted to relieve him of at least a portion of the shame by taking it upon herself if she could. She listened with alarm as the tale continued, though even as it turned darker, she felt a glimmer of hope. She'd seen her love in the depths of despair before, after all-- to her shame, depths to which she had brought him when she'd carefully explained he'd have to take her life. His current mood, while dark, was not as bad as she'd expect if he'd consumed the kit, and that even more than the lack of a bulge gave her hope. And so she was relieved, but not completely surprised when the tale turned again. "N'what happened then?" she asked softly.

"I. . . tried to help him relax. Told him. . . to be ssstill. He ssstarted to, and I wasss able to keep sssome control. I picked up a walnut with my tail, gave it to him and raisssed a coil ssso he could eat. He ssstarted talking with me. He left hisss nessst when hisss mother wasss away. Ssshe told him not to. He wassss wanting to find sssome walnutsss because tasssted better than the acorns they had." While Jaabir was already feeling sorry for the creature and suspecting he was too toung, he considered it was that bit of information that made him feel so terrible; It confirmed he was very much a nestling, that he should have a chance to grow. "I. . . tried to let him free then." He'd look down. "It wasss too hard to lossssen. I. . . knew I would jussst grab him when he jumped away. . . kill him." The python sighed. "He sssstopped eating, and I asssked if he wanted more. Told me. . . no. Sssaid I could have the ressst. I ssstarted to explain. . . and I think thatsss when he tried to squirm away. I saw him early, tensing and trying to pusssh. I warned him. That if I could ssssee him, I'd jussst. . . grab him, hurt him. Told him to wait." There would be a pause, the serpent struggling to remember. "He wasss getting upset. I asssked him hisss name and he told me. . . Dave. It didn't comfort him enough, and he pussshed away again." Jaabir shut his eyes, "I started hissing at him. . . got angry, ssssqueezing . . . choaking."

Lichthia grew more tense once again as the story continued. The worst of it was, she knew her love so well, she was so connected to him, that she could feel everything from his point of view. Of course a young chipmunk would feel good in his coils, why she practically salivated herself at the thought. Of course the threat to bite would bet with a squeeze. She shared his shame at the story of the chipmnuk's mother, and she understood why it would be hard, nearly impossible, to let food go, when he was so hungry. She bitterly wished, as impossible as it was, she could have been at his side, she was sure she could have have talked him down. They were two havles of a whole, not meant to be separated. She understood as well as anyone the dance between prey and pred, squirming and crying met with hissing and squeezing. It was becoming all too believable the dance had gone to its end, with the serpent devouring the kit, or perhaps leaving him lifeless in the grass, the serpent leaving wracked by guilt. It was, in a sense, what was supposed to happen, what the dance demanded. And yet he was fighting it. She would have told him how proud she was him that he was fighting it, except she expected that would only make the guilt worse. She listened, her face betraying nothing, breath held, to hear how it ended.

"I. . . I sssstopped jussst before. I p-pulled back." The python looked to cringe, holding himself off was nearly painful, he struggled to think how he managed. "It. . . wassss hard. I gave him ssslack, a firm hold. . . let him breathe. I jussst held there, watching him. I tried to act calmer, sssmile, get him more relaxed. I. . . reminded him, if I could ssssee, I would jussst catch him again. It looked like he undersssstood, and he went limp, gave up. I. . . I t-turned my head. It wasss easssier when he wasssn't sssso paniced. Then I lossssened my coils. It wasss the mosssst I could do." He'd turn his eyes to Lichthia, meeting her gaze with his own. "He waited till I ssstopped looking, then jumped out. I tried to hold myssself, but. . . only could for a few ssseconds. I. . . felt angry again, turned and tried to ssstrike, tried to catch him. I missssed and he kept running." Typically, such an event would be the end of the story. A snake as Jaabir isn't designed to give chase, only ambush. And yet, there looked to be no pause, no indication he had finished. "I. . . went after him. . . he looked sssslower. I remember wanting him." The snake looked off. "I chasssed him for awhile, he wasss getting tired. He got near a tree and started running up. I jumped for him." Those eyes turned to the mouse, locking with her own. "I jussst misssed. Hisss tail wasss waving, I ssstruck too low. Then I ssstopped. He looked at me, wasss ssso terrified. . . and ran off.

The mouse listened, standing still; inside she was tense. The tale went on and on. Did the chipmunk get away? Finally it reached its conclusion, and she breathed a sigh of relief, a soft smile on her face. She would have loved Jaabir no matter how the story turned out, but this certainly made it easier. She wouldn't say anything for a long moment, just look at him with that gentle smile. Finally she took a deep breath. "So y'ended up givin him a scare, n'chasin him home?" she asked. She'd push herself a little more upright. "S'probably the best thing y'could'a done for him. Y'might even have saved his life." Eyes would lower. "Most preds. . . aren't principled. . . .like you and Tabatha," she'd continue, not really liking to say something positive about the cat in the same breath with Jaabir, but it was true. "He's lucky he ran into you, n'not some other pred."

Jaabir nodded lightly, but wouldn't look at all happy. "Yesss. . ." he'd mutter in agreement. "I. . . think he'd know what a sssnake isss now. . ." His own words would bring him pause. What exactly would a snake be? An angry hissing monster with no legs, that delights in strangling and devouring warm fuzzy critters? He was pretty sure that's what the chipmunk thought of him. Still, the thought his actions had saved the creature, would at least bring his muzzle to raise a little higher than it was. He certainly wasn't trying to save him, at least, not from anything more than himself.

The snake would sigh, nodding once more. "He wasss. . . lucky." Few else would have felt guilt. Most would have simply snatched up the nestling, or tricked them into their den. "I jussst wisssh. . . I. . . c-could control myssself. I don't like having to feel that way. . . to think that way. In a few daysss. . . I wouldn't have been able to ssstop. I. . . wouldn't even talk to him." Jaabir's eyes grew heavy. "I might not even remember what I've done. . ."

The mouse slowly leaned her head against the staff, looking upwards to regard the giant python. Oh it made her heart ache to see him like this! When she'd first seen him so hungry, she'd fantasized being his. Now she had a similar impulse, but for a different reason. It wasn't for herself, her love was hungry, and she wanted him fed! She would have more than happily given herself to him, sacrificing her body to soothe her love's pain. But it didn't have to be her! Another would do. She just wanted her love fed.

"You and I don't make the rules, m'love," she said softly. "We live in the world as we find it." She'd sigh. "Y'jest need t'go huntin. . . make a catch. . . . N'you'll be fine." If there was anything she could find to fault the python for, it was he could be lazy when he first started to hunt. She'd avoided bringing it up, as she didn't want to make him anxious, but maybe she should encourage him more.

Those yellowed eyes would shut, and he'd breathe a little quicker. It pained him that not only had he felt urge to harm a kit, but now. . . his mouse. . . his own love. Though his body laid, it hungered for her. . . grew restless; It wanted that mouse to stop squeaking and come closer. The serpent's eyes quickly lifted, and he'd let free a low impatient "hissss. . ." Jaabir cringed, and kept to his long steady breathes. "Y-yesss. . . I. . . " he'd sigh. "I need to. . . c-catch sssomething." He'd turn his snount and look off. At least if he had control, he could talk to his prey and calm them, he could give them their final wishes, he could let free the young. He could be. . . gentle. It was better than waking up with a bulge in his stomach, blood and scratches in the dirt beside him, and no recollection of who he had claimed. "I. . . don't want to. . . hurt anyone. But. . . It'sss better. . . I do it. . . when I'm. . . myssself." He'd turn to look back at her. "I ssshould. . . ssssssshould SSS HISSSS!" The python gave a snort, angry at this mouse that had no interest in coming near, it was just taunting him! At least, that's what it thought. Jaabir's head shook and he'd frown, "y-you. . ." he'd almost look to cry then, "ssshould leave. . ."

The odd little mouse didn't even react to the serpent's hiss. She just stood there watching him, a sad look in her eye. It was only at his entreaty, that she'd push herself up. "Just remember I love you, Jaabir," she said softly. "Wherever y'are, jus'remember, I love y'with all m'heart." . . . .. ..She'd step away then, though carefully, not turning her back, not suggesting she was running, doing nothing that would call attention to herself as a fleeing target. She'd back up and sidestep behind a stone outcrop, and was gone.

"I. . ." his muzzle turned, no longer facing her. "Yesss I know. . . I. . . l love you too. . ." Tears fell now, but he'd do his best to keep them hidden. Ohhhh he wanted her to stay! He wanted to talk more, to be with her. But as hard as it was, he couldn't, not yet. Even at this distance, there was still risk. His instincts were only growing more and more agitated, angry. When she began to move way, his eyes darted back, began to narrow. His body craved her, but knew it could not win. This one was going to get away. "HISSSS!" The python made its frustrations clear as she vanished out of sight. There would be a long snort, before the head rested upon scale. Those slitted eyes would raise, soften. . . and cry.