[PRP] Secret snake hunt (Jagazi, Inkungu, Inyoka'dla)

[Annchen]

Jagazi couldn't do more to help her father now. She'd helped him back, and watched as the more experienced females started tending to the snake bite. Perhaps she should stay by his side like a good daughter, but there was something else she wanted to do. She was sure Jasiri wouldn't approve, and her mother would probably not be too impressed either. Luckily she was an adult now, so she was totally allowed to do stupid things without consulting her parents first.

They needed to kill that snake.

Sure, it had fought Jasiri and won, but Jasiri didn't have a snake-eater bird to help him. She'd seen Inyoka'dla take on large snakes before, larger than you'd think she'd be able to handle. But sure enough, the bird had outwitted them and swallowed them down despite the fact that it looked like an impossible feat. She'd take care of this one too, right? Right. Igazi would probably approve after all... Especially when her daughter came back with the trophy of a dead snake. She'd wear that nasty animal like a badge of honor!

---

Inkungu didn’t worry about what her mother would think. One of the reasons for that was that her mother was miles and miles away, if she was even alive still. The power struggle that had prompted her to leave with her sister might have torn the little group apart, and without a functional group everything was harder. Hunting, safety, surviving...

They were lucky to have found a new home with this pride. With three leading males the group would be safer from intruders and dangerous shifts of power.

Inkungu didn't think twice when Jagazi motioned for her to come, and the two lionesses removed themselves from the crowd surrounding their injured Inselelo. She had already agreed to help after all. Jagazi had asked her to bring Inyoka'dla to take care of a snake lurking near the current pride territory, but when they got there they found no snake, a whole lot of blood and the injured Jasiri.

She hadn't seen the injury up close so she simply assumed that the snake just had a lucky shot and managed to hit soft skin that bled a lot. The bleeding would stop and, assuming the snake wasn't venomous, everything would be just fine.

---

Inyoka'dla walked behind the two lionesses, hoping that this walk would result in the promised food. The lions and lionesses often took her to food or pointed it out to her, and then were absolutely overjoyed when she killed and devoured it. She wasn't sure why the felines didn't gobble up the tasty treats themselves, but she wasn't complaining. Not at all. Maybe a little bit.

"Eat snake?" she asked, wanting less walking and more eating. They had jerked her around the entire afternoon now! They'd been in this exact place before and then rushed back to the rest of the pride with that yellow lion. What was up?  

[Annchen]

They were back at the scene of the crime, so to speak. The only evidence of the struggle was the blood on the tufts of grass, but it had started to dry already. The snake that bit Jasiri was gone, but another remained among the rocks.

He'd been told to stay put and stay hidden until she came back for him, and so the snake stayed. The blood red snake had lived longer than many mortals, but he wasn't immortal. His mistress had opted to take a risk and make a run for it, and when out in the open she could always reveal her true nature if all else failed. The snake didn't have that luxury. He could be killed and he couldn't change into something else.

---

Jagazi had started their trek with murderous determination, but she was starting to feel the heavy weight of reality now. The scent of lion blood was unnerving, and she wondered how on earth they were supposed to track a snake. Did they have scents? They must have... She knew how to track common prey animals, but she usually ignored or avoided other creatures.

"Yeah, now we find and kill the snake." she said to the impatient bird. She hoped the finding part wouldn't be too tricky. Maybe the bird could do the tracking?

---

Inkungu looked around, stopping to sniff the bloody patch of grass. Where the grass was thinner she could see faint tracks in the dust. She tilted her head and decided that, yes, they might be snake tracks. Something had made waves in the dust at least. She leaned in close and tried to catch a scent, but all she could feel was the faint scent of blood. Well, it was worth a try.

"Look at this," she said, "Could be something, right?"

---

The bird walked up to Inkungu and pecked at the bloodied grass. She then walked up to the spot the lioness was inspecting. The feathers on her head fanned out and then sleaked down slightly as she inspected the ground. She tilted her head this way and that, first using one eye and then the other.

"Snake." she said.  

[Annchen]

The snake felt the vibrations in the ground as the small group was drawing closer. He slid out slowly, just far enough to expose part of his head and taste the air with a flick of his tongue. Not his mistress. He quickly slid back, hidden again. Mistress would come.

---

"You found anything?" Jagazi asked and walked up to Inkungu to check out her find. "Oh, do you think we could follow those tracks? Or can the bird track for us?"

She hadn't had much of a plan going in, and she was not sure where to direct the anger that had prompted her to sneak off on this badly planned adventure. Hopefully Inkungu had an idea, because she had never done any real snake hunting since she was a cub. And those snakes had been small and harmless, not large and bite-y.

---

Inkungu smiled at Jagazis eager expression. She liked that Inyoka'dla was sought after for her unique skills. Until she had cubs of her own the secretary bird was as close to a baby as she got, and the bird didn't seem to mind being a bit coddled as long as there were tasty snakes and lizards in it for her.

"I'm sure she can help us," she said and looked over at the bird. She didn't seem interested in the tracks anymore, oddly enough. What was she looking at now? "Did you find more tracks Inyoka'dla?"

---

She hadn't found tracks, but she had seen a red scaly snout poke out between two rocks for just a second.

"Snake in rocks!" Inyoka'dla shrieked and walked closer to the pile of rocks, head feathers extended into an impressive fan. "Snake" she shrieked again when the lionesses didn't react quickly enough for her liking.  

[Annchen]

The large snake had squished his body as far in as he could into the space he was occupying. The only moving part was his tongue, tasting the air now and then. He was cornered, but mistress would come. A curved beak made a sudden attack, but it didn't quite reach him.

He could taste the bird, but the rocks blocked most of the heat signature and he couldn't see the bird either. If he attacked blindly that sharp beak might blind him for good.

---

"What? Where?" Jagazi shouted back. She wasn't sure if she should be excited or worried, but she too moved closer to the rocks. She couldn't see the snake and she was unwilling to get real close and run the risk of being ambushed. The bird was staring at a crack between two stones and while she watched the bird poked her head in.

Be it skill or just dumb luck, but the bird pulled her head out without being eaten by the snake. Jagazi let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and walked a few more steps closer. Now what?

---

If Inkungu was worried she didn't show it. She had seen Inyoka'dla show her snake hunting skills time and time again, and while she'd heard that Jasiri had been attacked by a 'large' snake she had seen the secretary bird take on large snakes before.

"Good girl," she cooed, "Get that mean old snake."

She coddled the bird like her own baby, but when it came to hunting she knew the bird needed no help.

---

"Snake," Inyoka'dla shrieked and tested the opening between the rocks again. The quick peck gave no results, but it wouldn't be good to stick her head in and leave it there for much longer. Snake hunting was a fine art, and she was good at it. She might be able to reach it, but it would be even better to annoy the snake into coming out of hiding. She flapped a wing in front of the opening, teasing the reptile with shadows and air movement.  

[Annchen]

The bird was getting bolder and bolder, but the snake was staying put. He tasted the air. Bird. Lion. Lions. Blood. Fresh blood! It was just a tiny taste of it in the air, but it grew stronger and stronger. This was good.

"Mistresss..." he hissed. He would not have to stay here for much longer. Let the bird have its fun for now... Mistress would come and make it stop.  

[Annchen]

"That's quite enough," Veri said as she walked up behind the two lionesses. She didn't show her wings, but she had deliberately chosen a large version of her mortal form and she had a very good stern voice when she was in the right mood.

It was unfortunate that she'd had to bite the stubborn male that had corned her among the rocks, and it was even more unfortunate that her snake hadn't been able to escape with her. She had slithered away as fast as she could and changed back when she was reasonably sure she wouldn't be seen. After that it was just a matter of teleporting away. If the lions should try to track the attacking snake they would find that the track ended among a set of large lion tracks, and that those tracks led nowhere at all.

Perhaps it was unnecessary to go to all that trouble, but she didn't like to mess with prides if she could avoid it. Her sister was more of a meddler, but Veri liked her privacy. Worship from afar or in small groups suited her better. Oh, she had exceptions to that rule, but she was a Goddess, she was allowed to make and break her own rules.

So to avoid drama she had teleported and then changed to her lion mortal form only to walk back to get her snake. Normally he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but she had left him in an unfortunate situation.

And apparently there had been misunderstandings.

"That snake is mine."  

[Annchen]

When a large white and red female appeared behind them Jagazi assumed it was one of the red pelts. It was a bit odd to meet one this far from their lands, but she might be one of their Enda or whatever they called it. The red ones knew that the Bonelands migrated, but they couldn't know exactly where the pride rested unless they were close to the outpost. She probably didn't mean to intrude.

"That snake injured one of our pride members," she said and glared up at the larger female, not quite willing to let the female walk away with the snake just like that. Even if they had a truce with the red pelts they couldn't just let their snake pets lose and hurt people!

---

Inkungu had heard about the red pelts, but since she'd joined the pride during the migration she had never seen one. However, since Jagazi wasn't treating the female like an intruder she saw no reason not to do as the female said. The large lioness sounded as if she knew what she was talking about.

"Come Inyoka'dla," she called softly. "We'll find you another snack."

---

"Snake," Inyoka'dla said surly, but walked away from her prey. She eyed the large lioness and fanned out her head feathers. Not happy, but not willing to take a fight with Inkungu and this new female. Inyoka'dla was a predator, and she knew it was better to back off when challenged by a larger one.  

[Annchen]

"Did it really," Veri said to the brown lioness as she walked up to the pile of rocks. "Come."

The snake didn't need to be told twice. He slid out of his hiding place and slithered up the Goddess leg, settling in two loops around her neck. He liked her true form better since it gave him more room, but she at least appeared larger than a regular little lion. He'd make do without the cosy wings for now. When he was settled to his liking he flicked his tongue out, studying the small lions and the bird with unblinking eyes.

"Did you even see the snake that attacked your friend?" Veri demanded, "Are you sure it was this one?"

Veri knew it wasn't, but she wasn't sure how to prove it to these mortals without confessing that she was the culprit. They wouldn't believe her, and then she'd have to do the whole Goddess thing... Ugh... Perhaps she should have pulled the Goddess card from the start? But then again she wasn't familiar with this pride, and she had heard rumors about prides hunting and killing Gods. She was too confident in her own abilities to think that she could be killed by mortals, but it would ruin the rest of her day.  

[Annchen]

Jagazi wasn't sure where to look. The snake was so large, and the lioness just let if curl around her neck! She'd seen smaller snakes curl around rodents and crush them, or suffocate them or whatever they did. What if this snake started to squish the lioness?

"Uh..." she said and then forced herself to meet the lioness's eyes again, "It must be that one. Father said it was a large snake."

Flawless logic!

---

Inkungu stayed back, trying to mollify the bird. She didn't think Inyoka'dla would try to attack the snake, especially not while it was curled around the other lioness like that, but she felt the secretary bird needed some attention and a tasty snack or two when they were back home.

"I didn't see the snake," she said when asked, "Jasiri said it was huge."  

[Annchen]

"I see," Veri said. It would have been easier if one of them had in fact seen her. She was bright white in her snake form and looked nothing like her snake companion. The brown female was not happy, and apparently related to the stubborn lion that had got in her way. Very unfortunate. The other lioness looked as if she was ready to leave already, but this one would not be so easy to get rid of.

"I see blood was shed," she said and motioned to the soiled grass, "Feel free to check him for blood, but I don't think you'll find any."  

[Annchen]

Jagazi took a deep breath and then moved closer to inspect the fraking huge monster snake. She did this for her father, and the snake would probably not bite her face off. After looking carefully and even sniffing the snake she backpedaled with a shriek when the snake opened its mouth impossibly wide. She forced herself to move a tiny bit closer, but the sharp teeth didn't drip with blood.

"Fine," she said surly, "But he might have rubbed it off against the rocks or against your fur. You smell like blood."

---

Inkungu had jumped as Jagazi screamed, and she had to admit that the snake looked ghastly with its mouth open like that. The white lioness seemed determined to prove her companion innocent. The grey lioness could appreciate that, she cast a glance at her own sulky bird and walked up next to Jagazi.

"Come now sister," she said and brushed up against Jagazi's shoulder, "No need to be rude."

She stopped to scent the air.

"No offense," she said to the white lioness, "But something does smell like blood here."  

[Annchen]

Veri always smelled like blood, ranging from fresh blood to old and rotten depending on her mood. The scent never washed off, and she tended to forget it was there. Those who stayed in her company seemed to get used to it too. But it was of no use to her that the scent would fade if the two lionesses spent more time with her. Veri didn't want to spend more time here, she wanted to take her snake and leave with as little drama as possible.

"I do," she said, "No offense taken. I killed a snake earlier, it's hard to groom the scent out completely."

The lie was an obvious solution to her little problem. If she had killed the snake there was no need to look for it further. All ends tied up. Neat and tidy.  

[Annchen]

"You killed a snake," Inkungu said, impressed, "Oh! Could it have been the snake we're hunting? What did it look like?"

She really had no concept of how easy or difficult it was to kill a snake. Inyoka'dla did it with ease, but she had never tried to do it herself.
Not to mention that lioness in the pride who lost a foot to a snake bite just before Inkungu joined the pride with her sister. No, she was going to be impressed. Hopefully it was that nasty snake that bit Jasiri, and they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

---

Jagazi didn't want to be impressed by anything the white lioness said, but she had no reason to dislike the other female. She eyed the snake and pondered the explanation offered for the blood scent she had felt. Perhaps it didn't smell like lion blood? The scent was hard to pinpoint.

"How large was it?" she asked. It sounded too good to be true if the snake they were looking for was already dead.  

[Annchen]

The grey female was eating it up, and the brown female looked as if she could be won over. Veri smiled slightly.

"Oh, it was large," she said, trying to remember how large her snake form usually was, "Like mine, or maybe a little bigger. I didn't really stop to think about the size of it."

A good hunter should always exaggerate the size of their prey a little, right? Especially the ones that get away... She decided some more details were in order. The yellow lion had got a decent look of her, and he'd be able to confirm that she'd 'killed' the right snake.

"It was a white snake and it was bloody," she continued, "That's why I attacked it. I'm not sure, but it smelled a little like lion blood."

She was laying it on thick, and she hoped she wasn't overdoing it. Again, the grey female nodded as she spoke, but it was the brown one she needed to convince.  

[Annchen]

Inkungu made a happy little noise when the white lioness stopped speaking. "That must be the same snake!" she exclaimed. "Isn't that great Jagazi? It's already dead!"

She beamed and looked from one lioness to the other. Sure, Inyoka'dla would have been happier with some snake in her belly, but the bird would get over it.

---

Jagazi frowned, but eventually nodded. "I guess so." she finally said, "Where did you find this snake?"

Jasiri must have seen the snake, and when they got back and checked with him it better be a white snake. If he'd been bitten by a red snake the red-pelts would have some answering to do.