Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 06

"It's not the same," Zyra spoke, though she was sure they did not hear her. Picking up a small rock she rolled her shoulders. Here went nothing.

"Distract him!" she shouted.

"What?"

"DISTRACT HIM!"

With a giant leap she leapt upon the back of the snake. It reared up, slashing viciously side to side. Her arms quaked with the effort to hold on, but she held fast. She felt like cursing her companions for their slow reflexes but Rell suddenly lobbed a large rock at the snake's throat. It pointed its gaze at him and Gharla followed up from the other side, using her arrows. Apparently while his neck was not a weak point, it bothered him quite much. They all began assaulting him in a way that he only twitched from side to side, knowing not whom he should attack first.

Lifting her head off of his scaly skin Zyra began to climb up him. He didn't notice her weight; she might have been an ant really. Her muscles cramped as she hoisted her body on the gripless surface, but she propelled herself forward inch by inch.

Then she was behind his head, just by his neck. His eyes and mouth were too close for comfort but she knew she needed to get closer. Taking a deep breath and launched forward and looked at her companion's fearful eyes. The snake hissed, sensing her presence. Gharla shot him in a previous spot and his jaw practically unhinged in anger. Hurrying Zyra pushed the rock against a sharp dripping fang and threw it down his throat. She slid down, letting momentum carry her and jumped to the ground, rolling away as he began to thrash and scream. She barely ran back into Hanto before the giant snake lurched forward and fell down passively.

Its head was but an inch from her foot. Hearing a sizzle she saw that the venom was eating away at her glove. She ripped it off and watched as it ate itself out. Hanto gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze before walking in front of her with his knife. Looking into the snake's eyes she could see it was getting drowsy, but it was also looking right at her.

What were those clear eyes saying? Why could a snake convey such emotion, such anger, self righteousness and...fear?

"Stop!" she said pulling Hanto back.

"It's fine," he said giving her an amused look. "You're cleverness had quelled the beast."

"No," Zyra said shaking her head as the snake kept its eyes only on her.

"We...we must spare it."

Hanto looked at her like she was mad and stepped toward the snake indignantly. Against her better judgment she stood between him. She waited to feel the fangs in her back but felt nothing but a wave of bitterness and sorrow. What was happening to her in this strange place? Hanto shook his head trying to calm his raging anger.

"Zyra," he seethed. "If we do not kill this thing now then it will kill us in our sleep."

Zyra looked back at the creature.

"Then we will die with honor," she exclaimed. She looked at Gharla and Enui who gazed at her with skepticism as well.

"We have no right to be on this land and this creature has ever right to attack us. Just like how we have every right to attack his kind on our land. He has done nothing wrong."

"It's a he now Zyra?" Hanto scoffed.

Zyra gave him a stern look. "Kill him if you must Hanto. But turn back. You will not travel with me."

She brushed past him turning to see what Rell was bent over.

"Luck has you today piss serpent," Hanto snarled. He spit on him then turned away.

Slowly the snake receded into the ground its eyes glued to the green eyed woman with eyes the color of his skin.

Zyra clenched her fists in aggravation. During the fight they had all left their cumbersome objects in a pile to prepare. Now they lay disintegrating, covered in the purple goo that was the basilisk venom.

"All our supplies and extra water," Enui moaned holding her head.

"Do you regret not killing the wretch now Zyra?" Hanto taunted.

Gharla flipped him a rude sign then frowned, reaching forward with a stick. "Perhaps if we can open the sachets..."

"Don't touch it," Zyra snapped. "Don't touch anything."

"Do you think we brought this on ourselves?" Rell asked quietly.

"Yes," she replied. "But not in the way you think."

Zyra looked off into the horizon. Two days, they had already wasted two days, or they would if they went back for more food. They had no supplies but Rell's gathering and the water skins they carried.

"What will we do?" Enui asked in a soft but even voice.

Zyra didn't turn, instead transfixed by the beauty of the dangerous awful place made of her fairytales and nightmares.

How horrible a place to die.

"I can't go back," Zyra mused almost to herself. "Nima will never make it if I go back." She heard nothing before she felt a hand on each of her shoulders.

"We understand," Gharla said nodding. She had a limited quantity of arrows and Enui had only two spears.

"As do we," Hanto agreed and he and Rell stepped forward. "We support you until the bitter end."

Yes, it could very well be the end.

Looking at them somberly she resumed the lead, knowing that this mission was increasingly becoming suicide.