Now I'm sure that it's true
Koa does throw back words of encouragement, blissfully unaware of their inability to permeate the buzzing terror in Zavien's ears. Slowly and cautiously they pick a path across the interconnected stones, the younger soldier making a point to find routes that are safer, if less direct. Only when they've almost reached their destination does he stop, anchoring them on a mid-sized platform just beyond and above the one believed to hold the nest.
Dropping down into a squat, Koa peers down to the larger outcropping, his hand raised to his brow. Wisps of cloud obscure his vision, but darting among them--
"There." Tucked into a recess, a pile of stone shifts. But it isn't normal stone: this rock creature is a lurid violet, unnatural and nauseating to behold. As the boys watch, the shadow serpent stretches, its long tail lashing the ground beside it before once more growing still. Even Pip seems upset by the vision, her own tail sweeping in response, claws gripped into the edge of stone as a low growl builds in her gut.
Koa turns to Zavien, his voice quiet. "How do you want to do this? Attack from above, or go down and take it head-on?" They're maybe 10 feet over where the monster lurks, and 30 feet away.
and I'm nothing like you
