The serpent slithered through the back alleys, unseen by all. One wouldn't think a thirty foot long giant snake would be so hard to spot, until one realized it could slink through places you would never think to look. Gliding along the shadows in the deepest alleys, coiling behind piles of garbage, and hiding among any scattered bushes and tall grass that grew between the buildings.
Then, of course, if she was really in danger of being spotted, Morana could just turn human again, waiting to change back until no one was paying attention.
She had a destination in mind. She'd only been back in the city for a few days, and there was someone in particular she was looking for. There was a restaurant down among the rows of the Silk Houses. A restaurant their father had once favored. And she had learned that her long lost sister still frequented the place, when she was off duty.
The familiar smells drew her to the right place. She coiled in the shadows of the back alley behind the restaurant. Waited.
Her prey would arrive soon.
Lisbeth was always uncomfortable down in the Silk Houses district. There were too many unruly people here. Too many places where illegal goods might be traded, or backroom deals could be made. Just being in this part of the city made her skin crawl.
Her destination, however, was one of the nicer restaurants in the area. Situated near the end of the district, it was practically in a reputable part of town. Her father had loved this place. Every time she came here, she ordered his favorite meal. She didn't like it very much--too spicy for her taste--but she ate it to better remember him by.
She walked down the streets, keeping an eye over her shoulder. She was always worried about getting mugged down here. But she was still in uniform, and had her bow strapped to her back and her rapier on her hip. So she doubted anyone would be bothered to mess with her.
There she was.
The serpent slithered through the shadows, hidden by the line of small shrubs that decorated the side of the restaurant. The redheaded girl was approaching, looking around like she was expecting to get attacked. Watching the people on the street. Looking behind her.
But not looking down at the ground.
She waited for the right moment. Waited. Waited. Then, when Lisbeth was walking right past the bushes, Morana lashed out, clamping her mouth around Lisbeth's ankle.
Gently though. Gently. Like a kitten nibbling on your fingers, being playful. Not quite hard enough to break the skin. Though maybe hard enough to leave a mark.
Lisbeth screamed.
She twisted around, kicking to try to get the thing off her foot. She let out a series of panicked shrieks, stumbling and falling on her ass as she continued frantically kicking her foot.
It was a giant snake.
She screamed louder.
Unable to get away, she yanked her rapier from its sheath. She fumbled for a moment, then stabbed the thin blade forward, piercing the snake's green scales and drawing blood. Then she kicked her free foot against the snake's head repeatedly until it let her go.
The serpent hissed and recoiled, releasing Lisbeth's leg. She reared back, raising her huge green head.
Then shifted back into human form, clutching at the bleeding wound on her shoulder near the neck.
"You stabbed me! You bitch."
She stepped over and kicked Lisbeth in the leg.
"Geez, haven't seen each other in three years and you decide to try to take my damn head off. Figures."
A crowd had started to gather, watching the spectacle. A few of them were whispering to each other about the giant green snake. Though the site of her changing back surely wasn't surprising to most. Still, no matter how common Attuned might be, it probably wasn't common to see one shaped like a giant motherfucking anaconda slither into the city and bite a soldier.
She waved a hand at the crowd. "Bugger off! Nothing to see here, ya animals."
"Morana!"
Lisbeth got back to her feet, swaying a bit, staring at the face of her twin sister. The sister she hadn't seen since not long after their father died.
She raised a hand, then realized she was still holding her rapier. So she sheathed it, then stepped over to Morana and started smacking her repeatedly on the arm.
"What the hell! I haven't seen you in forever and you...and you bite me! Since when could you do that, anyway?" The last time she'd seen her sister, Morana had most surely not been able to turn into a giant snake.
She looked at her sister for a moment, tears welling in her eyes. She'd been so lonely for the last few years. To have family back was a massive relief. She wanted to give her sister the biggest hug ever.
Instead she kept on smacking her, squealing in frustration.
"Ow! Hey!"
Morana fended her sister's blows off easily. She'd always been the stronger of the two. For whatever reason, Lisbeth had inherited their mother's poor health, while Morana had always been sturdy and strong.
"Knock it off! I didn't draw blood." She lifted her hand from the stab wound on her neck. It was bleeding quite badly. She pressed her hand back down on the wound, wincing in pain.
"I come here to see you, I thought you'd be happy. I was just messing with you, anyway. Don't get all bent out of shape over it."
She braced a hand against the wall, feeling a bit dizzy. Maybe getting stabbed had sorta kinda been a little bit her own fault. But why did it have to HURT so much?
Lisbeth sighed, her arms dropping to her sides. "You...you...!"
She pulled Morana's hand away so she could look at the wound. "Hold still. Let me check that for you."
She opened her belt satchel and pulled out a roll of bandages. A soldier always had to be prepared for injuries.
She carefully tended to the wound, holding pressure on it until the bleeding stopped, then making sure the wound was clean and covered. She spoke softly to her sister while she worked. "I thought you were dead. Or that you hated me and you were never coming back. How long have you been back? Where were you for the last three years?"
Morana let her sister take care of the wound. Only fitting, after all, since she was the one who'd done it.
"I've been traveling," she said. "Spent some time in the jungle. Don't need money when you're a giant freaking snake and you can eat deer." She smirked at her sister's disgusted expression. "They're pretty tasty, actually."
"I needed something to do after Dad died. You were getting ready to enlist, and I got tired of you trying to talk me into joining you. And...well, don't make me get all mushy about it. I needed some time, but I missed you. So I'm back."
When Lisbeth was done, Morana pulled her into a firm hug. But not too tight--she knew her sister's lungs didn't react well to being squeezed.
She stepped back, hands on Lisbeth's shoulders. "So, let's go cause some trouble, eh?"
10-21-2022, 01:52 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-21-2022, 01:53 AM by Morana.)
Morana let her sister take care of the wound. Only fitting, after all, since she was the one who'd done it.
"I've been traveling," she said. "Spent some time in the jungle. Don't need money when you're a giant freaking snake and you can eat deer." She smirked at her sister's disgusted expression. "They're pretty tasty, actually."
"I needed something to do after Dad died. You were getting ready to enlist, and I got tired of you trying to talk me into joining you. And...well, don't make me get all mushy about it. I needed some time, but I missed you. So I'm back."
When Lisbeth was done, Morana pulled her into a firm hug. But not too tight--she knew her sister's lungs didn't react well to being squeezed.
She stepped back, hands on Lisbeth's shoulders. "So, let's go cause some trouble, eh?"
Lisbeth wanted to be mad at her sister. She really did. But seeing her again, being together again, filled her with too much joy, and it washed the anger away.
She squeezed her sister tight. "I'm glad you're back. But no, we're not causing trouble."
"There's a war coming. And I'm preparing for it. I have a quest from Frey." She beamed, unable to contain her excitement. "I've been trying to figure out who could help me with it. Now that you're here, we can do it together!"
She squeezed her sister's hands. She still had a lot of questions. But they would have time to share each other's stories. For now, it was just wonderful to be together again, and the chance to work towards the future together.
{end}
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