A warm breeze from the cave rustled my corn husk based clothes. All of a sudden I wished I had the clothes similair to the ones the Protector wears. His is made of the silk of giant worms called Sealku Worms. The breeze smelled like death, like the Death Keepers. The ones who buried our dead. It also smelled like the Unclean One, with his drink that made one dizzy.

But... I trusted Tina. So, gathering my courage, I walked in. It was definitely colder in the entrance though warm air kept coming from the other end. There was also a small ring of light emitting from the wall ahead. I am not sure what it was for, but it was in the direction I was heading.  Something did not seem right. I gasped as my barefoot stepped in something slimy. I lifted my foot. In the dim light, a strand of something thick and shiny went from my foot to the ground.

"What is this stuff?" I wonder aloud as the wind suddenly blew hard. I fell on my bottom, and I felt the sticky floor touch my foot. I gasp and try to back away, but my foot was stuck. The ground then began to retract. I scramble, clawing at the ground as I am pulled into the cave. My foot was suddenly free and I ran for the exit. There was none, as I learned when I hit a slightly wet wall. Whatever light there was was gone. The heat became much worse. A loud rumbling sound filled the air, and the sticky ground battered me against the wall, and then the ceiling, and then another wall. I couldn't breathe. There was no air.

"Tina... help... me." I begged, though I knew she couldn't hear me.

I hummed happily to myself as I plucked berries. My basket was almost full. I did not know how much humans could eat, so I decided to just fill up the basket. I hope Jared will be okay. He has never lived in a cave before. I hope he adjusts alright. I filled a pail with the spring water next to the cave. Funny. Bria wasn't in her lake.

Bria was one of my only friends. A water sprite that lived in the lake. Unlike humans and Nagas, her ears and fingers were webbed and her fish-like scales were the same color as the pure spring in front of me. She was 93' 5" and had hair that came to the small of her back, made of chrystallized water. She was fairly nice. Though she loved to hide in my cave and play pranks and... my eyes widen. If she was not in her lake then she was in my cave.

Another horrifying thought struck me. Bria said that her father had in the old days managed to catch humans that hung around the lake. She said she always swallowed them alive and loved to feel their squirms down her throat. She was a very kind girl, but when it came to humans, she was a rutheless murderer. Dropping the basket, I slithered back to my cave entrance and slithered inside quickly. 
Bria was there. Sitting on the table. Moaning with pleasure. And a human shaped bulge in her cheek.

"Spit him out!"I scream, tackling Bria. She gasped in surprise and I grabbed her mouth and wrenched it open. In time to see Jared's hand fall out of sight. "No!" I cry and did the first thing that came to mind. Wrapping my tail around her waist, I somehow managed to turn her upside down. With a finger, I reach into her mouth and yank on her uvula.  She immediately began wretching, sending nasty puddles of puke all over the floor. I searched through the green puddle while Bria got a hold of herself.

"Serpentine? Why'd you do that! I was just enjoying the most delicous meal." I spot Jared, screaming silently. Well, silently to me. I hurredly pull him out. "Hey! I had my eyes on it first!" Bria said angrily. I ignore her, putting Jared in my mouth, and begin sucking the barf off him. I shudder. The vomit was yucky, and I made sure not to swallow him. I spat him into my palm and look at him. He just layed there, eyes closed. I couldn't tell if he was breathing. Rage suddenly built up inside me.

"You bitch!" I scream. That seemed to catch her off guard. "That 'meal' was my new friend!"

"You made friends with a human?" She asked, surprised.

"He isn't a human." I lie. "He's... uhhhh... a homunculus!"

"Oh gosh!" Bria said quietly, buying it. "I thought because of the way he was dressed..." She broke down into tears. "I didn't know! You know I wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose." I give her a comforting hug.

"It's okay. You didn't know." I look down at the palm that wasn't wrapped around Bria. I almost broke down too. Upon second glance, Jared was in even worse shape than I originally thought. His left arm was bent back at an odd angle, both of his legs were bent in two places. Blood was pouring from his left arm. There was already a small pile in my hand. His clothes were gone, between saliva and stomach acid. And there were great burn marks all over his body. I gasp as he moved. "Jared!" I cry. I lift him to my face. "He's alive!"

I wake up with a blinding pain everywhere. I try to get up.

"Serpentine." I try to yell, but it comes out dry and quiet.

"Ssssshh. I'm here. No one is going to hurt you anymore." I feel her soft finger stroke my back gently. And even though it caused me great pain, I appreciated the gesture.

"I was so scared." I whisper.

"Sssh. Save your energy. We're going to bring you to someone who can helpyou." I nod, and snuggle deeper into her hand flesh. I didn't want to leave her ever again.