Twill Forest - Central Valley

  Late Evening

  For Jerik, being alone in the wild was proving to be an arduous lifestyle indeed. A runaway slave has nearly no resources, and even fewer friends. Still, he had managed to survive thus far, and for that, he thanked none other than a survival guide that had been lost on a dirt road, probably by some brave, or foolhardy, traveller of some sort. The guide was moderate in size and covered the basics, like shelter and foraging for herbs or food. Not a day would pass where he didn't feel fortunate to have been taught how to read. He had not yet finished the entire contents of the book, but when boredom strikes, as it often does, he would read a section or two every so often.

  However, today was not proving to be a boring day. The forest was brimming with bandits and monsters, and one is sure to meet a swift end if they are not careful... or lucky.

  It just so happened that Jerik was currently hiding in a thick brush, completely shrouded with leaves and foilage, waiting for the group to pass him by. Bandits. They were loud and boisterous, and it was hard not to eavesdrop on their conversation.

  "I'm telling you, it was around here somewhere!" a nameless bandit insisted, impatience present in his voice, "I swear she can't have gone far!"

  "Fenin, why do you have to be such a good bloody shot with that bow? I'm impressed with your accuracy, but hitting targets this far away makes searching for them such a damn pain in the arse," grumbled another bandit.

  "Are ye sure it were a snakewoman?" a grizzly voice asked.

  "They're called Naga, and yes, I'm sure," Fenin replied, "we could probably turn her corpse in for a hefty profit. Those monsters are always fetching a price at the Warrior's Guild, just gotta prove you killed one and they'll practically throw you a month's pay. Er maybe a week's worth of ale," he laughed.

  The voices of the bandits continued on, growing ever more distant. Jerik eventually exited the brush, until he heard commotion coming from behind, closer to the rocky cliffside on the edge of the valley.

  Jerik crouched, and quietly snuck towards the sound, because to him, it wasn't natural. It sounded like a human grunting in pain. Well, he was half right. Because what he saw seemed half human: A beautiful girl who seemed to be nearly his own age, with a pearlescent colored snake tail growing where her legs should have been. She wasn't very big, maybe a foot shorter than he was in total. A young Naga, with an arrow piercing the broad middle section of her tail.

  A twig snapped underfoot while Jerik was getting a closer look, causing the Naga girl to whip her head around and stare at him, wide-eyed. She made a wheezing sound, and started to flail away, in a pitiful attempt to crawl using only her hands. Her tail was her main source of mobility, and it was proving too painful to rely on any longer.

  "A-ah! I'm not going to hurt you," Jerik quickly spoke, raising his hands in surrender and taking a short step backwards.

  The Naga quit trying to escape, but continued to stare at Jerik as if he were the Grim Reaper itself. 

  Circumstances aside, Jerik realized he found her to be quite beautiful. He was only fifteen years of age, and she seemed to be a lass who could pass for fourteen. She had radiant blonde hair, framing her head in a wavy cascade a little past her shoulders. Her eyes were the strangest of all, they appeared human, but the irises achieved a color no human could seem to match. They both appeared to share the same characteristics as her tail-- like pearls, they slightly adjusted color depending on the surrounding amount of light, or direction they were being viewed from. From purple to pink, and everything in between.

  "Can you speak? Can you understand me?" Jerik asked.

  The Naga did not answer, nor did she make any attempt of recognition to what he had just said. She did not nod her head, nor twitch a muscle. The only thing she kept doing was flickering her eyes back and forth to the commoner's blade at Jerik's side.

  "O-oh!" Jerik looked to his hip, and realized she was focusing on his dagger. Another relic he was fortunate to have found in his stay in the wild. He unfastened his belt, and it fell to the ground along with his weapon, which he then kicked to the side. It was now out of reach, but not completely too far to retrieve after he was done with what he planned to do next.

  The Naga seemed to relax slightly, and returned her focus to Jerik. She was beginning to sweat, obviously in distress, and began to pull at the arrow in her lower waist.

  "P-please wait!" Jerik announced in a hushed, urgent tone.

  Jerik slowly reached behind himself, and produced a small satchel.

  "I'd like to help," Jerik offered, and continued to approach the Naga, attempting to display his most disarming smile he could manage.

  Despite seeming to be mute, the Naga was not ignorant, and realized Jerik was not an enemy. His eyes were focused on the arrow in her tail, and she allowed him to approach.

  "Thank you," Jerik said once he finally reached her.

  Jerik got to work on removing the arrow, despite not knowing the anatomy of a Naga, he knew that an arrow wasn't supposed to be growing out of her tail, and needed to be removed somehow. It wasn't going to be easy work, but he had a makeshift herbal sedative to help ease the pain when applied to the wound entrypoint.

  The Naga gritted her teeth in pain through the procedure, but within several minutes, the 'operation' was complete. She would likely slowly heal over time, and--

  The wound sealed itself on its own. Moments after the arrow was gone, the Naga was nearly good as new.

  Jerik's eyes went wide with amazement.

  "Wow... um, I didn't expect that," Jerik admitted, "I overheard some outlaws were calling you a, uh, Naga? What's a Naga?"

  The Naga ran her fingers over her tail, seemingly satisfied with the wound being treated, and turned her stunning eyes back to meet Jerik's, causing him to become slightly flustered. Then, she smiled warmly at him.

  It hadn't really mattered up until this point, but Jerik finally realized she wasn't wearing any sort of clothing. She was uncovered, and it made him feel a little ashamed to look at her for too long.

  "Please, um, wear this," Jerik removed his ragged jacket, and placed it around the Naga's shoulders, attempting to donate some modesty.

  The Naga promptly shrugged the jacket off, and it fell to the ground.

  "I, uh, I see," Jerik noted, picking up the jacket and putting it back on, "not much into men's fashion, I guess."

  The Naga began to slide around, seeming to be agile as ever. She slid over to Jerik's belt and dagger, picked it up for him, brought it back, and placed it in his hands.

  "Ah, thank you! I suppose I have your trust now, miss... um, what's your name?" Jerik asked.

  The Naga didn't answer, but grabbed Jerik's hand and began to lead him towards the bottom of the cliff edge.

  "Okay, I guess I'll call you, uh... Charlotte? That sounds nice, I think," Jerik mused, "Where are we going, Charlotte?"

  Charlotte didn't answer, but the opening entrance to a cleverly hidden cavern did.

  "I see, is this your home?" Jerik asked, now a little intimidated by the dark cave. Maybe Charlotte was able to see in the dark better than he could, but it didn't ease his fears very much.

  Charlotte turned back to face Jerik, and had an angelic grin on her face.

  "You make a very convincing argument," Jerik joked. "You trusted me earlier, I guess I'll trust you if we're to be friends, Charlotte."

  Continuing to keep a modest hold of Jerik's hand and arm, Charlotte led him into the dark cavern.

  "Oop!" Jerik yelped and tripped over a rocky incline after a half minute inside.

  Charlotte helped him stand up, and gave him a pat on the head, and took his arm once more. This time, she moved a lot slower, making sure Jerik had sure footing going forward.

  "Yeah, I can't see in the dark like you, sorry," Jerik whispered, with a stifled chuckle. "Although the sun will be setting soon outside, so I guess it doesn't make too much of a difference anymore. You know I usually build a fire or something before bed, so--"

  Charlotte placed her right index finger over Jerik's lips, shushing him.

  "Sorry," Jerik quietly mumbled.

  Charlotte guided Jerik's hands downward, placing them on something soft.

  "A... is this a bedroll?" Jerik wondered aloud, though keeping his voice down as not to make too much noise in the cavern. 

  Charlotte helped guide him to lie on top of it. After weeks of sleeping on dirt or grass, it felt amazing to Jerik to once again feel something manmade cradle his spine.

  "Thank you very much, Charlotte. This is a wonderful gift, and I suppose I am a little bit sleepy. Will you help me exit the cave in the morning?" Jerik asked.

  Charlotte made no vocal indication as usual, but he could feel her eyes gazing at him.

  "O-kay... I'll assume that's a yes," Jerik decided. After all, she seemed to have taken a liking to him. Offering him a bedroll in a cave? Touching his arm? Making eye contact? There's no reason she would abandon him, or bring him all this way just to kill him, right?

  After a small deliberation, Jerik laid down and rested his eyes. There was no blanket, but he was used to having to forego such a luxury. Even though most nights would get rather cold.

  "Good night, Charlotte," Jerik whispered, before dozing off. Was he being careless? Maybe a little. But...

  When you crave a friend, a companion, so badly, you might take a risk or two. Jerik had decided Charlotte was a risk worth taking. Plus, her snake tail was cool, maybe even exotic. Whatever a Naga was, Jerik decided they can't be all bad. Nothing that can smile like that could be bad, right?

  The hours blazed by. Jerik slept rather soundly for once, although he knew he would likely awaken several hours later, shivering, as he did most on most nights without a blanket. Being slightly cold was always preferable to being a slave, he would reason with himself.

  He certainly did awaken around midnight, only to feel rather warmer than usual. He was completely surrounded with warmth.

  "What the--" Jerik started, before figuring it out.

  At some point that night (probably after watching him sleep for an hour), Charlotte had wrapped her tail around his lower half. She was sound asleep, with her upper half cuddling him; one arm behind his neck and one over his chest. A complete snake girl themed cuddle.

  "I didn't need a blanket. I guess I just needed a Naga," Jerik though to himself and smiled, before drifting back to sleep.

  Only one week had passed since Jerik had met Charlotte, and he was already beginning to notice some strange things about her. For one, she was already outgrowing him. When he had met her, she was roughly his own size. But now, she was nearly double his height when he stood up; that's to say nothing of her overall length, which spanned a lot further than that. Whether she noticed, or even cared about the size difference, was a mystery. Charlotte continued to remain hyperfocused on Jerik, following him everywhere he went.

  "So, why were you out here all alone anyway? Do you not have any family?" Jerik thought to ask.

  Charlotte may not have been able to speak, but she was surprisingly shrewd, and was beginning to learn visual ques to commune with Jerik, and slowly was beginning to understand more complex sentences. It was a work in progress, teaching a whole language from scratch... but they had nothing except time.

  Charlotte merely shrugged and shook her head 'No.'

  "No idea, huh?" Jerik responded, "That's okay. I am grateful for the company, Miss Charlotte."

  Charlotte returned to her usual half-cocked grin, before turning her gaze upwards.

  Jerik followed her gaze, and noticed fruit hanging from a tree.

  "Nice find, there! Can you grab us some?" Jerik asked, pointing at the fruit and then at Charlotte.

  Charlotte seemed to understand, and swiftly ascended the tree to knock the fruit to the ground.

  Jerik was consistently mesmerized by her speed and agility. He very slowly began to realize, if she were to get any larger...

  Jerik stopped, and shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind. There was no reason to be afraid of Charlotte. She was intelligent, sentient, and cared for his well being.

  "I am grateful I met you when I did," Jerik mused to himself. And, to an extent, he was correct. Would things have gone differently if he had met Charlotte later in her life? He didn't even know how large a Naga could grow, much less what they eat. For the moment, they both seemed to enjoy fruit, but what if she kept growing? It just was not a feasible source of energy in the long run.

  A fruit landed on Jerik's head, pulling him away from his musings, which he then managed to catch.

  "Ah! Hey!" Jerik called up to Charlotte, only to notice she was silently wheezing to herself, a form of muted giggle. Jerik smiled back and took a bite of his fruit. Charlotte returned to the ground to join him in the small feast.

 *******

  Later, Same Day

  After exploring for more lost objects of interest that might have been left behind from the travelers of old, Jerik and Charlotte took refuge back at the Bedroll Cave. It was at this point, Jerik remembered something in his possession: the survival guide. He retrieved it from his satchel, which was resting on the edge of the cavern wall.

  Jerik sat on the ground, and Charlotte coiled around him before resting her head in his lap. Her head was larger now than it was a week ago, and Jerik once again remembered he knew next to nothing about the Naga species. Charlotte was obviously fond of him, and wasn't likely to hurt him. But...

  "I need to know more. Perhaps this book covers such a thing? What if she goes into some sort of hibernation someday, I don't know. I just don't want to be surprised by anything." Jerik thought to himself while lightly petting Charlotte's head, and holding his book in his free hand.

  Some time later, Jerik located a bestiary index.

  "Nice... Hmm... Ah! There's the Naga page!" Jerik silently rejoiced to himself while Charlotte took a catnap.

  Jerik began to read. And read... and read...

  His eyes went wide once he realized just exactly what kind of creature Charlotte was.

 ********

  Excerpt, Naga bestiary entry

  Dear reader, there are many dangers in this world; monsters of all kinds that will take pleasure in relieving you of your limbs and blood. Some great threats, like a dragon for instance, are rare but immensely powerful. A little less powerful, but something you would be much more likely to encounter, is a snake-human hybrid known as a Naga. They usually have a feminine upper half, and a long snake tail starting from the hip, down.

  There are many types of Naga, but they all tend to share similar traits and interests. Firstly, they're excellent predators, masters of stealth, and, perhaps most shocking, they nearly exclusively prefer to swallow humans alive as their main foodsource. A single human will only last them for a month or two.

  The Naga age differently than a typical human. Some live for centuries, and some for only about eighty years. A young Naga is typically no threat, and you are urged to kill them if you're ever fortunate enough to locate one before it grows to a problematic size. Naga puberty is where things begin to change; they will grow rapidly, and then they'll realize an innate urge in their instincts-- begin to crave and seek out humans to prey upon. So, act swiftly, as Naga adolescents mature into a full sized Naga after only a half-year!

  Naga are considered sentient, and in extraordinarily rare circumstances, they may speak or otherwise communicate with a human, although this requires more data since most Naga encounters just end up with someone trapped in their stomach, doomed to die a slow death. The Naga digest things a bit differently than we do, as it has been observed to take them nearly thirty hours to fully process a human. That means if you're ever unfortunate enough to find yourself in one's stomach, you'll be alive for perhaps half a day, regretting the choices you've made to lead yourself here in a dark, hot Hell. It is at that point I recommend you just go ahead and take your own life somehow, because Naga are incapable of regurgitation. [as observed thus far]

  The color of a Naga's scales also has some bearing on their powers with magic. For instance, a red scaled Naga will be proficient with fire magic. Currently known Naga colors are: red, blue, green, black, yellow. If you ever encounter a Naga outside of this color scheme, then I'll pray for your soul, because you'll have encountered an undocumented apex predator.

  This author suggests you do not engage a Naga in combat, as you will most certainly lose. Even the strongest knights in the land become finger food for the common Naga. Avoid areas like Holm Desert and Twill Forest, and you should likely never encounter a Naga. Your only weapon is prevention at this point. Unless you encounter an adolescent Naga, of course.

  Remember: a friendly Naga has never been documented, so stay a safe distance away and happy travels!

  Next Page: Dire Rat

   ********

  Jerik closed the book, and laid it to the side. Charlotte continued to peacefully rest on him, coiling him entirely. Jerik swallowed a lump in his throat, and closed his eyes before taking a few breaths in and out... and then continued to stroke through Charlotte's hair with his fingers.

  "Charlotte... you're... going to be... a badass!" Jerik thought to himself, and chuckled quietly.

  There was no way he was going to try and kill his friend, no matter what his book had urged him to do.

  He was sure of it; he would be the exception. Perhaps the only man in the world to befriend a Naga in her infancy and watch her grow into his giant protector.

  "There's no shortage of bandits in this land, I'm sure they'll be a fine foodsource for you, my friend," Jerik lightly whispered to himself. "I just... want to watch you flourish."

  Jerik opened his eyes, and stretched. The bedroll Charlotte had given him when they first met was starting to get a little flattened, so he made a mental note to look for something soft to place underneath it and pad it out.

  It was difficult to keep track of the passing of time in the wilderness without a calendar of some sort, and being cut off from society came at a steep cost to commonly circled information as such. Even if he lowballed his estimates, at the very least ten months had passed by keeping up with the seasons changing. It was becoming winter, and he began to fret thinking of how he would stay warm. As long as he was near Charlotte, he was sure she would assist, since she never seemed bothered by any type of weather besides the extreme summer heat.

  Jerik stood to his feet, and walked a few steps away from his bedroll. The direction was irrelevant, because he was completely surrounded by the snake-like portion of Charlotte's body. She had grown immensely, as the survival guide warned would happen. But one thing she made sure never changed was snuggling him in any way she could as she slept. There were pros and cons to the arrangement, of course. He was warm, and safe from predators; but he wouldn't be able to go anywhere until she woke up as well. She meant no ill will from the setup, so Jerik decided he didn't mind the slight inconvenience. In fact, it made him feel special... and safe.

  Jerik gently began to tap on Charlotte's tail, and whispered, "Good morning, my dear friend..."

  It didn't take very long, and Charlotte's tail began to slide and unravel, allowing more light from the entrance of the cave to illuminate her features. Charlotte gave Jerik a sleepy grin, but she looked a lot different than when they first met. Nagas age differently than humans do, and it showed. It was almost as if she was just entering her early twenties, compared to Jerik who likely had turned sixteen at this point. Her face was becoming less cutesy and more refined, but it just seemed to work. It was neither an upgrade nor a downgrade in Jerik's eyes. If her size wasn't intimidating enough by now, her beauty would be enough to make one tongue-tied.

  Perhaps the biggest change to present itself was the spark in her eyes. Charlotte still had her signature color, but she no longer stared at Jerik with the previous childlike wonder. It was a new look, her eyes seemed... different. Jerik struggled to figure out the best words to describe it. Her eyes absorbed his every detail, scrutinizing him up and down. They had a hungry look to them. Jerik felt a shiver go up his spine, and he wasn't sure if it was the chilly winter wind blowing into the mouth of the cave, or the thought of becoming a morning snack for his now fully matured Naga companion. Of course, he still trusted her as much as he possibly could. They had been through so much together, after all. Killing strange beasts, avoiding human contact up to this point.

  "I'm being silly, there's no real reason to be nervous. Not now. Not after all this time we've spent together," Jerik thought to himself.

  Still, nothing changed the fact that Charlotte looked, well... much more lethal these days than she did in the past. By nature, Charlotte was an apex predator and her genes were doing a very good job at developing her appearance to reflect such.

  Perhaps Charlotte sensed Jerik's newfound trepidation, and decided to shake him up a little.

  "So anyways, I--" Jerik began to speak, before Charlotte reached down to pick him up with her pointer finger and thumb.

  "A-aah! Whoa! What are you doing?" Jerik began to ask Charlotte, surprised she would pick him up without the usual insinuated permission.

  Charlotte raised Jerik really close to her face, holding him in two hands with her palms upturned, and managed to flash him a sweet smile. Jerik shrank away, backpedaling on her palms just slightly. What was going on? Charlotte was never this direct, typically. Sure, they were close, but Jerik wasn't used to this extreme level of attention.

  Jerik didn't have time to ask any questions before Charlotte winked and made a smooch-pucker with her lips, and made an audible pop in the air to insinuate that she had blown him a kiss. He instantly went beet red in the face, forgetting all about the small amount of fear he had developed earlier. Once again, she managed to keep him on his toes, per se.

  "Ch...Charlotte! Wha.." Jerik found himself far too flustered to form any proper sentence.

  Charlotte held Jerik closer to her chest, and began to exit the cave. A frigid wind danced all over Jerik, making him audibly gasp.

  "Holy HELL it's cold out today!" Jerik exclaimed, and began to wrap his arms around himself and curl closer to Charlotte for warmth. No matter what, her body temperature always seemed to stay constant.

  Over the months, Jerik had attempted to see if Charlotte could form words, but she appeared to lack complex vocal chords to accomplish any meaningful sounds. But, she most certainly seemed to understand the common language most humans spoke.

  Jerik was removed away from Charlotte's ample breast canopy, and she made a confused, yet simultaneously cute look. A look of concern. Jerik had explained the concept of feeling cold and hot before, but it just wasn't a problem she shared. Charlotte mouthed the word back at Jerik: 'Cold?'

  Although she made no noise, Jerik understood and affirmed. "Yes, cold. It's very uncomfortable, and if I don't find a steady source of warmth, I could very well eventually die from it..."

  Charlotte seemed to be deep in thought for a few seconds, and looked to the ground, before turning her gaze back to Jerik.

  Jerik was too busy shivering to notice he had been moved to one hand, before the other gently plucked him up... and up, and up...

  Directly over Charlotte's head.

  "M-miss Charlotte, what are you doing!?" Jerik frantically yelled once he noticed what was going on.

  Charlotte's mouth was wide open, her tongue stuck out. Her mouth released a huge wave of mist as moist hot air met the cold outdoor air. Jerik was amazed, and horrified at the sight before him. He knew what a mouth looked like, and he knew their primary function: to eat food.

  Strands of saliva bridged between the roof of Charlotte's mouth and tongue, and eventually thinned and broke, one by one. Warm breath continued to wash over Jerik, when he finally noticed he was being lowered inside.

  "PLEASE! DON'T--" Jerik screamed at the top of his lungs. Charlotte seemed to... giggle? Surely there was no way she found this situation funny. There was no way she would be so cruel. 

  No amount of yelling or struggling seemed to phase her grip, and one of the final glimpses Jerik could make out was the wide opening to Charlotte's throat, and her uvula hanging down as the guardian over the pit of acid below. Charlotte had entombed him within her mouth, and closed her lips.

  "God damn it! I... I..." Jerik thought to himself, before begininng to cry.

  Charlotte rolled Jerik over with her tongue, and he began to try to crawl his way towards her lips... only to be overpowered by her tongue curling back upwards and tilting her head back, preventing his escape. Jerik felt utterly and truly powerless... defeated.

  "Is... is this the end?" Jerik thought to himself, feeling utterly betrayed. He allowed his mind to flood with all the good times he had in his life. Pretty much every single one of them included Charlotte smiling at him.

  Jerik closed his eyes and braced for the end. Surely she would swallow him alive at any second, her first human meal.

  Any second now.

  ...

  ...

  ...?

  Nothing was happening. Jerik had slowed his breathing, his heart rate was spiked. He was fully prepared to meet his end.

  But one thing was overwhelming him. The all encompassing warmth from Charlotte's mouth coated him like a blanket, as well as a bunch of saliva. Fortunately, her breath was not offensive.

  Jerik felt his body guided by Charlotte's tongue, until only his head popped out of Charlotte's lips. He could see daylight again, and...

  Charlotte's hands were in full view, with her fingers displayed in a heart shape. A little gesture Jerik taught her a few months ago as a symbol of love and trust. In the dirt below, Charlotte had drawn a very rudimentary word with her tail.

 
  'Warm?'

  Jerik let out a huge sigh of relief, and began to weep. Moments ago he was certain his life was about to end, only to end up as nourishment for his most trusted ally. But...

  "She was just trying to warm me up..." Jerik realized, "she probably didn't even fully understand I was afraid of being swallowed alive. She probably only giggled earlier at the thought of me getting coated in her saliva. She never had a single plan to eat me, she just wanted to... help."

  "Y-y-y-yes, C-charlotte... I'm.. I'm w-warm.. t-thank you.." Jerik could hardly reply, he was still stuttering from the adrenaline of what he thought was a near death experience. 

  The fear in Jerik's voice did not seem to register with Charlotte, who seemed content with a job well done at warming up her little friend.

  Charlotte began to forage the landscape to build another small stash of fruit for Jerik, and he watched from the warm comfort of her lips. After the initial shock wore off, Jerik eventually forgave her in his mind and even began to enjoy the comfort. It was like a warm bath, a welcome reprieve from the biting cold outside. It was a strange new way to travel, and the viewpoint was exhilarating. Almost like he was flying.

  "Of.. of course! Haha! She would never.. um.. eat me," Jerik reasoned with himself, and a bead of sweat, or saliva, rolled down the side of his forehead. He was not sure which.

  Jerik tossed and turned in his sleep. Only a week had passed since Charlotte had nearly given him a heart attack, and now his brain was finally trying to sort out those feelings through some very creepy dreams.

  Charlotte sealed her mouth again, trapping Jerik inside. But this time, his fears mounted, and came true. She tilted her head back, and used her tongue to manhandle him toward her throat. Powerless to resist, Jerik screamed for mercy as his supposed friend devoured him alive, grappling his legs with her throat. One final swallow, and...

  "Ahh!" Jerik woke with a cold sweat, in the middle of the night.

  He noticed Charlotte was already awake, and her thumb was lightly stroking his head. Her face may have now been that of an adult, but right now she looked almost like an extraordinary concerned mother, or wife.

  "S-sorry, just a nightmare," Jerik explained, before offering an attempt at a grin. "Thank you for petting my head. It feels nice... Sorry if I worried you."

  Charlotte kept petting his head, but made a plucking motion with her free hand, a silent sign she usually used to ask Jerik if she was allowed to pick him up.

  "Yes ma'am," Jerik agreed.

  Jerik found himself lifted into the air once more, cradled in Charlotte's palms as she seemed to massage his entire body with a single thumb. It was always a peaceful experience, the same as a loving mother rocking her baby back to sleep, almost. Jerik soaked in the attention, letting peace wash over him.

  "Thank you," he whispered.

  Charlotte smiled in response.

  "It might be a bit before I can fall asleep though," Jerik noted.

  "..." Charlotte replied, as usual. Being mute and all.

  "Hey, uh, something's been on my mind for awhile now," Jerik asked.

  "...?" --Charlotte. A quizzical look on her face.

  "Well, I was wondering if you know if you have any magic? I'd read a book once that said Nagas had magic that corresponded with the color of their scales, but you seem to be rather unique and it didn't specify. Do you have any idea?" Jerik asked.

  Charlotte, suprisingly, nodded her head. This took Jerik by a slight surprise.

  "O-oh! Well, maybe I will see it in action sometime? I'm really curious, to be honest," Jerik admitted.

  Charlotte upkept her grin, and gave a quick wink.

  "She's already a force to be reckoned with at her size already. Do Nagas really need magic on top of that?" Jerik wondered to himself.

  The duo slowly went silent, and eventually drifted back off to sleep for the night. Little did Jerik know, he would soon be getting an answer to his question the very next day.

   ***

  Fenin huddled over his torch, attempting to soak in as much warmth as possible from it to combat the winter chill. His animal fur armor helped, but was not a complete solution. His band of outlaws had dwindled in number since a year ago, and they were down to just four in total, including himself. Things were beginning to look bleak, to say the least.

  Footsteps approached from behind, causing Fenin to snap to attention.

  "Boss, a've found a cave," Jupe reported. "Might 'ave somethin' inside? Or shelta from tha cold?"

  "Aye, well done. We'll check it out. Let's move out, then," Fenin ordered the party.

  Four bandit archers roaming one of the most dangerous forests in the world. Nearly eight casualties since a year ago, and three of them had ended up as Naga food. Life was rough. Fenin, Jupe, Kindra, and Otho were the survivors. Each one knew and trusted each other, and realized that alone they would be powerless. Fenin was only in charge because the previous leader had recently been offed and placed his trust in him the most, so the others just naturally followed his lead. Plus, he was the best with a bow.

  "Funny how all the warriors, shamans, and healers all died, just leaving us archers alive," Fenin often wondered to himself. It was far from an ideal party, but they were typically able to scare any travellers into handing over their gold and supplies, or land an arrow in the eyes of whatever bears or spooks tried to get the better of them. Perhaps one day they would rejoin society and try to use their gold to secure a foothold, maybe buy a house, and get actual jobs. The wilderness had taught them a harsh lesson, and banditry just wasn't worth it without a crew to run with.

  Fenin and the others arrived at the entrance to the cavern.

  "I'll lead. I need the rest of you to get your weapons readied in case we run into something. If it looks immediately too dangerous, we make a break for it and run, got it?" Fenin ordered, speaking a wise strategy while holding his torch up and peering into the cave.

  "Aye." "Ayup...!" "Got it, boss."

  ***

  Charlotte had a very keen sense of hearing, and quickly woke from her slumber. Footsteps were making their way into the entrance of the cave. She looked down to Jerik, who had fallen asleep between her breasts earlier, and tapped on his back urgently, but softly, to rouse him.

  "Uh... huh?" Jerik asked, slowly rising and rubbing his eyes.

  Charlotte put a finger to her mouth in the dim light, to indicate they needed to be quiet, and used her other hand to place Jerik on the cave floor... further from the entrance.

  Jerik stayed quiet, and began to listen.

  "Footsteps... We're about to have guests..." Jerik reasoned.

  To date, neither Jerik nor Charlotte have ever run into friendly humans in Twill forest. Travellers typically tried to hurry through on the way to other countries, and the only ones who would be entering a cave would be outlaws looking to hole up. There was also the very low chance it was a troupe of the King's army, but they also wouldn't take kindly to a Naga or an escaped slave.

  Eventually, the light of a torch began to illuminate the stone walls of the section of the cave Jerik and Charlotte usually slept in, the 'bedroom.' Recently, only in the winter months, the cave began to grow some slightly luminescent mushrooms on the walls, providing near minimal light for Jerik to see with. But the torch was almost blinding once it rounded the corner.

  Charlotte also seemed to tense up, and turned to face Jerik one more time.

  Her eyes had that glint in them once more. She was...

  "Predator mode..." Jerik noticed, and took a step back, reflexively. He knew not what poor souls were intruding on Charlotte's territory, but he already felt bad for them. He also steeled himself for the fact that he might witness Charlotte finally feed on her first human victims, and swallowed a lump in his throat.

  Soon enough, shoddily dressed men rounded the corner, holding up bows with death in their eyes. Their bravado nearly shattered the second they realized they were face to face with a Naga.

  "N-N-NAGA!!" Fenin was the first to recognize the giant snake woman staring straight at him, and he realized something. She was the one he had shot in the tail in the past, and she did not look happy to see him.

  Fenin's crew yelled war cries, or cries of terror. It was difficult for Jerik to differentiate. A lot happened at once soon after.

  Fenin had dropped his torch and had already drawn his bow, firing an arrow quickly. Jupe and Otho also shot their arrows at the same time, while Kindra made a break for the entrance of the cave, scared out of her mind, realizing this would be a hopeless fight.

  Charlotte held out a hand, and... time seemed to distort.

  What happened next stunned Jerik.

  Kindra was standing back where she was before she ran away. Otho and Jupe's arrows teleported midflight, piercing both of their ankles, flying from the sides with greater force than they were intially fired with, effectively immobilizing both men. And Fenin's own arrow was displaced behind him, and flew directly into his ass. A sort of... payback.

  Jerik had to place his hands on his ears, because the sheer volume of three men screaming in agony in such a sound amplifying area was too much to handle. Kindra also screamed once she turned around and noticed her escape was fruitless.

  "The fucking Naga knows teleporting magic!" Kindra screeched in terror. "We're all fucking fucked--"

  Charlotte made a grimace at Kindra, and teleported her a short distance above her head, only for Kindra to briefly scream before falling into her mouth, shutting her up for good.

  Jerik, and the bandits, watched in terror as Charlotte unceremoniously swallowed Kindra alive. Everyone was silent enough to hear Charlotte's throat do its magic, and Kindra's muffled screaming slowly disappeared after passing through the neck.

  "Just... like that....? That woman was beaten... so.. so fast.. she didn't even have a way to fight back.." Jerik noted. It was quite terrifying how quickly a life could end, or be sentenced to doom. Even though these were bandits, he was beginning to feel... sorry for them.

  Otho and Jupe didn't last very long, either. Charlotte went prone, and lashed out at them faster than anyone could seem to comprehend. Almost like the strike of a cobra, both men were scooped up into her mouth and disposed of within a matter of seconds, leaving Jerik and Fenin as the only ones left.

  Charlotte most certainly recognized Fenin as the one who had shot her, the arrow in his ass was no accident. She took a finger, and knocked him to the floor, before pressing the arrow in harder with her thumb.

  "ARRRGGGGGGGHHH!" Fenin screamed as loud as his lungs would possibly allow.

  Jerik took a step back and fell on his ass, watching the torture session begin. Fenin was screaming, crying, sweating. The works.

  "I'm s-sorry! Just let me go, I swear I won't--" Fenin began.

  Charlotte snapped the arrow in half, and tossed the shaft away. The arrow head would be difficult to remove, now.

  Charlotte roughly pressed Fenin's head into the stone cave floor, before lifting the pressure off for a second. She seemed... pissed off. Fenin was then teleported one foot off the ground, only to fall onto the floor. Over, and over, and over... and over. Nearly a full three minutes later, Fenin didn't have the energy to scream in pain any longer. Charlotte roughly lifted the man's battered body, and held his head closer to her stomach, allowing him to hear the screams of his final remaining allies desperately trying to escape their fate, or curse it, deep in her belly.

  "... Fuck you," Fenin spat blood at her face, although it didn't have enough force to actually reach it.

  Charlotte's eyes were squinted, as if she were looking at a pest. She began to raise Fenin slowly, as if mocking him, towards her mouth. Charlotte allowed drool to fall on Fenin's face, causing him to spit and sputter trying to get a breath of air.

  "She's... toying with him..." Jerik realized, scared beyond his wits' end. He knew he had nothing to fear from Charlotte, but witnessing this level of cruelty still wasn't easy. Even the punishments he and other slaves had gone through didn't seem to compare.

  Fenin was almost at Charlotte's lips, before his head slunk to the side and he made eye contact with Jerik. This, was perhaps, the last time Fenin looked actually alive and surprised. How the fuck was a human here, much less alive? It was a question he would never get the answer to, as Charlotte placed his head inside and slurped him up.

  Charlotte had Fenin halfway dangling from her mouth, before facing Jerik and winking. To her, she was just eating a meal at this point. Nothing for him to be afraid of; the threats in the cave were gone, after all. She did not seem to realize what implications it would have on Jerik to watch other humans like himself be devoured alive, and the wink was merely intended for having proven what kind of magic powers she had-- answering his question from earlier.

  Jerik found it exceedingly difficult to watch, so he averted his gaze.

  However, he was not able to turn off his ability to hear. Soon, a wet slosh happened, and the sound of Charlotte swallowing another man briefly filled the otherwise silent cave.

  Charlotte tail-slammed the torch, casting the cave back into a relative darkness for Jerik.

  Jerik had shut his eyes, but he could still hear.

  Charlotte was most certainly sliding her way over to his location now.

  "I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay..." Jerik continually repeated to himself in his head.

  Soon, the familiar caress of Charlotte's thumb ran over his back.

  Jerik looked up to Charlotte's face, but she was just smiling as if nothing was wrong in the world... Like nothing she just did should've fazed him.

  Charlotte placed her hands together and put them to the side of her tilted head, and raised an eyebrow. She was asking if Jerik was still sleepy.

  "Uh... uh... y-yes ma'am I think I need a second to re-relax..." Jerik stuttered.

  "Relax?" Charlotte seemed to be confused when he said that word, and then tapped her forehead. Of course! She thought to herself. Jerik always loved to lounge between her breasts on occasions!

  Charlotte laid on her back, and placed her hand near Jerik, gesturing for him to climb aboard.

  Jerik obliged, knowing full well the direction this was heading. Scary or not, she was just protecting him and herself. "Y-yeah! She also needed to eat people anyway! I d-don't want her to starve... It was about that time, after all. She's a full grown Naga. Yeah. This is all just... natural selection."

  Jerik found himself plopped between Charlotte's very generous sized breasts, and made himself at home, trying to relax after seeing that spectacle. Fortunately, her skin was warm and soft. He would try to unwind.

  Moments passed, and Charlotte seemed to pass out before Jerik did. She had a full stomach, after all.

  Slowly, carefully, Jerik's curiosity got the better of him, and he stood up and crept past Charlotte's breasts, and went prone a little bit underneath her left boob, and pressed his ear to her flesh... right above the stomach.

  It was... very audible. Jerik could very much hear muffled screaming and stomach groans coming from underneath Charlotte's supple skin. He quite literally was able to listen to her digesting them, and hear them wailing for their lives.

  It was at that moment, something woke deep inside Jerik. He slightly recoiled away, and looked back to Charlotte's face as best as he could, focusing on her plush lips. Asleep, and completely unconcerned with the people trapped in her stomach.

  Jerik grinned, and whispered under his breath, "Fuck 'em... they're right where they belong. You're the superior being here."

  Jerik knelt on both knees, and placed his arms and elbows on Charlotte's stomach, with his head down. His mind was finally broken, and he began to worship Charlotte as some type of deity for the better part of an hour.

  "My... Goddess..." Jerik whispered, and began to stroke her skin, before placing his ear back to her gut again. The bandits were still writhing in agony, and probably would not shut up for another half day.

  "We... will need more prey eventually..." Jerik began to wonder to himself.

  Jerik had always felt grateful for Charlotte's company, but the trauma was beginning to warp his viewpoint on her. 

  "We humans are lesser than you, and you still choose to spare me and keep me company. I do not deserve your kindness..." Jerik mused.

  But such musings could wait for later, and Jerik eventually passed out, letting the groaning of Charlotte's digestive system lull him to a peaceful slumber once again.

  The rustling of trees and the chatter of the forest never seemed to grow old. Spring was beginning to end, giving birth to yet another summer. Jerik sat upon a fallen tree log alongside a beaten dirt road, waiting. Charlotte was nowhere to be seen, and, that was a good thing. She was certainly nearby, watching and stalking. This was beginning to be their preferred method of ambushing travellers, albeit mainly outlaws or guards were the preferred catch. Feeding himself was a simple matter, feeding Charlotte required a bit more hunting.

  Nearly four years had passed since the first night Jerik witnessed Charlotte dispatch the bandits who intruded on her lair. It was a turbulent moment in Jerik's mind, and he had suffered severe self-esteem issues by constantly comparing himself to her. It wasn't pretty, but she eventually caught him 'praying' to her one night nearly four months after he began to worship her.

  It had the opposite effect intended. Charlotte was not proud, nor was she flattered. And in the entire time he had known her, that was the singular point he had ever witnessed her cry. Charlotte was not able to speak, but she managed to get the point aross that it made her feel extremely uncomfortable that he thought of her that way. They were supposed to be friends... Family.

  Friends make mistakes, but bouncing back from them strengthens their bonds. Charlotte had accidentally terrified him by her unexpected warming him with her mouth one winter, and Jerik messed up by placing her on too high a pedestal.

  Make no mistake, Jerik still thought very highly of Charlotte. Her physical size and teleportation magic made her one of the most dangerous beings that he knew of. Sometimes, it was hard to remember she was just another mortal being like he was; one with feelings and emotions, and a finite lifespan. It seemed like an eternity ago when they had spent their first night together, back when she was quite able to wrap herself around him and hold him with both arms. He did not fear her back then, and wrestling with his emotions over time was proving to be a tough task.

  For the most part, Charlotte still handled nearly every combat encounter that they found themselves in, but Jerik eventually had ditched his dagger for a short sword recently. He hoped he would never be in close-quarters combat, but one could never be too prepared, eh?

  Jerik heard a quiet noise further south on the dirt road. He could not quite make out what was going on but, it almost sounded like a...

  "Wagon...?" Jerik mumbled to himself.

  Outlaws tended to travel on foot, which meant one of three possible things. If there really was a wagon and horses, then it would either be a military matter, a noble escort, or a merchant.

  Jerik stood up from his log, and slowly began to walk down the dirt path, shuffling his feet the same way the carriage would be heading. That way, they would have time to see him from behind, and notice he's not just loitering around waiting on them. That would be suspicious. Charlotte would also be sure to keep in close proximity as well. She always did.

  It took a few minutes, but eventually Jerik heard the footsteps of a horse-drawn carriage marching behind him. He decided to play dumb, and turn around to face whomever it was.

  "Uh... hello there," a nervous looking woman greeted Jerik, slowing her carriage down. She was mildly pretty, in a homely sense, and seemed to be in the rough age range Jerik now was.

  Jerik was stunned. This was no bandit, nor did she seem to be a guard of sorts.

  "Er... greetings, miss," Jerik answered, put on his best worried face, and raised his hands, "Please don't rob me." Of course this was merely a ploy to get her to drop her guard, while he gathered more information on who she was, and whether she deserved to become Charlotte's roadside snack.

  "N-no! I was about to ask the same of you, sir!" the lady laughed. "I'm Nessa."

  "Jerik. What are you doing out here, Nessa?" Jerik asked.

  "I-I'm just t-trying to reach the city... It's still a little ways away, and I was hoping I wouldn't run into any trouble. I dreaded making this trip, but I was exiled from my hometown recently, and..." Nessa began to tear up, and seemed to get emotional. "Do you think you could escort me?"

  Jerik took a step closer, genuinely concerned. "Of course, and I'm sorry to hear that, Nessa. Why did they do something crummy like that to you?"

  Jerik had seemingly walked just a bit too close, close enough to peer inside of Nessa's wagon tent. Inside, standing up, was a grey humanoid with black holes where its eye sockets should be, and a mouth contorted into a perpetual grimace of pain. He stood wordless, but when Jerik made 'eye contact' the creature eeriely turned its head to face him.

  "What the fuck is that!?" Jerik jumped back, putting a hand on his sword.

  Nessa looked back up, but the crocodile tears were gone.

  "I was banned for practicing necromancy, sir Jerik," Nessa admitted. "What you're looking at is the last person who tried to help escort me. He's what most folk would call a zombie."

  Jerik was beginning to sweat. He didn't like where this was going.

  "You see, I quite frankly can't trust anyone anymore, you understand... However, if I drain someone's life force and kill them, I can resurrect them into a companion who can never betray me. The perfect escorting partner, you see? And, well, since you said you'd help escort me..." Nessa cackled, and hopped off her wagon, pulling out a necronomicon. The zombie also shambled outside, ready to assist her.

  "I'm sorry, Jerik, but there's no way in Hell I'm going to let a random man in Twill Forest get near me without being under my control, so... yeah..." Nessa trailed off, waving her hand over her arcane book, preparing a spell.

  "I've got to act quick, I can't let her finish casting whatever unholy magic she's trying to use on me," Jerik thought to himself. Then, he did something a bit unorthodox.

  "Kuue, hed e nec--" Nessa began to chant, before a short sword flew threw the air and pierced both the book and the hand she was holding it with.

  Nessa dropped the book and screeched in pain, while her zombie began running at Jerik on all fours. Any onlooker would have found the scene to be freaky to watch, much less Jerik, the very person the zombie was gunning for.

  And then, it happened. The very thing Jerik expected. The fight was over. He had won.

  Charlotte's tail crashed onto the zombie, flattening it into the ground before it got too close to Jerik. Alive or undead, if your body gets destroyed so violently, you're not going to be a threat to anyone. Charlotte lifted her tail, and all that remained was greyish-red gore. Nessa's horse also reared up and began to run off, leaving only Jerik, Charlotte, and Nessa behind.

  Nessa stared at Charlotte, then at Jerik. "I... I guess we're both fucked now?" Nessa chuckled nervously. "That's a god damned Naga, sir... It was nice knowing you. Sorry about the whole betrayal thing, if that means much. I was just trying to watch out for myself, as I'm sure you were as well."

  Jerik furrowed his brow. "No, Nessa, I truly wanted to help. Necromancer, looks like you dug your own grave this time."

  Charlotte remained motionless, awaiting Jerik's word. A small dribble of drool was making its way down the corner of her mouth, which she promptly slurped up. She was hungry. On rare circumstances, they would encounter peaceful humans, which Jerik usually elected to spare. She valued his feelings, and only tried to eat dangerous humans who were actively attacking Jerik, or threatening him, or just the ones he explicitly ordered her to. It was their little agreement, after all-- to help him feel like he was a partner, and not just another powerless human. Jerik, usually, called the shots on who lived or died.

  "What the bloody Hell are you talking about, man?" Nessa seethed. "We're about to get devoured by a Naga!-- wait... why isn't she doing anything?" Nessa mused. For once, she was confused on why only the zombie had been attacked.

  "I'm coming to get my sword. Stay still. Don't move," Jerik commanded Nessa.

  "Your stupid little knife won't help us against that thing!" Nessa practically screamed in hysterics, "Besides, you have no right to order me to do anything!"

  Jerik picked up his iron short sword, and sheathed it.

  "Ma'am," Jerik looked Nessa in the eye, and then back to the smashed body of the zombie. The kind soul who also agreed to help guide her to the next city, until meeting his unfortunate end thanks to Nessa's insecurity.

  Jerik spat at Nessa's feet.

  "You're scum," Jerik spat venonmously.

  Cause and effect is a very reliable thing. Insulting a lady and getting slapped goes well together, like peanut butter and jelly. It was at that moment Nessa striked Jerik on the cheek, prompting Charlotte to take action.

  The surprise on Nessa's face when Charlotte grabbed her with one hand, and only her, leaving Jerik safe on the ground, was so intense it was almost tangible.

  Charlotte gripped Nessa with uncomfortable force, and kept her eyes locked with Jerik's.

  "Go ahead, Charlotte," Jerik spoke with an authoritative voice, and smiled at her. "I know you've been starving. I saw that dribble on your cheek earlier, too." Jerik laughed, causing Charlotte to blush a bit.

  "WHAT!?" Nessa screamed. "Who the fuck are you to give a Naga permission to do anything you worm?"

  The blood drained from Nessa's face as she realized something crucial. She wasn't the only one travelling with a companion. Looking up, Charlotte's mouth was already wide open, tongue extended.

  "N-no..." Nessa whimpered, causing Jerik to snicker, somewhere beneath her.

  "Everyone loses their defiance at about this part," Jerik explained. "Have fun."

  Charlotte roughly licked Nessa's face and body, fully savoring the experience, and maybe slightly trying to unnerve the little necromancer.

  Nessa began to wriggle and kick and struggle, even going so far as to try and bite Charlotte's hand. Nothing fazed the Naga, though.

  Charlotte continued to lick Nessa, positively coating her in spit.

  "What the *sputter* Hell is she *gag* doing!?" Nessa screamed at Jerik.

  "I think she does that to make people easier to swallow, ma'am," Jerik replied with a yawn. He'd seen this scene a hundred times before, but explaining the same things to the victims every time grew tiresome. "I'm done talking, by the way. You're food now, and you need to shut up and accept that. Talking, understanding things, forget it. What good will knowledge do you when you're about to be in her stomach?"

  Nessa wasn't given time to answer, as Charlotte completely popped her in her mouth.

  Charlotte made her usual gesture, and pointed at her throat. This was her way of asking Jerik if he would like to watch closer.

  Jerik grinned. "Of course! She was a pretty nasty person. May I have the honor, Miss Charlotte?"

  Charlotte nodded, and bent down, moving her head closer to Jerik, exposing her neck in full view. Jerik placed a hand on her throat, mesmerized, and waited.

  Charlotte swallowed Nessa, and the small lump quickly made its way down her throat.

  Jerik watched, "Ah, that never gets old. I appreciate the view as always! Hopefully you'll be good for another month, yeah?" 

  Charlotte backed up, and smiled a warm smile and nodded enthusiastically.

  "Let's go back to the lair, I'd like a little snack, myself," Jerik admitted, and began walking. Charlotte followed close behind, taking great care not to move too fast. Sometimes she would carry him, sometimes Jerik would choose to walk. In both cases, Charlotte always thought the same thing.

  "Being near you is all I want. That's all I ever want. I am happy you're in my life, dear friend. I wish I could express that with words, like you do. I just hope you can see it in my smile, feel it through my touch, and realize it in your heart... you mean the world to me. Human or not, I want you to understand that you matter." Charlotte thought to herself, gazing lovingly at the back of Jerik's head as he led the way back to their cave.

  Over their entire time spent together, Charlotte had taken great care never to accidentally harm Jerik. Of course, there were occasional near-misses and accidents, but thus far nothing had ever been a serious mistake. Well, that is, until today.

  Neither Jerik nor Charlotte were sure who was to blame, but it didn't matter to either of them. Accidents are accidents, after all. Was Jerik's footing unsure? Did Charlotte accidentally twitch her hand at just the wrong moment? Only one thing was for certain: Jerik had fallen off of her palm and hit the ground, well... hard.

  Time seemed to slow, nearly imperceptibly, for Charlotte as she watched helplessly. Jerik writhed in pain on the ground, screaming, clutching his thigh. He was sweating profusely now, and his face was contorted into one of agony.

  Charlotte didn't need a medical license to figure out Jerik's leg was broken from the fall, but what she did know was she was ill-suited to help him. She knew nearly nothing about how to treat an injury, nor did she know any type of healing magic. She was naturally gifted with rare teleportation magic, but nothing else.

  Jerik, somehow, managed to speak through the pain and labored breathing, "I... think I'm going... to need a doctor..."

  Charlotte imperceptibly gulped.

  Jerik met her gaze solemnly, he knew what this meant as well.

  They would have to seek help outside of their domain... In human territory.

  ***

  Just west of Twill forest, not even half a mile from the treeline, existed a small village. The inhabitants numbered less than fifty, and their defences were pitiful against any serious threat. Only ten armed guards patrolled the town, some in archer towers, some on foot.

  Gringham-- a satelitte colony cut off from the mainland's bountiful resources... and care. It was a god, and king, forsaken town. Life was simple, and the work was hard. And in truth, the guards were little more than farmers with weapons.

  Which, is exactly why one of the archers nearly shit his trousers when he spotted a Naga approaching from the forest.

  "No, no, no, no, no...!" Reeve panicked, rubbing his eyes just to double-check.

  Yep. Still coming.

  "N... Naga!" Reeve shouted, startling everyone in earshot.

  In truth, the town had no method of combatting such a threat. Generally, everyone hid in their houses and prayed to whatever God they believed in.

  It was not long until half the guard showed up beside Reeve, bows in hand. The other half ran to their families, already resigning to their fate.

  Of course, the Naga still took a little bit of time to reach the village, but it was not like they had any extra defences to prepare.

  She halted in front of the, well, easily-crushable wooden gate. The Naga had her hands cupped together, holding... something.

  Guards held their breath, townsfolk either holed up indoors or grabbed pitchforks to make a last, noble stand. If they were going to die, it would be with honor, protecting their loved ones.

  In truth, what happened next seemed to truly shock everyone.

  ***

  Charlotte was out of options. If this town didn't have a way to help, Jerik would likely never walk again, not to mention he would suffer far longer without treatment than with it. She decided to stop a reasonable distance from the town, just enough to get their attention, but also to show that she was not just going to barge in on some voracious rampage.

  Being unable to communicate vocally was not working in her favor right now, otherwise she would have spoken her true intentions already. She needed to quickly and effectively demonstrate what she wanted.

  Jerik had already gone unconscious on the journey, so he was not able to just speak out and vouch for her.

  "... Please, s... spare our humble town, Naga...!" a townswoman begged, the first to break the silence.

  Mixed reactions spewed forth from anyone else outdoors, some callous, some pleading.

  "Fire!" one guard yelled out, causing a very small array of arrows to fly at Charlotte.

  Charlotte expected such a reaction, after all, they were only trying to defend themselves. If any other Naga had approached like she had, she hoped they would have done the same thing. However pointless it would have been.

  Charlotte slid Jerik into her left hand, and raised her right hand. Arrows kept getting fired at her, and none were hitting their mark. The guard fired until they were out of ammo, and out of bravado.

  "W... where did they go!?" Reeve spoke, in disbelief. It seemed to him that the arrows vanished into thin air, unless... magic was involved?

  "Teleportation magic," a calm elderly woman spoke up. She had also watched the events unfold, and paid close attention to every action Charlotte had taken.

  Once Charlotte was certain no more stray arrows would put Jerik in danger, she laid him on the ground in front of herself. Once that was done, she lowered herself as well, hands clasped together, head bowed reverently. Now she was the one pleading.

  "Is... is that... a human? What--" Reeve began to speak, before witnessing something truly unforgettable.

  Every single arrow the Gringham guard had fired, fell from the sky.

  Thoomp-thoomp-thoomp-thoomp-thoomp-thoomp-thoomp-thoomp...

  The arrows one by one landed at the entrance to the gate, hitting no one, very rudimentarily spelling out...

  "Help us"

  A moment of silence passed. Charlotte had done everything she could think of to prove she wasn't here to cause trouble short of leaving Jerik alone and backing up further, which she really, really did not want to do.

  "Is... it a trap?" Reeve muttered under his breath to another guard.

  "I don't know..." the guard replied.

  "Couldn't she just overpower us if she truly meant any harm?" a townsman named Trist pepped up, speaking sense.

  "Why don't you go out there and ask, yourself?" a snide remark from an elderly man.

  This, of course, caused Trist to pause, weighing the facts and risks in his mind.

  "She's going to eat you once you get close," a middle aged woman chimed in.

  "Then why didn't she eat the human she was already holding?" Reeve called down from the archer's tower.

  The town murmured, question after question, answered with logic. No one had ever heard of a peaceful Naga before now. But there she was, kneeling down in her own way, arrows arranged in a very to-the-point message.

  "I'm going to go help the pretty snake lady," Amalia announced-- a young girl who couldn't have been more than ten.

  Of course, the town began to vehemently disagree in an uproar, but the young lady had already dashed past the guards, and everyone else, causing a few to give chase... but within a certain distance of Charlotte, many found each footstep to be much harder than the last. Their bravery was failing.

  "AMALIA!" Trist screamed, giving chase, farther than anyone else had managed. Amalia was his only surviving family member, his younger sister prone to making rash decisions.

  Trist saw nothing else but Amalia's pink dress, the grass and mud were a blur. He had never ran so fast in his life. Once he finally got a hand on her back, his heart sank. He looked up. The Naga was staring-- her otherworldly eyes affixed on them, her mouth very slightly agape.

  Charlotte really hadn't expected anyone to come to her, but she was glad someone was willing to give her a chance, even if she didn't fully understand the circumstances of why Trist and Amalia stood before her, she was deeply thankful someone understood she meant no harm. And so, a smile broke across her face.

  To Amalia, the smile was every bit of the invitation she needed to run up to Charlotte's hand and begin to hug it. "Yaaaay!"

  Trist couldn't bring himself to take another step. To him, that smile meant something else entirely. Had they truly fallen into a trap? Was that a smile of a 'haha, got'cha'?

  Charlotte left one hand on the ground for Amalia to climb and play on, but her eyes were pleading and staring at Trist. Using her free hand, she waved, and snapped her fingers, trying to break him out of whatever shock he just put himself in.

  "Hu... huh? I'm not dead, yet?" Trist mumbled aloud, and watched Amalia try to wrestle with the Naga's thumb. The Naga was seemingly trying to get his attention, before pointing her finger at a man lying on the ground.

  It was at that moment things finally started to click again. The arrow pattern, she had done that. The Naga wanted his village to help them, but... what was wrong?

  Trist slowly took his eyes off of Charlotte for just a moment to look at the man on the ground. It didn't take long before he noticed the man was breathing and panting, and his leg was bent at an odd angle starting from the hip.

  "O...OH!" Trist finally understood. "Y-you just want us to try and help your... um... friend?"

  Charlotte nodded vigorously.

  "A-and t-that's all..? You're not going to, um..." Trist went silent, but Charlotte got what he was hinting at.

  Charlotte shook her head no, even harder than when she answered 'Yes' to Trist's previous question.

  Trist let out a sigh of relief. So she really did just want help.

  "It's rather strange of a Naga to travel with a human companion like this, but maybe if the village healer heals this guy... he'll be able to tell us more. Or maybe they'll just leave?" Trist began to weigh the pros and cons. Ultimately, he came up with a handful of possibilities.

  One, they would just leave. Two, the same as the first, but maybe they'll get a reward. Three, once the man is healed the Naga will attack for some reason. Four, the duo will be grateful and agree to protect the village.

  The odds were risky but seemed stacked in Gringham's favor.

  "Okay, we will help as best as we can," Trist promised on behalf of the village. His eyes darted back to Amalia, then back to Charlotte.

  "Naga, please don't hurt her," Trist quietly asked.

  Charlotte pointed at Jerik, then to Trist.

  "I... I see. So he must mean the same to you as she means to me," Trist rationalized. It was a longshot, but it was all he had to go on. Amalia didn't seem willing to leave the Naga's hand, and he didn't dare step any closer than necessary.

  "I'll be fine, brother!" Amalia shouted from Charlotte's hand with a smile. "Help her boyfriend, he looks sick!"

  Those words caused Charlotte to blush near crimson red. Unable to bear the embarassment any longer, Charlotte waved her hand over Trist and Jerik, teleporting them inside the village gates, completing the trade. Charlotte held Amalia, and Gringham held Jerik. All she could do now was wait.

  The waiting did not last long, as a handful of children were running up to Charlotte now, followed by some extremely worried parents.

  Charlotte held her breath, and put on her most disarming smile. It usually worked on Jerik, perhaps it would work here, too, she rationalized.