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.