A black chrysalis had formed underneath a pile of dusty bones. It came from a shard of onyx that, quite possibly, once belonged to one of the many strange skulls strewn across the chamber. Protected and cradled within its nest of decay, a new life developed among the dead. With the cracking of its dark shell, it's inhabitant slithered into the world. The new Gembound strongly resembled a newborn python. He was a tiny creature, no longer than a femur, with river stone eyes that were too big for his head. There were many feelings that sidewinded through the little snake's brain as he exaimed the world around him; fear, curiousity, confusion, but the most prominent one was hunger.

He did not want to leave the safety of the bone nest, but the growling pain in his belly nudged him to explore this new world, and most importantly, to find a meal. Flicking his sooty pink tongue, he tasted the particles in the air. No prey here, just the dusty scent of dry bones. The little python weaved his body through the bone fragments, disturbing the pile from underneath. He poked his tiny snout out of the clutter and flicked his tongue again. This time he smelled something. Curiously, the young Gembound crept forward, using its heat signature as a beacon. Maybe it's food, I hope it's food... He thought to himself. As he drew closer, he could start to make the creature's form, it was another Gembound, long and limbless, just like he was. Despite their similarities, uneasiness writhed in his stomach. What if they were dangerous? The thought of him becoming the meal sent shivers up his spine. The little python tucked his head back in the pile and into his coils, hoping, that this Gembound had not seen him.

@Egahi

Canis was a home unlike any other. She'd hatched here, claimed by a family here, and grown into the large pearled predator she was to this day. With a filled belly, she had no destination, no purpose. To crawl upon the textures of the world was all she had to do, aside from rest and as it were she was quite restless. So, instead of resting or hunting, she explored, investigated, and hummed a tune made by her own mind. The vibrations made by the sound of her own voice as it fluctuated caused her head to bob a little. It wasn't something she did on purpose. Really, with time, she'd tried to work on her head bobs as words were shared among creatures with voices. Even still, her own tune gave her a quiver and an energy that made her move her head anyway. Something from the corner of her eye stopped everything dead, however. Slowly, she twisted her head around toward a particular pile of bones she would have sworn on her life had just moved. With all the intensity of a mammal's squint, she stared at the bone pile, tongue slowly slipped out and taking a thorough taste of the air. A hiss that sounded more like a growling dog roared up in her throat, body lifting from the ground a little. With an extra dose of caution, she slithered closer to the heap, until... until she saw it. So small, fragile, and helpless. The smell suddenly became familiar; a freshly opened chrysalis had it's own scent, one she would never quite forget even if pinpointing the memory was difficult. Instantly, the white snake softened her appearance, flattening to the ground before quickly tickling the air with her tongue once more. It was not a species she'd find herself eating, so perhaps it was a sentient? Egahi nudged bone out of her way and poked her head under, sniffing at the little one with her unusual sensory appendage. Slowly, she pulled back, attempting some snake-version of a smile. "Hello, small one... welcome to life in Canis," she chimed sweetly. "I am... Egahi. What do you call yourself, littlest one? Worry not... I won't eat you." Carefully, the large serpent moved some of the cover the snake babe hid under, feeling a twinge of motherly instinct making it's way into her line of thinking. The idea of being a mother had yet to ever cross her mind, but she felt a certain air of protectiveness over this fellow sentient reptile, relating to it in it's birthplace and limitations in this vast and odd world. To have no limbs was both a pleasure and a curse in it's own ways, although what would she know of the pros to having flimsy, breakable appendages? —————— "Speech." Thoughts. OOC: out of character Tag: @Septiezal

An airy hiss erupted from his throat as the ivory scaled serpent encroached upon his personal space. The cobra's tongue tickled his snout and the hatchling lurched back his head, his body coiling into a more defensive posture, hissing becoming more pronounced. Of course, he was bluffing, he knew he stood no chance against her. In all honesty, he was terrified. Should he strike, or try to slither away? She did not seem to be of ill-intent, but he was not sure of her true motives. The suspense was killing him.

Then, something unexpected happened. She spoke to him. The vibrations of her voice was a gentle purr to his inner ear. Puzzled, he stared at her with large, marble eyes, studying her face for clues. Egahi's greeting lingered in his head for a few heart beats as he tried to sort out his confusion. A trickle of relief seeped into the python's heart. He was starting to get a haunch that maybe she wasn't as scary as she seemed.

She had asked for what he called himself. The hatchling had not thought about that. He searched his mind for an answer and came across one word, a word that he liked the sound of.

"S-Septiezal." he whispered, bashfully hiding behind his coils. It seemed to resonate with him, the vibrations that this particular sound gave off."I'm Septiezal." he said again, this time with a little more confidence.

Peeking out from behind his slender body, he looked up at Egahi, his tiny tongue flickered between his scaly lips. "So... you're not going to eat me?"

@Egahi

The hissing was heard, but thoroughly disregarded. His jerking movements brought light amusement to the older serpent, the possibility of a thread with this one nonexistent. He was tiny, snack sized... but oh so adorable, which was new to her; she'd never thought anything "cute" before. But, as he introduced his name to her, she couldn't help but feel this entire thought solidified. He was cute and there was nothing either snake could do about it. The question he eventually posed to her about being eaten made her give a little chuckle. Didn't she just say she wouldn't? Of course, but vibrations were hard to understand at first. At least, that was the benefit of doubt she gave the young hatchling. "No, little one. I have no interest... in eating you," she replied, giving a very small shake of her head. "Welcome to the big world... Septiezal." Egahi fell silent, pondering something deeply for just a moment's time. Perhaps her new friend was hungry! In which case, would it be wrong to monitor the tiny one's first hunt? The female knew how annoyed she'd personally be, but maybe this one was different. Who knew? She would soon enough, she assumed. "I recall my own hatching day... and I felt starved. Would you like me to... show you wear I hunt?" Egahi inquired sweetly, failing to notice as she lifted herself upward a little more. A contentment brewed within, a decision befalling upon the snake until events pushed her to a new direction... "I will... protect you." —————— "Speech." Thoughts. OOC: out of character Tag: @Septiezal Word Count: 250

So, this boneyard was called Canis? He was not quite sure what to think of his birthplace. It was dusty, cold, foreboding, and seemed rightfully barren. He and Egahi were the only living things as far as he could tell. Nothing but bones, bones, and more bones as far as his eyes could see. Only time would tell if he would be proud or ashamed.

Septiezal was skeptical of this "hunting ground" Egahi mention. How could any life exist in a place of death? He wondered if she was trying to lure him into a trap, but he was so famished that the promise of a juicy morsel to wrap his jaws around was tempting. Besides, despite being a snake, something felt natural about hunting under the watchful eye of a mother figure. Maybe it was an instinct ingrained in his DNA, unique to pythons of his kind.

"Okay." Septiezal said reluctantly, stomach growling once more. "Show me where the prey is." He unwound his tense coils, slipping out of the forest of bones. But I don't believe you. He hissed in thought. She seemed kind, and her tone was pleasant, yet the little snake could not help but to be dubious of her intentions. He wanted to believe that she was doing this out of the kindness of her heart, but slithering to some unknown place with a stranger, it felt suspicious. Nevertheless, Septiezal crawled beside her, trusting her with his fragile life, and hoping he would not regret it.

@Egahi

Glee brightened her scales. As he uncoiled, she twisted herself into the necessary direction before slithering onward. There was a place among the dust and bones where water was more frequent, filling all the little pits and crevices upon the floors. Somewhere deep in Canis, a pit filled with bones that was the source of a Hyena's 'sanity' held bones new and old, which never failed to attract mice. Egahi checked behind her to make sure the newborn followed. "In there. There is almost always mice somewhere in there, chewing on the bones." —————— "Speech." Thoughts. OOC: i'm so sorry for this post Tag: @Septiezal

With Egahi leading the way, Septiezal quicken his pace into a sidewind until he found himself slithering beside her. "Mice?" He asked the silver serpent. "Do they... eat bones?" His guess was maybe so. What was there left eat in here any way? They probably even ate each other.

The bone pit looked no different than the heap he hatched under. Quite honestly, he was little disappointed, he expected at least a slight change of scenery. Septiezal tighten his jaw and peered back at his guide, uncertain if he should enter. She said she would protect him, now it was time to put her word to the test.

She better not try any funny business...

Egahi was not lying about the mice however. He could taste their delicious scent in the air. They were clumsily creatures with their mammilan warmth. The more vibrations they unleased with their tiny paws, the more his mouth tingled with the sensation to dig his fangs into their flesh. Septiezal slithered into the pit, his forked tongue lapping at the air. He was hot on the trail of the furry morsel, until it finally came into view, blissfully unaware of the pair of slit eyes peering at its round backside. The young Gembound crept closer, winding his serpent body up in a position to strike, eyes locked on target.

Excitement filled Septiezal's being as his teeth pierced the mouse's warm flesh. The rodent squealed in terror, thrashing helplessly against the hooks buried in its meat. Strong coils wrapped around his prey, contstricting the mouse , growing tighter and tighter with each breath it took, until, its faint gasping ebbed away completely. Septiezal loosen his muscles around his meal. Pride swelled up in his scales. Everything about this kill felt natural, fluid. It was pure instinct and it pleased him. He arched his head towards Egahi before he started working his jaws around his meal. Has she seen it? Was she impressed too?

@Egahi