As she moves to the oasis, she is blind and deaf with need. For rest and especially to drink. So much so that she hardly notices the two-legged creature speaking to her. Her bones ache, muscles quiver, breaths ragged and rough. And all she wants is to divulge in the most beautiful pool she thinks she's ever seen. She does just that, dropping to her knees in the liquid and submerges her whole face, letting it flow down her throat and fill her. And it does, in a way she never could have imagined. Revitalizing, refreshing. When at last she comes up for air, she gasps and releases a quiet sigh. Surely nothing could have tasted as sweet. Idly, she catalogs her wound behind the left shoulder, on the girth area. It stings, but has stopped its bleeding.
She opens her eyes, then, and they widen with shock. The trees have closed in around her and her gaze locks onto the bipedal being, registering its two faces and the words it'd spoken. Yes, she could use some help, she's pretty sure. And a shorter path to the end sounds nice. Except, there is a catch. Always a catch, she is learning. The man-thing raises its arms and Briske rises to stand along with his motions. She stretches, easing the soreness and comes to stand before him as he speaks of the choice she must now make. Golden brown eyes shift between the two doors that give just a glimpse of what she must face. "...or the door behind you will take you home." Home, her heart lurches. Home was with her Other Half, her brother, her twin. Russie.. Oh, she misses him, and he probably would be freaking out without her. Don't worry, bubba, I will see you soon.
Soon, but not now. Now, she has choices, and back is not one of them. A deep breath flows into her lungs before she steps to the door to the left. Truly, there was no right or wrong. Both were equally terrifying, but she would take her chances with this one.
The door swings open slowly and softly sweeps across the stone floor. Darkness greets her once more, still hot though shielded from the desert sun. She moves with no hurry, sticking closely to the right wall. Every stride forward was made as softly as possible, in attempt to keep the clip-clop of hoof against rock to a bare minimum. She even tries to stifle her breaths, as her gaze darts into every shadow and crevice. Anywhere this basilisk could be lurking.
What unnerves her most is the silence and the stillness in the deep. Knowing the beast is in here, but not where. If the thing couldn't hear her steps or her breathing, surely it would hear the uncontrollable pounding of her heart in her chest. Or perhaps it would smell her- having an open flesh wound, even if it wasn't bleeding anymore. And it must have, at least one or all of those things as finally there was a shift in the tunnel. A subtle sound, something smooth sliding against stone and a soft slow hiss of a noise that could have been mistaken for breeze if not for the fact the air was still.
Adrenaline soars within her and her keen gaze flits everywhere for answers. The tunnel is huge and dimly lit, and as she goes forward she realizes there are many paths to take. She goes to the first tunnel to the right, trying to ignore the tremble under her skin. Just move, keep moving. Her gut sinks as she realizes the shifting she had thought was behind her now sounds like is in front of her. Crap. Ahead, there are two ways, one curving to the left and one that jags straight. Oh, the choices. Where is this thing? At least if she knew, she would know where not to go. Maybe. But maybe it's better to not, because then it doesn't know where she is. Or does it? Fear tingles up her spine and she aches to run. If she does, she could make it through faster, but the beast could find her easier. Slow, it is. Ugh, the torture.
She moves to the left, extending her walk but trying to maintain soft steps. Vaguely, she notices a different flow of air. Less like endless maze of cavern, and more like there is an end to this somewhere. Not too far! Hope fills her, drives her forward. Her nose catches the scent of.. hope, as there is no other word she can think of to call it, and follows it straight ahead.
To the right, and then straight and a turn to the left. She comes to a wide chamber, huge and tall with a multitude of tunnels all the way around the circular expanse. She hesitates in the opening, mouth agape. Oh gods, so many choices. Her nostrils quiver with a shaky breath. She steps forward. In an act of blind faith, she clenches her eyes shut and follows her nose. Following that little shred of hope she smells. Feels. She turns her head to it and opens her eyes again, stepping to the entrance there in front of her. There is yet another sinking feeling inside her, but she tries to quash it as she crosses the wide open space to the mouth she feels is her answer. Oh, please. Everywhere around her is still and quiet. Too quiet.
There is a moment of triumph when she reaches the chosen opening, having crossed such an open area unseen. It is short-lived, however, as she turns the next corner and freezes suddenly at the sight before her. A large body, forever long and covered in scales as gray as the rock. Its head, twice the size to hers, with a pair of vibrant green eyes. Don't look at them! It hisses, revealing those long fangs. A row of them, but two at the forefront, dripping with venom. It raises, but she doesn't give it the chance. Springing into motion, she backpedals rapidly before swirling and bolting back into the chamber. Ears flick back, knowing the thing is not far behind her. She spins and plants herself on the other end of the circle, eyes glaring at the beast. She is terrified, but filled with determination and courage belying her age.
The giant snake slithers from the hole, filling the room, hissing its fury. Hungry, so hungry. Well, not today, beastie. It strikes for her and she leaps in and to the left, spinning to face it. The tail, slinky and quick, rushes at her and she leaps to avoid being swept from her feet. Those fangs come at her again- from behind- and she throws up her heels at him, putting all her might into kicking out with her rear. She catches it on the nose and it shrieks at her. Suddenly, she realizes she is too close, the snake's body surrounding her. Too late. The beast coils around her and squeezes, catching the back half of her body. She screams, loud in the darkness, as its grip becomes tighter on her ribcage. This was it. Her bones would be crushed and she would slowly die. Russie, I'm so sorry. And then the beast strikes again, its final blow. Its fangs pierce her neck and she screams louder, the pain white-hot and blinding. Lightning-quick. Just like that it was over. Her screams fade and eyes are clenched, but she pops them open as the basilisk begins screaming itself. All at once, its grip on her loosens and she falls to a lump on the floor, gaping for breath and staring at the snake with her blood on its fangs, steam rising from the crimson on its mouth. It writhes and hisses and curls in on itself, glaring at her one last time before it slinks away into darkness, crying as it disappears.
Her vision grows rapidly foggy, and her body burns. Every part of her feels like it's growing tense, ceasing all function. Before long she can't breathe with the venom spreading and working its evil upon her. She twitches, struggles. Darkness floods her. Her heart slows.
And then suddenly gasps as her airways clear, and the burning slowly subsides.
What. just. happened? It was as though her blood was like acid on the beast's tongue! And she should be dead! But how- and then she remembers the pool she'd drunk from before entering the tunnel. There must have been something in the water. It cleared the venom and warded off the basilisk. What a miracle!! Slowly, Briske stands. The twin holes still remain in her neck, bleeding and oozing the last of the poison. It hurts bad, but she's alive! And so she goes, following that scent of hope and enters the white room at the end of the tunnel.
She opens her eyes, then, and they widen with shock. The trees have closed in around her and her gaze locks onto the bipedal being, registering its two faces and the words it'd spoken. Yes, she could use some help, she's pretty sure. And a shorter path to the end sounds nice. Except, there is a catch. Always a catch, she is learning. The man-thing raises its arms and Briske rises to stand along with his motions. She stretches, easing the soreness and comes to stand before him as he speaks of the choice she must now make. Golden brown eyes shift between the two doors that give just a glimpse of what she must face. "...or the door behind you will take you home." Home, her heart lurches. Home was with her Other Half, her brother, her twin. Russie.. Oh, she misses him, and he probably would be freaking out without her. Don't worry, bubba, I will see you soon.
Soon, but not now. Now, she has choices, and back is not one of them. A deep breath flows into her lungs before she steps to the door to the left. Truly, there was no right or wrong. Both were equally terrifying, but she would take her chances with this one.
The door swings open slowly and softly sweeps across the stone floor. Darkness greets her once more, still hot though shielded from the desert sun. She moves with no hurry, sticking closely to the right wall. Every stride forward was made as softly as possible, in attempt to keep the clip-clop of hoof against rock to a bare minimum. She even tries to stifle her breaths, as her gaze darts into every shadow and crevice. Anywhere this basilisk could be lurking.
What unnerves her most is the silence and the stillness in the deep. Knowing the beast is in here, but not where. If the thing couldn't hear her steps or her breathing, surely it would hear the uncontrollable pounding of her heart in her chest. Or perhaps it would smell her- having an open flesh wound, even if it wasn't bleeding anymore. And it must have, at least one or all of those things as finally there was a shift in the tunnel. A subtle sound, something smooth sliding against stone and a soft slow hiss of a noise that could have been mistaken for breeze if not for the fact the air was still.
Adrenaline soars within her and her keen gaze flits everywhere for answers. The tunnel is huge and dimly lit, and as she goes forward she realizes there are many paths to take. She goes to the first tunnel to the right, trying to ignore the tremble under her skin. Just move, keep moving. Her gut sinks as she realizes the shifting she had thought was behind her now sounds like is in front of her. Crap. Ahead, there are two ways, one curving to the left and one that jags straight. Oh, the choices. Where is this thing? At least if she knew, she would know where not to go. Maybe. But maybe it's better to not, because then it doesn't know where she is. Or does it? Fear tingles up her spine and she aches to run. If she does, she could make it through faster, but the beast could find her easier. Slow, it is. Ugh, the torture.
She moves to the left, extending her walk but trying to maintain soft steps. Vaguely, she notices a different flow of air. Less like endless maze of cavern, and more like there is an end to this somewhere. Not too far! Hope fills her, drives her forward. Her nose catches the scent of.. hope, as there is no other word she can think of to call it, and follows it straight ahead.
To the right, and then straight and a turn to the left. She comes to a wide chamber, huge and tall with a multitude of tunnels all the way around the circular expanse. She hesitates in the opening, mouth agape. Oh gods, so many choices. Her nostrils quiver with a shaky breath. She steps forward. In an act of blind faith, she clenches her eyes shut and follows her nose. Following that little shred of hope she smells. Feels. She turns her head to it and opens her eyes again, stepping to the entrance there in front of her. There is yet another sinking feeling inside her, but she tries to quash it as she crosses the wide open space to the mouth she feels is her answer. Oh, please. Everywhere around her is still and quiet. Too quiet.
There is a moment of triumph when she reaches the chosen opening, having crossed such an open area unseen. It is short-lived, however, as she turns the next corner and freezes suddenly at the sight before her. A large body, forever long and covered in scales as gray as the rock. Its head, twice the size to hers, with a pair of vibrant green eyes. Don't look at them! It hisses, revealing those long fangs. A row of them, but two at the forefront, dripping with venom. It raises, but she doesn't give it the chance. Springing into motion, she backpedals rapidly before swirling and bolting back into the chamber. Ears flick back, knowing the thing is not far behind her. She spins and plants herself on the other end of the circle, eyes glaring at the beast. She is terrified, but filled with determination and courage belying her age.
The giant snake slithers from the hole, filling the room, hissing its fury. Hungry, so hungry. Well, not today, beastie. It strikes for her and she leaps in and to the left, spinning to face it. The tail, slinky and quick, rushes at her and she leaps to avoid being swept from her feet. Those fangs come at her again- from behind- and she throws up her heels at him, putting all her might into kicking out with her rear. She catches it on the nose and it shrieks at her. Suddenly, she realizes she is too close, the snake's body surrounding her. Too late. The beast coils around her and squeezes, catching the back half of her body. She screams, loud in the darkness, as its grip becomes tighter on her ribcage. This was it. Her bones would be crushed and she would slowly die. Russie, I'm so sorry. And then the beast strikes again, its final blow. Its fangs pierce her neck and she screams louder, the pain white-hot and blinding. Lightning-quick. Just like that it was over. Her screams fade and eyes are clenched, but she pops them open as the basilisk begins screaming itself. All at once, its grip on her loosens and she falls to a lump on the floor, gaping for breath and staring at the snake with her blood on its fangs, steam rising from the crimson on its mouth. It writhes and hisses and curls in on itself, glaring at her one last time before it slinks away into darkness, crying as it disappears.
Her vision grows rapidly foggy, and her body burns. Every part of her feels like it's growing tense, ceasing all function. Before long she can't breathe with the venom spreading and working its evil upon her. She twitches, struggles. Darkness floods her. Her heart slows.
And then suddenly gasps as her airways clear, and the burning slowly subsides.
What. just. happened? It was as though her blood was like acid on the beast's tongue! And she should be dead! But how- and then she remembers the pool she'd drunk from before entering the tunnel. There must have been something in the water. It cleared the venom and warded off the basilisk. What a miracle!! Slowly, Briske stands. The twin holes still remain in her neck, bleeding and oozing the last of the poison. It hurts bad, but she's alive! And so she goes, following that scent of hope and enters the white room at the end of the tunnel.
Reeeeally hope this is okay.
Word count: 1494