nexus_crossings | World Snake Day - How you read that matters

World Snake Day - How you read that matters

They had come some time over night, or perhaps just appeared in the morning. On the outskirts of the plaza, a huge feathered snake lays drowsily in the first rays of the sun. Feathers, every color of the rainbow, cover its 4 large wings and the body instead of scales. A ruff of feathers around the neck raise and shake occasionally from harassing flies. As it stretches the tip of the tail flicks showing a iridescent fan of brightly colored feathers that reflect the sunlight. If the wings weren't odd enough, the snake also has short stout legs that are nearly masked by the raised feathers. Its eyes open to watch any who might approach, facet cut gem like eyes that show great age.

As impressive as the feathered serpent, who could be over 70 feet long, might be, there is an even larger serpent beside it. Glossy black scales, that shimmer with reds under sunlight, cover the body. Its head alone is large as a decent sized vehicle but it too slumbers. Ears, or fins, flick on the side of its head as it is also harassed by the summer flies. It bears small bat like wings instead of forelimbs. Whether it has hind limbs is hard to say. The bulk of this snake reaches off, from the several coils here, into the wilds. The size seems impossible, dragging on as far as the eyes can see into the trees. It was made hugest in its own place, and perhaps would be so here in the Nexus. All around them smaller snakes rolled about, slithering here and there. Some seemed to be normal snakes, others appeared like cobras with wings, or snakes with lion faces. Many simply lay coiled around the near by grass and brush sleeping lazily in the sun.

It's not words that come when someone approaches but a vague sense of questioning, as if the air itself bears the curiosity and the sound is not really there at all.

"What are you known by, what are you known for?" Though neither snake has moved the electric feeling in the air suggests it is the larger of the two that wants to know.

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Aal's nostrils flare as the scent hits her nose. Her right eye twitches..Oh cripes..She starts to shake A part of her wants to just run away and channel a certain cartoon Great Dane she has a fondness for. {Oh great..it had to be..Snakes..and not just widdle ones.}She shakes more..And decides it's best to get some high ground at the very least so no surprises. Looking for a tree she could climb and not be surrouded/too close. SHe shivers like a leaf in a high wind.

And secondly, there were younglings around from time to time..One in particular she knew mite try and play/make friends with such. She needed to make sure it was safe for the others..Even if she was a big ol scaredy wolf and wanted to run. She's had nightmares about Snakes big enough to swallow someone whole more times then she can count.

She pales more with each step/her fur and hair up on end as she climbs slowly carefully. She she freezes for a moment. Her ears close to her head. Crap..welly yes she probably should try and talk and see what it wanted..She cautiously peeks down at the 'brood'/nest. Swallows again and quickly looks up. Shouldn't have done that. Though she doesn't mind lions and dragon-like creatures so much.

"Erm, I'm a Healer..and I try and help folks find answers to their questions..Sort of.." She swallows again holding onto the tree limb with a white-knuckled grip. "the family business." she softly swallows the bile in the back of her thoart..Trying to fight the dizziness in her limbs and hot and cold flashes in her body. The worse thing to do get weak-kneed and fall in a batch of snakes like Indiana Jones. "Ahem, I'm Aal..Aalish of Oakridge." She murmurs softly still sincere but also protective of her home realm and the lands under her care.

Lucifer can sense the fear long before he notices Aal and then he's suddenly worried about her. She could fall from a misstep caused by her nervousness. He pulls up his bulk making his clawed feet more visible. Though he was a serpent and preferred the term, he did look a lot like a dragon. He comes over toward her, slowly, ruff of feathers on his neck shaking out as they lay down against his neck.

"Aal, it has been many months since I last saw you." Though the voice comes in her mind it is recognizable as Lucifer's, particularly after spending so much time talking to him during the holidays. "They will not harm you. She is an old matron." of a sorts. She was certainly older than Lucifer and he suspected Leviathan might be older than God.

Leviathan stays silent when she notices Lucifer trying to calm the woman clinging to the tree. If she was a friend then time would be given to adjust to such a large brood, and enormous snake.

Edited 2020-07-19 15:47 (UTC)

Aal blinks rapidly but stays still to watch and makes note of things. Recalling sudden movements in general around such could make them react in the opposite manner of going for some burrow. Her ears perk up , shift shape and fur over in a manner of seconds. Well least it wasn't a flaring hood that would have have the knee jerk reaction in the opposite direction of 'calming.'

Though it's not uncommon especially when she was young to get more clumsy and klutzy the more nervous she got. She's happy she hasn't done much tripping round folks in the Nexus, well other than her tongue. As of yet, but never say never. She is trying her best to not let her knees shake etc too much or other embarrassing fear reactions to happen. She swallows thickly again.

A feathered serpent however has her tilting her head..Slightly curious. And niggles at something in the back of her mind. Her scholarly side, going to thoughts of the Aztecs. Her mouth slightly opens at the voice/projection. "Oh..ello." She murmurs softly though she hugs the branch/truck more firmly her voice small sounding even to her own ears. The tip of her tail wags just a very little bit, even as it tucks under her jacket and round her trousers thigh. "Aye..well I.." Nope, not in the right frame of mind to answer back in kind yet. Though high emotions fueled magic from her realm. She didn't just want anything blasting out either on accident. "Ahem, been trying to find a good time to come round." Preferably with something more than her simple baked goods in hand. Especially if they were all busy building things etc.

"Oh I see.." She murmurs softly and nods. Side eyeing the smaller ones again. "Well..ahem can't be too careful..ya know how various beings pop in and out.." And not all of them friendly nope. She murmurs trying to put on a brave face and focus on well..her new..ally? acquaintance? yes she and Dor would need to have more chats etc with him sometime. And not the mind-numbing, instinctive fear, that had burrowed deeper than her bones years ago.

Edited 2020-07-20 04:51 (UTC)

Lucifer doesn't get too close. He doesn't want Aal to fall from the tree, even if he could probably catch her before she hit the ground. "Any time is a good time to come by. I do not mind friends visiting unannounced."

Lucifer turns his head down and snorts at the small serpents to shoo them away from the tree. "You can come down. They are friendly."

He's trying to encourage her to keep being brave.

Aal's right eye twitches a little. She's hoping he can if she can port herself in time..Though she's hopeful it won't be nesscary..but always good to have a backup plan. But least he's more colorful and distracting to the instinctive fueled parts of her brain. She squints and tries again, {Well that's good to know..ahem some do.} She mentally murmurs.

She lets out a deep breath trying to center herself..literally and figuratively. She tries not to snort but makes a soft bemused sound. Why was that so funny at the moment? It was probably the adrenaline or something. She swallows again. "W-well, well if yer sure." She murmurs a little stuttery despite herself.

She half wants to slap herself for sounding like a dork..But oh well..Not like..well widdle snakes being judgey is the least of her worries. So long as they don't think she's a good thing to nibble on or worse.

She slowly starts moving her right foot toward the branch just lower than the one she's on. Now if he was in a batch of furry things..She'd feel very very different about all this. Or Heck approaching like Aslan even.

"You and your mate are friends of my house. You are always welcome, though I may not always be there."

The nervous energy on Aal is heavy in the air, especially once she starts edging herself down. He takes a gamble and walks over beneath her, lowering his wings away from his back to give her a clear place to sit among the feathers. He's not as much of a snake given the legs, more a dragon, and known. Perhaps he could make her more comfortable by offering her a place to perch that was closer and perhaps felt safer?

Despite herself, she squints in a pleased canine manner at hearing this her ears slightly perk up and the very tip of her tail wags under her coat. Still somewhat tucked. {Thank you..that..means a lot.} She mentally murmurs back. Touched more than words could say at that simple reassurance and gesture. Though there was quite a few emotions churning inside her at the moment.

She was trying her best to semi focus on putting one foot in front of the other and something positive. {Come on focus!} She chides at herself. Her eyebrows go up and she pauses to watch him for a moment or two. Taking deep breathes in and out. In and out. Rhythmically.

Her eyes widen, both in a bit of wonder and pleasant surprise. True she's done so toward littles and such in her other form before..But for a higher being.. Well she'd read, etc the tales of Aslan doing so. But Wow. Just wow she feels a wash of awe and goosebumps of another kind come over her. "Oh..um thank you." She murmurs softly and humbly. As she carefully lowers and reaches for the next handhold. And maybe to pet the feathers a bit..She likes feathers. Her eyes big and semi canine but more childlike at the moment and a little brighter than before.

"I prefer to keep more friends than enemies." The thought comes back to her with hope and kindness attached. In their own world friendships with humans were a very dangerous prospect for human and angel. In the Nexus, those restraints were gone and they fell back onto their natural role as teachers and caretakers of mortals and lesser beings.

He curls himself in close to the tree so as to offer the most surface area close by. Though his serpent reputation was one of a seducer and tempter, which he could well be when he chose to, he usually presented more as a friendly dragon in a child's book; ready to play and when necessary fight something evil. Even as an angel he would carry others around in flight for necessity or fun. He found nothing demeaning in a piggy back ride, particularly if it would help Aal get over her fears.

{Aye, we have that in common.} She mentally murmurs back her tone slightly soft and grateful as well in reaction to those feelings. A bit more of the knot in her stomach and tween her shoulder eases. Ever, so slightly. She still shivers slightly. She wasn't sure exactly why but about the being soothed her on some levels. When her logical side argued still niggled a little about being a little wary about some things.

Like a friend who some times liked to party a little too much but was kinda still chill. Even when he was trying to convince you to get into the red hot rod sports car he wanted to joy ride.

Her nose twitches slightly, the latter vibes would be the only way she would be getting down this way. She tentatively tries to pet his ruff half to soothe herself and like she would her dear steed back home. She did so miss Polaris and their rides. She carefully slips down more and moves her leg to wrap round him first.

Dor rather liked giving small ones piggy or horsey back rides too. She sighs half wistful as she eases carefully, slowly more closer and down. He'd make a wonder papa someday. She was half sure Luc-hmm, need to work on a nickname. She thought, after all, he was different than the others that bore the same name. In her world and others names had power.

She recalled some of the other angels regarding him as family and that he had..some. She did half wonder if the whole 'father of Lies' thing was literal or not. Though she hadn't gotten a vibe of 'deceit' from the being since she met him. And to her and wolves especially trust and sincerity were very important.

The serpent laughs, hissing and trembling a little. "God is more than enough of an enemy. I do not need others."

He stays still mostly, though he's turned his head to watch her descent. The feathers raise on his neck and he leans into the touch. It feels good, like fingers ruffling thorough his hair. He stiffens his wings so she can lean on them for support if she needs to while climbing down. If he could smile in his serpent form, he might. There was something child like in the way she moved and behaved that warmed his heart. He's sure part of it is the way his motherly instincts have been at the forefront since he and his partner spoke about having children a few months earlier. He did want to be a father again.. or rather a mother this time.

Lucifer did not lie though he would omit facts when it suited his purposes. "Father of lies" had many meanings in his own creation, a few he even saw as positives.

"If you need me to shift I can." He's asking both as an offer and to not let her hang so long in silence.

She hums and tries not to shiver too much at the hiss. "Aye..one would..think." She murmurs half wry. "Reminds of Odysesus and Posedien." She murmurs half out the side of her mouth.

She gives him a small smile. She gently pets witht the grain' so to speak. She knew a bit about wings and such on smaller beings. Birds of various sorts..some Pegasi. She's doing her best to find that spot behind the..she tries to recall.pinons..keep comeing to mind but it should be the spot tween the shoulder area. She pauses squints slightly nods and eases more. She gently wraps a hand round the strudest looking area testingly.

Her mind giveing her images of Falcore and Bastain or Atrou from the Never ending story. "Ahem..you wouldn't happen to be familar with Luck or Lung dragons would ya?" She half asks him conversationaly. Focusing on the task and something more pleasent. Oh speaking of young lads.

"Ahem, Oh I've been meaning to tell ya..There's a young..fellow goes by Atreus..Archer..From some of the Norselands..Well..um." She pauses for a moment wondering if it was too early on to ask for a favor even a likely small one ish. "He's rather curious, likes wolves and serpents..ahem..If he's by himself ya see..and say..One of the Aesir from his realm show up..erm..There not typically the freindly sorts.." She starts to try and explain. Not like some of the Asgardians she'd meet by the lad's account.

Besides the more eyes and ears open and on alert for trouble the better for them all really.

She tilts her head.."Erm..up to you..whatever's most comfortable." She adds after a moment and blinkingly.

Edited 2020-08-05 05:30 (UTC)

"In more ways that one." He is fond of mythos and the comparisons are always interesting.

"I am not. In my realm, snakes originally had legs and feathers. They were cursed to lose them when God became angry with me." Lucifer says simply in conversation. "Tell me about these dragons." he asks to keep her talking. It seems to bring her comfort.

"We have met him and will watch." The angels were made, after all, to watch over a universe. This one was easy enough to watch too.

"You are very light. You can ride where you are comfortable." He could manage. Flight would need more specifics but walking would be easy to support her about anywhere.

She hums and nods softly.

She tilts her head slightly. {Ah I see..in most tales I've heard I know the former was once common.} The latter.Not so much but there were many creatures and beings who were serpentine-like. Or..well there were. {We have Chimera's back in The Enchanted Forests } That's the closest to feathered she seen. Well. She shivers. {Well, There's..ahem some stories about Python and Apollo. } Yes, that one was sometimes depicted as plumed..and with deadly purid breathe and the like.

She hums, {Ah, well..I know more about the Western sorts..but..Lungs..and Luck dragons are very long..and have whiskers..The latter has fur instead of scales. } She begins to explain. {Wyverns tend to be two legged, but erm..} She pauses for a moment with an apologetic smile. {Very old or..large ones that don't have legs are often called Wyrms. They tend to like wells and that sort of thing.} Recalling the tales of knights and heroes of old she'd oft admired and had read/devoured hungrily and eagerly in her youth.

She gently pets his nearest feathers half in sympathy and half in trying to comfort and center herself. {Funny, how apples tend to pop up in most cultures don't they?} She half softly asks. Recalling the Golden Apple of Discord and The Judgement of Paris as well. Which had been two of the inciting incidents of The Trojan War. Which had been another end of a 'Golden Age.' That of Heroes and Demigods r least had meant to be, some say. After all Zeus had overthrown his father and he knew someday one of his sons were destined to do so to him. Though it hardly stopped The Sky Lord from having scores of young.

She smiles softly and eases a little. "Oh good." She murmurs her shoulders sag in relief even more. "And thank you." She murmurs, feeling better. After all, Heavens forbid something happened but it was always good to have an exit plan/safe meeting place in case of an emergency.

She blinks, her lips twitch. "Why thank ya." She murmurs and bemusedly coughs. That was probably the nicest thing she'd heard of late from anyone outside her pack. She softly clears her throat and gently leans a little forward so she can balance and hold on better. "Ready when you are." she murmurs and lets out a breath.

He listens and carefully shifts his wings to assist and make her position feel more secure. "I served as the serpent guardian of the Parthenon for a time, but I never met the serpents of Apollo.

He had missed many of the serpents and others, like the hydra, he had gone out of his way to see.

Yes, there are many apple myths. I have spent time learning all of them as I feel a kinship to those myths because of my own involvement with apples. He had learned all of them; from the Norse to those of the peoples in central Asia where the apple originated.

He walks slowly so she can get used to the roll of his body. It's very different from a horse, more loose because of the length between the front and hind legs. Once you are comfortable if you wish to run or fly, I do not mind accommodating. I do not often have the opportunity to lounge around in this form.

She blinks and tilts her head. "Ah well there..are the Pythias..or least that's what they called the Oracles." She murmurs and it had derived from Apollo's rival/deadly foe, Python. that he'd liberated the place from and had built things over the cavern and cleared the steams and pools of his polluting influence.

She nods, "Oh I see." She murmurs with a good-natured sound as she gently pets some nearby feathers and leans her check again him with a wolfish, soft of nuzzle. She was not surprised in the least about that.

She blinks at that. "Mmhm, ah thank you I'll keep that in mind." She murmurs and hums, "I know how that can be..Not many are calm or used to certain sorts or react positively to certain kinds. " She murmurs with a small sheepish smile. (fears of being bitten or worse was a legitimate safety concern/fear, alright?) Hence one of the reasons she often used a glamour of a dog over her true one in most places or if she did not know someone well at first etc.

"Yes, I have heard of the Oracles of Delphi." He does remember that though he never visited the place. He and Apollo were not on the best of terms because of personality clash on a very basic level.

He doesn't mind any checking or movement of his feathers. He knows just having her here is a big step. This was about helping Aal feel comfortable.

"Fears are built over time in cultures and societies." He can readily agree to that after so many being told about him over the centuries. "Is there anywhere particular you would like to go?

She nods softly. "Most have.." She murmurs softly in a statement of fact. "Though in some realms their fates vary." She murmurs probably something he'd be more used to than some of the usual folks. "Ahem, well according to family legend.." She softly preferences. "There was a time when a group of those who had the gift were transported to The Enchanted Forest..For safety and given a choice. "

She's very careful and gentle. She wouldn't want to accidentally pull any pinons or anything after all. Aal tries her best to ease a little she takes in and let's out several long and deep breaths.

"Indeed, of like learning no to eat certain berries when out in the woods..Which..to be fair there are many woodland areas back home." She murmurs slightly wry but sincere. There were magically inclined or..perhaps bred ones as well, two-headed (from Agraba) even. She thinks of several she'd seen in various ways whether from 'flashes/visions ' or medical and lore books.

She hums softly in thought. "Um,.." She tilts her head in thought. Perhaps some area that wouldn't induce a panic would be good. "Ah, not off the top of my head..any suggestions?" She answers and asks in return.

He sighs, even as a giant serpent. "In my creation I was unable to save them, the oracles and gifted."

He nods to her assumptions. "Yes, though it sometimes extends to where one poisonous red berry makes people fear all red berries. Then the fear becomes detrimental." That was how Lucifer saw the fear of snakes. It was something that had evolved from helpful to detrimental.

He had no specific ideas either. "We can walk or if you are feeling up to it we can visit with some of the others." it is a gentle nudge to move past her fears because Lucifer knew that none of the snakes here would harm her.

Her face and shoulders fall softening. "I'm sorry to hear it." She murmurs and reaches out to gently try and stroke him in a comforting gesture feeling a bit of grief and guilt. Even if they weren't her kin by blood she felt a bond with any of her 'sisters' regardless of realm and origin. She leans forward to try and lay her check upon his head in lieu of a hug.

"Most powers go after the servants to strike at their more powerful masters." She states a soft edge of a growl in her tone even if it's a statement of a cruel fact. A bully was a bully anyway you sliced it. She felt most keenly for those caught in the crossfire. Who oft suffered most.

She hums and nods a little. "That is true." She knew say some venom and such could be used for medical purposes within reason and carefully. But you would not be finding her doing the milking.

She hums and glances slightly down out of the corner of her eye. As she ponders. "We er..could visit." She murmurs softly back reluctant to leave her perch now that she has it. For a number of reasons.

Lucifer reads her body language and adjusts his body so she can comfortably move without feeling like she might pitch off onto the ground. "I feel for them but we did all we could for those God came for."

The truth was that they were outnumbered two to one against the host of heaven. With God being involved things got very dangerous and only so much could be done. It was the true brutality of genocide and war, the ones looking to save the attacked could never save everyone.

"Or children and families." Lucifer adds with tangible sadness.

He is happy to hear her willingness to try and glances back at her. Though a serpent mouth wasn't the best for a smile the twinkle was certainly in his eyes. "Do you wish to start with the small children or their mother?"

Edited 2021-01-09 23:45 (UTC)

She smiles softly and gratefully, "Thank ya kindly." She murmurs softly with a soft nod. Her face softens quite a bit. Again that sounded like a very cold and cruel world and thing to live through as well as with.

"Aye," Aal murmurs softly trying to nuzzle him with her check in the way of canine comfort. She sniffles a little, wee ones and packs were precious precious beings. Trying to pet his nape feathers or tween his shoulders.

She tries her best to give a small smile. That she hopes is more hopeful than sheepish. She could have her skittish moments but she was trying to put on her brave face. "Mmmhmm." She hums softly twitching her nose in thought. "Well, I wouldn't want to be disrespectful." But working one's way up also had it's good points and merits.

Lucifer started walking away from where Leviathan laid and toward another tree. Beneath it there was a larger snake but it would be within reason for a wild snake on Earth. When it raised up to look at their approach there are wings. Though the mother isn't what he is going for, but the tiny ones with the downy wings. These are only about 2 feet long and all cuddled up in a pile in the sun.

"How would you feel about visiting with the hatchlings?"

Aal blinks and half tucks her chin close to his head or neck as he does so. She swallows softly but hugs and tries to hold on tight but doing her best to not make him uncomfortable. Her eyes widen a little but she'll not be dismounting from her new perch anytime soon. "Well um, I suppose we could say hello." She murmurs compromising manner yes, a safe distance and looking should be fine. She thinks even though she shivers a little. Though she's also semi reminded of drawings etc she's seen of occamys.

He feels the shiver race through the woman on his back and slows to a stop while turning his serpentine neck to look at her.

"We can stop here and wait to see if one is adventurous enough to join us." They were still quite a few feet away from the hatchlings when he lowers his body to the ground. "You are safe here."

He folds and shifts his wings to create a sunshade for Aal while she remains on his back.

Aal hums softly half uncertain but then blinks a few times and stills as he does so tilting her head in a canine manner to the right. "Oh, um whatever you think best." She murmurs diplomatically and softly following his lead. After all, he would know them best.

Her tummy clenches as she stills as he does so yet trying to move with as she would on her beloved steed. She glances tween him and the wee ones a little warily but swallows thickly. Mentally she was inclined to think 'I'm holding you to that.' Physically she was going a little cotton-mouthed again.

She then blinks and looks up in pleasant surprise. "Oh..thank you." She murmurs warmly at his thoughtfulness and eyeing his very pretty wings.

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World Snake Day - How you read that matters

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