Civil Serpent

[indeath]

Wind whipped through August’s curls as he continued his climb moving inhumanly quickly. He barely had to touch the sandy rock, climbing was a family specialty and it came naturally. There wasn’t a surface he couldn’t climb. Reports in the area had mentioned poachers going after Griffins and leaving only blood in their wake.


August had received a tip off regarding a mother griffon so here he was, he just hoped the creature was friendly. He just needed to convince it that here was not a good place to be. He’d brought several food items, unsure what it would like best. Hopefully it wasn’t vampire flesh. He could hear squawking he was getting closer.

[Marshmallow]

The first griffon had been a fluke; a chance encounter and self-defense. But the carcass had sold well enough to refill Takui’s coffers of ammunition and keep her flush with material components besides. Afterwards, The Cobra's services had been officially hired. There was rumor of a den in the region and she was to clear it out. Dangerous though they could be, griffons were easy prey compared to intelligent monsters like vampires or devils. Money was money, and easy money was the best kind.


A day and night of careful tracking had finally led her to the beast’s den, a cave nestled in the cliffside high over the forested slopes. Inside, the huntress had found a pair of nestlings still wearing their downy fluff. No adult in sight, but it would be only a matter of time before their parent returned.

The chicks squawked and shrieked up a storm. But even over their cries, she heard the scrabble of sandy rock on the cliff outside. She spun on the spot, rifle at the ready. What arrived was not what she expected to see.

Or rather, who.

[indeath]

August stared at the woman in disbelief as he stood up from his climb, relieved to see the chicks behind her still squawking. That was something but the rifle in her hands made him feel ill at ease. He could survive a bullet but these poor little chicks would be less lucky. It was probably a stretch to hope she’d come for the same reason as him. Though she didn’t smell or look exactly human so there was at least a little hope. He brought his hands up trying to look as non-threatening as possible to both her and the chicks. He was wearing jeans and a dark jacket covered in mud and rain from the climb up. There was no point wearing fancy clothes for this.

“Ermm hi there mam… I uh wasn’t exactly expectin’ another vampire. I ain’t gonna hurt ya, just wanna make sure these guys go somewhere a lil’ less peopley. Maybe ya could give me a hand?”

He smiled at the pretty woman hoping to win her over with his charms. Maybe she’d turn animal lover by the end of the night. Surely she wasn’t here for their blood… He was pretty sure they didn’t taste any better than a regular animal.

[Marshmallow]

Takui stared blankly at the stranger smiling at her from the mouth of the cave. Her red eyes glowed faintly from beneath the shadow of her wide-brimmed hat. She responded to his casual smile with a scowl and thumbed the rifle’s safety.

“'Another' vampire, you say?” Her gaze narrowed dangerously. She had not expected interference, and certainly not from a vampire of all things. Was he a rival here for profit, or had he been tailing her for another purpose? She didn’t believe his friendly smile one bit.

“You best mosey on back ta whatever crypt you crawled outta, friend. This bird’s my mark an’ I ain’t keen on sharin’.” The huntress took aim but didn’t fire. It wouldn’t kill him, and worse the sound of the rifle shot might scare away her prey. If she could, she’d rather scare him off without wasting the ammo.

[indeath]

August’s own eyes shone back in the darkness, two pale blue lights. His smile remained firm and he moved forward slowly but surely. He didn’t like how close to the chicks she was.

“Crypt? That’s a bit racist.. nah um speciest? I don’t gotta crypt, live in an apartment. I didn’t mean ta offend ya… Just ya know… Glowin’ red eyes an’ pale skin, but uh that seems ta cream ya corn a little so nah? I’m here ta stop poachers from killin’ these poor lil babies an’ their mama. They ain’t done ya wrong. Surely ya can make a buck another way?”

He motioned towards the beasts who continued squawking pathetically for their mother. He did have a tranquilizer but the woman seemed twitchy as heck. He didn’t want to get shot and end up eating the griffons or the lady.

[Marshmallow]

Takui couldn’t decide which was more absurd: that what was more or less a walking corpse was calling her a racist, or that said corpse was some kind of supernatural wildlife activist.

If someone had told her that a vampire, of all creatures, would try to negotiate for the fate of another monster, all while smiling like they were a couple of old friends, she’d probably have clubbed that person over the head and called them a moron. And now here she was, utterly baffled by the stranger’s response.

At least he was being polite.


“S’just a turn o’ phrase, ain’t gotta whine ‘bout it. Could live on the moon fer all I care,” she grumbled back. “But this ain't about that. What’s a blood-sucker like you care ‘bout a few beasts? S’pose your skull’d be worth a decent price, if you’d rather.”

[indeath]

August’s smile dropped a little, she was a hard customer that was for sure. He liked his skull where it was.

“Bless ya heart. I care about them because they can’t advocate for themselves. They’re not evil, they’re just followin’ instincts. Ya not gonna hate on a bear for protectin’ it’s home are ya? Supernatural animals deserve the same respect. Unfortunately I can’t grow back a head but uh maybe me fangs? Would that be enough for ya to leave em alone?”

He shifted uncomfortably hoping she wouldn’t try to take his skull. He could also hear the sound of the mother getting closer. Thanks to his backpack he smelled a lot like food right now.

[Marshmallow]

She blinked, one eyebrow arched quizzically. The muzzle of the rifle dipped toward the floor.

“Ain’t no way yer bein’ serious…” She stared at him in disbelief. Was he actually offering up his own fangs in trade for the griffins? What sort of vampire was this guy?


She shook her head and levelled the rifle at him again. He was getting uncomfortably close. So tunnel-visioned was she on the immediate threat, that she failed to notice the real danger approaching.

“Even if I believed ya, it’d take an awful lotta fangs t’add up to one o’ these here birds,” she grumbled. “And even if I was t'accept, what’s t’stop ya from attackin’ me soon as I put my weapon down?”

[indeath]

August ran a finger over one of his fangs slightly disappointed that they weren’t worth enough. It was possible to grow more but he didn’t think the woman had the patience for that. He put his hands out so she could see them.

“Basic decency? Me moral codes? I ain’t about hurtin’ no one even if they’re misguided poachers…”

His last words were muffled as the large angry mother griffon came bursting through throwing a large carcass into August’s back knocking him flat onto the ground . The large animal hissed angrily at the hunter standing between her and her chicks.

[Marshmallow]

She didn’t even have time to finish rolling her eyes before their awkward stand-off was abruptly crashed.

“Shit!”

The rifle came up as the beast shrieked and charged. The gunshot rang in Takui’s ears as it echoed off the cave walls. Unprepared, taken by surprise, the shot went wide. The bullet clipped the edge of the beast’s wing in a puff of feathers before embedding itself in the dirt and stone. The griffon barley so much as flinched. And before she could even slot another round in the chamber, Takui was forced to roll away from the monster’s slashing claws. The interfering vampire was all but forgotten.

Beneath their feet, the cavern floor rumbled ominously, but her hands were full with avoiding becoming griffon chow to worry about a few shifting rocks.

[indeath]

“Lawdamimbo!”

August yelped as the bullet went off and pushed the poor deer off. The squawks and cries thundering in his vampiric ears that the moving earth didn’t register. Claws and beaks flashed in a flurry of feathers. It didn’t look good for him or the hunter.

Suddenly the earth gave way and August felt himself falling into the earth. The dirt was everywhere and he landed hard on the ground.

“Shootfire!”

He just hoped the hunter hadn’t been left with the griffons. It was hard to see even with his vampiric eyes. There was dust everywhere. He heard a soft squawk and moved towards it. Poor little baby.

“It’s okay little guy… let’s get ya back to ya mum.”

[Marshmallow]

Takui sat up with a groan. Her head was pounding, and when she pressed a hand to her temple the fingers came away streaked with blood. The gash would heal in an hour or two, but the headache was sure to linger. She grimaced and pushed to her feet.
Around her, the dust had barely begun to settle. Pebbles and dirt continued to pelt down from above, and the shrieks of the griffon mother echoed from what felt like a great distance.

Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. She quickly retrieved her fallen hat and rifle, and took stock of her surroundings.

A tunnel stretched away into the earth on either side of them, too regular and too even to be a natural cave. Had they fallen into a mine? If so, it was definitely an old one. No telling where the exit was - if one still existed at all - but climbing back up into the waiting claws of an angry beast was not what Takui would call a good plan.

“So much fer easy money…” she grumbled, and glared at the intruding vampire. “If’n ya hadn’t’ve got in my way, I could be gettin’ paid by now.”

[indeath]

August shook his head at the woman, there were more important things than getting paid. Especially when that money came from the deaths of innocent creatures. He wiped the dust from his eyes and checked himself over for any injuries. Nothing. That was a relief, a hungry vampire was no fun for anyone. 

“Would ya though? Or woulda ya ended up for dinner? Maybe ya would be more successful if ya picked something that doesn’t involve murder. Now shush ya mouth, there’s a baby down here with us.”

He continued trying to making his way along the tunnel, ears pricked until he found the squawking sound coming from an overturned cart. He could smell the poor creature’s fear. He tried pushing the cart over himself but it was stuck hard on something. 

“Umm ya wouldn’t mind helpin’ me out here, right? Truce until we escape?”