♱・Friend or Foe

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Friend of Foe
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Grusha sat down near the fire he had just
started. He closed his eyes for a brief moment 
of reprieve before sighing. He had a couple 
of miles to reach Calirose but he be darned
if he travels in the night. He's tried so before
his first time. Lilifleur Forest was not particularly
kind in the slightest.

Just as he was about to doze off, his thoughts 
coming to slow chug in his mind, he heard something
that brought his senses back awake.

rustle...

It came from above and he didn't like surprises.
He raised his head, hair floating up a bit, eyes of 
ruby glaring into the darkened canopies of trees that
hid the moon. If only the moon was seen, he'd have an
easier time searching for danger, but the forest was not
kind tonight, as if it ever was.

Now more cautious and alert, he stood. The fire
flickering healthily in the fire pit, making his shadow stretch
out on the ground coupled with the mildly pulsating 
light of the red lilies that glowed at this time of night.
It gave everything an eerie look to it. 

While he himself was fond of the lilies, especially
since this is the first time he's seeing them again after
years of being in the northern region, he disliked the 
ominous glow they gave. As if danger was always lurking.

He took a couple of steps back, looking around in caution
only to hear it again. The same rustle, but much closer...

rustle...

The hair on his arms rose at that. He looked around, trying
to steady his breathing. "Grusha. It's maybe a small
animal. Right?" He was trying to convince himself.
"Maybe a bunny? A duck? A duckling...??" He took a deep
breath and closed his eyes, "Alright, deep breaths, remember
what Master Siritsa said. It's only dangerous if you let it..."
He slowly opened his eyes before they flew into a 
quarter shape.

Before him was a massive snake who's
body was so long and curled upward into the dark tree
crowns that he was sure he wasn't seen all of the snake's body.
"...Be...." Grusha finished his sentence in a very quiet 
voice. It could be a snake, but it sported a floppy hood
that gave of light from within its folds. The face it had was
very detached and Grusha was sure he saw something 
in it's mouth, but he wasn't about to stick around and find out.

He bolt off through the forest as fast as his legs could carry him.
He heard swift rustles and hisses behind him and he was sure it
was following him. While running, he didn't pay attention to where
he was running, which caused him to trip. It wasn't the ever 
convenient stone or log. It was something long, pink and 
scaly.

He quickly deducted that it was some of the snake's body.
The snake was smart enough to use it's body as a barrier.

FUN!

Just what he needed. A smart snake. He tripped, wincing at
the sprain he did to his ankle. He slowly turned from where he
was on the ground, coming nose to nose with the snake.
He gulped, eyes wide as he stared at the creature, who looked back
with detachment. It didn't move or anything, just looked at him
with calm detachment. Grusha then moved his eyes from the snake's 
face to it's mout to see that inside of it was an orange fish.

He raised an eyebrow at the snake and the snake stared back
in detachment. Seems the snake wasn't hungry. Just...curious. 

Submitted By Beelzebub for 🗺️ Riddle for the Ages
Submitted: 5 months ago ・ Last Updated: 5 months ago