[PRP] The Right One (Queror x Toshka)

[Neon Fly]

Lately Toshka had been straying more and more from Hatari's side. There was a sense of restlessness in her that she hadn't quite been able to explain that made her travel long distances without even realizing how far she had come. More often than not her travels often led straight into the coils of an awaiting male, or it was he who came seeking her out. Whichever came first.

Now, Toshka didn't consider herself a slow-witted creature, but she was surprised when the thought finally dawned on her, just how long it had taken to realize. It wasn't as if she had never been in season before, but in the past she had been lucky enough to avoid the mess of being hunted for sport and concerning herself with a clutch of eggs. This time was different. The males didn't seem quite so pathetic and desperate as they had in the past, she'd even considered entertaining a few of them, but her high standards wouldn't allow it.

With a sigh Toshka lay flat on her belly in the shade of the long grass, perfectly invisible to predators and prey alike with her jewel tones of green. Granted, neither one would have wished to be on the receiving end of her irritable fangs today. Why was finding a male so hard? It wasn't as if she were asking for much in the father of her offspring. Clever but also wise. Strong and fast and a proven hunter of great skill. Not only in taking down his prey, but in defending himself against predators as well. His colors needed to be vibrant but not gaudy. Practical, but also appealing. He should be both impressive and intimidating to behold and he must also be of greater length and girth than herself. That was the recipe for perfect offspring, she was certain of it!

Was such a male really too much to expect?  

[mouselet]

Queror slithered along happily, humming and hissing to himself in words that couldn't quite be made out. Not that they were meant to make any real sense anyway, the sound was simply the green snake's expression of his general happiness.

The sun was warm, the sky was clear, and he certainly had nowhere pressing to be! All in all, that made Queror a happy hisser. Of course, the situation could be improved...he couldn't make eggs by himself!

He was unaware of any other creature nearby, but enjoyed the sensation of the long grass swishing against his smooth scales.  

[Neon Fly]

As was usually the case with most encounters where Toshka was involved, the overly sensitive viper seemed aware of a stranger in her midst before the reverse was true. Of course, whether or not those strangers were really unaware of her was debatable for most, though not Toshka herself, who would have avidly argued of her point in case until the other caved or agreed to disagree. The soft whisper of grass was felt more than heard and in her agitated state the female was more than happy to vent her frustration on some innocent passerby. Reeling on her belly to glide effortlessly towards the source of the noise she reared up, trying to make herself appear as threatening as possible and---

gave pause.

Peering at the familiar shape before her with a slowly arching brow. Another snake. However ruffled by the unexpected twist of fate Toshka didn't allow it to affect her thus far projected composure, bristling in an annoyance half antagonized by the fact that he wasn't something she readily wanted to sink her fangs into--yet--and half pacified for the same reason. Toshka doesn't know this one.. who is this?!  

[mouselet]

The green snake's head lazily turned toward the unexpected voice. He was surprised, but he was also warm and happy and not inclined to be afraid at the moment. Then again, Queror was seldom afraid.

He hissed in appreciation, however, as he caught sight of the black female with her green and yellow markings. Now there was a lady he wouldn't mind making eggs with!

"Ssssssssssssnake," he replied. Then, because she had actually asked who he was, the green male added "Queror." Shame on his parents for not naming him something that could be hissed.  

[Neon Fly]

Said appreciation was, evidently, not mutual for at the sound of his approving hiss Toshka's head and neck whipped backwards. Giving the male a long, intrusive once-over before turning up her spade-shaped head haughtily. Upon first impression, she wasn't impressed. Lifting her slender body as tall as she could make herself in order to look down upon this stranger, snorting in derision at the initial answer she received.

Snake? Of course he was a snake! She could see that with her own eyes, clearly. Was he stupid? His name helped to quiet her immediate agitation, but just barely. Queror. It was about as suiting as anything else about him, Toshka supposed, though that was hardly a compliment.

Giving him another lingering glance, one that made no attempts to disguise that she was sizing him up, the dark viper finally stated decisively. No.. not you either. Go away.  

[mouselet]

Queror twisted his head around so that he was looking at the black female upside down. He held this position for several long moments as he considered her. Not him either? What did she mean by that? Go away, at least, was fairly easy to understand.

Not that he had any intention of obeying that order.

"Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssnake," he stated again, righting his head and slithering over towards the female. Then he stopped and considered something else only he could see.

"Eggsssssssssssss?" the green male asked curiously.  

[Neon Fly]

Well, she'd met some oddballs in her day, but this was certainly a first. If a snake could look perturbed, Toshka certainly would have, but she refused to back down even as he came uncomfortably close. Well within the range of her personal space, of course she completely neglected the fact that she typically slithered all over the personal space of others without any guilt.

Pressing her face towards the pale bellied serpent as he accentuated a single consonant repeatedly in a way that made her bristle. Just because they were fork-tongued reptiles, didn't mean they all had to fall into the stereotype of speaking with a pronounced lisp. Toshka had taken great pains to train herself not to. Toshka and Queror are---

She began as if speaking to a very young hatchling who knew nothing of the world around them before the words fell flat. Eggs?! Eggs?! He was so brazen as to ask her about eggs?! And with an almost innocent curiosity on his face! No Eggs!

With obvious frustration to an unclear situation--whether she was angry that she didn't have eggs or angry that he would ask about them seemed entirely up in the air--Toshka shouted. Refusing to take into consideration that she had only just been sizing him up with similar thoughts in mind.  

[mouselet]

The green male watched her calmly as her eyes narrowed and she shouted at him, frustration clear in her voice. He wasn't certain why she was so angry, after all, she'd be very good to her eggs.

"Eggssssssssssssssss," he insisted, smiling. "Ssssssssssssssssnake eggsssssssss?" Queror asked.

It never occurred to him that she would not understand his meaning. After all, his parents and siblings hadn't had much trouble. And most of the others he'd spoken to had either figured it out or chased him away. So he never thought that she'd fail to interpret his statement, followed by his offer of assistance.  

[Neon Fly]

Maybe it was the placid way he chose to interact with her that seemed to cause Toshka to bristle at him. He was different, of that much she could be sure. Why, was the thing that nagged at her. How could he look at her and remain to at ease? Baring her fangs for good measure, though she hardly expected him to react at the gesture as he had remained unresponsive to the rest of her threads. The shadow viper had to give his unflinching nature credit, however reluctant she was to do so. It was... disorienting? Maybe unnerving was a better term.

Truthfully, Toshka couldn't quite put a scale on what it was exactly, but it suddenly seemed like a desirable trait for her offspring to possess. Not that she was willing to let Queror in on her secret. She'd continue to posture, make it seem like his intentions were unwelcome. Unwanted.

Striking out convincingly, Toshka coiled herself carefully, leaving convenient loops for him to weave himself through. If he was both intelligent enough to acknowledge her silent invitation and daring enough to accept it, despite her false threats then he would prove himself th right one to give her offspring.

Growling as she curled her lip in warning, Come taste Toshka's fangs.  

[mouselet]

The male cocked his head the other way as the black snake rearranged her coils. It wasn't exactly the sort of positioning one took if they were going to attack...was it? In fact, if he was any kind of judge of space, another snake could weave their way through those glossy black and green scales.

Her challenge was, well, he'd been challenged before and was still here to tell the tale.

"Sssssssssssnake fangssssssssss," he agreed, sliding the few inches forward that it took to wrap his own coils around and into hers. As Queror had expected, there was indeed enough space.

Perhaps they would make the eggs he'd seen today. That would be nice.