Itzcoatl had spent a few weeks grooming and preening. His sun-warmed body still ached from the wounds Kidondo had left, but the scales that had been broken were starting to mend themselves. He’d kept away in hopes that Kidondo would forget him and, in his forgetfulness, not realise that his eldest child might be in danger of gaining an ‘unworthy’ advisor.
His task today was simple. Locate the eldest child and introduce himself. If he could win the cub around then the hardest part was done. He’d have to keep out of sight until the cub was grown, but, he didn’t think that would be too difficult. A serpent was good at sneaking.
So, as silently as possible, the snake moved towards the den, keeping his body low to the ground to avoid being seen. It was difficult, travelling through daylight, but the cubs would be asleep by nightfall and he wouldn’t get a chance to speak with them. Besides, a crisis was on the air. He’d heard the roars of lions and knew that, wherever the event was taking place, the Regents would surely be there. He had to take this opportunity now, before it was gone for good.
--
Where had mummy and daddy gone? Fia wondered idly.
She’d woken at the sound of the fading thunder of her parent’s paws and had untangled herself from the mass of bodies to try and found out what had called them away.
How dare they leave their children unattended! Why were adults allowed to play run-away and not cubs? Surely grown-ups should know better than to do that! They even had the nerve to tell Fia and her sister off. What sort of example were they setting? A poor one, that’s what!
With a huff, the eldest of the twins padded over to the entrance and peeked out into the brilliant, gold-filled day. Then, with another little huff, she flopped onto her belly and watched the dust clouds twirl briefly in the air.
What now?
--
The snake drew into sight as Fia emerged from the den and he paused to lift his head and look across at the cub. A female by the looks of it. She was definitely her parent’s daughter with her striking dark-grey fur and those brilliant red markings that dazzled across her body. But her face markings…red stripes…bloody tears…what could that possibly mean?
In any case this was going to be easier than the snake had even dared to imagine.
He slithered towards her, moving across the sand with ease. Then, when he was close enough, he raised himself up to draw attention and bobbed his head respectfully. “Little Lion of the Sssandsss.” He greeted. “I am glad we can meet finally. I have eagerly awaited the birth of the Dark One’sss litter.”
--
Fia was not easily spooked and as the snake made himself known she gave a little peep of curiosity. For a moment it seemed she might stand, but after second thoughts, she remained sprawled on her belly, watching the sway of the snake as he lifted himself.
Large ears drew forwards and bi-coloured eyes watched intently, curious as to what he would do next. To her surprise the creature spoke. Her little heart fluttered with awe and for a moment she wasn’t sure whether she’d been imagining it or not.
“You talk.” She chirped. “How you do that?”
--
The snake shook his head. He’d forgotten that manners were often lost on children, though it was good to uphold them to show them the right way of speaking. He let her rudeness drop and slithered closer, smiling as he did so. She was not afraid to ask questions, it seemed.
“That isss like me asssking how you can talk. Tell me, little one, how do you talk?
--
“Learned it.” She replied, swishing her tail from side to side. Her expression held a hint of childish smugness. “From Mummy and Daddy. Mostly Mummy.” After all, she’d been with mother from the start. Daddy had come later.
--
“There, you sssee? Now you have anssswered your own quessstion. That isss how I learned to ssspeak. That isss why I can.” He was closer now and he paused to bow his head, touching his nose to the sand. When he lifted his head again he fixed his eyes on hers and chose his next words carefully.
“Do you have a name, Daughter of the Dark One?”
--
“Dark One? You mean Mummy?” Fia wriggled her toes, seemingly happy with the title he had given her mother and, in turn, to her. “My name is Fia. Means fire.” She announced with pride.
“You’re not a lion. Who’re you?”
--
“Fia, isss it? A wonderful name. A Firekin name to be sssure.” He shouldn’t have expected any less. The sons and daughters of the Dark One would have to well named. He liked this one’s name. Short and easy to pronounce. She seemed a bright one too, for her age at least.
“I am no lion. I am a sssnake. A ssserpent. Creaturesss of no legsss but many ssscalesss and mindsss asss sssharp and poisssonousss asss their fangsss.” He chuckled. “But do not worry, Fia, I have not come here to hurt you thisss day. My name isss Itzcoatl. You may, however, call me Itz. My name means obsssidian ssserpent.”
--
She puffed up her little chest with pride and nodded in silent agreement. She loved her name too. Fia the Fireling. It even rhymed with her twin sister’s name, and that alone was enough for her to treasure it.
“Snake?” She mimicked. “You snake? Shiny, shiny snake.” She reached out with a paw and gave him a poke on the belly, giggling as he shook himself.
“Name is Itch?” She blinked. “Why Itch? You have the fee-fees?”
--
“Itz, not Itch.” It took him a moment to realise what she was saying and when he did he gave an annoyed hiss. “Fleasss.” He corrected. “Sssnakesss do not have fleasss. Do my ssshining ssscalesss look flea-ridden to you? No, I think not.”
He slapped his tail against the sand to silence her as she opened her mouth to protest. “Lisssten to me, Fia, for I have much important thingsss to dissscusss. Can you ssshow me to the eldessst child of the Dark One’sss litter?”
--
She giggled, seemingly not startled by his sudden outburst. She was just happy that she was getting on his nerves too. This was even more fun than teasing daddy! She flicked an ear idly and gave a little shrug. “Dunno.” Then, with a toothy grin she crawled towards him on her belly and peered up into his sleek, dark face.
“Biggest cub?” She queried and then nodded fiercely. “Uh huh. Can show you, no problem.” Then, standing up, she curled her tail high into the air and gave a small chirrup. “Me. It’s me. I’m the biggest.” Well, actually, she wasn’t ‘bigger’ than her twin at all, but she was the first born, so she surmised that she was the one the snake was looking for.”
--
“You? It’sss you?” Itzcoatl started and drew back to observe her. Yes, yes, she was the one. The sun glinted in those odd mis-matched eyes and danced across her sleek back fur. She was both regal and eager. A good student. A good bond. The markings on her face bothered him, but he mentioned nothing. He’d learnt his lesson from mentioning markings to those odd twins Ka and Kai. He’d keep his mouth shut on that subject until he was more knowledgeable and knew what it stood for. Besides, the markings on her neck and tail, they seemed good and strong, full of fluid lines. Again, he couldn’t be sure, but he had a feeling they were good marks, good to balance out the bad.
Finally, he swept his head into a low bow. “Fia. Fire child. Fireling. Eldessst daughter of the Dark One. I am glad we can meet, at lassst.” He raised his eyes to look at her. “I come here to offer my ssservice to you asss a familiar; a bond. You may not know the term ssso I’ll be more ssspecific.”
He drew his coils closer and settled them neatly about the spindle of his head and neck. “I will protect you with my fangsss. Offer you my guidance. Passsss on knowledge that my parentsss gave to me. I will be trusssted friend, trusssted advisssor. All I asssk from you isss the sssame. Protection. Knowledge. Friendssship.”
--
Fia made a face. “But I already have that.” Ea and her brothers and sisters were her friends. They shared ideas and stories and generally protected one another from the imaginary dangers that prowled the den’s shadows. She didn’t quite understand why she’d want to be friends with a snake, other than the fact that he was fun to tease.
She wiggled her ears thoughtfully. “Ea is my friend. All of us are friends.”
--
“But none of your sssiblingsss have a sssnake to rely on in timesss of need. Pleassse, Fia. It needsss to be you. You, the ssstrongessst, the eldessst, the one with the array of shining marksss. The sssun blessssesss you, Fireling.” He pleaded with her, drawing close, wanting the cub to understand but fearing that she would not.
--
“Hmmm…okay!” She replied, seeming not to need anymore convincing. “We can be friends, Itchy. Eee, the others are going to be so jealous. I got myself a black snake and they don’t have one.” She jiggled with excitement and with a squeal, pounced the snake, tangling herself in his coils.
“Let’s go show you to the others!” She squeaked.
--
Itzcoatl gave a hiss of surprise as he felt the cub fall against him, afraid her claws might pierce his body. Luckily her claws were not so developed and she hadn’t even thought to unsheathe them. However, a moment later, and he was pulling away, not liking to be tackled so suddenly.
When her father had pounced him his immediate reaction was to strike out, to bite and let the poison flow. If he did that with a cub…well…that was it for him. He’d be as good as dead.
So, he steeled himself and moved back a little.
“No. I cannot. Your parentsss may return and they would not be happy to sssee me here.” He rethought that sentence. “What I meant to sssay isss that your father would not be happy. He doesss not like me. Doesss not trussst that I have only the desssire to help you. I mussst go before he returnsss, but I will be back to sssee you sssoon.”
“Could you keep thisss meeting sssecret, for now, Fireling?”
--
She gave him an interested look as he pulled away from her grasp, leaving her sprawled on the floor. So, he was afraid of her parents? No. Afraid of her dad. Interesting. She wouldn’t have thought daddy had it in him to make anyone scared. He was so kind, so respectful. In any case, she could see the opportunity to stir more trouble at a later date.
But yes, for now she’d keep this secret. Well, from everyone except Ea, of course. She felt no need or want to keep secrets from the one person most important to her in the world.
“Okay. Your secret is safe with me.” She replied. “Oh, is that daddy I hear?” She jested, turning an ear in the direction her parents had gone.
--
Itzcoatl opened his mouth to thank he when she followed up with words that sent a bolt of fear through him. With a hiss, he drew back, and tried to spare a moment lifting his head to gaze across the dunes. He saw nothing, but he did not trust his senses, not when the wind was going in the wrong direction for him to pick up scents.
“May fortune look after you during my absssence, Fia.” And with another hiss he turned and slinked off into the gold, not turning back once.
If he had, he’d have seen Fia caught in a laughing fit.
--
/fin
