Slithering Forwards

The day was cold and moist. It was supposed to be summer but the last days were getting crazy. Slithering quickly along the ground with half body in the air, he looked around for some place to protect his cold blood from the wind. There were not so many rocks around and climbing a tree was not a very good idea right now, the taller he slithered the colder it will get. Sighing he moved his tongue out sensing the environment. Other shifters had been here before. He just hoped not to find anyone who wished for a fight right now. He preferred to be relaxed and alone at some point. He actually didn’t know why he was here, maybe he was tired of the same traveling. He wanted to stay somewhere and don’t move again. Maybe the best place for him was back in his born land, Africa, but that place brought so many memories he hated. The nightmares haven’t stop since that accident.

Looking the best option was the dead leaves gathered together in small hills at the ground, he slid under them and curled his long and metal body slightly, leaving just the end of his head outside to see at any company he could have. With a long sigh he started to felt slightly warmed, being a cold blood in these times was no good...

(I have been given permission by Regina Eden to accept you)

Waking up in the rocks behind her house, the rattlesnake immediately felt cold. It wasn’t just some normal cold that went with the morning but a cold that made one tell what the weather would be like. Calise gave an inward groan and slithered out from beneath the rocks before shifting and walking through her back door. She moved into her heated home with a small smile and slipped into her room. Kicking her door shut behind her, Calise took off her tank top and shorts from work yesterday. It had been so warm the day before, and now she was getting this weather. Tugging on a black camisole, she pulled up her dark-wash jeans and threw on one of her sweatshirts. Calise tugged on maroon sneakers to finish the whole ensemble and walked to her kitchen to make coffee. Living with the humans for so long had caused her to branch out and eat more than just what her primal form did. As the coffee finished, she poured it into a to-go mug and stepped from her house. Flipping her hood up, she shifter walked around the shifter lands and sipped her coffee. She was finished drinking by the time she had reached the borders and shifted to start her rounds on guarding them. In her primal form, Calise proved to be a diamondback rattlesnake. The diamond formations along her scales moved and contorted as she slithered along the ground. Her sight had gone from that of a human and turned into the thermal of her snake. Ignoring most of the blue, her eyes targeted the red of possible prey to eat while she was checking the borders. When she found none worth catching, she figured the weather was causing all of the good prey to hide. Giving a slight grumble, Calise slithered closer to the border and smelled around for anything else that could be hiding.

The form of a snake came to her vision and made her watch in curiosity. The length and shape gave her knowledge that this wasn’t a creature native to these lands. Wondering if it was one like her, she slid silently closer. This snake’s body wasn’t as long as hers, and she could tell enough to know it was far darker. Calise slithered close and coiled her body, tense in case the creature was a threat. Lifting the end of her tail, she shook it and let out a rattle to alert the snake of her presence before speaking. “You are on the border of the shifters. What is it you seek, prospect?”

He was almost asleep when the rattle of a snake he knew well woke him up again, making his head to lift up from beneath the leaves to look at the diamond rattlesnake in front of him with a hiss of his own warning, not knowing if she was a threat or not. Slithering back some inches, he never lose his black eyes from her. Noticing easily her gender, he replied formally and respectful. “Good evening, madam. My apologies if I’m disturbing your lands. My ‘seek’ if for warmth from this cold weather, but I will head myself to another territory without doubting if that is your wish.” He looked into her gold eyes for a hint of her thoughts and next actions. The idea of attacking another snake... again... wasn’t in his options.


(My apologies it's so short.)

Calise stayed coiled back, ready to strike at a moment’s notice if need be. She knew the snake before her was a black mamba, not that it wasn’t obvious. The reading she had done on her own species was very informative. The rattlesnake’s pupils narrowed into slivers of black among gold, looking at him with interest and curiosity. Though she kept her face a mask, Calise couldn’t help feel a slight comfort at finding another like herself. The shifter eyed him and listened to his words before answering. “This is a place for all the shifters to come together. To my knowledge, if you wish to join in rank among these lands then you may. There is both warmth and shelter from uncomfortable weather like this, if you’re interested. But first, what is your name?” Calise slid backwards some, giving him room and showing she meant no harm. The snake watched the other’s face, trying to see any hint of a threat that might be on it. One of the very last things she would want to do was fight with her own kind after just finding one like her. True to her nature, she wouldn’t strike unless provoked.

His tongue flickered out sensing the atmosphere, and her. Tilting his head to a side he relaxed his muscles when hearing her invitation. He did sense other shifters in this area, but never thought there was a pack here accepting any kind of shifter. He thought in joining a pack some years ago, but decided he was better alone, and the ones around him as well, but it seamed that the opportunities of joining one never ended. Maybe, he could accept this one. "My name is Dendro Dakar Vergif, I'm an African black mamba, madam."

Lowering his body to be more at her level, he flickered out his tongue again, his black eyes scanning the rattlesnake with some interest. "I didn't came here to join a pack, not knowing there was one at this lands, but I always can change my mind if you tell me more about it..." Dendro wondered what her name was, he was a bit tired in calling her 'madam', and actually, was interested in knowing her name believing he could see her later. Another could wind passed, making his body curl again, not moving his head from it's position.

Hearing his name, the rattlesnake did not even have to wonder in its origin. She appreciated that he gave his rank and breed of snake, nodding her spaded head slowly. In response to him, her tongue flicked from her mouth to taste the air as well. She took in his scent and the places around them. Her long, scaled body curled around itself so that her upper body was the only thing uncurled. Looking at him, she tilted her head. “Hello, Dendro. I’m Calise Dragomir, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I hold the rank of Bellator among the ranks of the shifter pack, which you would hold the same rank as I if you were to join.” The snake had to admit she was rather excited to meet Dendro at the border. Not only was he like her, but he was the first she had met and was to possibly accept at the borders.

“Well, I have only been here about a month. Though, I know that the shifter I had met at the borders gave me much information. This is a place where shifters, including uncommon ones like us, may live among our own kind. We all have our own duties, but once we complete them we are free to do as we please. It is really a wonderful place to be, though so far I am the only snake shifter in the place.” Calise eyed him warily still, not trusting but curious.

He looked at her patiently, nodding a few times as she spoke. 'Calise Dragomir', a beautiful name for a beautiful rattlesnake. He wondered what would she look like in her human form. 'Why am I interested in that kind of things?' He had been alone for so long now it was weird to be so close with someone right now, talking with someone, at least in a kind manner, and to a snake, just like him. A very slight smile moved a bit the corner of his black mouth, his tongue flickering once more, liking the taste of her scent. He didn't care much about what his rank would be, now he was more interested in joining the pack of shifters.

Relaxing his body the more he could because of the cold, he lowered his head so hers would be higher in show of respect. "The pleasure is all mine, Bellator Calise." If he would be in his human form, his instinct would claim to take her hand and kiss the back of it softly with a bow. "Your words, even with the small time and the sudden change of events that drag me here, turning my plans and also my life, I believe, made me take this choice, convincing me to join this pack of yours. Please know I will try not to disappoint you or your, our, leader. That of course, if you accept a lone snake like myself. I don't know how useful I could become, but I will do what you order."

Calise tilted her head and eyed the black mamba before her. Though she kept her face blank, she couldn’t help but want to ask him many questions. First one being when he left where he had and wanting to know why he had. She had her story and knew that everyone else must have theirs, but she couldn’t help but want to ask this snake. The shifter kept her mouth shut tight though, not daring to speak a word. Her mind told itself that it was just because it he was one of her kind and denied everything else. She had been wanting to meet others and speak to another snake shifter. Thinking about it now made her kind of disappointed that it was to accept another member although she was very excited that she would be the one to accept another snake. Maybe they would meet again at a later date. Calise hoped so before her thinking was lost, and she realized that it was her turn to speak after a few moments of silence.

“You say you don’t know what use you could be, but what skills do you possess to protect this pack? I’d be glad to welcome you into this place, but first I need to know this and have your sincere oath to this pack and all that it stands for. Also, you must swear to protect the Regina at first hand no matter what.” Calise nodded once to herself, satisfied with her words before flicking her tongue out quickly. The rattlesnake continued the curious thoughts within her head, but was aware enough to keep her guards up. She considered shifting and shaking his hand, but decided that the form of her snake was most safe for now.

He looked down for a moment, lowering his head more in thinking. What skills? Apart from his biological skill he was good at fighting in his human form, but he never liked to have problems and start a fight, not even continuing it, still, his bad temper always caused him to fight and almost kill the contestant. He sighed disappointed of himself, realizing he had more faults than skills. Keeping his look down he started to reconsider if he would ever be a good member inside any pack. He was a danger, a threat, to everyone who was around. "I am sorry, Calise. I must admit that my faults just cover all my skills. As a mamba I am the fastest terrestrial snake, and have one of the worsts venoms, but that is what makes me a threat to anyone. Because of that same venom I... I lost everything... I don't wish to be a danger inside your lands. Maybe it will be better if I stay as a loner..."

Sighs and looks up again looking into her gold eyes. "Even if a swear and pledge to protect not just the Regina, but also every member of the shifters, my temperament will always put me in line. I... I can't control my anger as I should or want. Not just because of being a mamba but also because of my past. My sincere apologizes that I took your time, but I should leave." He didn't want to go. For a moment he felt he could be with someone again, in a pack, to have friends or at least companions, but he needed to look for them and don't be a slithering threat with fangs. He lowered his head and bowed again before turning around.

“Wait!” she said and became slightly embarrassed as she realized she had nearly yelled. The rattlesnake hoped he would turn back around and not leave like he said he would. She didn’t want him to go, at least not yet. Calise was sympathetic towards him after he had spoken. The bellator could relate to what he had said, her being a venomous snake and all like him. Her body slithered closer to him as she spoke. “So you say that you’ve had a terrible past? Most of us shifters have had fairly tragic pasts ourselves. You may be a venomous snake, but so am I. A diamondback rattlesnake to be exact. Claimed to be the most dangerous of them venom-wise. Your temper comes with your breed as well as mine.” Calise stopped when she realized that she had gotten off topic. She shook her scaled head and sighed, trying not to dwell on certain thoughts too much. Thinking over and gathering her words, Calise spoke once again. “Alright, point it that this place is where you can come for a brand new start. Your natural skills are enough, as well as if you fight strongly in your human form. I’d hate to see a new member turn away from the border when they were so close to joining. At least consider it, alright?” She was being as sympathetic as she could be, but it wasn’t entirely easy. The bellator would hate to see him go, especially when this was her first time of welcoming someone at the border.

Calise looked at Dendro with slightly hopeful eyes, willing him to change his mind silently. She still had yet to find all that the place had to offer, but so far she had discovered a few things. The other shifters were kind and they didn’t have to go out of their way to make her feel welcomed. She had from the minute she crossed the border and looked around. Calise knew that if Dendro were to accept her offer and join among the ranks of the shifters that he would feel the same. A bonus was that she wouldn’t be the only reptile, and he wasn’t too horrible to look at either. The bellator kept these thoughts silent and looked at the other snake, waiting for his decision. She wouldn’t plead with him, but she sincerely hoped his oath of joining would reach her ears.

~Ze Tigress