Inside the small mouse burrow, laid a
small mouse. That would be reasonable enough, except she looked
neither safe nor secure (the typical feeling a rodent would have in
their burrow). No, she instead looked nervous; shaking and sitting
awkwardly on her tail-end.
Her eyes strained with disbelief, mouth
agape, ears fallen low. She had just discovered something most
unpleasant, the face of a serpent gazing back at her. At least,
that's what she had thought it was at first glance. The face wasn't
q

A
cold wind and a light haze drifted low through the forest's floor.
All was dark. All was still. A night as any other. It was a time for
the creatures of day, to rest, and a time for the creatures of night,
to flourish. It was rare for one world, to step into the other, only
under the greatest of extremes.
"She's
over there!" came a bellowing voice, best described as an angry
low squeak. "Come on!" came another. A doe mouse could be
seen then, bare and unclothed, hobbling f

The mouse’s steps were heavy, and her expression unusually somber
as she made her way home. It was tempting to dwell on her meeting
with her love that morning. But she was alone in the woods, and
survival must come first. Long honed habits, and occasional reminder
to herself that her love would want her back whole once he’d fed,
ensured she’d keep her head up, keep glancing back and forth, keep
paying attention to the outside world. She vaguely wished a fox would
come after her, or some s

It was late in the morning, the sun’s
light shining quietly over a small pond. A pond, a source of water so
near the forest, would usually be gathering of life. Small creatures
all about, wishing to drink, eat or rest. And yet, there would look
to be only but a few instincts buzzing abou,with no birds near to
claim. The nest which rested just beside the waters, could be thought
to blame. Anyone who ventured close enough would know the area was
territory for a large serpent. Those among large f

It was late in the morning, a
relatively peaceful one. The sun, wouldn’t shine quite as bright as
it would on most days for the forest, instead just a little clouded.
Laid near a pond, could be seen a large python with soft tan scales.
It would be a strange sight to find a snake out, ‘basking’ on a
rock with no great warmth to take in. He’d look to have fed
recently, and. . . an especially large meal at that: His form was
practically bulging to the point of discomfort. The serpent would

[18-10-2011 15:50:11]Jaabir the Python
slithers into the forest, looking about. He'd near some trees and
curl up on himself, giving a small, "Hisssss. . .."
[18-10-2011 15:56:26] Licthia Mouse: A
rather dashing looking mousette carrying a staff taller than her
wanders through the forest. Seeing the python coiled up, she'd grin
and peer about, looking to see if anyone else was around. She didn't
want to spoil it if he was on the verge of making a catch, after all.
[18-10-2011 16:05:15]J

This is a very raw log that I recently dug up since this (and the
others from 'The Gazelle' are referenced often in later stories.) The
beginning started as a slightly OOC encounter in a chat-client, with
Molina and Jaabir waving (along with others). There was some mild,
few line nervousness implied by Molina to Jaabir, with her looking to
him, and a scene occurred from there. So it's just a little cut off
at the beginning. I may remove this one later since most of the
interaction is implied fro

It was a peaceful afternoon in the
forest. The sun shown brightly. The birds sung. A gentle breeze
danced in the air. “Mmmm. . .” A large python lazily stretched
his coils. He’d lay calmly on a warm rock, peering out over the
tranquility. A long sigh could be heard, “Wisssh. . . Lichthia
wasss here. . .” It had barely been a day since he last saw his
friend, a small mouse. A friend who only visited with absent
temptation. When unsated for too long, his primal urges made getting
close t

Staff in her paw, the mouse yawned as
she worked her way up the hill towards the secret entrance of her
burrow. She hadn’t slept well, and was tired, but that didn’t
mean she wasn’t cautious; after all it was critical to be sure one
wasn’t being followed anytime one returned to one’s burrow. She’d
peer about, before making her way to the entrance. She was looking
forward to seeing Jack again. After a night in Morathi’s lair, she
craved some fuzzy bunny goodness. And she felt a litt

“Thisss way. .
. passst here. . .” the serpent would hiss softly, peering along
the trees. It was a common route for him. A path he took. . . when
hunting. He’d slither along and smile to his two companions, a
mouse and rabbit, both hopping and walking on opposite sides. He’d
taste the air as they moved, his tongue flickering. This was
certainly not a place a rabbit or mouse should be. Jaabir could sense
all manner of creatures that had been by recently, some of which he’d
consider ta

Jack,
the lapin variant, would be a short distance away from his friends,
digging a hole. The presence of the others would be out of his mind
now, however, as dirt piled around him. He’d make some decent
progress by the time Lichthia arrived. The rabbit would pause his
digging and sniff, nibbling at an uncovered root. Having
spied the rabbit, the mouse would silently approach him. She’d
kneel to the side of him, watching him dig, leaning against her
staff. She took a certain vicarious pleasu

Sunlight
would creep into the serpent’s nest. As the light met his eyes,
Jaabir would wake up gently. He’d look down to find the two
rodent’s nestled against him. If he didn’t wake up once already
he might have been very confused. Instead his mind was already pretty
well caught up with him. He’d yawn some and smile, evidently the
rabbit didn’t get frightened enough to want to climb out. . . and
the mouse wanted to join him: the first was a little more surprising
than the second.
Th

It
was early morning, the sun just now in consideration of peeking out,
having stayed hidden in the night. Jack, a brown lop-ear, could
relate. The rabbit had just stirred awake and passed his eyes over to
the entrance of den, peering out at the sky. He’d give a tiny yawn
and turn his head, though reluctantly. The bunny had spent a few
nights now in the snake’s nest, usually he would have heard
Lichthia by now. Yesterday she woke up long after him and and Jaabir,
leading Jack to be fret for

The
sun had long since set, there was a clear sky and the stars were
bright, when a small shape stirred from the sheltered spot beneath
the sunning stone that overlooked the python's nest. Cloaked within
her robes, the mouse lifted her muzzle skyward, surveying the night
sky, whiskers trembling in a light breeze.
Satisfied
the coast was clear, the mouse made her way down the stone surface to
the grace below, and walked towards. She'd rediscovered something
she'd forgotten--long naps during the d

As the sun hung over the sky. A quiet
and peaceful setting could be witnessed. A tan python curled up on a
rock. . . his scales shimmering. . . seeming to match the dance of
light coming off the pond adjacent to him. He’d lay calmly. . .
and still. Though, his eyes wouldn’t be closed. He seemed to be
peering out. . . as if he were waiting for something.
Meanwhile, a mouse doe was smiling
cheek to cheek. . . leading the way towards the python’s nest with
a rabbit following in behind.

There was plenty of sun still shining
over the forest, and nice cool breeze. It was a good time for
foraging, to most denizens of the forest. However. . . hunkering down
quite early would be a small brown rabbit. Given some recent scares.
. . he was quite hesitate to stay out longer than he absolutely had
to. So after he ate for just a while, on the fresh clover along the
forest clearings. . . he made his way into his home. A small burrow,
remote from most wild-life. However, it wasn’t exactl

It was late in the morning, the sun
shining brightly over a small pond. The incoming light would awaken a
slumbering resistant, a python sleeping beneath a nearby rock. With a
yawn Jaabir slithered out from his nest, and made his way upon the
stone. . . to bask. As he had just eaten the day before. . . he’d
go about the process slowly and lazily. With the task accomplished
he’d flex his scales and sigh contently at the warmth, curling up
to make himself comfortable. This would be fairly rou

Stretched out in the grass the sun, her eyes closed, her lean body
following the lines of the hill, the grey feline would be relaxed as
relaxed could be. Appearing to perhaps be a sleep, or at least
unaware of her surroundings, her sharp ears took in everything, and
she'd likely anticipate any approach.
Jaabir thought today
was a good time as any to start hunting. The python would slither
about between the trees, it had been about two weeks since his last
meal: a large bulge that was once an owl

Morning light streamed
into the nest; Licthia opened her eyes, stretched, and yawned. This
was quite late for her to sleep in. Her muscles ached, she was sore,
and she was hungry, but it still felt good waking up fur clad in the
embrace of the python. She looked over at the snake still asleep.
Trying not to disturb him, she’d pull herself free from the coils.
Yawning, she’d walk down the nest, frowning when she saw the cloths
she’d used the previous night stained with blood. She’d have t

When the python returned, she’d be in
her robes again. She’d left bloody cloths by the bowls of water,
where she’d washed her fur. She was curled up on the nest, knees
tucked against her bosom, head tucked against in her knees, wrapped
up in a circle, tail wrapped round her for comfort, a position Jaabir
would have never seen her in before. Her breath was heavy, audible
within the nest. Turned away from the entrance, she wouldn’t notice
the python until he made some sort of sound to anno

Nestled in the darkness, the nest
became quiet, the animated talking replaced the scarcely barely
audible breaths of the two inhabitants. For all the world, it seemed
the two nest dwellers were asleep, patiently awaiting whatever the
new day might bring. Time passed. In the darkness, a pair of beady
eyes glittering in the light of the moon appeared. Twisting her head
slowly, the mouse peered at her companion, watching to see if he was
indeed asleep.
As a warm blooded creature, it was
easier for

Lost in his dreams, Jaabir winced and
fretted, but not just from the pain of his wounds. He would see
horrible visions in the night: blood all around as a snake captured a
panicked and screaming mouse. The rodent’s face. . . there was
terror in its eyes, sorrow even. To most snakes, that might be a
good dream. . . but this face. . . he knew this face. The mouse
would plead and beg. . . but it would do no good, he would see her
squirm and panic in the serpents grasp. “Jaabir. . . don’t.

As she had so many times before, the
mouse sat underneath the rock draped in her robes unmoving, staring
out at the pond that gleamed in the setting sun. As she always did
when waiting for Jaabir, she sat protected beneath the stone. Her
mind was apt to wander when she waitied, and she was sensible enough
not to sit out in the open and make herself a target for any stealthy
birds of prey. Of course the jay would likely warn her at the
approach of any such intruder, but she preferred not to rely

The snake would sleep well in the
night, though would wince on occasion: not from the result of bad
dreams, but simply his wounds aching as cool breeze blew in. When the
sunlight began to fill the nest, Jaabir would give a yawn and wearily
open his eyes. He would feel much less weak now, though no where near
perfect. . . and a fat stomach would already make moving taxing
enough. As he started to stretch his scales he would call out, "good
morning Lichthia. . . sssslept well?" not heari

Huddled in her robes
between the two flowers beneath the serpent's den, her beady eyes
staring to the darkness, the little mouse sat, tail hovering above
her head. Nothing much had happened today. She'd woken the python,
given him a hug, and sent him on his way. Neither had spoken much, as
there had not been much to say. She'd cleaned the python's nest,
though it didn't need cleaning, and watered the plucked flowers.
She'd bargained with a blue jay for feathers even though she thought
they were

The mouse was up early in the morning,
as was her habit. When you were a mouse, you wanted to get up before
the preds if you could. A mammal, she didn't need to wait for the sun
to rise to warm her. And so she'd be up early, mostly bored. She'd
breakfast on the nuts and berries, then lounge about, staring at the
python, willing him to wake up. She'd clean her fur (which was
already clean from her bath the previous evening), then lounge about
some more. Now she had a supply of food in the nest, s

The
snake would sleep peacefully in his nest, vivid dreams of catching a
lovely mouse, not having to restrain. . . squeezing her until she all
fainted away. . . then. . . “ooooh” the snake would moan in his
sleep, “ooooh”. The dream would then fade to him, resting
peacefully in the sunlight. . . Lichthia’s clothing laid out beside
him, a few claw marks on the ground. “You were sssso lovely
Lichthia. . .” and the sunlight would hit his eyes. . . He would
look around. He would seem.

Silently in the grass, a tan
ball-python slithers along. He would stop and taste the air, flicking
out his long forked tongue: he would freeze, that taste, "moussssse.
. ." He would change directions. . . approaching a small berry
bush.

The mouse was in the midst of chewing
at a ripe berry, eyes half closed, a blissful expression on her face
as she enjoyed a brief moment of peace. She looked to be a healthy
young doe, pleasant curves under her robes suggesting she was a good
forager