Ghost Monkey, стр. 20
"You're a fool. I'm here because there wasn't another path. But you—" He growled, his throat purring.
Sugriva replied, "You had a trade. Working with death would limit friends, but you would still have them. Pay is good." Sugriva looked into Aavu's eyes, and the tiger grimaced. "You know why I threw it away. Same as you." He looked back to the dirt and whispered, "Ishku."
Ishku gave a wide smile, losing her spot momentarily. The thought she heard him through the heavy rains brought warmth to Sugriva's chest.
"I get it," Aavu said. He stood up and stretched. "I'm going outside for a bit." He shifted into his tiger form and left the shack.
Sugriva's ears perked up, and he quickly shifted into a monkey. The rain masked a melodic slithering, but training made him aware of the difference. Gasps followed the shift in sounds. Shifting back to his man form he shouted, "Alarm!" He rushed outside, staff in hand.
A snake at least twenty feet long dropped down on Sugriva. Sugriva thrust up and cracked a fang, the strike missing the skull due to water pouring down into his eyes. Then, as the serpent sprung again, Aavu stepped forward, grabbed it, and ripped its head off. Fighting was heard throughout Mibtha, soon followed by screams as unexpecting civilians were attacked.
"Alarm," Aavu yelled, running toward a gong. He struck it several times, and Sugriva fended off the snakes while the village stirred. People rushed toward Ishku's house, many forced onto boats. Snakes rocked the boats, and coils wrapped up and around victims, pulling them into the depths.
Another Fang advanced on Sugriva in his janaav form. When he leapt toward Aavu and Sugriva swung, the Fang shifted into a snake and the strike missed entirely. Fangs sunk into Aavu's neck, giving a grip before the snake turned back into his janaav form. Oversized canines ripped into Aavu's throat. Aavu howled, then bit into the snake's skull, crushing it.
Sugriva watched as Falak jumped out a window, turned into a kite, and bolted off toward Jaya. It was his job. Run away and warn the others. Bitter laughter cut through the chaos. They were not meant to survive. He pondered how many others were under attack.
Bajjo's roar of glee penetrated the deluge, as he shredded Fang after Fang. They kept nipping at him, but it didn't slow the badger down. He cried out, "Finally, something to do!"
Bagheer said, "We should not wish chaos on these people, even if it allows us to follow the warrior's path."
"Where is Labda?" Sugriva asked, making his way to Bagheer and Bajjo. Aavu followed them. The bite on his neck turned purple and swelled.
"His soul is being judged by the Asthadash," Bagheer said, thrusting and slicing at Fangs with his dagger. "They caught him in his sleep."
Aavu interrupted, "We need to defend Ishku's hut. It's the high ground, and the tree is defensible."
"Chaos take your precious otter. We are here to survive," Bajjo hissed.
"Bajjo," Bagheer said, "Look." The people fled toward Ishku's home, huddling inside. Some were making their way up the large branch which led up to an opening in the trunk of a tree. "Outcaste or not, our dharma is to protect."
Crowds ran through the tree tops. Fangs snagged a few, bitting or wrapping around, and knocking them off the branches, into the waters below. Snakes waited in the waters to capture easy meals as villagers bobbed up once or twice, then were brought down and never seen again.
The swelling on Aavu's neck worsened, and the purple turned black. The tiger struggled to breathe, but his words choked out. Another Fang flung its weight against Aavu, and they fell into a ball of vipers. The knot of Fangs went into a frenzy, ripping at Aavu's flesh. Crimson ran from the excited coils, lapping at the shore of the hill.
"A day of blood," Bagheer said as they surrounded Ishku's hut. The band fended off the Fangs proficiently, along with the help of several other warriors who lived in the village.
Writhing snake corpses littered the mound, though more slithered toward them. Behind the hut, Ishku shouted, "Up the branch. There is safety in the trunk."
She fought as fiercely as anyone else, making sure the children and elderly were able to ascend the massive, fallen branch. Sugriva's heart fluttered at the sight. He rushed through the vipers to be beside Ishku.
"Where is Aavu?" she asked. Sugriva was numb. "I see. Labda and Falak?"
"Falak ran, as was his path. He is halfway to Jaya by now. Bagheer said Labda died before the fight began."
"I pray they are given worthy reincarnations in the next life."
"I pray the same for Aavu."
The battle for Mibtha was over. It became a question of how much blood the Fangs needed to spill to conquer the village.
Bajjo stood at the top of the branch, fending off serpents as they wrapped around the trunk and went up to cut off the retreat. He cleared the doorway to the trunk, along with other warriors. Blood splashed down the tree trunk and dyed the waters below. Fangs lapped at the warm blood, then snaked their way up the tree for a fresh taste.
One Fang dropped from the branches and wrapped around Bajjo. It's mouth agape, it covered his head, then fell to the waters where a sea of snakes awaited. Water and snake bits sprayed up from the foaming waters as Fangs overwhelmed Bajjo. The poison, lengthy battle, and unending numbers eventually saw Bajjo immersed in the red water.
Tears poured down Sugriva's cheeks. It was only a matter of time until he and Bagheer were slaughtered. Off in the distance Issi stood tall and proud. His head bobbed side to side as his hood expanded, though the hypnotic display failed to ease Sugriva as it was meant to. The snake had six arms, three on each side, and in each arm he held a weapon: sword,