Chapter 198: Snake babies were monsters

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Snake babies were monsters

"I didn’t want it to fall yet."

Swanly softened immediately.

"Oh, baby."

She pulled him close.

Nilo buried his face against her shoulder.

"I wanted it to fall by itself."

"I know."

Miko looked miserable.

Actually miserable.

He crawled closer.

"Nilo..."

Nilo turned away.

Miko’s little face fell.

"I’m thorry."

Nothing.

"I really am."

Nilo sniffed.

Miko reached into the little pouch at his waist.

He pulled out a piece of dried berry.

His emergency treasure.

He held it out.

"You can have thith."

Nilo peeked.

Kairo gasped.

"You were saving that."

Miko nodded solemnly.

Nilo stared at the berry.

Then at Miko.

His mouth slowly opened.

There was the new gap.

Miko’s eyes widened.

"Oh."

Nilo frowned.

"What?"

Miko pointed.

"You thound like uth now."

Nilo froze.

Swanly slapped a hand over her face.

Too late.

Kairo’s entire expression brightened.

"HE DOETH!"

Nilo’s eyes widened.

"No I..."

His tongue hit the missing space.

"...don’t."

It came out slightly softer.

Miko collapsed laughing.

Nilo’s face went red.

"You did thith!"

"I KNOW!"

Swanly grabbed Miko by the back of his tunic.

"No laughing. You caused it."

Miko immediately shut his mouth.

His shoulders still shook.

Nilo looked offended.

Kairo tried to comfort him.

"It’th okay."

That did not help.

All three sounded ridiculous.

Swanly looked at them.

Then at the sky.

"I’m surrounded."

Nilo sniffed.

Swanly kissed his forehead.

Then reached into a small covered bowl beside the shelter and pulled out three pieces of sweet mashed fruit wrapped in soft leaves.

Three faces instantly changed.

Miko stopped feeling guilty.

Kairo stopped laughing.

Nilo stopped mourning his tooth.

Swanly narrowed her eyes.

"Sit."

They sat.

Immediately.

"Share."

Three heads nodded.

"Do not fight."

Three more nods.

She handed each one a sweet piece.

Within ten breaths they were laughing again.

Nilo’s sadness disappeared so quickly Swanly felt cheated.

Miko leaned against him.

Nilo let him.

Kairo showed Nilo how to push his tongue through the new gap.

Swanly stared.

Children.

Impossible creatures.

Then she looked down.

Nilo’s tiny fallen tooth was still in her palm.

Her irritation melted.

Another baby growing.

Too fast.

...

A few weeks passed.

And Swanly learned something important.

Snake babies were monsters.

Beautiful monsters.

Small.

Soft.

Perfect.

Monsters.

Eira had become terrifyingly alert.

She rarely cried.

She rarely smiled.

She simply watched.

Everything.

Her pale little snake body was stronger now, lower half still a smooth tiny tail because she was nowhere near ready for a humanoid transformation.

She could not walk.

She did not need to.

She wriggled.

Fast.

Far too fast.

She could pull herself forward with her little arms and glide the rest of the way like some tiny pale ribbon with opinions.

Sira was worse.

Sira smiled.

Constantly.

She smiled when she woke.

Smiled when fed.

Smiled when someone picked her up.

Smiled when preparing violence.

Sweet poison.

That was what Swanly privately called her.

The twins had started speaking too.

Barely.

One word.

Sometimes two.

"Mama."

"Papa."

"Mine."

"No."

"Give."

And, unfortunately:

"Bite."

Swanly blamed Miko for that one.

The triplets loved them.

They also feared them.

Kairo discovered this first.

He had taken his role as eldest brother very seriously.

Too seriously.

One afternoon, Eira was lying on a thick hide near the shelter entrance.

Kairo sat beside her.

Guarding.

Swanly walked past.

"What are you doing?"

Kairo puffed his chest.

"Protecting Eira."

Eira looked at him.

Swanly smiled.

"That’s sweet."

Kairo nodded proudly.

"No one can touch her."

Eira reached out.

Caught Kairo’s paw.

Kairo smiled.

Then:

Chomp.

"OW!"

He snatched his hand back.

Eira stared.

Kairo looked betrayed.

"I’m protecting you!"

Eira blinked.

Then said:

"Mine."

Kairo looked at his paw.

Then at her.

"What is yours?"

Eira grabbed his paw again.

"Mine."

Swanly turned away and laughed into her hand.

Kairo looked wounded.

"She bit her guard."

Soren sat nearby.

He was absolutely no help.

His silver eyes were amused.

"She secured her guard."

Kael looked at him.

"That makes no sense."

"It does to her."

Kairo pointed at Eira.

"She is mean."

Eira stared.

Then leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his wrist.

Kairo melted instantly.

"Oh."

Swanly watched his tail begin swaying.

Hopeless.

Completely hopeless.

Nilo had his turn next.

He made Sira a little toy.

A smooth wooden ring wrapped with soft fur.

He approached carefully.

Very carefully.

Sira was smiling.

That should have been warning enough.

Nilo crouched.

"I made thith for you."

Sira stared.

He held it out.

"For you."

She took it.

Nilo brightened.

Then Sira looked at the toy.

Looked at Nilo.

And threw it.

Across the shelter.

Nilo froze.

Sira smiled.

Nilo slowly turned toward Swanly.

"Mama."

Swanly was already biting her lip.

"She doesn’t like my toy."

Sira pointed.

"Again."

Nilo blinked.

"You want me to get it?"

"Again."

He went.

Picked it up.

Returned.

Sira took it.

Threw it.

"Again."

Nilo stared.

Soren’s shoulders started shaking.

Kael looked at him.

"You’re laughing."

"No."

"You are."

Soren looked away.

Nilo retrieved the toy.

Again.

By the fourth time, he realized.

"She’s playing with me."

Sira smiled beautifully.

"Again."

Nilo sighed.

Then smiled too.

He went to get it.

Because of course he did.

Miko’s mistake was believing he could teach them anything.

He crawled onto the hide one evening and lay beside Sira.

"Watch."

Sira smiled at him.

Miko pointed toward Swanly.

"Mama."

Sira looked.

"Mama."

"Yes!"

Miko grinned through the little gap that was finally starting to fill.

Then he demonstrated.

He leaned over and licked Swanly’s arm.

Swanly looked down.

"Miko."

He ignored her.

He turned toward Sira.

"Love."

Sira’s eyes brightened.

Miko licked Swanly again.

"Lick Mama."

Swanly closed her eyes.

"Do not teach them this."

Too late.

Sira moved.

Fast.

She grabbed Miko’s ear.

Miko screamed.

"AAAAH!"

Sira held on.

"MAMA!"

Swanly rushed over.

Sira was smiling.

Miko was trying to crawl away.

His ear remained in her tiny fist.

"LET GO!"

Sira giggled.

"Mine."

"It’th MY EAR!"

Soren leaned against the wall.

Watching.

Enjoying himself.