a/n:  im spoiling yall w as many updates as i possibly can bc im gonna be very busy soon :,(

im aware a lot of ppl have a snake phobia but if u dont and ur curious look up "snakes from Gods of Egypt" and you'll see why the Light-Hearted piss themselves when they see one 😀👍

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

I didn't tell my parents I left the village, and I still can't believe I didn't.

This is so unlike me. I am going against my own morals for this Goddess.

I wasn't sure where to land my Ikran. You can't tell where to land and where not to land; everything is sand, so I landed in a sandpit close to a mountain, with light and faint laughter and singing being radiated out from every cave opening. They're having a feast, I realized.

My Ikran growls and whimpers once we land, lifting its clawed feet off of the ground.

"We are safe," I cooed at him, petting his chin. "Do not worry. I am just visiting a friend." A friend, a Goddess, a daughter of Eywa—whoever she is, I am still intrigued. I didn't even thank her for saving my life, so of course I have to go to see her.

I just didn't realize it would take a whole day to get here.

Kiri must have seen me leave, I thought to myself. She probably told mom and dad not to worry, and it would be obvious that I had gone somewhere because I got the bracelet with the map on it.

Her bracelet. I wonder if she made it herself, engraved in the features herself. I've been wondering a lot about her the past 2 weeks and 3 days since the last time we met.

My Ikran does not accept the reassurance, as he keeps whimpering and trotting up to fly away from whatever threat in the ground he is so scared of.

"No, no, you can't fly out here alone, I don't know if you'll be hunted dow–"

"Neteyam?"

Ah, yes, there's that voice.

I turn to it. I do not know what to expect, but I certainly did not expect the Goddess to charge at me with so much frustration. Even in the night sky it is so evident. Her bright orange eyes had never glowed so bright. It matches her black straight hair so well, as they're up in a high ponytail.

In just one arm she has on a stack of gold bangles, and in each earlobe is pierced with round golden earrings.

She looks ethereal. It's kinda hot.

I purse my lips and look up at the stars with sudden interest when I catch myself staring at the swaying of her hips for way too long.

They are angered swaying, Neteyam. Very, very angry Goddess charging at you with her wide, wide hips.

"Neteyam!" She yelled through gritted teeth. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I let her reach me. She grabbed me by the wrist and away. "Take your Ikran."

I frown, but proceed to let her drag me and my Ikran."I already upset you? This is only our second time meeting..." But I sigh, dramatically. "It usually clicks on for people the first time, but I think it's safe to say this is progress. Where is your Ikran?"

When she does not respond, I continue. "My parents' idea of rewinding after a stressful day is to ride on their Ikran. Together. Across the night sky."

She lets out a grunt, tugging at my wrist harshly. "Neteyam, do you know what you're standing on?"

"Sacred ground in your name? Am I supposed to kiss down on it?"

"Vipers. Ronsem Vipers." She looked behind her, at me, and I saw another glimpse of her lively orange eyes. "They reside here. Do you know what makes them so mighty?"

I shrug. "They can fly?"

She yanks me closer to her, and now I am standing right next to her, with her hand still around my wrist.

After some point, she let out a relieved exhale, looking back at the "mighty" Vipers she struggled to scare me off with.

I swing our arms. "Where are you taking me?" I am even tempted to start skipping.

She looks sternly ahead of her. "How many men?"

I scowl at the mention of men. "Who?"

"The war," she whispered. "How many of us do you need?"

"Oh! Oh, no, we haven't seen them ever since." I told her as a matter of fact.

She snarls and shushes me. "Lower your voice." She gritted her teeth. "They can hear well."

We take a turn in the empty, desolate area of sand. I am tempted to ask where she is taking me again, but knowing her in the two days we've known each other she'll either change the subject or completely ignore me and tug me closer.

So I take the chance and ask again. This time, though her focus was on something else, she pulled my arm closer.

And I choose to ignore that she did not mean to do it.

I assume she felt the "mighty" Viper beneath her feet, because even my Ikran whimpered under his breath.

But I definitely felt it that time. Slight rumbling somewhere near us, and I ready my queue to my front and pull my Ikran and Goddess closer to me. The Goddess, particularly closer.

I smirk to myself when I catch a glimpse of her startled scowl.

Then the vibration of the ground doubled, and Y/N breathing suddenly stilled. Her hand had let go of mine to reach for a dagger tucked in in her lower leg.

She swallows thickly, and I'm tempted to pull her closer.

She looks so scared, yet she seems to know what she's doing. She looks like she's encountered the beast before—why it still remains alive from someone who gets annoyed so easily is a shock to me.

I'm surprised I got saved rather than killed by her.

But in seemingly one motion she grabbed my queue and my Ikran's queue together. Then she pats its behind and it obeys her command. 

To fly, to leave, while she faces the Viper alone.

I jump in, but not before lifting her along with me, grabbing her by the waist and placing her down with me. Who does she think I am? Some selfish skxawng?

I don't have time to arrange her to be comfortable, so we fly off facing each other with her legs closing over my lower body. 

Her warm, heavy breaths fan over me as she looked at me in disbelief. It was as if no one's ever saved her.

I bite back a prideful smile.

Not shortly we lift off, the Viper erupts from beneath the sand. Specks of sand fly everywhere, followed by a loud hiss that came from its very throat. Outraged, and hungry.