Prey (Male!Naga x Male!Reader)

Chapter 5

When Camp Beta was finished being set up, Y/n and Dr. Nilsson headed over to install the cameras and motion sensors. They positioned them all over the spring, attempting to leave no blindspots. The sun was beginning its final descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. So when they were finished, they stayed the night at Camp Beta instead of returning to the original encampment, now referred to by the team as Camp Alpha.

For just this night, they were stuck sleeping in the same tent. In separate sleeping bags, Dr. Nilsson and Y/n both settled in for the night.

"I want you to stay at Camp Beta for a while," Dr. Nilsson whispered, reaching over to lower the brightness on the electronic lamp sitting between the two of them. As the light grew dimmer, the shadows grew longer. "I want you monitoring those cameras every second of every day. I told Einar to have some of his men keep watch round the clock. We're far enough away from the spring that any animal — any naga here — should still feel comfortable enough to come out and drink from it, and I want a lot of eyes on our surroundings. Yours, the cameras, Einar's people.

"Remember, Y/n," her voice lowered even more, "the longer we are here, unable to locate a single specimen, the more time the government and other private holdings have to get their proverbial shit together and pursue the Ophidian narus themselves. Which means our chances of bringing home that groundbreaking discovery become slimmer and slimmer the longer this takes. I want this thing found."

"Yes, ma'am," Y/n saluted lazily before turning his back to her and pulling his sleeping bag over his shoulder. "Goodnight now."

Dr. Nilsson released a small sigh, "Goodnight, Y/n."

Bright and early the next morning found Dr. Nilsson heading back to Camp Alpha while Y/n began the endless task of going over the camera footage from the night before.

It was strange, he reflected, how the story of the discovery of this island — and the skeletons recovered from it — had first perpetuated. It began small; in hushed whispers. Rumors around the university Dr. Nilsson and Y/n were employed at. Everyone worth their salt in the field believed this all to be a hoax at first. A single man captaining a decrepit old fishing boat came back after being considered missing for over a year with news of a new island and trash bags full of bones.

It had been unbelievable. When the skeletons were put together however and studied thoroughly for their authenticity — Dr. Nilsson had gone into a frenzy, barking orders at Y/n to have all their equipment accounted for and demanding a month of his time. When the government refused Dr. Nilsson's request to go to the island, she took matters into her own hands.

Now, here they were, and there was nothing to show for it so far. No nagas, but strange snakes and even stranger environments. Unsettling to Y/n.

He couldn't tell if his unease was made worse or better by the footage he was lazily fast forwarding through. Everything seemed alright. He watched some strange shadows — maybe boars? Or some other large mammal species — dance along the trees and some smaller animals flit across the ground. Nothing, however, resembled what they were searching for.

Y/n lifted his two-way radio to his mouth (a necessary bit of technology Dr. Nilsson had said since they would be separated temporarily), "Dr. Nilsson? Are you there?"

A moment passed before a crackling voice responded, "Present. What is it? Did you find anything?"

"No, nothing," Y/n delivered the news.

The pause after Y/n's words was longer this time. Stretched out and disheartening.

Then: "I see. Einar's with me today. We'll be exploring the western half of this island. I understand Rat is heading scouting operations over there?"