Rayna's Jungle Adventure

*Chapter 8: Kaa-Zentration*

Rayna's intrusion into this dark corner of the jungle had stirred one of its inhabitants in the trees above. Kaa, the rock python, was resting on a tree branch above and heard the sound of some creature moving through his domain. It was the most curious sound as he flicked the air with his forked tongue, found the most curious scent as well. He poked his head down through the jungle canopy and his eyes widened at what he saw. A girl-cub! Though somewhere between cub and maturity, on her own in the dark. Kaa smacked his lips knowing not to waste an opportunity like this. He hissed quietly in delight as he watched Rayna climb right up his tree. This was almost too good to be true!
Rayna reached up to the branch and sat down. She could see the view of the jungle. No animal could disturb her, but that is what she thinks. Kaa could see she is alone and could possibly be lost in the jungle. The snake smacked his lips again looking forward to getting more acquainted with this wayward soul.

"Ssssay now." He said slithering down in front of her, his hungry eyes looking her up and down. Rayna stared at him in silent. "What have we here?" Kaa slithered in a little closer catching her scent on the air, chuckling. "A lost little girl-cub? We can't have that." He said closing in a little more testing her and her boundaries. Rayna isn't in the mood for this, but she realized she must've climbed his tree.

"I'm not lost." She told him. "But if this is your home, I'll be going somewhere else."

"Nonssssencccce." Kaa hissed moving quickly to block off any attempt at escape. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone in the dark, all by yourssself! Bessssidess, what is it they sssay? Sstrength in numbers hmm?" He said as his coils moved silently in the canopy above them.

"I...guess so." Rayna said. "Umm, I don't want to be rude, but I had a rough day and I need to rest." After she spoke, Kaa did notice her scar over her eye. He wondered what creature did this to her. Rayna caught him staring at her. "What is it?"

"Hmm?" Kaa said half listening to her encouraged that she seemed willing to stay in his tree and rest, but he couldn't help but stare at the strange girl. He barely saw any humans at all in the jungle, let alone one like her. His attention got caught on her scar when she caught him staring. "Oh, I was jusst wondering how a girl-cub sssuch as yourssself comess to be living in the jungle and getting sssuch markss on them as that." He said motioning towards her scar with his tail.

"It was from Shere Khan." Rayna replied. "He marked me when I was small." Even Kaa couldn't help but gulp at the sound of Shere Khan's name. Knowing his hatred of man, he was amazed Rayna had survived this long in the jungle.

"Sssshere Khan?" He gasped out loud before putting his tail to his lips and calming down. "Well, all the more reason for usss to sstick together." He said resting his tail on her shoulder like a friend. Rayna felt his scales on her skin. At least he is being friendly. Not all animals are friendly to her. Can she blame them? She is a human.

"Right... Um, I'm sorry, I never got your name."

"Kaa." The snake hissed soothingly as he felt confident enough to close in on her a little more, his tongue flicking a little at her face as he did. "And who might you be, my dear?"

"Rayna." The girl replied, moving her face away from his tongue.

"Rayna." Kaa repeated noticing her moving away from his tongue but not being deterred. With his tail on her shoulder, she wouldn't be able to move that far anyway. "What a pretty name." He smiled. Rayna felt creeped out by this snake but thanked him for the compliment. "Tell me, how doesss a girl-cub named Rayna come to be living in the jungle desspite a tiger who wantsss to kill her?" Kaa said, his tail starting to idly play with her hair. Rayna started to tell him her story of how she was raised by wolves after Bagheera had found her. Shere Khan had been hunting her down for years and he will stop at nothing to have her in his claws. Kaa listened intently to her story. It was rare he'd get to know his prey as he was with Rayna, but he found her to be a fascinating individual. Whatever happened he was determined not to give Shere Khan the satisfaction of catching her. "Well." Kaa said at last, his tail now slithering from her shoulder down her back to stroke her soothingly as he spoke so impassioned. "I am pleassed to have you in thisss jungle. You may sstay with me in my tree for asss long asss you wisssh."