Utopia - The Great Desert

Blood, Poison and Fangs

A snake slithers towards us at full speed, head raised. When it gets closer, it opens it's mouth, poised to strike. Instinctively, I let out a shrill shriek, causing the snake to halt. 

I slide my tail rhythmically on the sand and hiss loudly at the snake, "Stay back, Serpent!"

My heart beats frantically as I file through all the possible outcomes. Me and Sandy could fly, but the snake would strike and most likely bring one of us down. Instead, we could call for help. 

However, apart from Hurricane, there were no qualified Blind Quads who weren't a Hatchling - the Hunters were out exploring. Hurricane also knew the risks of exposing the vulnerable Hatchlings if she were to intercept. 

My eyes flicker casually to the dunes. 

Eyes peep out and watch in horror. All the while as I had been thinking, I'd stepped backwards until I was directly in front of Sandy. The snake chooses the exact moment that I take another step back to strike. 

As it's fangs come down at us, I slam into Sandy and we skid through the sand to the edge of the oasis. The snake's teeth sink into the sand where we'd been a second before. Quickly, I usher Sandy into the water, her scales melting into sea-blue. I hear the distinct sound of the snake slithering near us. 

Then it decides to strike again.

I spread my wings and launch myself up towards the snake's mouth, "I'm over here!!"

 At the last moment, I turn, letting my tail pierce the inside of its mouth. 

Folding my wings around me, I spiral into the sand and slide into the oasis, gently covering Sandy with a wing, "Quiet, now..."

I quickly check that we're both blended into the oasis before turning my attention to the writhing snake. It hisses with pain and it's wriggling throws sand in the air. By piercing it with my poisonous tail, I'd bought me and Sandy time to hide in the oasis but the wound was merely annoying, for only two year old Hunters had deadly poison. 

As it recovered, the snake took a suspicious look at the dunes surrounding it. Without warning, it throws its head into a dune and drags out a Hatchling. The Hatchling is limp but the fluttering of eyelids and the rise and fall of his chest tells me that he is only faking death. 

I hope to the Guardians up above that the snake doesn't realise it too. 

The snake plays with the Hatchling fearlessly, tossing it up and catching it again, hissing in it's own language. Feeling that I should do something, I kick out my back legs and burst out of the water, charging towards the snake.

It drops the Hatchling immediately, turning on me with a malevolent snarl. I rush forward and swing my tail at it, barely piercing it's scales. As it rears back to strike, I launch myself at it's face, digging my claws into it's eyes. Before I could hold on for long enough to damage it's eyes permanently, it throws it's head back with a howl and I am swung off, landing in the sand in a heap of broken bones and bruised scales. Seeing stars, I struggle to my talons, "Urgh."

The snake recovers, its eyes bleeding but still determined. As it rears back, I collapse onto the sand floor. It's head shoots towards me, mouth gaping wide, venom dripping off of its teeth. A dark void flickers at the edges of my eyes, trying to take me over. The last thing I see is a flash of gold streak into my view, knocking the snake's head away. 

Then everything is dark.