literature

Moonlight Naga Chapter 2

Deviation Actions

CameoAmalthea's avatar
Published:
5.7K Views

Literature Text

If only the world wouldn't get in the way

                                                          Chapter 2

                                                                          If only people would just let you play

Sora listened and left, hurrying back the way he came through the woods. However, in his haste he was far from quiet. Branches snapped as he pushed through them, and the vegetation crunched underneath his feet. Riku groaned at that. If anyone was trying to track Sora down they could do it blind folded without even using their sense of smell.

At least Sora was gone now. He wished they’d had longer, there was so much that needed to be said...but they didn’t have time and more than anything, Riku wanted Sora safe.

He thought back to the day they’d first met-even back then all he’d wanted was to be a good naga, a good hunter, and most of all to be like Sephiroth.

Unfortunately, at that time, Sephiroth didn’t want to put up with the nagaling who had followed him like a puppy. Sephiroth met the six year old nagaling’s friendliness with annoyance, as he was reaching the end of his teens and had no time for children. Sephiroth had had his own duties and pursuits to attend to, and whatever free time he had wanted to spend with Zack.

He also thought Riku was too young to learn to be a hunter yet. Riku had insisted that he’d been practicing.

“You are still little more than a mouthful yourself, little nagaling.” Sephiroth had told him. “At your size, the best you could catch is a field mouse, and, as you are not a cat, that isn’t particularly impressive.”

“Well,” said Riku, sheepishly, “I may not be good at hunting yet, but I’ve been practicing tracking.”

Sephiroth had just laughed, “I’m sure,” and ruffled his hair, before telling him to run along.

Still, Riku wanted to prove himself, and would try to track down every new scent he came across. That’s how he’d met Sora.  

The five year old boy had been chasing butterflies, and had been so focused on his play; he had not noticed he had chased one far into the forest. That’s where Riku caught his scent, and followed it to find out what it was.

Riku had bent low to the ground, sniffing each tree and leaf. At last, he’d come to the entrance of a large hollow log, and followed the scent through that. Half way through he had sniffed upward, towards a small whole in the top, where a pair of large blue eyes.

“What ‘cha doing?” the blue-eyed boy had asked, tilting his head to the side.
“I’m on the trail,” said Riku. “So don’t distract me,” he had admonished the other before continuing to make his way through the log.

The brown haired boy had just laughed. “What are you on the trail of?” He’d asked, as he balanced on top of the log, walking to meet this strange green eyed boy at the entrance of the log.

“I don’t know,” said Riku, “I have to find it first, silly.” He crawled out of the log, and came face to face with Sora. Sniffing him, his eyes lit up with understanding. “It’s you; you’re the one I was tracking.”

Sora jumped down from the log, and turned to face Riku, with a smile, “I guess so, why were you tracking me anyway?”

“It’s what you do,” Riku insisted, but said no more as was too preoccupied with looking at the strange new creature he had found.

“My name’s Sora,” he had said, “and I’m a human. I guess you’re not. Huh? I’ve never seen anyone like you.” Sora had looked down at the naga’s tail, intently.
“I’m Riku, and I’m a naga.” He had said, and then playfully tackled Sora, “and now I’ve caught you.”

Sora giggled, and then playfully wrestled the other. “I bet you’d be really good at hide and seek, wanna play?”

“Sure!” Riku had agreed enthusiastically, as he climbing off Sora and offered him a hand up. “I can use my nose, right?”

Sora had just smiled, “sure,” and taken his new friend’s hand.

Once they had taken each other’s hands the course of their lives changed forever. From then on, they were friends. Back then, it had been easy. Neither of them knew their natural place and the boundaries they shouldn’t have crossed. They were completely unaware of how odd their friendship was.  At that moment, they were just friends playing, and life was just one happy game. Those children could have never seen the things the future held for them, and exactly what trouble their friendship would lead to.

But there was no time to reminisce about the past, for in the here and now, Sora was in very real danger. No sooner had the human disappeared from sight than another naga slithered into view. This naga looked a lot like Riku. They had the same silver scales on their tail and matching silver hair.

Even their eyes were similar, although not the same.  Sephiroth’s eyes seemed more predatory than Riku’s and where as Sephiroth’s eyes were green and slit vertically like a jungle cat, Riku’s eyes were a paler teal and rounded. The difference wasn’t much, but it meant the world when one was cold and calculating, and one was warm and smiling.

Unlike Riku, Sephiroth was dressed in some form of hunter’s garb. Long leather bracers encircled his wrists, supposedly to protect him from undergrowth as he chased prey. The leather hugged him, up to his shoulders, making him almost appear marked. Around his waist, covering the joint of skin and scales was a wide leather belt that had various pockets and pouches to carry items in. His crossed harness creaked as he moved, the black leather making a striking contrast across his pale chest as he dropped his hand away from the swords hilt, smirking at Riku.

“There you are,” he hissed, coming to stand in front of the boy. Even though Riku was nearly grown, Sephiroth seemed to tower over him, as he was at least four inches taller than Riku. The older naga fixed his annoyed gaze on Riku. “Now, where have you been? I’ve been calling.”

Sephiroth’s mere presence was enough to make Riku straighten his posture. “I was...uh...hunting, sir.”

“Hunting?” he breathed in, closing his eyes as he took in the scent of the air, his lips parting as his serpent’s tongue slid out to taste it. “Ah, I see, a human. Delicious. And where is your prey, Riku?” His tone was savoring, but Riku was anything but at ease.

“Well...uh...you see.” The end of his tail swished nervously, as he avoided the elder’s gaze.

“I thought I trained you better than to allow a meal to escape.” Sephiroth said, looking down the way Sora had gone.

“Um...I did have it...but you called me....and,” he stopped and hastily tried to back peddle “not that it’s your fault, of course not, sir.... I’m sorry, sir.”

Sephiroth sighed, “Well as it seems, I, have lost you your meal, because you didn’t have the presence of mind to hold on to it, I should get it back. A child could follow that trail, but I think it’s better if you leave it to me.”

With that he slithered off, quickly following where the path Sora had left. Riku stood frozen for a moment, praying with all his heart that Sora somehow managed to get away, and then followed his superior. He wasn’t exactly sure what he would do if Sephiroth caught Sora, but he certainly couldn’t just stand there.

Sephiroth’s pace was lightning quick, and it was difficult for Riku to keep up, but he managed. The older naga looked back at him, “come on, pup, you can do better than that, I want you to see this, so you can learn how a real naga hunts. As it seems all my lessons have left you wanting.”

Riku nodded and increased his speed. “Sir, yes, sir.” He called, as he raced along, trying desperately to think of some way to save Sora without drawing Sephiroth’s ire.

Sephiroth smirked, “well at least you’re disciplined.” He said, barely loud enough for Riku to hear.

Their path curved around trees, and started to weave. Good, thought Riku, at least Sora had the sense to make his trail harder to follow. He'd dove through tight spaces between trees where the naga's couldn't easily follow, and leaped over bushes. There were places where he must have touched every tree in the area, to confuse his scent, before running.

Several times they were forced to leave the trail, and find it again. Other times, Sephiroth had to stop, and look carefully to be sure. Sora was smart, but Sephiroth was an expert hunter. For him, a challenge only made the chase greater sport. Riku knew there was no way he'd give up.

Unfortunately for Sora, in his effort to evade the hunter, he'd managed to get himself turned around. They were heading towards the sea, Riku could smell it. If he was right, Sora was heading right for the cliffs which lay on the northern side of the island. Serphiroth must have known this as well because he quickened his speed, no doubting hoping to head off his quarry there, and trap him.

His plan worked, they emerged into a clearing with the cliffs on the far side. Riku saw Sora change his course in time to avoid falling over the edge, and make a run diagonally, back towards the forest.

Sephiroth darted forward, extending his tail out to trip to swing in front of Sora’s path like a rope to trip him. The tactic worked, was Sora slammed into the naga’s tail, falling to ground hard. He got up, but didn’t run, instead turning to face Sephiroth.

Riku stopped, and watched. Idiot, he thought, run, just run again, try to get away. Don’t stop, don’t fight! Riku felt powerless, like a bystander witnessing a calamity but unable to do a thing. The young naga was rooted to the spot, just watching as his friend prepared to face his mentor.

Sephiroth smirked, “brave little morsel, aren’t you?”

Sora drew the short sword which hung at his waist. Riku knew he was armed, he’d felt the sheathed blade when he’d been holding him, but was hoping Sora wasn’t foolhardy to actually try to fight Sephiroth. Although, now, it didn’t seem like the boy had much of a choice.

Sora held the short sword in front of him with both trembling hands, feet planted in the dirt like roots. Looking up at Sephiroth with a determined stare, the boy didn’t show ounce of fear before the naga. His bravery was met with a cold laugh and a colder, mocking glance.

“Aww, how cute, you have a little toy sword.” Riku, by now, was in fits inside his head, waving behind Sephiroth for Sora to run. The brunette just gave an obstinate snort, raising his knife.

“I’m not scared of some big bully.” He said, voice firm even as his shoulders shook. Sephiroth was moving his hand to his own swords hilt, a chuckle hissing between his teeth.

“This, little mouse, is a Blade.” He murmured, drawing the ridiculously long katana. The boy’s blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of it, and his body tensed. “Compared to this, your little toy may as well be a toothpick.” The blade sang as it moved, lightning fast, faster even than a cobras strike. Sora jumped back, and the small sword he had held fell in two pieces against the leaves of the forest.

Riku hissed as Sora was immobilized against a tree, nearly seven feet of death and destruction making movement impossible, wielded by fifteen feet of hate and smirking malice.

“I win,” said Sephiroth, “but don’t worry. You aren’t going to feel the bite of my blade, you see, I prefer my food alive.” He laced his coils around the boy and tightened them, immobilizing Sora.  Sephiroth re-sheathed his blade.

Then the naga licked his lips, and inhaled Sora’s aroma. “You smell delicious, so young and tender. I’m going to enjoy you.  You really do have spirit, standing up to me. You’re stupid, of course, but you do have spirit nonetheless. I hope you don’t break, I want to feel you struggle as you slide down my throat, I bet you’ll fight even once you’re down. Naga have two stomachs you know. The real fun doesn’t start until once you reach the second one, down in my tail. It won’t be fast, so I look forward to every moment you continue to fight. Although, you won’t make much of a snack as you are now, all these clothes. No these won’t do at all, they’ll ruin your taste and probably terrible for the digestion.”

Sephiroth’s coils slid down, allowing him to seize hold of Sora’s arms. He forced the boy’s hand up over his head, and pinned them to three, holding them there with one hand. Sora struggled, of course, but he was helpless as a mouse trying to overpower a cat. The naga’s coils slid downward, and until they were around Sora’s ankles. “Can’t have you kicking, now can I?”

With his free hand, he drew a small knife from his belt. Sora’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the blade, but Sephiroth only meant to harm his clothes. The naga slit Sora’s open shirt at the top of each sleeve, letting it fall to the ground. He then moved on to Sora’s pants. For this task, Sephiroth readjusted his coils. He wrapped a coil closer to his midsection around Sora’s legs, then stretched the tip of his tail upward to keep his hands bound. The enabled him to slide down lower and focus on the task. Sephiroth’s knife slid over each side seam of the boy’s pants, and the fabric was left on the ground with the shirt. He smirked when all Sora had left were undergarments, before getting rid of the last scrap of Sora’s clothing.
Sora by now was blushing a bright red, which seemed to amuse Sephiroth. The naga straightened, once more coiling around Sora’s body to hold him in place.

“Well,” he commented, “I see you’re not such a little boy after all.” he teased, “Perhaps I could keep you alive a while, have a little fun. You do look so soft.” He reached out a hand, gently caressing Sora’s cheek. “I can think of all sorts of things to do with you, shall I tell you some of them?” He leaned in closer, and licked Sora’s face, slowly from the boy’s chin up to his ear, where he nibbled, and then began to whisper.

Riku could not hear what Sephiroth was saying, but from the look of mingled fear and disgust of Sora’s face, he could begin to imagine. He slithered forward slightly, not sure what he was going to do or say, but unable to simply watch this happen.
The sound was enough to remind Sephiroth of the younger naga’s presence. He leaned back, still intently focused on Sora, “I’d like to do all that and more to you, ah, but lest I forget, you are not my prey.” He then turned to look at Riku.

“Come on, Riku, dinner time.” He lifted Sora in his coils to hold him out in offering.
Riku felt sick, and just as helpless as his friend. Of course, his feelings were written all over his face which caused Sephiroth to raise an eyebrow, and fix him in a dangerous stare.

“Unless,” he said, “this isn’t dinner? Riku, is there something you want to tell me? Have you been playing with your food?”

Riku was silent, partly because he was unsure of what to say, and partly because he was afraid to say anything. He wondered, briefly, if Sephiroth thought him a traitor would he have any problem deciding he belonged lower on the food chain. He imagined the larger serpent could easily swallow them both.

Sephiroth came forward, still holding Sora firmly in his coils, and put a hand on Riku’s shoulder. “Riku, it’s all right. It’s all well and good to play with your food. What you catch belongs to you, and you can have whatever sport you like with it before eating it, but you must eat it, and remember it is food.”

Riku nodded, feeling stupid then for ever being afraid of his mentor. Well, actually, being wary of Sephiroth could never really be called stupid, but it was wrong for Riku to be afraid of him. He had too much admiration and affection for there to be fear. “Yes, sir, I know, sir.” He said, nodding, he really didn’t want to disappoint Sephiroth.

“Good,” said Sephiroth, “but in case you have any doubts, Riku, let me give you a little lesson.”

Riku’s eyes widened, “Are you going to eat him?”

“Why? Would that upset you, if he died? It’s almost like you have feelings for him.”
“No, sir, of course not.” said Riku, not even looking at Sora. “it’s just I’m hungry, and I’ve never had a human before.”

“Well, don’t worry, Riku, I have no intention of stealing your meal. First, I just want to make sure, you are clear on some things. First of all,” his coils shot upward, holding Sora by his wrists once more, and lifting him off the ground by them. Sora kicked and fought to get free, but it was clearly useless. “This,” he motioned to Sora, “is nothing for you to be concerned for. You must have no feelings or pity it, because it’s nothing. It’s a bit of meat and beating heart, not more than that.” He looked to Riku, waiting for a response to make sure the boy understood.

“Yes, sir,” he nodded, although his own beating heart was aching to see Sora so helpless.

“Furthermore, he is weak. Riku, you and I are a part of a superior species; humans are just a weaker animal, just like any other. You saw how easy it was for me to subdue him, how helpless he is to escape. The fact that you can get him in your coils gives you every right to eat him, without any remorse, or do whatever you want to with him. He’s meat to be used, and devoured for your sport. Because, you are a naga, and he’s just a human.”

“Yes, sir, I know.” Riku wondered how much longer this would go on for. Riku had a theory that Sephiroth was in love with the sound of his own voice, because everything with him was either a lecture or a monologue. Generally, he never minded, he was eager to take in everything Sephiroth had to say, but now, it hurt him to hear, and worth than listening to this lecture was knowing what would be expected of him once Sephiroth finally finished.

“Good, because you see, Riku, we are all a part of the great circle of life. Some must be eaten, while others eat, and we all must play our part. Your part is to be a predator, and his part,” he thrust Sora forward, for Riku to take, “is to be in your stomach.”

Riku took the boy, wrapping his own coils around Sora as Sephiroth retracted his. He nodded, “Yes, sir, I do want to eat him. It’s simply, I feel ashamed, to have you catch my food for me, like I’m just a hatchling.”

Sephiroth smiles, and ruffled Riku’s hair, “then next time, make sure I don’t have to, or you don’t eat. And Riku, just in case you do have any misgivings about killing a human, remember, not only are they your natural prey, they are treacherous creatures. A rabbit is more worth your mercy, humans would kill you if they could, but as you are stronger, and it’s your place to kill them. Now go ahead, Riku, eat up.”

Riku looked at the frightened boy he held in his coils, then to Sephiroth, “yes, sir, I will sir.”
Another cliff hanger, get used to this, I like ending my chapters this way.

Oh, and the theme of this chapter is, guess which Disney classic I'm ripping off of, well it's not a rip off, it's a loving parody/re-imagining. Also, I'm a huge Disney fangirl at heart, so expect lots of Disney references.

I really liked writing Sephiroth and Riku together, and trying to stay true to their characters, while portraying their AU relationship. Just to see how well I'm doing that, I'd love feed back, and the readers take on their interactions and how they see their relationship.

I also like how Riku called Sephiroth Sir constantly.

Also, all feedback in general is loved and I own nothing Square Enix and Disney own this, and possibly part of my heart and soul at this point.
© 2009 - 2024 CameoAmalthea
Comments29
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
midnighttranquility's avatar
I LOVE that you referenced/ quoted "Fox and the Hound."
I have noticed that you do that quite a bit. Like Kevin from "Up" and a bunch of others.

I Hope you will be able to write more chapters for your stories soon. I have to say my favorite is Passing On. I love Axel and Roxas.