"Am I not to your liking, was I asking too much, is sleeping with me, something you begrudge? I don't want to sleep alone, was half a millennia not enough?" Beloved asked as the warm tears started falling, but she tried so hard to keep them inside. She clutched the feathers as she refused to look away.
When the snake only watched her, she let the tears fall on his feathers. "You are now mine, alone I won't sleep, for all I will compromise, this is a need. For the rest of our days, for every night, I won't sleep alone."
"You were so tired, your heart was hurt, sleeping alone, that's no way to start. I wanted you close, here in our nest. To sleep among us, where we can protect, cherish. So… don't be upset, next time I'll ask, just don't leave, I know in some ways I lack." She stood up, wrapping her arms around the snake's body, tears still pouring.
The Snake God felt Nix escape his grasp, falling through a rift to land beside the female. His female, of her own will. "That does not explain Nix."
Beloved blinked up at the snake, then turned her gaze to Nix. She was confused for only a moment, then had to bite back a smile that threatened to escape. "Big Snake are you weary? Big Snake didn't you see? When you have me," She leapt up to hug his face. Dangling from the feathers she clutched as she continued in a whisper, "You actually have three."
Ashton stood on the highest coil, raising Beloved by her feet so she could lift herself up to stare into the large snake eyes. Ashton grinned as he blinked innocently up at the large snake. "Chirp?"
The Snake God stared between the two birds, then shifted his coils to lift the female up. His covenant was only with the female, if he retaliated against the others, there would be no consequence. Still, they had to be in dire need to offer up such a female.
A female who was not a god, but could channel their mana. Any god's mana, he glanced between the birds as he gathered them up in his coils before returning to the nest. Answers first then.
"I see. What of… these?" The Snake God asked as the smaller creatures fell into Nix's lap from the jostling. The female still clung stubbornly to his face. There was a sudden cacophony of sound, all the smaller birds chirping, hopping, squawking as they found perch along his coils.
The Snake God stared at them. If they were attempting to communicate, he was not understanding. Soon the smaller birds were distracted as they started examining his feathers. Some were pecking, others were tugging feathers in their tiny talons.
"Chirp~" Ashton reminded as the golems all stilled, turning to the Snake God with wide eyes, as if they had not been sizing up the colorful feathers. All ten golems sat, covering their favored feathers as if a God were not watching them. How quickly they had learned from the foxes…
Beloved scooped two up, using them to wipe her tears away, "They were admiring, all of your colors, God of the wind, variety like no other!" She explained as she trotted around the snake lined nest. He coiled himself to perfectly mimic the nest, Beloved grinned as she saw all the colors.
"I see." The Snake God said raising a brow, "After your months of plotting to take over my covenant, should we not speak Nix?"
Ashton stilled, "Eh? Who me? Did I do such a thing?" He asked looking up innocently.
"After your missive reached my would be companion, they changed course. I do not believe that was unintentional. Now my covenant with the Ophion is broken, so, what did you want from me so badly, you risked my wrath?"
Ashton blinked, "Eh? I have no need, why she was unwilling was curiosity." Ashton explained with a shrug, "She had a piece, my Beloved birth to repeat, was taken weeks ago, so… there is now no need."
Beloved released the smaller birds as she covered her eyes, peeking through her fingers, "Uhh, I wanted to see, all of your colors, you are so pretty, but… are you upset if there is no need?"
The Snake God let them speak, then let his mouth curl up in a mocking smile, "I am no fool. You are hiding injuries Nix. Even thousands of miles away, I felt your souls shake. You need something, and clearly you have chosen me. For what?"
Ashton blinked, then clapped as if in understanding. He bit his lip, trying not to smile. It would be bad if the big snake thought they were laughing at him.
Beloved caught on a moment after as she let out an audible gasp, drawing the snake's attention. She covered her mouth, but her smile was too wide to hide. She leapt back up to hug where his neck should be. Nix followed a moment after, both burying their faces in his feathers to hide their wide smiles.
"Big snake we are bad, big snake we are wrong, to let you believe you're a need, instead of want." They chorus.
Beloved leaned back just enough so they could make eye contact. "I am indeed lacking, a hole must be fixed, but don't be mistaken, your heart I cherish." She gave him a beaming smile as she giggled.
"I could settle for less, ensure basic needs are then met, but if only a fix, we could just plug it." Beloved explained seriously with a nod. A moment later a white ring of fire appeared just outside the nest, Monroe fell through, sprawled on the ground.
"We could have chosen to bond to this, as a mere pro-tect-or, fill it with fire, remove all the greed, that would be enough for what we need." Beloved added as the humans shifted but didn't approach.
"We spoke yes at length, a bargain for strength, for power, for pride, to save his own hide! Nix didn't say no, but it's only so so!" Beloved added shaking her head, showing her obvious distaste for the small dragonkin.
"I wanted love, I wanted feathers, I want a family, a world together. Now, you are strong which is nice, but I cannot die, you are fast this is true, but my rifts will do, you're smart which I like, less likely to fight, you're lonely like three… so you'll cherish the reaped." Beloved explained swaying as she held onto the large snake coquettishly.
"But we've only just met, no bond is forged yet, so, I hope you will find, more than meets the eye, a bird and a snake, both with grand feathers, will soon flock together?" She asked tentatively as she peered up at him.
The Snake God examined the small dragonkin… it was true. In the youth's heart contained an oath, still… that didn't explain the need for a bonded.
"I see," There was no need for competition to exist. The Snake God whipped his tail to remove the oath holder.
Jaxon's heart was in his throat, he could see the tail, larger than a tree trunk smashing down on Monkey… he saw it happening… his body already in motion. Even as Jaxon knew he would never make it.
Monroe tried to push himself up as the shadow encompassed everything around him. Monroe only had time to turn his head, already he could make out the details on each feather.
"MONKEY!" Jaxon roared as the tail hit the ground, the shock sent them all flying. Jaxon curled up before he hit the ground, rolling, then leaping up to… to do what…
"Big Snake! Big Snake, your tail is so fast! What would we do if blood would have splashed?" Beloved asked swaying as she continued to cling to the big snake. "He would dirty your feathers, the blood would have stunk! What a waste to just squish him, when you've already won."
"Is that the only reason to save him?" The Snake God asked turning to see Nix holding the dragonkin by his shirt. The Snake God watched as Nix tossed the youth at the still charging dragonkin male.
Jaxon's body reacted faster than his mind as he caught Monroe to his chest. Tears already fighting to escape as he sank to his knees. Rocking his small Monkey, "I've got you, shhh, shh, I've got you." Monroe was pale as death… trembling like a leaf.
"Oh, that wasn't the reason, but let's just say so," Ashton sighed rolling his eyes as he leapt back into the nest. "I do like these feathers, colors of all kinds, your wings are so big, take up half of the sky!" Ashton praised brushing his hand along the feathers. In the light, the myriad of colors blended into a beautiful orange, purple hue.
The Snake God lowered his head to meet Nix's unabashed inspection, "If you no longer have need of it, why let it liv?" They weren't lying… but they weren't giving him the whole truth either.
Ashton gave an exaggerated pout as he collapsed onto the snake's face, "Must it be useful, must it have purpose? Would killing it now, be worth the circus?" As he spoke Beloved fell from a rift to hug the large snake face as well.
"Rather than dragons! Let us speak of snakes! How many babies at a time will we make?" Beloved asked rolling in his feathers.
The Snake God stilled, narrowing his eyes as he withdrew his tail. "Babies?"
Beloved shot up on her hands and knees, "Of course! I want babies, to fill every sky! Beautiful snakes, rainbow colors, of fire! Gasp, do you have babies? Am I a mother not of blood? What are they like? I promise them love!"
The Snake God met their expectant gazes, "No." Both stilled just as he had. Offspring… he had once harbored such fantasies…
"No you have none, or no I will not have?" Beloved asked as her heart clenched… if the big snake didn't want babies… their union could not continue.
The Snake God coiled his body around the nest, using his wing he brushed the cheek of the small female… his female… possible mother of his offspring… "I have none… yet." The sparkle returned to her eyes as she clung to his face, rubbed her cheek along his feathers.
"Oh! Then we must prepare! We'll need so many nests! How many eggs will I lay at a time? I need to know! Knowledge for I!" Beloved coaxed grinning at the big snake. Then she shot up with a gasp! "Oh! Will I lay snake eggs, or will they be all bird? Will they have all your colors, or only of third?" Beloved asked turning to face Nix.
Ashton pursed his lips, held up a finger, then covered his mouth. Now all eyes were on him, the large snake looked coiled to strike. "Uh, you can lay bird eggs, but first should be snake, the eggs are more narrow, less likely to break." Nix leaned over to whisper, "We need a small something, but no trouble, all in due time." Then he leaned back as he continued for all to hear.
"Some of many, some only one, the colors they hold, will be a mix of wind, and of sun. The fire of three, the wind only one, we have you outnumbered, but that's half of the fun." Ashton added with a wink, then he let his voice become a little more solemn.
"How many laid, can be a dangerous game. Beloved has the power, the mana, but her size is still… small. To lay her eggs safely, her beast form must lay, the size of each egg, these numbers obey." Nix met the snake's eyes, eager, hopeful, serious.
"For the snakes up to fifteen, impressive is seems, but safer is twelve, for more some might melt. For birds, eggs are larger, their shells hard in the womb. No more than six, but four better for room." Ashton explained seriously. Beloved nodded as she leaned back, covering her stomach with a wide grin as if she would lay eggs right now. The large snake's body was tensing, relaxing, making waves that reflected the emotions in his eyes.
"Is there a chance… she could carry both?" The Snake God asked seriously, the number disparity was too important for such chance.
Ashton pursed his lips as he leaned back. "Only on purpose, with much to prepare, but the offspring will be weakened, neither of fire, nor air." Before the big snake could continue to ask Ashton held up a hand, "I know you have questions, so much to learn, but the answers given now, a bit premature." Ashton smiled, "For now there is hope, a possible bond, but love is important, from your heart, we need song."