The snake clan was a motley collection of exiles—males rejected by their original tribes, labeled as rogues, outcasts, and worse. Rumors whispered that in times of desperation, they might even turn on their own kind. Yet here Rami was, trapped within the den of one such male—a beastman named Yves who towered over her in both size and power.
The cave had become her prison, a labyrinth of shadows and stone that she had entered with Kai's help but could not leave unaided. The entrance yawned like a gaping maw, its steep slope a barrier that defied her attempts to climb out. The afternoon sun bathed the outer fields in a golden glow, while within the cave, the females who had followed or been claimed by their males lay basking in the warmth. But Rami remained trapped, waiting for Yves's return with a growing sense of unease.
Hours passed, and still, there was no sign of Yves. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and her muscles ached from the strain of earlier attempts to escape. With a huff of frustration, she rose from the nest of furs and bones, her eyes scanning the cave for any clue to her predicament.
No way he ate all these bones and just wanted to keep them... right?
The thought flitted through her mind as she approached the pile. Rami's fingers traced the ridges and curves of the bones, feeling their weight and texture. Some were small and fragile, while others were thick and dense. Her eyes narrowed as she considered them, then she selected a handful that seemed sturdy enough for her purpose.
Moving to the side of the cave, she searched for a spot where the stone felt slightly softer, more yielding to her touch. After a few moments of exploration, she found what she sought. With a determined expression, Rami grabbed a fist-sized rock from the nest and began carefully pounding the end of each bone, driving them into the cave wall. It was grueling work, but she persisted, her muscles burning with the effort.
Sweat beaded on her brow as she worked, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The bones trembled with each strike of the rock, and she had to steady them with both hands to keep them from slipping each time she dropped the rock.
Which she the has to climb back down to get back up— she didn't have time to just make a bag and stick it to her side, because the bag she made was for things she was going to keep or eat. Especially after washing it after making it while she made her clothes.