N A G A - Appetizer

It is said that great serpentine beasts roam the jungles of Felarya, many with upper body of a beautiful young woman. They are gifted with not only the intelligence and cunning of their human sides, but also the instinct and ferocity of their snake sides. Many of the giant variety know no fear to many of the creatures that share their environments. The same could be said for many of the larger inhabitants that live around them, as most Felaryan nagas have long since atrophied in the ways of killing that their snake halves would dictate. As such nagas coexist quite peacefully with many of the inhabitants of Felarya who share their appetite for humans, nekos, and smaller versions of most predators…

This is a tale of a Giant Naga not from Felarya. One who is still subject to the whims of her wild side, that of the anaconda - perhaps one of the most insatiable and deadly predators in existence. While she keeps this side buried, hidden, and other wise suppressed from all of her friends around.  Only the wildlife, and  more wild inhabitants can sense it raging within, compelling her to constrict, crush, and swallow her prey. Lately she's been spending more time alone, feeling that one day soon her urges might cause her to do something truly horrible to someone she loves.

Having left the base camp where she and the others reside, she is currently en-route to an area where none of her friends live, using what still remains of her Xenonian side to avoid contact. This was of course before the scent of unfamiliar prey hit overwhelming her senses and the beast within began the hunt…

Felaryan Jungle…
Not far from Jora's Cave…

Two giant nekos were cutting a path through the dense undergrowth towards Safe Harbor. They were twins - aside from their hair. The one leading had shoulder length purple hair while the later had shoulder length blue hair. Both were of a pale complexion and as with most inhabitants, totally naked. Both were carrying small pouches and primitive weaponry to deal with the guardian of the fabled location. They both knew that if they could take on the lone giantess, that there would be the equivalent of an all you can eat buffet.

"Sister, are you certain this is wise?" Alyssia, the blue haired neko, asked as they closed in on their goal.

"Of course it is; don't start backing out on me now," Elyssia replied as she paused for a moment and looked around.  "Don't you want a nice easy dinner?  Just think about the fame too!   If we can bring back enough humans and topple their guardian, we'll be heroes within our tribe." She turned with a grin.

"Yes I understand that sis, but something doesn't feel right here. I-" she started but was cut off.

"Are you two really that boneheaded?" A stern voice spoke from behind.

"What? Who are you?" Elyssia growled at the intruder. "What business is it of yours in what we do?"

"Well considering that the person you two are thinking of attacking is my friend, I'd say that does make it my business." Jora replied with a bit of a scowl as she placed her hand on her hip. "Can't you two go find a nice group of adventurers or treasure hunters or something?"

"That is a much better idea sister," Alyssia spoke up after a while, causing her sister to shoot her a glare. Cringing at her reaction, she hastily added on, "I mean we could still have a nice big dinner, take some back and we wouldn't have to fight."

"Nonsense!" Elyssia snorted, returning her gaze to the giantess. "We're going to get this group of humans and that's that. If you mean to stop us you're more than welcome to try, but it's clear by your attire," she paused, grinning as she looked the giantess over; "you're not exactly the most capable of fighters."

"You would be right about that. I was just out going to get something, or someone to eat," Jora replied a bit flustered. "I was just trying to warn you that no good will come of this little venture.  I know Jade can more than handle herself against a couple of people like you.  It was for your own sake."

"Keep your warnings to someone who needs them," Elyssia responded, waving her off. "Just run along and keep fattening yourself for one of the wilder creatures here."

"FATTENING?!" Jora roared. "I really hope Jade gives you two black eyes instead of one!" She growled as she stomped off.

"Neither one of us will be getting a black eye," Elyssia laughed. "Just a couple of nice full tummies - come on let's get going before someone else gets in our way."

"I suppose so," Alyssia replied as she looked around, her ears twitching a bit nervously. "Still, something about all of this doesn't feel right."
---

Just a short distance away…

"Ugh, I can't stand some of the people around here sometimes." Jora grumbled to herself. "Why does everyone and their mother run through here to try and prove themselves? It's so ridiculous," she grumbled. "I should get Jade to teach me how to fight sometime so I can start knocking some- what in the world is all this?" She paused suddenly.

Just before the giantess, was a slew of a strange scaly film. It was everywhere, stretched from tree to tree, along the ground and back up into some of the trees. Cautiously she moved closer to inspect it, reluctantly tracing a finger along some that dangled in front of her. It was also strangely quiet.

"I've seen something like this I know," She thought aloud as she traced her fingers along some of the odd material. "Wait… it can't…no way…. Not HER." She gasped as one of the lighter spots in the material resembled a skull. "I knew she was large, but this is ridiculous," she grumbled as she began to roll up the film. "This could come in handy for later."

Before she could finish gathering the whole thing, a loud scream shattered the ominous silence…
---

Mere moments ago, back closer towards Safe Harbor…

"Sis, I don't think we're alone out here. There's something following us, and I do mean something. It's making my fur stand on edge," Alyssia said breaking the silence. "And it's really big too."

"Are you sure that it's not just that pesky woman trying to scare us?" Elyssia teased.

"Sis I'm serious," Alyssia growled as she stopped and looked around. "There's some kind of animal or something out here, and I think we should concern ourselves with that before we worry about the humans," she hissed.

"You're really serious about this," Elyssia grumbled. "Alright, then where is this thing you're carrying on about hmm?"

Little did either of them know, the thing in the question was moving around just over their heads, already having closed the distance. Two hungry eyes observed the two quarrelling sisters just outside their field of vision. Then without any hesitation the attack came…

"I don't – Watch out sis!" Alyssia yelled as she leapt at Elyssia.

It was only her quick reaction that saved both of them from being caught by the strike of their stalker. Both ladies eyes widened as the massive charcoal coils shot by them and into the brush again.

"What the hell was that thing?!" Elyssia yelped as they stood up. "Was that a snake?! I've never seen one that big!"

"I think that was a naga," Alyssia responded as she pulled herself up. "A really big one, but why would she attack us?"

"That's a good question… I didn't think nagas attacked people our size," Elyssia replied. "In any case we need to leave this place at once before whatever it…is…comes…ba…ba…" she trailed off as her eyes went wide.

"Sis- sister what is it?" Alyssia asked nervously before turning around, already having a good guess as to what was terrifying her sister and herself as well.

There before her was a mass of charcoal colored coils, easily as thick as her body if not thicker. As her gaze followed the lengthy mass, she observed the many ominous golden skull patterns along the body. Eventually her gaze passed the scales, and to the smooth mocha skin of the woman connected to the serpent. Her eyes finally met the seemingly glowing green eyes of the naga that was upon her. As she looked into the eyes of the much larger predator, she could see the wildness and the hunger staring back at her.  It was almost as if she was staring into the eyes of a beast…

"What are you doing just standing there you idiot?! Run!" Elyssia shouted as she flung her weapon at the naga who was now looming over her sister.

"Run… away?" Alyssia choked out as she finally got the message to her legs.

Malika quickly recovered from the blow to the head and reared herself up. She could clearly see both nekos making a break for it, but her cold gaze fixated on Alyssia once more. Had she been in her normal mindset, she'd have probably fixated on Elyssia for wanting to play rough, but she could already taste Alyssia. With an uncanny speed, she quickly closed the gap between herself and the much smaller nekos.

Their current course was taking them away from Safe Harbor and towards where they'd met Jora earlier. It was just before the next clearing that Malika struck. She lunged straight for Alyssia suddenly, ramming into her with enough force to send both naga and neko tumbling into the clearing in a tangled mass. Alyssia was the first to recover, springing to her feet and taking flight once again - but it was already too late. Before she got far, Malika lunged forward again with a vicious strike, clamping down on her shoulder with her teeth, and pulling the stunned neko back into her mass of coils. The bite caused Alyssia to scream out at the top of her lungs, perhaps the last sound she would make in the outside world…

"Alyssia!" Elyssia screamed as she ran towards the naga. "Let her go you bitch!" She hissed as she picked up the closest object she could find.

Almost immediately there was a series of sickening cracks, and Alyssia's head went limp. One look into the naga's eyes told Elyssia that she still had enough sentience to recognize words, and that her sister had just paid the price for her insult. Filled with rage, and now grief, the neko leapt into the air, only to be whiplashed into a tree by her powerful tail. The heavy blow left her in a pained wreck at the base of the tree; unsure just how badly injured she was from the attack as she could barely move a muscle without a new surge of agony coursing through her.  With her assailant incapacitated, she turned her attention back to Alyssia, lowering her face so that hers was mere feet from Alyssia's. It was now time to eat…

As Elyssia watched on - clearly horrified - Malika moved her body and repositioned her sister so that she could work her directly into her mouth. With that out of the way, the real terror began.  Alyssia couldn't utter a sound as she was treated to front row seat of Malika unhinging and distending her jaws as she moved in to devour her alive. Within moments and after a much unwanted saliva bath, Malika had her head and shoulders in her mouth. There for a moment, there was hope between the two nekos, because it seemed as though the larger prey would simply not fit - however they'd never seen a snake eat before. Using her long tongue as a guide, Malika took a large gulp as well as pushing with her coils, pushing the Alyssia further down her throat.
The powerless neko, now having little else to think about, actually began to wonder if this is what the many humans, nagas, and mermaids she herself had eaten alive went through this kind of hell. She began to cry when it became apparent that this naga was very capable, and very determined to swallow her alive. There was still so much she'd wanted to do, and now it was apparent it just wasn't going to come to pass. At this point she was just hoping that her sister had the sense to run, because it seemed that this naga was big enough to still be hungry after swallowing her.


Outside, Elyssia watched on as Malika took another gulp, this time up to the small of her prey's back. All that could be seen is Alyssia's faintly kicking legs, her bottom, and her tail - which would have been quite a funny sight were the scene fake. Malika stopped suddenly, as a devilish look entered her eyes. Her long tongue slid underneath the captive neko and began to tease her more sensitive areas for awhile, causing her to squirm. At the sight of this act, Elyssia grimaced with anger and disgust, both at her sister being treated in this manner, and her own fear that was keeping her from stopping it. Eventually she squirmed herself to the point where Malika could get her mouth around her tail and hips and swallow her down even further. There seemed to be somewhat of a sated gleam in her eyes as she tilted herself up right and took the last few gulps it would take to force her prey down into her lower half. She then began to lick her fingers contently for a moment, before a sudden movement caught her eye. Her head snapped in the direction, and despite having live, wriggling prey trapped within her, she still moved at a lightning quick pace across the clearing, but it wasn't towards Elyssia…

Jora was too petrified to move, as Malika slithered over to her. She hadn't seen the whole thing, but she had seen enough to know that she was in very real danger of being killed right now. This was a cold side of the naga she'd never seen before and it was terrifying to say the least. What seemed like an eternity passed by as Malika reared up to her full height, towering quite easily over the giantess for a moment before slowly lowering herself face to face with the trembling woman. There was an awkward silence between the two as Malika, who seemed to be struggling with something internally, stared deep into her eyes, almost as if peering into her very soul itself. The long awkward silence was broken when Jora yelped as Malika's tongue flickered out suddenly and brushed against her cheek. The naga once again reared up and turned her head back into the direction of the quivering mass of neko propped up against the tree, before she looked at Jora and quietly moved up into the trees, disappearing without a sound or a trace…

After a moment of recomposing herself, Jora ran over to Elyssia who was so shaken up that she appeared to have become a few shades paler.

"It's alright, she's gone and I'm here," Jora said as calmly as she could.

"She… she… she's gone… she… she's gone!" Elyssia babbled nonstop.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but we really need to get moving. I don't know what's gotten into her, but I can tell you it's definitely not safe where we are now," Jora replied as she helped a trembling Elyssia to her feet.

"My sister… I couldn't help her… all I did was sit there… I let her die… I let her die." She babbled as Jora began to help her out of the clearing.

"I wasn't exactly much help either," Jora grumbled as she helped the neko out of the clearing. "Come on though; tell me where you live so I can help you get back home. I'm fairly certain she won't be back for awhile."

"Yes… home," Elyssia babbled as she shakily followed along.

'I'll definitely have to tell Jade and some of the others about this,' Jora thought to herself. 'I don't know what's gotten into that naga, but I'd hate for her or someone we all care about to get hurt until we figure all of this out. Of course... she didn't attack me when she could have easily done to me what she did to that other neko.  Maybe she's still in there somewhere afterall.'

Jora turned her head back towards the clearing once more as they moved off.  The reminder that one could always be bumped down a few notches on the food chain had never been so loud…