DBoC - Chapter 1 (Patreon)

One thousand metres high, the great ironwood trees of the Shattered Jungle towered over the surrounding terrain, their broad canopies plunging the surrounding lands in perpetual twilight. Each of these indomitable trees had lived for thousands of years, the great river that wound through these jungles had fed them since before the current Age and would continue to do so, Heaven's willing, long into the next.

On one broad limb of the tree a patient hunter was lying still. A snake, long of body with a small, rounded head lay in wait as it had done for three days already. Hunger gnawed at its belly, it had been starving even before it had begun this vigil, but after one hundred years of stalking this jungle, the snake had learned to be careful, to think three times before moving once. Along the body of the snake the deep brown scales camouflaged against the bark of the tree and glistening here and there scars caught the light, mementos of lessons learned.

To the people of this world the snake was known as a Thousand Venom Taipan, feared for the variety of deadly poisons it could deploy through its lightning quick bite. There are many ways for a mortal to die in this land but the bite of the Taipan is greatly feared. It wasn't a unique Spirit Beast, or even a rare one. If not for the excruciating nature of its venom it would be wholly unremarkable as a Spirit Beast, not worth hunting, not worth taming.

The snake itself did not know of this. As a Spirit Beast it knew little, thought little. It was a collection of instincts and memories that had allowed it to stay alive for one hundred years of hunting and struggle. One hundred years of a desperate, secretive existence, striving to eat, seeking the prey and always hunting for the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth, the all-encompassing Qi that allowed it to cultivate and advance its strength as a Spiritual Beast.

The snake was frustrated. It had sought high and low on this Ironwood tree but had been unable to sense the flow of Qi. It knew from experience that a tree of this size was definitely spiritual in nature, had tapped a source of energy somewhere and that Qi flowed through it. Unable to sense it the snake could only assume that some other creature had already found and monopolised the source, drawing on the sliver of energy the tree allowed to escape its grasp.

It wanted to coil and spit but its discipline was as strong as the wood on which it lay. No matter how many times it was beaten to the prize it wouldn't stop. It would soon move on to seek again, but first it had to eat. The long and fruitless search had worn it down to the bone. Too weak to fight other Spirit Beasts directly the snake couldn't hope to challenge for a source of Qi, it would have to find one on its own, be the first to the finish line and so it had forsaken food in its desperate search only to come up short.

It wouldn't live if it were to descend the tree in this famished state so the snake had made a simple calculation. It would hunt something dangerous to gain sustenance even if it meant being exposed to risk, since moving to another location in its weakened state surely end in death.

So it had lain for three days, watching, waiting, barely breathing. In the branch above a proud Thunder Hawk tended to its eggs, the nest positioned deep in the foliage with leaves and branches curled around to conceal it even further. Even a careful hunter such as the Taipan had nearly missed it.

Having found it though, it was determined to make those eggs it's next meal. The difficulty lay in the mother. She protected her eggs dutifully, rarely leaving the nest, whilst the male hunted. These thunder hawks were intimidating to the snake. Massive hawks with a wingspan of over five metres and incredible speed. Combined with their sharp eyesight they were exactly the kind of bird that would prey on a Spirit Beast snake.

The circumstances were not ideal but the snake would make the best of them. If it was spotted raiding the nest then it would likely not survive the chase. So it continued to wait.

This was a lesson that continued to repeat itself over the life of this snake, patience will be rewarded, and indeed it was again. With a piercing cry the male hawk returned to the nest, bedraggled and flying with difficulty. The snake watched carefully as it laboriously winged its way back to the nest, leaving a trail of feathers behind. 

The male is injured, this could be the time.

Oh so slowly the snake began to unwind its six metre long body from around the branch it was perched on and inched its way towards the trunk. It would need to make its way up to the branch above and be prepared to take advantage of any openings that presented themselves.

With a whoosh the male hawk finally landed, falling to one side as it did so. The female moved close to inspect and nuzzle her injured partner. The snake knew this was a problem for the hawks but not an insurmountable one. These birds needed one member to tend to the eggs whilst the other hunted and it was still possible for them to sustain each other but they would need to trade places. The healthy female would leave, leaving the injured male behind. 

Two birds tended to each carefully, arranging feathers and ensuring that all was as right as it could be. Spirit Beasts are capable of incredible regeneration, given time and prey, the male would recover so long as he was fed. The snake was patient. Once it had made its way onto the same branch as the hawks it froze still and waited.

Eventually the female could delay no more. Nuzzling her partner and brushing her eggs with her feathers she prepared to depart, leaping out and spreading her powerful wings wide she unleashed a piercing cry. The male watched her go calmly before nestling down to protect his offspring and nurse his wounds. 

The snakes eyes gleamed but still it waited. It had to make sure the female was far away before it made its move lest she be summoned back by the cry of the male. Life or death hinged on success as it always did, no mistakes could be made.

The exhausted male settled further, nearly sleeping but fighting it off. It was his duty to protect the nest, he could not sleep. Still the snake waited.

Until it sensed the time was right.

After almost an hour the snake finally began to move. The male hawk was listing to one side, facing away from the snake and using its limited awareness to monitor the skies for danger. The snake judged it wouldn't get a better opportunity and began to move, as stealthily and silently as possible. The utmost caution was evident in its winding advance. Every sliver of bark, every twig, each leaf was inspected and cautiously manoeuvred around. Nothing could go wrong. 

Slow, and cautious is the approach. Once within striking distance the hunter pauses once more, gathering its coils with infinite care, preparing to spring. The hawk shifts slightly, adjusting its positioning over the eggs beneath it. It's difficult for the massive bird, injured as it is to remain comfortable in the nest but it endures the pain to make sure that it covers the young properly. It may have failed to provide for its mate but it would ensure that the eggs were protected and warm.

Wham!

The peaceful scene is shattered in one moment. Once fully coiled the snake launches itself like lightning, its mouth open wide, fangs bared and glistening with venom! That long body extends through the air faster than the eye can follow and before the hawk can even respond those deadly fangs are lodged deep into its back. A chill spreads immediately from the bite into the flesh around the wound, shocking the hawk with its intensity.

As the venom flows the snake allows itself a moment of satisfaction. This fight is already over. The perfectly executed ambush has allowed it to deploy the deadliest weapon of the Thousand Venom Taipan to full effect. The hawk has only moments to live.

Indeed the snake holds on, not releasing the prey as the hawk feebly struggles and flutters its wings. The venom spreads so quickly, flooding into the heart and then around the body, that the bird doesn't have a chance to call out to its mate before it breathes its last and goes still.

The snake holds on a few moments more, shaking the prey with slight motions of its head to ascertain if it's merely playing dead. Finally satisfied it releases its bite and disregards the body of the hawk. It's unfortunate but the bird is simply too large for the snake to eat. As much as it pained the starving predator to give up on such a feast it had no choice. Rather than waste time it turned immediately to the real prize.

Five eggs, each larger than the snakes' head are nestled inside the nest. In a flash they are gone, disappeared down the snakes throat and into its empty stomach. The sensation of food filling it again for the first time in so long relieved the snake to the point it momentarily relaxed and luxuriated. It had been victorious over death once again this day. It would survive to seek and hunt again in the pursuit of its cultivation, truly the only prize it could ever want.

Kiii!

A piercing bird call froze the snake still and destroyed its momentary reverie. It had to move! Like lightning it began to slither away, racing for the trunk of the tree as powerful wingbeats could be heard descending towards the nest. The female had returned!

Spitting mad, the snake admonished itself fiercely. Foolishness to stay still at the nest, even for one second! If it was seen escaping by the hawk then the hunter would quickly become the hunted and that was a chase the snake would be unlikely to win!

Just as the snake reached the trunk of the tree and reached out its long body to begin winding down the trunk the leaves began to rustle as the massive bird of prey descended on its nest.

Kiiiiiii!

Louder and closer this time the call rang out, filled with sorrow and rage. It only took a moment for the hawk to identify what had happened, its mate killed and the eggs gone. Casting its head about it could see the tail end of deep brown snake creeping down the tree. The hawk tossed the small rodent it had been carrying in its claws, snatched from outside a burrow it had found, and beat its wings furiously. 

It would catch this snake and feed on its flesh!