[Commission] Depths of the Forest
Final wordcount : 5855.
This is a story I wrote for dahwchooa, who ordered a 5k words story ! I am very happy to have had the chance to use their character Ashtra, I am always a fan of caring, motherly snakes. Plus, I have been considering doing something with this POV, so this was the perfect occasion for this ! Thank you again for commissioning me ! :D
The thumbnail is art of Ashtra by shikaro, you can go fav it right here ! https://www.furaffinity.net/view/35286072/
The scenery in this forest is absolutely gorgeous. As you keep trailing down the sinuous path of dirt among vibrant green grass, each turn seems to offer a new breathtaking sight : a lake, with water of crystal purity ; a stump, covered in unusual looking mushrooms ; a clearing, animated by the tranquil routine of wildlife ; a rock formation, reflecting the sunlight through its iridescent surface... It makes you glad to have taken a day to just wander through these immaculate woods, a quiet time away from a life that often proves mundane or stressful, sometimes even both. All these wonderful sights, all this fresh air soothing your body, make you feel like if you do not take a step further, you will always miss another spectacular sight. But how deep does this path go into the forest ? Frankly, you are not in the spirit to worry about that. Since you left your phone in the car for more peace of mind, you cannot tell the exact time, but you can still see the sun through the leaves anyway, so making your way back could not be so difficult. As long as you had the path to follow back...
A quick look at your feet fills you with panic. The path you just reminded yourself to rely on is not under your steps ! You quickly spin around, but it is too late, the trail is nowhere in sight. You take a few quick steps to check behind some trees you passed by, but still you cannot lay eyes on it. In fact, you are not sure where exactly you came from at all, and the density of the foliage blocking the sunlight is making it hard to see clearly. Now that you're paying attention to it, it seems the sun is nearing dusk, after all, its descent not helping your already dwindling confidence...
With nothing to gain from staying put, and a lot to lose from spending the night in a forest roamed by who-knows-what creatures at night, you pick a direction that feels like the way home and start walking. You cannot help but feel stupid for going on this trip so unprepared, without even a compass, the most essential of tools for any trip... when your harsh line of thinking, as well as your relatively aimless walking, are abruptly interrupted by the spine-chilling snap of a branch. And it is not just a twig, but a much larger tree branch--and much more importantly, it is right above you. You spin around towards the sound and start walking backwards slowly, heart pounding with dread, but still intrigued by an unreasonable curiosity as to what wildlife may be lurking above you. It only takes a few seconds before, contrary to your quick guesses, said creature chooses to make its presence very clear rather than stalking you. It is maybe the worst encounter you could have hoped to make at this time : the unbelievably large head of a snake parts the leaves of trees. You can only imagine the gargantuan proportions of the body concealed by the many branches... You watch petrified by terror as it flicks its long tongue through the air before turning towards you, slinking more of its endless neck down from above, drawing closer to what could only be its prey : you. You guess that it is definitely large enough to swallow you whole, and the muscles flexing under its skin could hold you perfectly still in its vise, if not downright crush you. As the predator eyes you from shoes to hair, you cannot bring yourself to move, taking in the stunning display of coral scales punctuated with what looks like diamonds of two purples you can't recognise, all of it ending in those slitted copper eyes, still observing you in their cold-blooded stillness. Finally, after a terrifyingly long staredown, the serpent's lips open...
-- Are you... all right, little one ?
You might as well turn to stone, hearing a giant snake talk to you, but the soft, seemingly feminine timbre of its voice is a warm caress that passes over your body, freeing you of your torpor. You are still faced with an unbelievably large predator, and the fact it called you "little one" gives you a peculiar feeling of discomfort, but you just... get the feeling that you are not going to die today. Obviously, the reptile is waiting for an answer, cocking its head to the side trying to discern your thoughts, because you cannot seem to speak a word.
-- You are not from here, that is for s~sure. Poor thing, you must be los~s~st, to be so far and so deep in the woods at s~s~such a time of day...
The way she talks to you--and you are sure it is a she, it makes you want to fall into her smooth hisses, and hug her for comfort. Her eyes gaze into yours, and you can see her compassion for you, how she understands your distress without you even speaking it. More of her body slinks down from her perch, but you are not scared of the motion, not even as she circles her neck around your shoulders. You simply let her have her way, relishing the dancing slide of her scale patterns as a weighty scarf is laid over your tired frame. You can hardly believe how much of you is covered by just a single half-loop of the animal. Her head nuzzles into your cheek, scales cool against your blushing, which you can only explain as embarrassment for not being able to put a single word together.
-- You can come with me if you want, s~s~spend the night in my refuge. I'll keep you safe. I'll keep you warm.
Something in you stirs when you hear those words, a little jolt of fear running through you. You have to check in her eyes to make sure, but there does not seem to be anything like mischief, no hint at a predatory double-entendre. It might just be a terrible idea to trust her like this, but the snake's smile is just too charmingly genuine for you to doubt. It must be the right call, after all. If she wanted a snack, she would have it right now, without please and thank you. Surely you would have better chances with this giant serpent than on your own, no one watching over you... Putting it that way sounds silly, but you have faith in it. Enough faith to finally stutter to the snake a few words on how lovely her offer sounds.
-- Aaaaah, I knew you were not mute, the serpent giggles in your ear. Of course I unders~stand my s~s~size may be intimidating, but rest ass~s~sured, I do not bite~
The partial loop the serpent had around your shoulders falls away, lowering itself to the floor as the rest of her body follows, graciously flowing down like sand in a hourglass. You notice the peculiar pattern on her back then, how the succession of diamonds starting behind her head begins fading further down body, leaving a length of it a perfectly immaculate coral. At first you thought it was just her tail, but even after the pattern disappears, more coils simply keep coming and coming, oozing in this serpentine elegance until she has doubled in size, or so you reckon. As her tail carefully lowers itself to grass level, you you find yourself surrounded by the sheer mass of the serpent, maybe more than fourty feet of coils, although it is hard to put a measurement on something so unusually sizable. The snake herself does not seem to mind being so immense compared to you, as her tail comes around to playfully tap you on the cheek, her own chuckling head on the opposite side :
-- If you are ready, we ought to get going. I do not live far, but the night is close, too.
You simply nod, intimated again now that the full greatness of the predator has been revealed. You even consider taking your chance and running away, but complying feels like the most reasonable option, really. A snake as large as her must have caught up with a lot of preys in its life, so you just have to hope her sympathy is not a malicious lure.
Before you, the snake begins slithering forth, her neck upright and swaying with elegance. You hesitate another second, but decide to follow her lead, walking by her side.
You were never the outgoing type, but this kind of company is keeping you particularly silent. How is one supposed to talk with a giant snake ? You quietly follow her, shyly looking down anytime her head turns to check on you. It is not exactly a displeasing experience however, just moving through the serene woods in silence. Judging by the kind smiles she gives each time she turns around, you can guess she does not mind either. After a few minutes however, the reptile sighs, giving you an amused look as she continues slithering :
-- Oh, where are my manners~s... I never introduced mys~self. My name is Ashtra, and I am a protector of this marvelous fores~s~st. Rest ass~sured, only good comes from me to visitors with kind intent. And who would you be, little one ?
Even though the title she calls you by still surprises you with its... unusuality, you manage to tell her your name ; it seems that just spending time around her was enough to build up trust, after all. You explain a little how you came to admire the woods, although you are still somewhat intimidated, and keep your explanation short as a result. Had you been more confident, you would have loved to compliment her on her pretty name, and even prettier scales ; come to think of it, Ashtra is the most gorgeous part of the wildlife you have had the chance of laying your eyes upon today.
-- I s~see, Ashtra nods. I must s~say I am honoured that the beauty of these woods would compel you to visit, little one.
Oddly enough, Ashtra insists on referring to you as "little one", despite now knowing your name. In a way, you do not mind ; her voice vibrates a pleasant affection, plus she seems so sincerely happy to have a guest, boasting a large and warm serpentine smile. You start to feel a warmth on your face, too...
-- Here we are, she says with her eyes forward. It might not seem to be much, but it is home, and there is no better place in the world than that.
You look ahead and spot a small wooded building past some trees. Upon getting closer, you discover a small hut, hardly the size you would expect even one person to live in ; it seems to be more of a hunter's or a lumberjack's shack, a place of passage during a day of work. But since a giant snake now calls the place home, you doubt you will come across a human resident there anymore...
Ashtra slithers onto the planks that serve as a doorstep, and opens the door by simply bumping the side of her large neck against it. Locking a door seems to be unnecessary so deep in the woods.
-- After you.
With a motion of her head, the snake invites you to step in first. You nod shyly and brush past her, for even when standing by the door, her girth takes a portion of the passage. And when she follows in, her body quite literally quite literally blocks off the exit. Strangely enough, being trapped in the hut with the predator is not so frightening...
The house itself is surprisingly well kept. You expected a lot more dust and perhaps even mold, but there is none of these. You can only spot the occasional spider web in the corners of the ceiling, but you suppose that is intentional, simply a manifestation of Ashtra's love for nature. Other than that, the place seems rather barren, only one room with a table under a window, opposed to a carpet in front of an unlit fireplace. The reptile probably had to make some room to fit herself in, but then again there must not have been much more furniture there before she took over. And that way, the window pours the light of the setting sun across the entire room, although it is getting darker by the minute. On cue, Ashtra comments :
-- It is a good thing I keep an eye out for wanderers, isn't it ? These woods are not so mean, but it is better to s~spend the night here than in the cold outside. Although, I cannot promise you much warmth, and even less~s light, for I am unable to use the fireplace...
It does make sense, lighting a fire must be difficult with no suited tool, and a fortiori, no limbs. However, you do have a lighter on you, and decide you might offer your help in that regard.
-- Really ? the snake answers, her eyes lit with interest. That would be fantas~stic ! And there still are logs left behind the house from the... previous owner. S~surely you could work something out, in that case ?
You nod, and squeeze your way past her and outside, since she takes so much of the little hut. Even with her bunching up to let you through, there is just a lot of her for so small a house. It is not a place made for receiving guests, nor a place made for gargantuan snakes. Still, you manage to find the logs behind the lodge, and are pleased to note the wood is dry. When you step back through the door, Ashtra is properly nestled in the opposite corner, attentively watching you, with a fluttering tongue expressing her interest. You place the logs into the fireplace along with a few sticks and dead leaves you found on the ground outside, piling it up properly before lighting the flammable base. The weight of Ashtra's head sits itself on your shoulder, and you see her watch the shy flames gradually rise, soon engulfing the wood they have been offered, in exchange producing a pleasant warmth, as well as casting over the two of you the soothing glow that only fire may give.
Suddenly, you feel something wrapping around your chest, before yanking you back. You land on the serpent's cushiony coils, a little disoriented to have been taken so abruptly, but that is to be expected with a constrictor of this size. You look up, and find Ashtra's head upside-down from you, approaching for a kiss on your forehead.
-- Oh, s~s~sorry if my manners are a little... s~straight-forward, she giggles. But I am just s~s~so excited to receive such a delightful guest as you. It gets cold and dark around here usually, but thanks to you, we will be keeping warm !
Her singing tone brings a smile to your face. She is very... loving, for sure, from how she is holding you against herself as if you were a teddy bear, to how she nuzzles into your hair gratefully, humming in satisfaction. As strange as you find that line of thinking to be, you could get used to being held in coils like that. It was pretty scary at first, but now that you trust the snake has no ill intent towards you, you can appreciate the novelty of her company, with even some kind of newfound fascination... You even work up the courage to express your enjoyment, making it mutual, by reaching up to the reptile's head with your hands. Seeing this, she happily lowers herself and slides her large snout between your palms, placing herself amidst your curious caresses. You rub your fingers along these elegant scales, watching Ashtra's smile extend as you scratch under her chin, behind her eyes, and...
You feel something wet at the tip of your finger, and realise you have accidentally slipped it into the snake's maw. It only lasts a very brief moment before you pull away, wiping it on your shirt as you mumble an apology, afraid to have made things awkward. Although you are too embarrassed to look her in the eyes, you are forced to meet her gaze when her head pushes up under your chin, a perky eye coming into view.
-- Oh, do not worry yours~s~self about that dear, hmhmhm. To be perfectly hones~st with you...
You feel the snake's neck circle around yours, but not close enough to choke you, instead holding you in what seems to be a rather intimate hug. Ashtra finishes in a whisper that makes your cheeks tingle :
-- ...I in fact rather enjoy guests poking around my maw. So pleas~s~se... do satisfy your curios~sity~
You stand motionless for a moment, between the coil you are laid against, and the serpent's heavy head sitting on your chest, staring at you. Did she just... say that ? Knowing the feeding habits of snakes, you do not think it advisable to explore one's maw, and yet... Well, you do not feel in any kind of danger with Ashtra. She simply stays there, her tongue playfully skimming your chin as it occasionally darts out. No, it's not just that it feels safe, you... It's hard to acknowledge it, but the concept of playing with her maw does have something alluring. Is it just the novelty, the sheer rarity of being able to safely try something otherwise so dangerous ? You get the feeling the appeal of her offer comes from something else that you dare not consider, nor do you dare take up on her offer. She did say she would enjoy it too, but it's just...
Interrupting your hesitation, the reptile lifts her head, and looking into your eyes, draws closer, closer... until the kiss is inevitable. Her lips softly land on yours, making your eyes open wide and your cheeks burn with surprise. You are perfectly frozen in place by this touch, but Ashtra herself seems comfortable having her ways with you, treating you like a long known lover. Her head tilts to the sides to bring the most out of the kiss, her lips applying a delicate pressure on yours before pulling back slightly, making you itch for the next push. You did not even notice when that happened, but your hands are now holding her head, keeping the both of you in this kiss, unwilling to have the moment end. You even close your eyes to better enjoy the moment, the sounds of your lips meeting, the feeling of saliva left on your chin by her fervour. And then, you sense your own lips open, parted by something that enters your mouth, and you can only guess as the snake's tongue. You shamelessly moan then, the sensation of that appendage having free reign in your own domain, making itself at home in your confines, the powerful muscle pushing against your tongue. You fall into the kiss further then, leaning back as the serpent presses more thoroughly, her tongue even taking the freedom to explore you deeper, sliding down your throat for just a moment, just a tease. After that, Ashtra pulls away, keeping between the two of you a rope of drool , a reminder of the kiss's intensity. You are winding, having been so lost in the kiss that it left you breathless, watching as the predator's head floats over you, licking her lips with explicit intent. And then, not saying a word, not giving you a direction, she simply puts her head back on your chest, the weight of it just like it was before. You look at her face, her eyes, and that discreet smile... And this time, you too want to explore your partner's mouth, so you let your fingers wanders the edges of her maw...
At first, you right hand caresses the sides of her lips, tracing the gap where her jaws meet. Just a little bit of pressure applied and they part slightly, enough for you to slip in a curious finger. As you could have expected, the inside of her maw is wet, but you are surprised to find it much warmer than her outer body is, the temperature of the saliva coating your hand sending a shiver down your spine. She probably feels it, for you sense a rumble in her neck, still atop your shoulders, the echoes of a chuckle. All around, coils are shifting, closing in, isolating you in this surreal moment where time seems to have stopped. Your breathing is slow and heavy, and with your hand completely taken in her maw, your index presses against the top of the room that you are given, feeling a row of soft teeth, harmless against your touch. Between her powerful coils cradling you and her ravenous maw safely allowing you inside, it is all so strangely safe, you feel ever so secure, more than you have ever been, right here in the predator's grasp.
Ashtra lifts her head to be at eye level with you, letting your saliva-coated hand glide out as you hold it lower. Her maw opens in front of you then, letting you observe the display it keeps hidden from the world. Healthily pink flesh, fading to a warm purple the deeper you look, before finally joining the clenching darkness that leads to her throat. The fleshy, plush sides of that maw seemingly converging towards that destination, made to welcome prey among these harmless teeth and ease it down that tunnel. And right under your chin, two holes, one which you identify as the one the snake uses to breath while she gulps down her meals, and out the other comes out Ashtra's large tongue, playfully licking the side of your face, covering it in a thin layer of saliva, contrastingly cool against the room's air compared to the warmth emanating from this entrance. And all of it glistening with a generous quantity of drool, some even dripping down now, thick drops falling onto your clothes.
But you do not mind the slime across your cheek, nor that falling onto your shirt. Your left hand reaches up to caress the reptile's chin, a full palm only able to cover a small portion of its enormous size, while your right hand, still wet, enters her predatory lair again. You feel so very small, surrounded from all sides by these huge bands of snakeskin and muscle, nonchalantly dragging themselves over your form while you stare into the maw so great that it could easily make you disappear. Your heart is beating heavily in your chest, and you continue caressing the danger of your situation, your heavy breathing mixing with the snake's as hers washes over your upper body. You run your fingers between these gentle teeth, you hold her heavy tongue in your palm, you even reach out to the back of her throat, seeing how deep your arm can go.
Suddenly, from deep within rings a wet clenching, her gullet tightening around your hand and for a second, pulling you towards the abyss within, giving you a taste of a prey's fate. You freeze there with your hand still on the edge of the point of no return, mind more bothered and agitated than ever. A primal feeling overwhelms you, something instinctive, but much to your surprise, it is not fear, not quite. Hunched over with your head practically in her maw, standing between her lips, you slowly pull your arm back, quite confused as what you are doing, moreover what you are feeling. Ashtra closes her lips around your shoulder and pulls herself back, your arm slowly escaping the tightness of that teasing cage, leaving your entire arm coated in drool once it is freed. She licks her lips clean of your taste and turns the side of her face to you, observing you with a single eye, an eye that, in the glow of the flames, seems to glimmer and pierce right through every last secret you hold.
-- You s~s~seem confused, little one. That is to be expected, you do not know how to feel about something so... s~s~special, yes~s ? But I think I will venture a gues~s~s...
You feel the tip of her tail cup your chin, holding your face towards hers, before it lets go and leaves you to stare at the serpent's knowing smile. The tip of her body instead reaches down and, without warning or hesitation, slides between your legs ; and there, under your pants, it finds the protruding grip it was looking for.
-- As ex~x~xpected, the serpent beams with pride. I am glad to see you excited, guests~s~s of your kind are so much more fun...
You remain stunned, unable to push the intrusive tail away from your erection. It is not that your are bound and unable to move, but more that really, you do not want it to move... No, actually, you just want it to be there. Unable to contain a gasp, you roll your hips, desperate to feel that tantalising touch through the fabric of your clothing. Seeing you attempt to grind against her coil, Ashtra giggles and undoes the coils she had around you, her head placing itself on top of your crotch. Her chin pressed against the bulge in your pants, her tail curls around your belt, pulling it and your underwear down with surprising dexterity. Seeing her expose your manhood uncontested hardly elicits embarrassment anymore, for you lust so much for it. You look down and now the serpent stands there, your erection in front of her, sitting in the middle of her face. Her eyes reflect her expertise of the art of teasing, and with a calculated flex of her tongue, she catches your shaft between the twine ends of her appendage before running it across your length, successfully getting an overwhelmed moan out of you. After removing your shirt in a blink and leaving you perfectly naked, her tail descends around your shoulders, gently trapping you in spiraling coils, the softness of her scales makes your stimulated skin tingle. You can only watch as Ashtra tilts her head to the side, getting into a better position to curl her tongue around your revealed glans, the flexible muscle lavishing you in slick, insisting caresses, coiling up and down, the snake occasionally kissing the very tip with a smirk. You are perfectly bound and powerless in this, and it feels so unbelievably good.
Naturally, you build up towards an orgasm in minutes. You feel like it is to come any second now, but you try your best to hold it in while still being unable to resist humping into whatever hold she has around your shaft, the stimulation she gives always changing, always surprising you with new delight. And yet, when you feel that you are about to reach your peak, when you are ready to spill inside the maw fondling you, Ashtra suddenly pulls away. You whine for her to finish as she raises herself to eye level with you, licking her lips to taste every last drop of pre you have left there. She then presses her nose against yours, her eyes so close to you now, and hisses :
-- If you'll humour me, dear, I have an offer to make. A mutual arrangement of s~s~sorts...
You weakly nod, bucking your hips in hope of finding anything to rub against, trying to reach for her coils, a touch you could quench your desire with, but find none. Her smile becomes a soft, loving kiss against your cheek, before her maw opens wide over your head, blocking the light from the fireplace as you freeze up inside her mouth. And even with you between her lips, she speaks, her warm voice surrounding you :
-- All you have to do is agree, little one, and I will make your night oh so pleasurable...
Your remain fixated on the gullet held above you, speechless. Although it is in the darkest part of her maw, you can see it squeezing and relaxing to the rhythm of her sibilant speaking, almost drawing you in.
-- Let me tuck you in, little one. Los~s~st deep down my coils, rocked gently by the flow of my body, surrounded in very as~s~spect by me. There is not a single place as comfortable, as s~s~s~safe as where I want to take you, love, so let me have you, and keep you all to mys~s~self for the night.
During her speech, her tongue plays with you, licking your face or downright coiling around it, around your neck, possessively covering you in drool.
-- I will not harm you... and you will be free to pleasure yours~self against my inner walls, as much as you like, before sinking into the most serene of s~s~slumbers~
The snake is predatory and dominant, having her ways with you as she uses your bust as a toy for her tongue, yet she is so gentle and respectful of you. After all, a single move and she could send you down her throat, making a meal out of defenceless you right here, right now. Yet, not only does she ask for your permission to treat you that way, but she also promises safety... a promise you know genuine. You feel her tail slowly curl around your member, tip sitting on your glans, keeping a good hold on it. You could probably use this opportunity to reach the climax you have been wanting, but you now are interested in something else. Above you still, the entrance of her throat dances, clamping onto itself, filling your ears with attractively wet sounds. You are no longer denying just how much you want it, how you want every single thing she described. The coils around you progressively relax, and you use this new freedom to free your arms and caress her throat from the outside, head still inside. You rub it downward, knowing that this pull will be enough to tell her. That this sign of affection will express how urgent your desire is.
No words are shared between the two of you. Instead, you simply feel the serpent's warm breath reach lower yet over your body, and your arms pushed down by the edges of her maw. The sounds of her throat become overwhelming, before finally you fall into it, feeling the welcoming passage close over your head, ready to pull you in. To the melody of her careful gulps, the slick flesh glides over your face and the back of your head, taking into this dark place our shoulders as well. Your arms are stuck to your sides when you feel her tail begin to work on your erection, having kept it firm and ready for this moment. Her coils hold you, her prey, in place while she slides herself down more and more of your body, pulling you into the tightness of her throat with long swallows. You whimper among the sounds made by her inner workings from her tail working to pleasure you while your crotch is still exposed, delightfully massaging your shaft in the gentle but firm spool of her tail. Strong, rhythmical presses send jolts of pleasure through your body, your squirming contained by the comforting tightness of your warm prison.
Soon however, you feel even your thighs at the edge of this intoxicatingly warm embrace, and the tail lets go of you completely, your erection taken into it as well. The tail has withdrawn before it could get you to come, but it is quickly followed by the permanent presses of that flexing throat. You hardly notice the snake tilting her head back to ease your dangling legs into her maw, for you discover new intense pleasure, that of feeling your member pressed against the slimy and cushiony surfaces inside the snake, her swallowing enough to rub your length most pleasurably. It is a truly incredible feeling, to be held entirely in this arousing embrace, unable to escape the continuous pleasure provided by your shaft being massaged along the bumps and recesses of that throat. The snake is wide enough for you to manage pressing your palms in front of you, finding the leverage to softly make love to your predator's inner hold while her tongue curls around your calves, slurping up the last exposed part of you. You moan into those fleshy walls, hips going faster while your feet finally disappear into the snake, and as her maw closes over you entirely, you finally stiffen up, your seed spilling into this already wet tunnel.
Encouraged by a pressure coming from outside as well as a melodious chuckle resonating all around your body, you vigorously hump the inner side of the throat you are descending along, milking yourself dry of all this accumulated need, stopping only when the slime of the serpent's gut has washed away all traces of your orgasm. You are quite tired then, exhausted and satisfied, enjoying the afterglow of your climax in the peace and darkness of this peculiar place. Your ears are filled with a steady sound, that of being slid deeper and deeper every moment, occasionally accompanied with a growl of Ashtra's rippling gut. In here, there is not a moment without a new press, leaving you quite lost in this journey, unable to guess how deep in your host you are. Your body is bent with her own serpentine movements, and you happily accept serving as a gut toy for her, satisfied to hear her distant singing, vibrating with predatory satisfaction.
Finally, you feel something open around your head, knowing you are being deposited in the reptile's stomach, this one a perfectly harmless chamber. Your entire body is accepted into it before a ring closes behind your feet, keeping you right where you belong. Soon enough, a concert of clenching rises, a lullaby for you as you feel a weight sit atop of you, surely Ashtra's head. You slowly run your hand across those walls as much as the tightening allows you, enjoying your last moments of lucidity in this peculiar yet heavenly place. After all the fun Ashtra has treated you to, you are quite tired, and you are sure she is happy to coil up in front of the fireplace and go for a deserved night's sleep, belly filled up with a friend. Somewhere you faintly hear Ashtra's voice amidst the rumbling of her belly, something you guess a "good night". You kiss the wall squeezed against your face, and let yourself be carried away by the melody of the serpent's inner working, the darkness helping you slide into a tranquil slumber.