Within that Mortal Coil
"Master?"
A soft tone filled the ears of the cobra. A pained hiss leaving his lungs as he struggled to continue breathing. "Zurui!" The voice called again, just before the serpent felt small arms wrapping around his waist. Groggily opening his eyes, Zurui let out a soft groan as he first began to try and move.
"Kael..." he murmured softly, as he shifted his coils, gently hugging his mouse's hips with his coils as he sat up for a mere moment before swaying and flopping back to the bed.
"I'm here Master." Kael said softly, nuzzling against the snake's midsection a bit before the rodent released him to scoot further up the cobra's body, laying his head lightly on the serpent's chest.
"I told you to call me Zurui mousie..." the cobra mumbled quietly.
"Sorry..." Kael whispered as he nuzzled against the cobra's chest more.
"What happened?" Zurui mumbled.
"Your father got here a moment after you were bitten. Nazare was gone and her stallion servant was too. Her mongoose is currently being questioned by the council." Kael explained quietly.
"How long have I been out?"
"Four days." Kael said softly while snuggling closer to the cobra's side.
"Damn." Zurui murmured. "You alright?" he asked softly while running his hand down the mouse's back lightly.
"Small headache. Kire tells me that's not unusual around the remarking times." Kael said softly as he nuzzles lightly under Zurui's arm.
"He's right. I need to remark you tomorrow." Zurui said softly.
"I'll be fine Sir.," the mouse whispered into those cool scales.
"Have you just been sitting with me this whole time?" the cobra asked as he turned, snuggling the mouse to his chest.
"No, Kris was told to watch after me after he burst in on your dad...." he murmured.
"Surprised he's not dead yet....If dad didn't love that bunny he'd have stopped reforming him a few years ago." the cobra whispered. "What else happened while I was out?" Zurui asked softly.
"Well Kyuushi...." Kael began.
X_-Meanwhile-_X
"You have made a grave mistake in attacking my clan." Kuroi said with a violent hiss as he loomed above a bound figure.
"I did only as I was instructed." the figure replied expressionlessly.
"Give me a reason why I shouldn't have you destroyed right now." Kuroi demanded.
The mongoose simply sneered at the cobra before spitting on the ground. "Go to hell." he mumbled.
Kuroi descended into the center of the chamber, quickly whipping his coils around the already bound mammal, already working those muscular lengths of his body into a crushing grip as he hissed his fury into the echoing silence of the chamber.
"Kuroi!" another elder shouted as he burst into the chamber. "Release him at once, the council will decide his fate not you." Aoao said menacingly, hissing down at the other as he watched to ensure the other elder followed through on his command. The obsidian scaled elder leered at the gasping mongoose before releasing him, using his coils to fling the battered mongoose across the room.
"You definitely surprised me you worthless little animal." Kyuushi murmured as she slithered past. The mongoose sniffed at the air for a second before his eyes went wide. It was her scent, no doubt about it. But he knew he had literally bit her neck in half. "Awww, you look surprised." she mused while slipping her tail around the bound male's neck.
"The same way you get reformed. We put a temporary mark in place on Kyuushi and Zurui, just in case." Aoao said while slipping past the female. "Come now Kyuushi we mustn't play with our food.," the elder added.
"But I still haven't repaid him for the bite...maybe I should mark him....I do need more help around the pantry." she murmured as she narrowed her eyes on the mongoose. The creature's gaze quivered for a moment, a chill running down his spine as he began to thrash in his bonds.
"Well I doubt he knows anything about where Nazare is heading. He seems expendable." Byaku added as he slipped into the council chambers as well. "Zurui is awake now Kuroi, it appears the healers work was effective." he said softly as he locked eyes with his brother's. "He'll be able to take his place in the council in a few days." Byaku said with a calm voice.
"Good, then I'll be returning to my chambers now." Kuroi said gruffly, casting a leer at the mongoose before slithering from the room quickly. In truth the events of that night were foggy at best. The council had known this would happen and yet they risked his clutch in all of this. Worse yet was the guard that was placed on watch, to ensure Zurui's safety, had failed and was found dead a few hours later.
Things didn't add up and Kuroi was going to get to the bottom of it to be sure.
X_-Meanwhile-_X
"I see. Well that's good then. How has Kaji been?" Zurui asked his mouse as he nuzzled lightly into the male's neck a bit, keeping his coils curled affectionately around Kael.
"He's been around a few times. Kire explained a lot to me.," he said softly. "I'm sorry about you two..." Kael whispered.
"You're not to repeat any of that." Zurui said softly.
"I know Zurui...." Kael whispered once more. "You haven't eaten in a few days..." Kael said softly, nuzzling into his owner's chest a bit.
"Yeah...think you can get Kris in here for me?" Zurui asked softly.
"I could do that..." Kael began. "Or you could just eat me...." the mouse added with a dark blush filling his ears.
"Kael....you have to wait for Kyuushi to...." Zurui stopped himself when he fully completed his thought. "She already gave you the reform seal didn't she?" Zurui mumbled softly while smirking a bit. Kael smiled as well and nuzzled a nod into the serpent's chest. "I swear, first I'm gonna hurt Kris, then I'm gonna bap Kyuushi..." Zurui mumbled as he gave the mouse a light squeeze.
"Why?" Kael asked with a light nuzzle under the cobra's chin.
"Because I wanted to keep you from all of that..." Zurui said softly as he hugged the mouse to his chest. "I don't like the thought of putting you through all of that every time I get hungry. You're not a feeder mouse, you're my servant." the cobra mumbled as he rolled onto his back, keeping the mouse snuggled on his chest.
"And here I've been pushing it at you." Kael murmured as he nuzzled under the cobra's chin a bit more. "I just want to try it once Zurui..." Kael murmured again.
"Then will you leave it alone?" Zurui asked while lightly squeezing the rodent.
"If that's what you want." Kael said in a hushed and defeated tone.
"You really want this...." Zurui whispered.
"Yes...." the mouse said while sneaking a nuzzle to the cobra's neck. The pair were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, causing Kael to perk his ears and shift off of Zurui to lay next to him.
"Zurui we need to talk." Kuroi hissed as he slipped into the room, glaring at the mouse next to his son. "Don't you have duties to be attending to." Kuroi spat only to recoil a bit as he watched his son's hand hug the mouse against him.
"He'll be staying here father." Zurui said simply while meeting the elder's gaze.
"He's a servant and shouldn't be hearing what I need to talk about." Kuroi said with another hiss, his hood spreading a bit.
"Master it's alright I can go fetch Kris for you." Kael said softly, trying to extricate himself.
"Kael you don't have to." Zurui mumbled.
"Stay, go, I don't even care anymore. I need to know. Did Nazare say anything to you before she attacked you?" Kuroi demanded.
"She said this was revenge on the clan..." Zurui said softly.
"Alright. You know what this means then?" Kuroi said softly.
"When I take my seat the council will go to war with the vipers." Zurui said simply.
"I hate that my generation is dropping its problems on yours." the elder said quietly.
"So tell me why my elders practically offered me up to die." Zurui said a bit louder, his tone dead and his voice cold.
"I never wanted it...The guard who was supposed to be watching you was found dead a few hours after we found you. I protested this to the elders for weeks before she arrived." Kuroi said quietly, staring at the ground as he sighed. "They didn't listen; said that I was being paranoid over my first clutch. It took two weeks to get a reform stamp put on you and Kyuushi." he added while sighing again.
"Why didn't they use it on me?" Zurui pressed while glaring a bit.
"Kyuushi was reformed first. By the time that was done you were already stabilized by the healers."
"I see. And my position on the council?"
"Is to be vacated in two days to allow you and Kaji to step in for myself and Byaku."
"And?" Zurui pressed.
"I will not push your judgment but considering the events of this week the other council members will push to repeal the treaty we had with the vipers." Kuroi replied flatly.
"You want my first act to be one that will start a war." Zurui said chillingly.
"As I said, I hate to have my generation putting this on yours."
"Leave." Zurui shot back.
"What?" Kuroi asked while straightening himself.
"I said leave." Zurui answered flatly. "I'm not a fool father, your sole reason for wanting me alive is to restart a war you couldn't finish."
"You would dare talk to me like that?" Kuroi said with a hiss as he straightened himself.
"Father." came a soft voice from the door, cutting through the tension as the elder sat back.
"Aizouwan..." Kuroi murmured softly, shooting a glance to the door.
Kael perked his ears a bit and nudged Zurui a bit. "Who's that?" he'd ask with a whisper.
"It means Cherished one. Father's new clutch no doubt." Zurui said with a glance over to the door, his eyes catching sight of a small cobra, her hood spread and her eyes locked on Kuroi.
"Why did you come here, your mother is supposed to be keeping an eye on you." Kuroi mumbled as he slithered over and gently took her hand.
"She said I could wander a bit if I stayed out of trouble..." the smaller female said in a quieted tone. "Why were you yelling at him..." she asked while pointing at Zurui and Kael.
"Don't worry Aizouwan, it was nothing..." Kuroi insisted while shooting Zurui a look.
"Who is he?" the little one asked with a childish curiosity.
"He's....your older brother." he admitted while relaxing his hood. "He's also not feeling well, I'll have to introduce you some other time," he added with a light smile to the smaller female. "Come now Aizou." Kuroi added while leading the nagaling off. "Zurui, we will speak more on this later," he added before pulling the door closed once more.
"My, my, so early in the day and already the political nonsense is thick in the air." Zurui mused while nuzzling at his mouse a bit. Kael gave a soft whine as he snuggled closer.
"Zurui...what did he mean you're taking his place?"
"The elder council... The deciding force behind our clan. It consists of four elders; my father Kuroi, and my uncles Kurenai, Aoao and Byaku. Since my father was the first of his clutch to have an all male clutch his remaining sons are first in line to take the council's place."
"Remaining sons?" Kael injected.
"There's a story in that one too. Would you like to hear it?" Zurui asked as he gently ran his hand down the mouse's spine.
"Sure, what's it about?" Kael asked with a quiet nuzzle to his Master's chest.
It starts back at my birth. My father was proud of my clutch from the beginning, and since the day of my birth began preening us. Training us to be the next elders. I was the runt of the clutch back then. Every day I rested in my room and had meals brought to me, my schooling occurred when my father deemed it necessary. I had five brothers in my clutch. I don't remember two of their names. It's been years since they died and I was very little. But at the proving point before the elders for myself and my brothers they and my brother Kaze failed. Myself and my brothers Kaji and Shuurajou passed the test and were seen as adults in the eyes of the clan." Zurui paused, sighing softly.
"What about Kaze and the other two?" Kael asked timidly.
"They were deemed unfit to live and in accordance with a barbaric custom, those that passed the test were to take their lives in consumption." Zurui said with a quieted tone.
"They made you...." Kael whispered softly.
"Devour my brother Kaze whole. Before the elder council." Zurui said darkly.
"Gods...." Kael whispered softly.
"My father was left with three sons. Shuurajou, the strongest of us, Kaji, the politically minded and me the artistically gifted child." Zurui went on to explain. "The council must always consist of four males within the elder's line. Byaku's two sons will fill in as his clutch is the next two oldest and then myself and Kaji will fill in the remaining seats." Zurui explained.
"I see....I'm sorry that happened Sir." Kael said softly.
"Not your fault." Zurui replied with another light nuzzle to the mouse's cheek. "Now sit up mousie." Zurui said quietly. Kael did as he was told, sitting up onto his knees in the bed. Zurui coiled around him slowly. Squeezing ever so slightly he would raise himself as well, grabbing Kael's shoulder to stabilize himself before he leaned in closer, nuzzling his mouse's cheek lightly before gaping his jaws silently near the rodent's shoulder. His bite was swift, his fangs hitting the same marks as before to draw a wordless gasp from the mouse. Kael could barely register what had happened before the serpent had withdrawn his fangs and nuzzled against the rodent's shoulder. "I'm sorry my clan has you wrapped up in all of this too Kael." Zurui mumbled before slumping a bit.
"Zurui..." Kael said softly before he had realized what was happening. The cobra slipped and ended up in the mouse's lap, unconscious from overexertion. Kael sighed softly and gave the cobra a light rub against the his neck, his finger lightly tracing down his owner's spine before running back up again. To his surprise Zurui gave a light shudder, his hood exposing to the mouse. Kael was a bit shocked to see on the back of that hood that Zurui's clan symbol had been tattooed into the scales in such a way that the pattern only aligned when he spread his hood. Kael gave a soft sigh again and slowly shifted to lay down, allowing Zurui to lay on his stomach as he rested his head on one of the cobra's coils. Too much had been happening lately for the mouse to take count of it all.
All he felt like he could do now was simply pet over the cobra, churring softly as he smiled. At least he would be here when his Master woke up again whenever that may be.