Not everyone can be a Magi

[damein1234]

this is turning into an intresting story. i raza cobras!

[MrsEvilcookie]

CHAPTER 8

Spoiler

The snake room was very dark. The entire keep was settled in for the night, only the nocturnal creatures were scampering around. Darien closed the door tightly, walking to the tank. As usual, Jack the snake had not moved from his rock. Darien got closer, kneeling. He could see the grin appear on the snakes mouth.
“ah, little human. You returned so late?”
“I’ve come to ask you a few questions.” Darien admitted.
“and what might those be?”
“where are you from?” he stared at the cobras unmoving eyes.
“somewhere far.”
“please Jack,” Darien begged. “please speak to me. I need to know what you are. I don’t want anyone killing you.”
“why would anyone kill me?” the cobra asked.
“because your dangerous…?”
“well then why would you care? if I am dangerous, if I am truly the bad guy then why would you care what the good guys do in response to that?”
Darien let out a low breath. “I want to be sure you’re a not a bad guy Jack. I want to know that I'm not making a mistake by not telling anyone about you. So tell me, what are you?”
The snake laughed darkly. “child, I do not take sides. I am neither bad nor good. I do as I please and whatever benefits me. if I can profit from an action, then I will do that. if I have to kill, I will. If I have to run, I can. Do you understand?”
“so… who is Elemus?” he whispered.
The cobra let out an annoyed hiss. “he is someone that is always looking for more power.”
“is he a bad guy?”
“does trying to make life more enjoyable for yourself automatically make you a bad guy?” the cobra asked.
“so he's a good guy?”
“did I say that?”
“you haven’t told me anything!” Darien snapped, finally losing his patients. “all you have told me is you’re a careless bastard!”
“so what is your next move, little human?” Jack asked, sitting up. “what else do you want to know about me? you can not understand anything I would tell you, your simple human brain could not comprehend the information.”
“all I want to know is why Elemus was trapping you in a freezing cold room,” Darien said, shaking with anger. “why is that so hard for you to answer?”
“why should I have to answer to a child?” he asked amused.
“because I might have saved you,” he answered.
Jack looked at Darien for the longest time before speaking. “do you regret your actions?”
“I'm starting to,” he answered.
“and what are you going to do about it?”
Darien sighed, rubbing his head. “I'm not going to tell anyone. You seem to not want anyone else to know you can talk. I don’t want anyone killing you if you weren’t really a bad guy…”
“and in the mean time? Am I supposed to sit here and rot in this prison?”
“would you rather be with Elemus?”
Jack didn’t answer. Darien smiled a little. “I didn’t think so.”
“and what are you going to do when he comes back for me?”
Darien hesitated, thinking. “I just hope you will be more willing to speak to me by then. That way I can know what I will do.”
Jack didn’t respond. Darien only looked at him one last time, then left the room.

[WhatNames]

Sqwee!!! Write more, write more!!!

[MrsEvilcookie]

Jack does not make it easy to trust him...

chapter 9

Spoiler

Darien kept his little secret unknown to everyone else. Only James knew about Jack. Jack would talk each day, but never in front of James. It was frustrating and Darien didn’t understand why he kept his voice hidden. But there had to be a reason.
Darien had gone to the library in the keep, trying to find any information on talking creatures. Nothing came up and he was starting to wonder what this snake really was. It had been almost 2 weeks since Darien had first rescued him from Elemus and he hadn’t seen him eat.
It had worried Darien. He didn’t know if something was wrong with it. He hadn’t even seen it move. Every day it was on the same rock, just looking at the same place. When it spoke, it always used sarcastic tones and smartass remarks. It was hard to get a straight answer from him.
Darien was lost on what to do. He was worried that Jack would die of starvation, but it was as though the cobra was just waiting for something. Finally James suggested that Darien press the matter.
“you have to get him to eat, Darien.” He insisted. “find out why he isn’t eating or moving. Do whatever you have to. Just get him to eat.”
So Darien was on his way back to the room, with a cage of several mice. It was late at night. This was when Darien felt it was safest to speak with Jack. He walked in the room and closing the door.
Not surprisingly, Jack was lying on the rock. Darien walked up to the cage, letting out a breath. “I need to ask you something,” Darien said quietly
“and what might that be?” Jack muttered.
“why aren’t you eating? Why aren’t you moving? What is wrong with you?”
“there is no point to eating now.” He answered.
“what do you mean…?”
The cobra didn’t answer. Darien sighed in anger. “Jack you must talk to me! I am doing my best to keep you as comfortable as possible but I must know if there is something wrong with you! Are you sick?! Do you not feel well? Why wont you get off of the heating rock?”
“why do you care about my health?” Jack asked quietly.
“I don’t want you to die,” Darien answered, leaning into the cage. “I'm trying very hard to keep you alive. Please tell me what I am doing wrong?”
Jack gave a very taunting grin. “how long do you think you can keep me hidden? Do you honestly believe that you have gotten away with this act? Do you think that they will never return for me?”
Darien frowned, looking at him hard. “they’re going to come back?”
“you are such an idiot.” He hissed, shaking his head.
Darien rubbed his eyes, leaning into the glass. “Knock off the attitude for a moment! Is this why you aren’t eating? Because there coming back?”
“why should I eat if I am going to be taken again?” he made a shrug.
Darien looked at him, putting his hand on the side of the tank. “what does Elemus want you for?”
“why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“Jack, stop it!” Darien slammed his hand on the tank. He heard a wave of hisses sounding from all the other cobras that had just been jolted awake. Darien only had eyes for Jack. “tell me this, what do you want?”
“I want out of this god forsaken cage.”
“you will run if I let you out,” Darien pointed out.
“probably,” he agreed.
“I cant let you escape,” he shook his head. “not until I know more about you. And your not telling me anything useful.”
The cobra didn’t speak for a moment, then it rose up, glaring at Darien. “I guess you will have to trust your self on this one. Decide if I am good or bad. Maybe I am a good guy, acting innocent and charming-“
“you are not charming,” Darien muttered.
“or maybe-“ he continued. “maybe I am a bad guy, using my sly words and sarcastic manner to win you over. Maybe I want you to be curious about me, to win your trust so I can get out of here.”
Darien ground his teeth, swallowing hard. “why do you speak in riddles like this? why not just tell me who you are?”
“that’s for you to figure out,” he smiled wickedly.
Darien rubbed his head, looking him down. “will you eat at least? You can insult me much better if you have a full stomach.”
“I am not going to eat. Leave now so that I may rest in peace. I am tired.”
Darien glared at Jack for several seconds, then stood up. He walked to the door, leaving without another word. He was beginning to think that every night was going to end like this. no matter what he did, he couldn’t get closer to understanding what Jack was.
But its not like the cobra was making anything easy.

[WhatNames]

At this point I want to kick Jack. But then he might bite me...
Keep writing so I don't kick him by "accident".

[audioburst]

Nice story, please write moar! ^^

[MrsEvilcookie]

awww thanks guys!!!!!
im glad you like it. thanks so much for reading

Spoiler

This cobra was going to be the death of Darien. He just knew it. Darien couldn’t sleep, he was hardly eating. all he was doing was worrying about the cobra every hour of every day. Was he a good guy or a bad guy? Darien didn’t know.
He got up early in the morning, sliding out of bed. He decided that he was going to talk to Aprils naga companion. The naga always seemed caring to Darien, willing to listen. Maybe he would know what to do because Darien wasn’t going to sit back and watch Jack starve to death.
So he left the house earlier than usual, rubbing his eyes as he went through the sleepy town. He yawned loudly as he made his way up to the keep. He climbed up the stairs, going in the large doors. As always, the keep was a comfortable warm temperature, making it even harder to stay awake. Darien rubbed his face, knowing he had to get the dire wolves out into the yard first.
All morning he worked on getting everything straightened. He had walked into the snake room with a cage full of mice and poured them into the cage without a word. He had glanced at Jack, then walked out. Fine, if the snake was going to play games, Darien was going to stay out of it.
He walked back to the feed room to drop off the mouse cage. as he was putting it away the door had slammed open. Darien shot around in shock. Standing there was James, panting fast.
“god what is wrong with you?!” Darien demanded. “you scared the living-“
“Darien,” he interrupted him. “he's here!”
“what? Who?” Darien frowned.
“Elemus!” he hissed. “he is out front now! He is on his going to get inside the keep at any moment!”
Darien froze a little, “did you hear what he wanted?”
“he is asking about the cobra, he warned Ms. Carrel that there could be a dangerous raza cobra loose in the keep. She is about to sound off a warning! He is going to be heading up to your floor as soon as he gets inside.”
Darien shook a little. “what should I do?” he whispered.
“you have to get Jack to hide in the back of the tank somewhere. I can try to stall Elemus but I don’t know for how long. Now go!”
Darien nodded, running out of the room. He started charging up the stairs, knowing that he only had a few moments of spare time. He finally got to his floor, gasping for breath. He scooted along the floor, opening the snake room and slamming the door shut, panting.
He ran over to the tank, falling to his knees to become eye level with Jack.
“Elemus is back,” Darien panted. “he's asking about you. You must get in a hiding spot somewhere in the tank.”
Jack slowly rose up, his eyes were unmoved. “there is no point to hiding. He will find me. I suggest that you get out of here before he catches you with me.”
Darien bit his lip, still breathing hard.
“or stay here and have to explain how I got out of that box. Its your choice really,” the cobra muttered, sinking back down to the rock.
“please Jack, just TRY to hide! My friend is stalling him but he cant do that forever!”
“I warned you that he would be back for me. you didn’t believe me. now look where you are stuck. Go home and hide under your bed, child. Your work is done.”
Darien cried out in anger. He looked at the door, then at Jack. The snake hadn’t moved an inch. Darien let out a breath, trying to calm himself.
He looked at Jack hard. Was he a good guy or a bad guy? Did he belong with Elemus or was it wrong to hand him over? To this second, Jack had not relived who he truly was. He had fought every moment Darien had tried to speak with him. he couldn’t be trusted.
But then again, Jack had reviled his voice to ONLY Darien. The cobra refused to speak to anyone else. But it could have been a trick, a ploy to get Darien to like him. Darien ran his fingers through his hair.
He was going to have to trust his gut.
He jumped up, yanking the sliding glass top open. Jack didn’t even have time to react as Darien shot his hand into the tank, grabbing him. He ripped the cobra out, closing the lid before any of the other cobras could even realize that it had been open.
And now Darien was holding an 11 foot raza cobra.
His heart pounded as he locked eyes with the snake. Jacks neck frills were fanned out as he let out a low hiss. Darien was holding him a few feet below his head, which meant that Jack could strike and kill him.
Darien was frozen by fear now, scared to move. But when he heard a noise behind him, he looked back. There was a loud curse as a door was slammed open.
“are all the servant boys in this place useless?!” a voice demanded.
Elemus. Darien could hear him stomping around outside the door. He looked back at Jack and the cobra didn’t move. He was still fanned out, glaring at the door. Darien closed his eyes tight, grabbing Jacks neck closer to his head with his other hand, then he shoved the cobra into his sleeve.
Servants clothes were very loose. They were much like robes. He grabbed the cobras body, feeding it into his sleeve. Jack could easily bite him now, but instead he willingly allowed himself to be shoved into the clothes. He started pulling himself around Dariens torso, hidden by all the clothing.
Just as the tip of his tail disappeared into the sleeve, the door was slammed open.
Darien jumped, eyes wide. His heart stopped as Elemus glared at him.
“you, boy!” he snapped. “you better be of some use. I have been fighting with another child in this dreaded keep all morning. I have never met anyone so useless!”
“w-what can I do for you, sir?” Darien stuttered, feeling Jack tighten around his chest.
Elemus strode into the room, glaring at the cobra cage. “it is very important that you answer this, have you seen any cobras loose in the keep?” Elemus hissed.
Darien shook his head fast. “no sir. These are all the cobras I see all day.”
“boy, in my room was a locked chest,” the man whispered with venom in his voice. “you are the only one who cares for this floor. You wouldn’t happen to know who had gone into my room and touched my personal belongings, would you?”
“n-no sir,” Darien shook, stepping back as Elemus stepped forward. “I didn’t s-see anyone go into your room.”
“you wouldn’t be LYING to me, would you?” he whispered. “I don’t want to have to check myself,” he held up his hand and it started to glow red. Dariens eyes went wide. He stepped back, shaking all over now.
“i-I don’t know anything about your room sir!” Darien cried. “I swea-“
“what is going on in here?!”
Both Darien and Elemus shot around, seeing Aprils naga companion standing at the door. He glared in at Elemus.
“I was just inquiring about a missing pet of mine,” Elemus said innocently, his eyes were burning with anger.
“I see. Little human, do you know about any such thing?” the naga asked, looking at Darien.
Darien shook his head as fast as he could.
“then that settles it.” The naga said quietly. “he knows nothing about your missing pet. Leave the child be. Leave. Now.”
Elemus glared at the naga with venom. He looked back at Darien, then smoothly walked out of the room. Darien almost collapsed with relief. The naga watched the man storm down the stairs, then looked back at Darien.
“did he hurt you, little one?”
Darien shook his head, swallowing hard. “no. he didn’t. thank you very much for coming.”
“he should not have acted like that. I am going to speak to someone about this. the keep is no place to act like a beast.” The naga said quietly. “I would suggest that you head home. Stay out of his way until he leaves.”
Darien nodded, slowly walking to the door. He smiled at the naga, bowing a little. “thanks again,” he said quietly, the quickly scurried away.
Darien didn’t stop moving. He snuck out the back way through the keep, hearing Elemus yelling at someone else. He didn’t stay to hear what was said. Instead he charged out, running as fast as he could home.
He got home, slamming and locking the door behind him. he panted loudly, sliding down. He looked down at his robes, then unbuttoned, them, chest still heaving. Jack was wrapped around him, slowly loosening the coils. He started to move out of the robe, collecting himself in front of Darien.
The two of them didn’t move. Darien tried to slow his pant.
“why?” Jack asked quietly.
Darien tried to swallow. “I'm wasn’t going to let him take you back to kill you. I don’t know who you are but you’re not the bad guy out of you and him.”
“I do not understand. you just risked your life. Elemus could have killed you as easily as I could have. What made you act?”
Darien leaned his head against the door, closing his eyes tight. “I don’t know,” he whispered. “I… I just trusted my gut. It told me that you are not bad.”
The cobra glared at him, then looked around the room. “so what now, human?”
Darien didn’t answer. He had no clue. The day had started out so normal, but now he had an 11 foot cobra sitting in his living room.

[damein1234]

lol! i like your siggy
keep up the story!

[MrsEvilcookie]

i love raza cobras. magistream needs to make more snakes


chapter 11

Spoiler

Darien and Jack still sat in the living room, not moving. Darien was scared to move. He was scared that Jack might try to bite him. Jack on the other hand was just staring at him. the cobras eyes looked as though he was looking into Dariens soul.
“you fear me,” Jack said quietly. It wasn’t a question.
“yes,” Darien admitted.
“why is that?”
“because your one of the most poisonous creatures that this world has ever known.” He answered. “and now that your out of danger, I do not know how you will act.”
“those are very good reasons to fear, but you do not need to. I will not harm you.”
Darien slowly sat up, letting out a scared breath. “y-you wont?”
He shook his head. Darien nodded a little. “are you just going to leave now?”
“I could,” he said quietly. “but I think it is a better idea to stay and hide until Elemus gives up his search here and goes somewhere else.”
“you wish to stay here?”
“its not like I have much of a choice, now do I?” Jack muttered.
Darien swallowed a little, then moved his arm and slowly brought it over to Jack. The cobra watched him very carefully as Darien brought his hand to the cobras head. With eyes closed tight, Darien laid his fingers on the top of his head.
Jack didn’t move an inch.
Darien risked a peak, barely opening his eyes and seeing that he was touching Jack. He smiled a little, carefully running his hands down the cobras head and back. He pulled his hand away, letting out a relieved breath.
“you can stay here. I can hide you in my room.” Darien said quietly. “let me take you there.”
He held his arm outstretched to Jack. the cobra looked at it, then slithered over it and coiling around a little for support. Darien smiled, walking upstairs and holding his arm out. Jack sat up, looking around. Finally Darien got to his room and he opened the door, walking in and closing it tight.
“so this is my room,” he said quietly. “its not much but… you know.”
There was only a dresser a bed and an empty shelf in the room. The floors were wooden, no carpet or anything. Darien walked over to the window with a large curtain over it beside his bed. He allowed Jack to slide off his arm then he opened the curtain, letting light flood into the room.
“its not going to be as warm as the keep… nights are getting cooler now but I'm going to do my best to keep it warm for you.”
“your such a child…” Jack muttered.
“yeah well… you can leave when you want. My only request is, do not revile yourself to anyone else please. I could lose my job and I need it very badly.”
The cobra sighed, slinking into the sunlight on the bed. He curled into a ball. “as you wish.”
Darien frowned a little, carefully sitting beside him. “is there something wrong?”
Jack gave a sarcastic laugh. “I have to hide under the care of a child. I am not happy about my current situation.”
Darien didn’t respond immediately. Then he said “did I make the right choice? Elemus is the bag guy, isn’t he?”
“you trusted your gut and seemed to have made the right choice.” Jack answered. “that is all I can say.” Then he sat up with a smile. “you know, the best magi follow their gut like that.”
“I am NOT a magi!” Darien hissed. “do not start that again!”
Jack laughed, shaking his head. “your anger towards them amuses me. what has caused such strife at their name for you?”
Darien muttered a little cure, “because there all lazy.”
“lazy? How so?”
“they run around the world collecting pets, then they just drop them off for us to deal with! Then-BAM! Off they go again to get more! They just don’t take responsibility of that they have!”
“ah, I see! You are jealous of them.”
WHAT?!” Darien demanded. “I AM NOT!”
“yes you are. All your life you have had to work your fingers to the bone just to get what you want. And you don’t even want much. You have never gone on an adventure, you have never gotten that freedom, you are stuck in a rundown house, not even able to play as a child should.”
Darien didn’t answer to that, he stood up, refusing to look at jack.
“you know, you do not have to be a magi to go on an adventure.”
“some of us have responsibilities,” Darien said quietly. “some of us cant just go running away wherever we want. But enough of that. are you going to be comfortable here?”
“I suppose I shall be content.” He nodded.
“will you eat?” Darien asked quietly. “it has been weeks since you have eaten.”
Jacked sighed, curling tighter into a ball. “fine, if it is your desire, then I will eat.”
“your being very agreeable…” Darien muttered, now suspicious. “what changed?”
“you have shown me that you might be an idiot, but there is still hope for you yet.” Jack said quietly.
“what do you mean?”
“I mean you decided that I needed help and you helped me at the risk of your own life. You might not have a brain but you have a heart.”
Darien sighed, rubbing his brown hair. He looked out the window, wondering what he was going to do. He was going to have to go back to the keep tomorrow, but he didn’t want to face Elemus again.

[MrsEvilcookie]

NEXT ONE!

chapter 12

Spoiler

That night, Darien had told his parents that he had left the keep early because he didn’t feel well.
“are you sick?” his mother asked worried. She rushed over to him, feeling his forehead.
Darien shook his head. “I think I'm just tired.”
“oh you poor child,” she huffed. “go get some rest. If you are still up I will have dinner ready by the time your father comes home. Alright?”
Darien nodded, heading back up the stairs and into his room. He closed the door tight, seeing jack still on the bed. It had started to cool off now that the sun had set. Darien walked over to the bed, sitting on it. “can I ask you some questions now?”
“I don’t see why not,” he answered in a mutter.
“who are you?” Darien asked quietly.
“talk about anything but that,” he sighed.
“alright, where are you from?”
“skip that one to.”
Darien frowned in frustration. “well then why did Elemus have you?”
“next,” the snake smiled a little.
“what questions are you WILLING to answer?!” Darien exclaimed.
“anything that doesn’t have to do with myself.” He answered quietly.
“but… that’s what I wanted to talk about…” Darien pouted a little.
“well then find someone else to ask.”
Darien sighed in anger, shaking his head. “I don’t understand you! One moment you are talking, the next you are back to your sarcastic attitude! Why?!”
“I am not going to tell you my life. That is not your business so I suggest you drop it.”
“but… I mean… I helped you…”
“yeah, you did. And if it really bothers you that much then bring me back” jack said quietly.
Darien looked at him for the longest time, then sighed and lied back in the bed. “I cant give you back up. Fine, if you going to be stubborn then so be it. Its not like I'm risking my life for you or anything, right?”
Jack didn’t answer. He just stayed coiled in a tight ball, trying to trap in heat. Darien wished he could have been at the keep. The heat rocks were all powered by magic. The moment they left the keep, the rocks turned back to ordinary rocks.
In other words, besides cuddling with him, Darien had no way of keeping jack warm. And he was not willing to cuddle with an 11 foot raza cobra.

In the morning, Darien woke up late. He sat up, rubbing his head. At his feet was jack, curled on to of the blankets like a cat. For a moment, Darien wondered if he should wake him. but when he crawled out of bed, the cobra stirred, sitting up.
“good morning,” Darien said hesitantly.
Jack yawned, flexing his fangs as he did so. “what is your plan for the day?” he asked, slithering near the end of the bed.
“I need to get to the keep. I'm already running late.”
“and what if Elemus questions you?”
Darien froze for a moment, then said “I will get the nagas help. He will stay with me if Elemus chooses to corner me again. And as long as you stay here, then he will not find you.”
Jack didn’t answer. Darien looked back at him, unsure.
“when… when I come back… are you going to be here?” he asked quietly.
Jack looked up at him. “I will be right here. I have nowhere else to go, now do I?”
Darien smiled a little, nodding. He walked to the door, opening it and walking out.
“Darien,”
Darien stopped, turning around. Jack stared at him. “thank you.”
“you… you called me Darien…” he said stunned.
“that is your name, isn’t it?”
He nodded, still in shock. “you have never called me by my name…”
The cobra looked at him, then lied back on the bed in the morning light. Darien closed the door, silently walking down the stairs, eyes wide.
At the keep, Darien was immediately ripped to the side by James. They stood, hiding in a bush.
“where is the cobra?” James whispered. “Elemus is tearing apart that entire floor. The whole keep is on alert.”
“he's at my house,” Darien explained carefully.
James frowned a little. “do you have him in a cage?”
Darien shook his head, explaining quickly what had occurred. James listened with disbelief, shaking his head. “he really just hung on you while you ran away? he didn’t try to bite you?!”
“no, and since he has been out of the tank, he is talking to me more. He… he's nicer.”
James rubbed his head. “You need to take the day off. Stay out of the keep. Elemus is on a rampage. The other magi are trying to calm him down but I hate to think what would happen if he got a hold of you…”
“i… I cant just go home…”
“he's using his hellhounds to cover the entire keep. the two of them are on a mission.” James said quietly.
“I left early yesterday! What if I get fired?”
“there not going to fire you,” James rolled his eyes. “you do way to much work. I'm going home as well. I don’t want to be anywhere near this place until that guy is gone.”
“I cant go back home yet… jack promised he would eat! I have to get him some food. I need a few mice.”
“really?! Your going to risk being caught to grab a mouse?!”
Darien got out of his grasp, sneaking up to the front of the keep. James grabbed his arm again. “wait Darien-“
“I need to get him some food-“
“stay here. I’ll go get a few mice for you. Alright? I don’t need you getting caught…”
Then without another word, James shot inside. Darien waited anxious, looking at the windows. He wondered if Elemus could find jack with magic. The thought made his stomach jump. The last thing he needed was the magi showing up at his door.
In a few minutes, James was running out of the keep with a small cage of mice.
“there’s three here. if you need anymore then we can always come back. Come on, lets go home.”
Darien made a face, looking back at the keep. James grabbed his arm, pulling him away. “I hope your little snake pal was worth this.”
“he still wont tell me who he is. I mean he's talking a lot nicer to me now, but when I ask him about himself, he becomes bitter again.”
James looked at him. “are you sure your making the right decision here? maybe you should just give him back to Elemus.”
“I have a feeling in my gut that tells me that is the wrong choice.” Darien muttered. “I think Elemus is a bad guy.”
“how?”
“just the way he had caged jack. He was very close to death when I found him. I don’t think any GOOD magi would treat a creature like that. even if that creature is evil.”
“is there anyone else you can talk to about this?”
“not that I know of. I don’t want anyone else knowing about jack until I can find out more myself.”
“could I meet him?”
Darien gave him an unsure look. “he wont talk to you…”
“maybe, but he knows that I know about him. maybe he will talk to me if he is in your home.”
Darien bit his lip,” I guess we could give it a try… but please don’t stress him out.”
“your starting to sound like a magi,” he laughed.
“don’t you start that to!” Darien hissed, holding the cage of mice.
The two of them got back to Darien’s home and he led them up the stairs. He still had the mice in his hand as he opened his bedroom door.
Jack was lying in the sunspot on his bed. Darien walked forward and jack slowly sat up. When he saw James walk through the door, his neck flaps immediately poofed out. He let out a low warning hiss.
“jack, please stop that.” Darien almost begged.
James looked at jack wide-eyed. He looked over at Darien. “I thought you at least had him in a cage or something?!”
“why would I do that?” Darien muttered, carefully stepping to jack. “look, James is my best friend. He was the one who stalled Elemus so that I could get you to safety. He saved you.”
Jack didn’t relax. He still locked eyes with James. When James took a step in the room he hissed loudly, opening his mouth and showing his fangs.
“knock it off!” Darien snapped, standing between them. jack looked up at him. “please jack, he knows you can speak. You have to trust him.”
Jack didn’t relax. Darien looked back at James and motioned for him to come forward. Slowly the other boy did, keeping a very careful eye on jack. As he got 5 feet away jack let out another hiss, glaring at him.
“I don’t understand why you only speak around me,” Darien said quietly.
“because you’re the one who had the guts to save him,” James answered, looking at jack.
“look, I know you have never heard him talk, but you have to trust me. he's a good creature! He just has an attitude problem.”
“Darien,” James smiled a little. “you have an 11 foot cobra lose in your room. You wouldn’t do that unless you knew that the thing wasn’t going to hurt you. And your right. He hasn’t bit you yet. I believe you. I know he is smart, he just doesn’t want to show it yet.”
Darien looked at jack one last time, eyes desperate. “will you please speak to him? just one word to prove I'm not crazy?”
Jack hissed.
Darien moaned, rubbing his face. “I hate you,” he muttered.
James half smiled. “he will show me when he is ready. Ill leave now so he can relax. Stay away from the keep for a little while, alright Darien?”
“yeah, got it,” Darien said glumly. He watched his friend leave, closing the door behind him. Darien turned to jack, glaring.
“what?” jack asked innocently.
“what did I do to deserve this?” he demanded.
Jack gave a chuckle, shaking his head and lying back down.
“don’t you laugh this away!” Darien snapped. “why wont you talk with him?! your making me look like an idiot!”
“you don’t need me for that,” jack muttered.
Darien cried out in frustration, grabbing jack and yanking him off the bed. He held him just below the throat, glaring at the cobra. “what. Is. Your. Problem?!” Darien exclaimed. “tell me!”
Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. “has anyone ever told you that you have anger issues?”
“I DO NOT HAVE ANGER ISSUES!” he yelled. “now tell me who you are before I strangle you!”
Jack glared at him. “then do it.”
Dariens fingers twitched. Jack made no move to get away as he held his eyes. Darien shook, finally sighing and setting jack back on his bed. He fell next to the cobra, rubbing his face. “I hate you,” he muttered.
“yeah,” jack laughed, moving back to his spot. “I know you do.”
They sat in silence for a moment, then Darien pushed the hair from his eyes. he stood up, grabbing the mouse cage from across the room. he brought it to jack.
“you said you would eat. Will you at least eat?”
Jack sighed, sitting up. “fine, open the cage.”
Darien did as he was told and one of the mice immediately tried to run out. With movements to fast to see, jack had grabbed it, holding it in his mouth as he let his poison spread through it. Darien had seen cobras eat hundreds of times, but there was something different about the way jack did it. Darien had never seen anything move so fast.
Jack finished the mice quickly. He swallowed the tail of the last mouse, then licked his lips. He looked up at Darien. “so what are you doing home so early anyway?”
“Elemus is tearing apart the keep trying to find you. James was scared that he would find out that I hid you.” He muttered, lying back.
“I see. And you are still going to try to protect me?”
Darien looked over at him, nodding. “yeah. Even if you are a pain in my neck, I am going to help you. I wont let him get you. I promise.”
“you know you might be in danger from protecting me.”
“yeah, well so be it,” Darien muttered. “does it look like I care about danger? I am lying next to a raza cobra.”
Jack didn’t respond. He only curled up in the light of the bed. Darien sighed, closing his eyes. “I don’t regret it,” he muttered.
“what?” jack muttered back.
“I don’t regret helping you.” He answered. “even if you are nothing but a pain. I would do it again.”
“and that just makes you a bigger idiot,” jack laughed.