Beloved leaned back to see her big snake carefully rubbing the eggs. "I am a bird, I do lay eggs, a few times a year, now I have hundreds."
Ashton nodded along, "She will lay eggs, 3 or 4 times a year, what to do with them… well we were unclear."
Haven watched the birds… they did not appear attached to the unfertilized eggs… still it was a shame. Each egg… a potential offspring.
"Big snake it is late, big snake are you sad? I will hold you, through good, through bad." Beloved said jumping up to hug her big snake. She dropped light pecks along his forehead.
Haven shifted so she sat on his arm, "Perhaps… it will pass. Yes it is late. Eat up." Haven offered her the neglected mug of warmed honey milk.
Beloved accepted the mug with both hands. It was as big as her head! Taking sips she relaxed into Haven's arms.
Haven lowered himself so the smaller birds could also reach the mug. Each darting in, taking a sip, then darting off. Haven took note of which birds preferred which drinks.
Ashton blinked slowly as a yawn threatened to escape. His milk had a slightly bitter cocoa taste. He enjoyed it more than the honey milk.
Beloved didn't protest when Tou escaped with her mug. Haven didn't miss a beat as another mug of milk was offered. It was pink! She took a sip of the chilled… cherry? Strawberry flavored milk. She perked up as she shared. "Oh this one is new! This one I like, I'll learn how to make, how did you think of, big snake?"
Haven smiled as the flock gave astonished chirps. The birds were soon ruffling their feathers as they settled. It would seem, his Beloved would need meals on a regular schedule. Haven could go a hundred years without eating. Adjusting to not just a temporary companion… but a mate…
Haven gathered the sleepy birds in his coils as he made his way to the nest.
Beloved blinked, hugging her big snake, "Big snake will you sleep? Will you sleep with me? If the nest is no good, you can pick, a cave, a tree, against a piece of wood. Whatever you like, us together, that's all that is should."
Ashton blearily glanced around, the moon was bright enough to see, but nothing in particular seemed to have caught the big snake's attention.
"You… said something of trees? What kind do you prefer?" Haven asked glancing over the mostly destroyed forest. There were trees… but none large enough for their current nest. Not to mention… they would be crushed under his weight.
Beloved's eyes remained closed as she answered, "A tree that is wider! A free with some fruit! A tree to sunbathe, with a snack easy to loot."
Ashton leaned into the warm feathers, "A tree that has vines, a precious nest easy to hide, large enough for a family, large enough for several birds to coincide."
Haven searched, nothing in the immediate area. Raising himself up he looked over the land… surely a such a tree would be easy to spot. Haven experimented with rifts, he could feel all the wind touched, but seeing was a little different.
Wrapping the sleepy flock in his tail, Haven shifted back to his primordial form. Growing large enough for his body to fill the clearing before he opened another rift. This way, he could simply pluck the desired tree.
Sebastian's eyes widened seeing how large the snake god had become in just the blink of an eye! The rift he opened was large enough for an entire mountain to fit through… what manner of tree would require such a rift?
Haven's eyes constricted as he reached a wing through the rift. He felt the barriers simply shatter as his claw wrapped around the trunk of the tree. Ignoring the startled residents as he started to carefully excavate his prize.
Leonard heard the screams of alarm before he realized what he was seeing! Hundreds of elves were now shooting arrows at the snake god!
Devlin thought he was having a heart attack as he recognized one of the elves in particular… Idril was pulling on a golden bow. Devlin could feel the spell through the rift. It had to be… seventh, possibly eight tier! The very air was warping around him as mana was sucked in.
"GET DOWN!" Rommel roared grabbing Zane as he turned his back to the rift! If that arrow came through the rift… they'd all die!
Idril had been in council with the elders, his father included. A disturbing presence had disrupted the air over the forest. The entire clan had been unsettled after the battle in the empire. Whatever had shaken the earth was not to be taken lightly.
Eldwin had just been about to set off to fortify their territory when a space opened up over the Mother Tree. "TO ARMS! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" He roared pulling his bow from his spacial ring. To his horror a giant wing larger than the Mother Tree was reaching toward them!
Before he'd even strung his first arrow, half a dozen druids had descended, vines shooting from the ground to try impeding the wing! They were ripped from the earth like a flaming sword through dry leaves.
Not even five breaths had passed, yet dozens of fae had arrived to defend the Mother Tree. Spells, arrows, vines being fired off without hesitation! Even the Mother Tree had wrapped her willow like branches around the wing approaching her. Electricity sparking from her branches in an attempt to deter her assailant.
The Mother Tree's avatar, along with the silver golem manifested just as the claw wrapped around the Mother Tree's trunk! The golem wielding an enchanted ax started to charge until everything came to a stop.
Even the falling leaves halted. All except two bursts of fire, one white, one red.
"Kyaaa!!!! Big Snake I don't want it! Big snake this tree talks! If this tree we do nest in! Endless fae will then squawk!" Beloved cried as she fell on her big snake's face. She laid herself out as much as possible, trying to cover his eyes. Unfortunately, she couldn't even cover a single eye.
"We don't want this tree! We don't want this tree! The fae will all cry! How could we then sleep? Either nest or fae to survive!" Ashton agreed hanging onto the claw currently wrapped around the mother tree's trunk.
Eldwen collapsed as he regained control of his body. Looking up to see Young Song clinging fearlessly to… a feathered serpent… Beast gods above… one had descended to take their Mother Tree!
Idril felt sweat trickling down his face. His spell had been interrupted… the backlash should have crippled him… yet his mana simply dissipated. Returning to his reservoir as if he'd never started the cast. A quick glance around confirmed all the others were equally startled.
Ashton hid his face in Haven's feathers, "Psst big snake this tree is big, yes it is strong, but it homes so many… they'd follow in endless, sad song." As if to agree, all then of his golems were hopping on the wing bone, chirping in alarm as they pointed their wings at the agitated fae.
Haven glanced over the area, slowly he released the tree. That had not been a consideration of his. Of course, he did not hear a talking tree… but if the birds were so adamant, well there had to be others more suitable.
Ashton peeked at the started fae, "Pretend you saw nothing, no real harm did we cause, a couple of months, the better for all." Ashton waved to the fae, the fact that they get to survive defying a god is a miracle in itself. Lucky for them, Haven was not so unreasonable.
Idril stared after Young Song… the power to halt a god… no beast of sin or virtue had such power.
Eldwen stared as the ring of nearly transparent feathers simply… vanished… his heart was still pounding, his hands trembling. He turned his horrified gaze to Idril…
Beloved glanced over her shoulder as the rift closed, oops… "Big snake that tree is ideal, a good place to rest, but only once in a while, the chatter endless."
Haven gently gathered the birds in his tail… a tree. "That makes sense." Haven thought on the issue. He was not one to suffer such inconvenience. If the fae continued to object, they would be silenced.
Haven dismissed the annoyances, a tree… he glanced over the excited flock. No longer drowsily resting in his coils, they hopped about excitedly. That had not been his intention. Perhaps… he should barter for a suitable tree.
Beloved watched as another rift was opened. It was so dark! Even darker than a moonless night! A plaintive, sorrowful note echoed out of the rift. Beloved hopped out of her big snake's coil to peek inside.