A/N: Love to signofthetimes, CB and reviewers.
This chapter was a lot of fun to write. I sort of want to be all these women when I grow up. Even Nagini. Especially Nagini...:)
Narcissa Malfoy smoothed her robes and gave Nagini a wink. The snake dipped her head, hat moving slightly. She pushed it back with a flick of her tail and then slithered carefully ahead, keeping pace with Narcissa and the glowing, smiling Hetty.
Hetty peeled off at the Hufflepuff Common Room. 'I have not spoken to the Friar in forever, darling.'
Nagini paused, clearly displeased by this, but followed Narcissa, expressionless face somehow clearly telegraphing displeasure. Perhaps, mused Narcissa, caressing the snake's graceful neck, I have spent enough time with George to know now. She missed the comforting weight of her little adder in her pocket, his head poking up to flick the air with his tongue.
The Dark Lord didn't rise to greet them. Narcissa knelt and kissed his hem, feeling the hatred welling in her heart, like ink in milk, a stain that spread to make the other things in its wake dark and tainted.
'Narcissa, We are so pleased to see you. And Nagini.' He hissed and the snake hissed back, tipping her head this way and that to show off the hat she'd liberated from Umbridge.
'Mmm, how droll. Tell Us, Narcissa, what news from Bulgaria?'
'No word, my lord.'
'No? How sad for you. And Draco?'
'Well, and thankful of a chance to prove his worth to your lordship.'
'Metellus thinks his ideology is quite good.'
'Lucius and I have ever strove to teach him well, my lord.'
'By example?'
'Sometimes, my lord.'
'Your son, Narcissa, thought he saw you fighting alongside your husband in Bulgaria. Can this be true?'
'It is, my lord.'
'And did you fell the enemy?'
'A number of them, my lord.' She didn't like to think about that day very much, but neither did she shrink from it; it was what it was, and she'd done her part. More, she wanted to say, than you, you traitorous monster. But of course she didn't.
'Attilius Goyle said a woman who fights is like a dog walking on hind legs. One doesn't expect it to go well, but truly it is marvellous to see it done at all.'
Narcissa bit down on her tongue. Beside her, Nagini was slithering closer, scenting her anxiety. The Dark Lord was smiling, clearly hoping to upset her. She sat up a bit straighter on her heels and vowed not to so much as blink.
'We have decided, Narcissa, that Bulgaria is not keeping its end of the deal. We have got the boy's father, but he has two of Our subjects. Isn't that so?'
'It is, my lord.' Her throat was getting smaller and tighter all the time.
'We have decided it is only fair the Bulgarian hand over another hostage. He's two cousins, We understand. A boy and a girl. Is that right?'
Oh no. No. 'It is, my lord.'
'Excellent. You will help us, Narcissa. You will speak to the girl and demand she hand over one of the children.'
Black dots swam into Narcissa's field of vision, threatening to blind her. Her heart was a great, slow drum. She vaguely felt Nagini coiling her, helping her stay up. She swayed a second, trying to force air into her lungs.
Like Hell I will, she thought viciously. Like Hell I will. 'My lord, I will help you in whatever way I might.'
'Of course you will. Fenrir?'
She smelt him before she saw him. He smelt of old dirt, body odour and fresh blood. Nagini hissed dangerously, head swaying, clearly threatening to strike. Narcissa stroked the snake's side. Let me do it, she willed the snake to understand. Let me do it for now.
'Why, Nagini, this is Our friend Fenrir. He's going to help Narcissa's family. Isn't that nice?'
The snake stopped hissing but her eyes never left the werewolf. He raised hands with nails that had been sharpened, caked with black muck and something maroon and evil-smelling. Narcissa could guess what it was.
Greyback laughed, tongue lolling. He slowly licked a finger as she watched. 'Bit of a late lunch.'
Nagini coiled her tighter. Narcissa stared coldly at the werewolf, saying nothing, mentally comparing him to the clean, polite, gently-spoken wolves that served her niece and nephew. This...thing...was light-years from those men, and from anything human. Narcissa kept looking at him, knowing that to show him fear would be to give him an invitation, to make herself his prey.
'Mr. Greyback, I don't believe we've been formally introduced.'
'You're braver than you look. Runs in your family, like.'
'Indeed.'
'How'd a woman like you marry a milksop like Malfoy?'
'I've no idea what you mean, I'm sure.'
Greyback boomed laughter, the stench from his mouth like a charnel pit. 'Balls you don't.'
He stepped closer. 'I go home with her, then?'
'Only until we've got the child. Narcissa, is it true Madam Feathering is here with you?'
'It is.'
'You know, being bitten does terrible things to pregnant women. Terrible things. Did you know that?'
'Yes, my lord.'
'Collect Madam Feathering and back you go, Narcissa. Fenrir will join you there.'
Greyback beat them to Lestrange House, which was rather the epicentre of things these days. He was standing on the steps, arms crossed over his chest. Elves were gathered about him, hissing dangerously at him.
'Enough, elves. This is a guest.'
The werewolf followed behind the women as they walked into the foyer. Narcissa could hear upraised voices, her sister's and husband's and then a soft answering voice in reply.
'Lucius? Bellatrix?'
Lucius came out into the corridor and lost a shade when he saw Greyback. 'Narcissa, Hetty.'
'We've a visitor.'
'We've quite a few, actually.' He sounded sick, and then she saw them, spread out through the room.
Narcissa pushed back her shoulders, raised her chin and swept after her husband, prepared to take on the world if it meant she'd be keeping the children safe.
Hetty trailed after her, keeping an eye on Nagini, who was slithering alongside her, ranting furiously.
/man-wolves in brood-den smell bad scare naginis humans/
/nagini bites them if they touch humans or take food/
Hetty could hear the other snakes, a dozen at least, whispering from the eaves and nooks of the house. She couldn't hiss to warn them, but she hoped they wouldn't attack unless provoked. She couldn't bear to see them hurt, and they were too valuable to lose to these terrible interlopers.
Greyback was grinning. His teeth were sharp and brown, flecked with bits of things that bore no thinking about.
'Is it true that cunt Pavel works for your girl?' He directed the question to Rodolphus, whose arm was about Bellatrix's shoulders protectively.
'I wouldn't know, Fenrir.'
'Like shit you wouldn't.'
Greyback rubbed his hands, small flakes of rust red dropping off to float to the floor. 'Hope it is, then. I'd like to kill him. Be easier if he were in Bulgaria with the rest of the traitors. Him and that fucker Arco.'
'Indeed?'
'Bastards tried to tell me how to run my band. Think they're better than me, prancing about like fucking pixies or something.'
Abruptly, his head snapped to the side. 'Take em upstairs, boys, and watch em. Leave me the Malfoy woman and Feathering's bint. Lewis, Alan, you're with me.'
Eugenia started to protest and Hetty shook her head no. 'It's all right, darling. Up you go.'
The Lestrange brothers and Lucius all went last, looking back at them. Hetty beamed and stroked Nagini's back, hoping they all got the message. She winked at Rabastan, who dipped his head. He was a good bloke, Rab. He'd tell the others, and maybe some of them wouldn't be hurt when this was done.
The snakes were gathering. She could hear them slithering along the beams and into the mouths of mouse holes. They'd protect them, if the wolves attacked. Nagini was subtly pulling her closer to Cissy, to be able to cover both of them should the need arise. Hetty could feel her heart rate rising and touched her belly. Lie still, little one. Don't move, just lie still for Mummy.
The Floo hissed and flared, and Metellus Travers stepped through, looking as though he felt very important indeed. A smear of pomade had run down his cheek and stained his cravat. It was deep brown, suggesting it was laden with dye. Hetty had known men like Travers, small in every sense of the word, but dangerous for it, because they sensed their own inadequacies and despised them.
'Hello, Narcissa, Madam Feathering.'
The next one was the odious Umbridge bitch, holding a small leather case with great care. She reeked of perfume and a trace of something bland and civetty, like she'd been doing fleshly and unspeakable things.
Nagini hissed and tautened. /nagini strikes this one first stupid bad human female/
Hetty touched her and made herself not react in Parseltongue. 'Now, Nagini, Madam Umbridge is our friend. We mustn't be rude to her.'
/nagini does not like it when hetty-speaker cant use real words nagini waits a bit to strike all the same/
'Thank you, Nagini. What can we help you with, Madam Umbridge?'
'Metellus and I-at dear Walden's behest-are authorised to assist you in speaking to the Bulgarians about the matter of diplomatic disparity.'
'Of course.'
'Once Metellus opens the Floo connexion to Sofia, Madam Malfoy will try first to convince the Vicereine about the wisdom of our plan. Should that fail, we will continue to try and persuade them via other stratagems.'
Hetty didn't like the sound of that. 'Oh?'
Umbridge smiled at her, cheeks flushing. Her eyes, usually a dull hazel, were sparkling. She almost looked pretty this way.
'Get Mister Krum and bring him here, Ralph.'
A wolf stepped into the Floo and came back three minutes later, a blinking, startled Martin trailing behind. Another wolf calmly laid down a heavy, clanking roll on a delicate eboniste table, opening it. Shining instruments laid nestled inside, pain tools Hetty couldn't identify. One of the wolves seized Martin and laid his tunic open, binding his hands behind him and forcing him into a chair.
Narcissa was very pale but seemingly very calm. 'So that's what this is.'
Umbridge giggled, hand to her mouth like a schoolgirl. 'I would try very hard to convince them, Madam Malfoy. Very hard indeed.'
Then strong, foul-smelling hands were touching Hetty, and she walked to the chair opposite Martin's and sat down. Nagini followed, coiling her protectively. The snake's eyes were very bright and her demeanour had changed totally. She wasn't angry now. She was very focused and very calm, like Narcissa.
'It's all right, Nagini.'
Nagini rested her head on Hetty's belly and looked up at her with deep golden eyes.
/which one does nagini kill first/
'Madam Umbridge is just curious about things, Nagini.'
/nagini takes her first then man-wolves then the big man-wolf/
'All right, Nagini. All right.'
/we all leave soon and find young go to young place/
'Soon it will be like it was.'
/this is a bad place now hetty-speaker/
'I know, Nagini.'
Nagini coiled closer. She yawned, displaying fangs as long as Hetty's fingers. Greyback laughed and moved closer.
'Big, that snake.'
'She is, isn't she?'
'She bite?'
'Not if people are kind to her.'
'Not like me, then. Kind people are the easiest to bite. And kids. Soft, tender. Easy to scare.'
'Nagini doesn't bite children. Only bullies.'
'Hmmph, that's no sport. Hard men are too stringy to eat well. They stick in a bloke's teeth.'
/nagini takes this one first now he hurts young nagini poisons him slowly/
'Good, Nagini. That's just right.'
Travers, who'd be fiddling with the Floo, finally got the thing to open up.
'Sofia? Is this Sofia?'
'It is. Is this London?'
'No, Lestrange House, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. I am Metellus Travers, director of Suppressing Unrest. I am authorised to allow Madam Lucius Malfoy to speak to her niece the Vicereine in regards to the current situation.'
'Let us call you back using our Floo connexion.'
'All right.'
They disconnected. Hetty knew this to be standard procedure, making sure the registered Floo number matched the one on record. Greyback was fiddling with the instruments, rattling them disdainfully.
'Bah. What's a bloke to do with these when Nature gave him teeth and claws for a reason?'
The Floo went green and Hermione's head popped through. 'Hello, Mr. Travers.'
'Hello, Vicereine. I've your two aunts here, and your husband's father. They would like to speak to you as regards the current situation. The Dark Lord bids me remind you that you've two Englishmen in your custody, whilst he has only Mr. Krum. Does that strike you as fair, Vicereine?'
'I was not aware, Mr. Travers, that international relations work the same as dividing up a snack for children does. The Dark Lord's hostage is of far higher strategic value than ours and he knows that.'
'The fact remains he's only got the one and you've two. Edric Lestrange alone is worth three or four of your people.'
'Edric is a year old.'
'Martin Krum is irrelevant to your situation. He's practically useless as a bargaining chip.'
'Then by all means, release him into our custody and we'll forget this whole mess ever occurred.'
'That would hardly be very sporting of you, Vicereine. A show of good faith isn't so much to ask, is it?'
'It is when the show is a child's life.'
'We don't want them forever, Vicereine. And of course, whichever child you sent would have every comfort. A good education at Hogwarts, as you and your cousin Draco received, the reassurance of familiar faces. Really, it might be good for them.'
'In what way?'
'Building bridges between our people. Perhaps even a marriage, in time, between whichever one you send and one of our own children.'
'Both children are betrothed.'
'Those contracts could be broken, surely? The Dark Lord is even willing to accept the girl, if you were not inclined to send the lad.'
'In Bulgaria, we consider girls as valuable as boys.'
'No one said they weren't, but Vicereine, the girl is a less valuable...guest... than the boy is, in terms of diplomacy.'
'I am only a young girl, Mr. Travers, and unschooled in the ways of diplomacy, but if the Dark Lord is willing to accept a trade he believes to be to his disadvantage, then something suggests to me that there is another part to this story.'
Travers dipped his head. 'The Dark Lord would hate for things to necessitate conflict between our people, Vicereine. He feels that Britain's many friends abroad would be grieved to choose sides preparatory to an invasion.'
Greyback snorted like a horse. 'Fuck me, Metellus, you're shit at this. Move aside and let me try.'
When Travers didn't move quite fast enough, Greyback simply moved him, knocking him aside like he was a doll and leaning into the Floo.
'This the Vicereine?'
'It is.'
'Remember me, girlie?'
'I do. Fenrir Greyback, isn't it?'
'Damned right it is. You tell that cunt Pavel I'm coming for him, him and all those fucking traitors of his. Tell him I'm going to fuck his women and eat his kids. Tell him I'll make him watch as I-'
'Enough. You would do well not to threaten Bulgaria, sir. Bulgaria takes it very poorly.'
'Oh, Bulgaria, is it? Listen here, you little whore, I'm going to start cutting unless you play like a good girl. Do you hear me?'
'Let me speak to my aunt, please.'
Narcissa knelt down, smoothing her hair. 'Hello, darling.'
'Hello, Aunt Cissy. How are you?'
'I'm all right, darling. How are you?'
'Not badly. Is everything all right?'
'No, love. Greyback and his...friends...are here. They want us to talk about this thing with the children, all right?'
'Are they hurting you, Aunt Narcissa?'
'Not right now, love, but Hetty and Martin are here, and they're going to start hurting them.'
'May I see them?'
Hetty's stomach lurched as the stench from Greyback's mouth wafted down her neck and assaulted her nostrils. He shoved his hands under her arms and carried her over like a rag doll, feet dangling.
Martin rose slowly of his own volition, tugging his tunic closed with his hands. A wolf grabbed his arm and propelled him forward. When Hermione saw him, her eyes widened, but only for a second.
She said something in Bulgarian and he answered her, shaking his head. Travers made a face, clearly preparing to demand the negotiations be English-only. Greyback took a more direct approach, which is to say he set Hetty roughly on her feet and bent over the Floo.
'PAVEL, YOU CUNT, I SMELL YOU! I'M COMING FOR YOU, YOU FUCKER!'
'Mr. Travers, please ask Mr. Greyback not to shout at me.'
'COME FACE ME, YOU SON OF A WHORE!'
'Mr. Greyback, please stop yelling.'
'ARCO, YOU BASTARD, I SMELL YOU TOO!'
Eugen Arco's head popped through next to Hermione's.
'Stop shouting at the Vicereine.'
'WHY DON'T YOU FACE ME?'
'Here I am.'
Greyback lunged, almost knocking Hetty off her feet. His hand missed Hermione's face by a hair and he roared, angry he couldn't simply attack Arco and be done with it.
'Thank you, Mr. Greyback, that will be enough.'
Umbridge bent into the Floo, grinning. Her eyes were shining and her smell was stronger. Hetty suddenly understood what she was smelling and was sickened; she had no problem with fucking, but it was obvious what Umbridge was getting from this even before she saw the woman's hand dart between her stubby thighs and grind there.
'Now, Vicereine, is the Lord Protector there?'
'He is. Should you like to speak to him?'
'I would, yes.'
Viktor's head appeared beside his wife. He was scowling darkly, eyes fixed on Greyback.
'I suggest you keep your hands off of my vife, sir.'
'Oh, you suggest. He suggests, boys, I leave the girl be. What'll you do if I don't, then?'
Viktor was smiling gently. He said something in Bulgarian to his father, who shook his head gravely.
'WE-MUST-USE-ENGLISH-MY-LORD. IT-IS-NOT-THE CUSTOM-IN-BRITAIN-TO-SPEAK-ANOTHER-LANGUAGE-IN-FRONT-OF-OTHERS.'
'Thank you, Madam Umbridge. I am foreign, but my hearing is qvite good.'
'ARE-YOU-PREPARED-TO-CONCEDE-A-SECOND-HOSTAGE-TO-US?'
'I am prepared to discuss it. First, I vant an apology. It is most insulting to my vife, vhat has happened.'
'I assure you, Mr. Greyback simply has an excess of zeal.'
'Not him, you. How dare you presume to act as though the Vicereine is not authorised to speak for us both? Do you think my lady is not avare of Bulgaria's position in matters?'
Greyback snorted again. 'What kind of man takes orders from the hole he puts it in?'
Viktor's jaw snapped closed, eyes widening. Martin said something sharply, sounding slightly like what Hetty imagined he must have been liked before. Viktor shook his head once and said nothing, still fixing Greyback with that chilling stare.
'I don't forget insults, Greyback.'
'Why don't you send your wolves after me?'
'My volves fight men, they don't put down mad dogs.'
Greyback roared, lunging at the Floo. 'YOU SON OF A WHORE!'
The things that happened next happened so quickly that Hetty could never quite establish to herself which had happened first; it all seemed to have happened simultaneously, too quickly to track with the eye.
Greyback never made it into the Floo. Hetty was vaguely aware of a sense of great movement and then Nagini was flying toward the werewolf, head a triangular streak as she lashed out, hissing with rage, tail knocking Travers to the ground.
/MAN-WOLF DIES NOW/
Greyback managed to dodge back, drawing his wand, roaring a challenge. Something shattered and his head jerked. Martin was standing next to him holding the remains of a white and blue vase, looking shocked at himself.
Greyback roared again and the two he'd brought were moving to help him. Hetty's wand was in her hand before she realised it and she stunned one, remembering Des's lessons. The other fired back, and then, for the first time, Hetty was fighting someone. Abruptly the werewolf stopped firing back and Hetty downed him.
'All right' said a voice. 'All right, hem hem. That's enough. Drop your wand, Madam Feathering, Mr. Krum.'
Hetty turned. Umbridge was holding her own wand so the tip was directly at Narcissa's temple. Hetty let her wand fall, and Nagini slithered away from Greyback, who lay still, eyes rolled back in his head.
'I suggest, Vicereine, Lord Protector, you agree to send the child of your choice, because-hem, hem-I might have to kill your aunt if you do not.'
'I think not' said Narcissa casually, and then her elbow was in the woman's stomach, her arm snapping up, wand leaping into it, and Umbridge went sailing across the room, leaving her shoes, head cracking hard into a wall.
Narcissa struck again, the woman flying limply up and sticking to the wall, twitching. Hetty watched, incredulous, and then realised Travers was moving, Travers was trying to get away.
He was at the Floo, frantically trying to cut the connexion so he could jump inside, presumably to go to the Ministry. Hetty didn't think; she leapt at him, flailing with hands and feet, and gave him a hard kick in the neck. His head snapped back, and then Narcissa's valiant little adder struck, lashing out as though to strike, narrowly missing Travers's jugular with his fangs.
/george dont let him move/
Travers was rigid with terror, whimpering as George calmly poised his fangs over the man's left eye. Greyback was downed, chest moving steadily, and the second wolf was either stunned or dead, possibly because Martin had done it.
The man himself gently clapped her shoulder just before he swished his wand. Chains shot out the end and slipped round Greyback, twining snake-like about his limbs and neck, and then seeming to grow from the ceiling, lifting him up. Greyback was blinking, coming round far more quickly than he should have. Hetty hissed, and a dozen small snakes came from various bolt holes to slither to the werewolf and cover him, fangs poised should he try to move.
Martin chained Travers as well, and then, after looking to Narcissa, Umbridge. The two werewolves as well, and hung them so they couldn't get down. Hetty beamed her approval and hugged Nagini when the snake came back.
/nagini bites wolves and woman and little man/
/wait for snape-human he will help us/
/snape-humans stays with the young/
/is that why nagini attacks the man-wolf/
/man-wolf steals young like an ogre threatens Viktor-young and Martin-human and is very smelly/
/hetty thinks so too/
George (whose true snake name was Grn-sSSs-hcHa, but none of the human family could say it properly aside from her) raised his head and politely hissed at her. Should he summon the others now that Travers was contained?
A good idea, Hetty agreed, and then called for the elves. They came at once, ready to fight. 'Korry' her own elf 'get Professor Snape right now. The rest of you, get the of the family. Stun the wolves and bind them so they can't move.'
It was less than a minute later she heard feet on the stairs and then Bellatrix and Lucius burst through the door, wands high. They both stopped, looking round.
'What-?'
Narcissa huffed and embraced her sister. 'My maiden name was Black, you know.'
'Cissy, it's brilliant!'
'It wasn't just I. Hetty and Martin did nearly all of it.'
'No' said Martin immediately. 'Ladies did. I help only.'
Hetty called Nagini, stroking her neck. 'Nagini did it. She was the one who struck the first blow.'
/whole brood did it nagini is biggest nagini strikes first/
Korry popped in with Snape, who looked round and nodded once. 'What's happened?'
Both Viktor and Hermione had watched through the Floo, helpless to do anything. Now they chimed in, telling the story.
'Most impressive, the lot of you. Nagini, my thanks, madam.'
Nagini had recovered her hat, and used the tip of her tail to set it back on her head, which she dipped in acknowledgement.
/snape-human is bringing naginis young back soon/
/hetty thinks the young are safer in bulgaria/
/brood goes to bulgaria then/
/someday/
/soon/
/hetty hopes so/
Nagini bent closer, flicking her tongue gently over Hetty's stomach.
/hetty-speakers young goes there too/
Hetty sighed, cupping her belly. /thats the best chance it might have nagini or go to des at durmstrang/.
Nagini dipped her head again. /no heat hetty-speaker/
/no/ she agreed sadly and listened to Snape.
'The rest of the werewolves are bound on the first storey? How many are there?'
'Six, and these two.'
'My lady, we have need of some of your men. Send me ten, if you could.'
'All right, Professor. What's the plan?'
'Bellatrix and I will alter the memories of all involved parties. Your wolves will go to ground in Lestrange Park for the moment. Greyback's men will be implanted with the appropriate suggestions and then bring them into the band one at the time. Eventually we'll have effective control of the wolf part of Wales that way.'
'Umbridge and Travers, sir?' Viktor looked unhappily at the woman, who was groaning softly in her chains.
'They are too valuable to kill for the moment. They will both believe they have succeeded in their mission, and provide us ears to the goings on at Hogwarts and the Ministry.'
Snape inclined his head gravely. ' I regret I cannot give Greyback to Pavel right now. When the moment is right, please make sure your people know I'll make sure they gets their pound of flesh.'
Viktor's head vanished and Arco's appeared. 'Thank you, sir. We appreciate it.'
'You're welcomed, Mr. Arco. I wonder, though, how you are speaking to us from Sofia?'
Hermione smiled a little. 'One of the wolves helped us set a disused Floo here to Sofia's address.'
'Very clever, my lady.'
Viktor's head had come back, and Martin was bent over the Floo, talking softly. He looked a bit sharper than usual, gesturing, explaining. Viktor was shaking his head, sometimes interjecting.
Martin asked him a question and Viktor's eyes softened. 'Ne, Tatko.'
The family looked away, giving them privacy. Nagini slithered over and sniffed at the Floo, showing off her hat.
Hermione laughed softly. 'You look pretty, Nagini.'
/nagini misses young come home soon/
Martin stood up. 'Snake fight verevolf. Vas very good.'
Nagini slithered closer to Umbridge and stared unblinkingly at her. Her tongue darted out and tasted the woman's ankle, darted back in.
'Nagini, too, will get her fair reward. And our gratitude, surely.' Hetty translated the promise for Nagini, who made a little bow and went back to staring hungrily at Umbridge.
The children bid the adults goodbye and severed the connexion. The elves brought ten wolves a few minutes later. They helped clean the mess after things had been seen to, and then Travers,Umbridge and Greyback, memories rearranged, went back to their own places, errand run.
Greyback's men went with him. Their own wolves slipped into the vast park surrounding Lestrange House and vanished as though they'd never been there.
Hetty went to bed early, and Nagini joined her.
/hetty-speaker is this war/
/it is/
Nagini slithered closer, resting her head on Hetty's chest. /hetty-speaker is all right/
/hetty feels sad we had to do for those wolves/
/they attacked us first/
/hetty knows/
Nagini gently slid round her, coiling. /when things are better no more predators will come/
/soon/
/very soon/
They slept, woman and snake, so close it was hard to see where one ended and the other began.
