"Knox. Hey. Wakey, wakey, it's time to get at it again."
Knox's body jerked as his eyes peeled open to find Lute standing over him. He groaned tiredly and closed his eyes tight before forcing himself on his feet.
He found Piercer leaning against a nearby tree sharpening up another batch of wooden arrows.
"Yeah...let's get this over with." He yawned and watched as Lute stepped over to the rat archer.
"You think maybe you could teach me how to shoot arrows sometime?" Lute asked with gleaming eyes of innocence.
The archer hadn't looked to the human until the question, giving him a extended look before finally answering.
"If we survive this absurd quest you've contracted me to, then yes I'll teach you how to shoot all the arrows you want." Piercer then gazed upon the lute he held by his side. "And only if you craft them with your precious little instrument...whatever it's called."
Piercer grinned for the first time in a long time since they've met him as Lute drew back, appalled at the notion. "No way in hell! And it's called a lute."
"You were named after an instrument?" Piercer questioned flatly.
"It's complicated!"
"Come on you two," Knox interluded. "It's too early for this. Let's just go."
He watched as Piercer began to walk ahead of them with Lute following cautiously behind.
But Knox stood in place for a while longer. He zoned out. He couldn't get these night terror memories out of his slumbers. They beckoned him to go back to a time he wished he could alter. He tore the idea out of his mind. But he didn't stop himself from reaching inside his shirt and grasping the necklace he kept hidden for so long. So long that he didn't even think Lute remembered he still had it.
A black threaded necklace with a wolf's tooth as it's memento lay in the palm of his hand and it threatened to swallow him whole.
"Knox? You good, dude? We kinda can't do this without you." Lute called from afar.
Knox rushed the necklace back under his shirt and walked to catch up with them.
"Sorry. Still tired."
It was sunset at Cactus Town.
'Finally.' Knox thought exhaustively to himself. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and gathered in a deep breath.
'And...exhale.'
The relief, as ironic as it was, shined brightly on Knox and Lute's faces as they approached the edge of Umlaut territory with caution. They traversed forward on the road leading into the town with careful eyes out for both any venomous, prying eyes and the deadly sharp cactus plants that crowded their entry into the town.
"Let's get this finished. We steal a guitar and get the heck out of dodge. We cannot get caught." Knox said, mostly to himself. His heart was racing at the implications of what could happen should they fail.
'For Kara.' Knox reminded himself needlessly. She was constantly on his mind, even if the others didn't know it.
Constantly.
"Alrighty, were doing this...we're doing this..." Lute repeated, gripping his instrument tight as he watched Knox and Piercer break off any cactus pricks that were too lengthy to pass by safely. "So, uh...can we run over the plan again real quick?"
Piercer made way through the array of cacti first as Knox turned toward him. "We check if their sleep, scout out the leaders, and snatch one of their guitars while their distracted or still sleep."
"Right."
"I get you're nervous. I am too. But we need to do this for Kara. And I think Piercer just wants to get this over with." Knox said, finishing the last part with a whisper.
Even still, Piercer's pink ears twitched.
"I do." Piercer confirmed bluntly.
"See?"
Finally out of the crowd of cacti, Lute and Knox found Piercer leaning down with a hand slowly sweeping across the ground. He then leaned down, pressing his ear against the earth's terra firma. After a good few seconds, he finally straightened himself and looked to his companions.
"Whoever's in this town, they aren't making any noise nearby. We should be safe for a few more feet, but keep your eyes on guard." Piercer ordered them as he equipped his bow and readied an arrow. The two humans followed quietly behind the rat mute as he made way towards the closest building and pressed himself against it's wall.
All was still quiet.
This wasn't feeling good to Knox, and he was sure the other two felt the same way. Even if they were in the clear, how were they supposed to find the Umlaut Snäke leaders' guitars? More importantly, how were they supposed to take them?
Knox shook his head as he neared Piercer who had brung his head from around the corner of the building they hid behind. He pressed a finger against his lip and pointed in the direction of the door next to them.
"There are two snakes that are heading this way."
"Whaaat?" Lute silently whispered in apprehension. "What do we-"
"Get inside the store...quietly." Piercer said, emphasizing his pointing at the store door beside them again.
Lute and Knox backed up and opened the glass door, leaving Piercer to close it behind them. They took a brief intake of the inside; relatively spacey and filled with worn down drums and various guitars and gadgets.
However, little time was available to explore any interests further as the shadows of the approaching snakes traveled across the store windows.
"Hide!" Knox whispered, sliding behind a nearby counter with his fellows following closely behind. Peeking slowly above the counter-top, they caught sight of two snakes slithering by.
"Let's just get the scavenging over with. Cot Cot's gonna be ticked if we don't come back with something."
"It's not like we don't have enough...more is still more I guess..."
The group waited until the voices were well out of earshot before slowly moving out of hiding.
"We really...really need to rethink our approach." Lute said, stopping Knox and Piercer from moving towards the back door. "I mean seriously, guys. How are we supposed to steal guitars from snakes that big? We barely stood a chance against Nevarr and his band of Diamond Cutter pricks!" Lute said, almost forgetting to hush himself.
Knox looked at his long-time friend with a look of understanding. He honestly didn't think of the plan specifics well enough. None of them had ever stepped foot inside of Umlaut territory before until now. They scouted from the trees, but only caught glimpse of the Umlaut Snake leaders with the guitars strapped around their necks. They never left them alone. This was going to be difficult.
"Why don't we just ask for their help? Why don't we just try? I mean, honestly...it might be the best option." Lute offered.
"Do you remember what their leaders do to trespassers? To anyone coming through their territory?" Knox continued as he glanced out the back door. "We don't know, because they're never from again. We can't risk that. We can't...let's just keep going. We'll find a way."
Knox tore his gaze away from the deflated Lute as Piercer laid a hand on his shoulder. He nodded his head towards the door behind them.
Piercer gripped the handle as his ears twitched again.
"I hear talking. Follow me closely. No noise."
Knox and Lute did what the rat mute said and followed cautiously behind. Outside again, the rat mute scanned his surroundings and made way to the other side and against the building in front of them. He peeked around the corner and found the sources of the voices. They were much clearer now. A snake with yellow underbelly and blue diamond pattern across her back began to speak to a group of over at least two dozen different snakes.
"No wonder we haven't run into a lot of em' until now. Another damn meeting." Piercer grinded his teeth against each other, waiting for what came next.
"Deadlines for Scarlemange's food requests are almost complete. Just a few more things, and we've already sent two of ours on it. So everything's almost set. That means more time rockin' out to ourselves, vibing, and less of that monkey's ridiculous monologues about how we should "try out playing to his piano tunes sometime."
Another snake scoffed at the thought of it. "Yeah, lame."
This one was a green and orange Umlaut Snäke with a lime green underbelly.
Knox and Lute looked at each other with even greater worry.
"So they deal with Scarlemange, too? This...just got a whole lot more complicated." Lute looked to the ground and rubbed his face in a bid to ward off the stress.
"Hey, that doesn't spell the end of the world for us." Knox told his friend as he laid a reassuring hand on his back.
Piercer, however, was silent. He didn't even turn around. Just continued to stare at the conversing group of snakes. If anything, his glare tripled as one of the supposed leaders continued.
"After this, we're good to be left alone for a month before the next deal his comes back to mind. So enjoy it. It's the singing he does before and after he leaves that gets to me the most." the snake quipped as the whole congregation laughed along side her.
"Well, at least they don't like him. Clearly." Knox half-joked, catching that Piercer's form hadn't moved since the reveal of Scarlemange's involvement.
He wasn't stupid. He had to keep an eye on Piercer, lest he do something rash.
Then one of Piercer's ears twitched.
"Wait- move back to the-"
Piercer didn't get to finish his warning, as the slithering of the two earlier scavenging snakes was caught too late and had already turned the corner. Directly into the dusty street where they resided.
"How did you forget so easily? We probably should've brought a-" the orange and yellow snakes paused at the sight of trespassers.
"...list." the orange snake finished, still surprised.
All was still between Knox's posse and the snakes that would soon turn everything upside down. But not before Lute gave them a nervous wave with his hand.
Aggressive hisses were let out and the two snakes came charging forward.
"Ah, no! Here we go again with the snakes!" Lute cried as he pulled out his machete. "Like this will do anything..." he added dispirited .
"The goal is to get out of here. We won't win this!" Knox said aloud, specifically to Piercer.
Fast approaching, the reptiles were already on the group as Knox finished. Lute dived out of the way of the first strike, barely avoiding being bitten in two. He felt shameful wasting the precious seconds he had to check if his lute was damaged, but at this point it was a subconscious habit.
Piercer followed up the strike with two arrows to one of the snakes chest, but they broke on impact.
"Sh-t." Piercer muttered. His arrows were practically useless unless used more tactfully.
The yellow snake approached Knox and swung it's tail low at him. As it came, Knox jumped over it and rolled against the ground, steady on his two feet with his sword now pulled out.
"We don't want to fight! You don't understand, we-"
"Well, well, looks like we've got a bundle of no-good trespassers, don't we?"
The words were unmistakable. They weren't quick enough.
Knox and his comrades turned back to find the whole snake congregation approaching with their leaders leading. Piercer flicked his attention towards the two Umlaut leaders that traversed closer and cycled his aim at them.
"No!" Knox slid his katana back in it's sheath and stepped in between the snake leaders and Piercer. "We don't want this, we don't want any trouble!"
They didn't say anything. Instead, the brown viper came nearer as her group surrounded them and cut off any chance of escape. She roughly pushed Knox aside with her tail and trained her eyes into Piercer's. His bow remained raised and it's arrow pulled back.
"You really think that pitiful, primitive weapon is gonna do something against this skin?" the brown viper had a grin across her face.
Piercer brung his aim from her head to one of her eyes.
"I know this primitive weapon isn't out of bounds from ensuing permanent blinding." he spit back, gritting his teeth angrily. His face was relatively tame, but his shrunken pupils held the truth. He was heated.
The brown viper grinned even wider, her one sharp fang shown proudly. She moved her head even closer, slowly bringing it forward until one of her eyes was mere inches from Piercer's threatening arrow.
"Piercer, stop! Please, this isn't going to make things any better! We won't win!"
Piercer heard Knox but he had not retreated his bow. He remained stagnant in his action. The arrowhead was dangerously near to the viper's eye, yet the snake didn't even blink. Not even once.
"Well?" the Umlaut leader spoke up. "I'm waiting."
Piercer's aim trembled and slowly, he let down his bow.
"Listen, we can explain everyth-"
Knox's words were cut off.
"Put down all of your weapons. Now."
Knox removed his katana and scabbard, laying it on the dusty ground. Lute did the same with his machete and so did Piercer, albeit a lot slower.
"My name is Cotton." The brown viper spoke up. "And this lovely reptile right here is Camille."
Cotton eyed Lute's musical instrument and visibly grimaced. But her relaxed smile returned almost in an instant. She left Camille's side and made way past Piercer and looped his bow off the ground with her tail.
"And we're the Umlaut Snäkes...but I'm pretty sure you already know that." Cotton added.
"Follow us. Not like any of you have much of a choice."
Cotton finished by smashing Piercer's bow against the ground, breaking it into pieces.
The Cobra Room cafe.
It was the name of the building Knox, Piercer and Lute were currently being hauled into.
Things weren't looking good for them at all. The guilt of being ill-prepared hung heavy over Knox's head as they entered inside. And though it still stung, he realized something. That there was no possible "good plan". This was the only way to save Kara and though they took the chance, they blew it. No, he blew it.
The remaining snakes were told by Cotton to go back. That they had nothing to worry about.
She was right.
There was a stage with a microphone, an orange electric guitar and drum set set on top. A bar resided next to a flight of stairs led up to a second floor.
"What do you have us here for? Why not just kill us?" Knox asked, apprehensive about the whole ordeal.
"Is that what you want?" Camille questioned back without missing a beat.
Knox lowered his head briefly. "I can tell you why were here."
Cotton slithered up to the three trespassers and gazed at them evenly before nodding to the stage.
"Tell us up there. On the microphone. It works just fine."
Knox looked up at her with a slightly dumbfounded look.
'They're definitely toying with us.' Knox thought. 'Can't say I blame them.'
Knox did as was expected of him and climbed on stage, gripping the microphone stand nervously. Piercer and Lute remained awkwardly in front of the Umlaut Snäke and decided it best to follow their pal's actions. Tapping the microphone, he stared at the two leaders and gathered a breath of air before starting.
"We...a friend of ours...she's been held captive by another group. It's been a couple of days. And the leader of this group told us that the only way to get her back alive was to..." Knox paused but forced himself to finish.
"...to steal one of your guitars."
A dreaded pause initiated between the two parties. However the only sign of aggression on the Umlaut Snäkes were the narrowing of their eyes. Camille was the one to finally sigh.
"So that's why you up and pussyfooted into our home? To bargain back your friend?" she asked rhetorically, looking to her band mate.
Cotton looked back, but was still unsatisfied.
"So...who sent you? What's their name?"
The question was one Knox had expected from him just stating implications, obviously. But the weight of mentioning someone they were definitely not on good terms with in any way...how would it work for them? Maybe they would be more inclined to-
"Nevarr." Knox revealed as he gripped the microphone stand tighter. "His name is Nevarr, and I know you already know who he is and what he does."
Cotton hissed and failed at holding herself from cursing. "I knew it! That goddamn..."
"That's not all, Cotton...maam-"
"Just Cotton! None of that fancy bull. Seriously!"
"Right, um..." Knox hated that his fear was showing. "...I believe he's trying to start a fight with your group. I have a strong feeling that they're going to whether we give them your guitars or not."
"But since we all have resentment towards him, why can't we just team up or something?" Lute quickly added in.
Cotton and Camille gave each other a long look before they gave Knox's group a shared smile.
"Rock...or die."
Knox double took from his focus on Lute and the Umlaut Snäkes.
"What?"
Cotton licked her tongue across the strings of her electric guitar, the sound vibrating loudly in a chord.
"Rock. Or. Die." Camille repeated for her.
Knox immediately eyed the orange electric guitar on the ground and looked back up at the snakes with disbelief.
"No way."
Cotton and Camille both hissed loudly at Knox's words, causing him to bend down in a flash and pick up the guitar. Now satisfied, the two Umlaut Snäkes began tuning their guitars accordingly, checking their now-connected guitar amps for maximum drive.
"Heh, the only good thing out of the last dealing with Mr. Fancy Monkey were these amps?"
A loud power chord test strum was commenced by Camille which caught them off guard, particularly Piercer, who's enhanced hearing was becoming more of a curse.
"Dammit, can we just get this over with!?" Piercer seethed, covering his ears.
"Fine...if we do this...would you consider helping us getting our friend back?" Knox asked the Umlaut Snakes. It was more of a plead than anything.
"We'll consider it. If you don't sound like total trash, you'll even live." Cotton chuckled as she and her partner came forth and ready for battle.
"Okay. Okay, okay, okay. Um, Lute..." Knox looked over to his friend who looked more worried about him and Piercer than himself.
"Yeah, I know; you haven't played the guitar in like, six years and you totally don't remember and Piercer doesn't even know what a drum is." Lute guessed in a short anxiety-driven burst of words.
"Screw you, bard boy. My clan had musical standards, and drums were one of them." Piercer shot back snidely, twirling the drum sticks in between his fingers.
Lute looked to him apologetically. "Sorry. Assumptions suck."
Knox sighed. "Just me then, huh? Okay...we still got this. I think."
Cotton yawned mockingly and looked on with bored, half-lidded eyes. "Well, are you gonna start? We don't have all day."
Knox went over the guitar's tuning with Lute and eventually found the sounds recognizable and in tune. He gave a practice strum on all six strings and closed his eyes.
"All right. I think we're ready." Knox told the two mute snakes. "Piercer, just give a simple one, two, three, four beat."
"What does that even mean?"
"Just follow along! I'm sure you'll get it."
"Lute...just do your thing. I'll do my best." Knox told him as he gave a few individual note plucks.
Well, two turns in, and the Umlaut Snäkes were demolishing them. Though the snake's playing was loud and dominating, it was their coordination that gave them the most power over them.
Knox was honestly at awe the different types of notes and chords the two Umlaut leaders were pulling off with just their tongues alone. And though Piercer was on beat and Lute was extravagant in his own playing, it all just didn't go together right.
"Heh, that's two for zero. Ready to give up yet?" Camille laughed.
"Wait." Cotton looked into Knox's eyes and seemed to bore through his attempts at hiding his worries.
"How about this. You impress us this ONE time...and we'll do what you want. We'll help you...but you'll have to sing, too."
Knox's jaw dropped. "You want me to..sing?"
"Yup." Cotton responded simply. "Shouldn't be a problem, right?"
The new conditions pounded through Knox's head. This was getting ridiculous. But it wasn't much of a choice on his behalf.
This was his only chance to make something happen. And there was no room for error. He gritted his teeth hard.
Looking to Lute with some hope in his eyes, he had a glimmer of an idea.
"Remember? Way back when we were younger? The disk player we had got to work for a good while and that song I was so obsessed with? Forgot the name of the singer, but it was the only song I ever actually put much energy in." Knox looked down at the guitar in his hands for a moment before readjusting the strap around his neck.
"Oh yeah, I remember that song! You used to sing-"
"Eh-hem, so you know how to accompany it still, I hope?" Knox said, twiddling his fingers nervously.
Lute played around with melodies a bit, trying to get a feel for what he remembered until he finally looked up and smiled. "I...got a feel for it. Can't believe I still got it in me."
Knox smiled gratefully, looking up again at the mute snakes that waited impatiently. "Can't believe I still remember the damn lyrics."
Knox eyed Piercer who gave him a quick nod. "I'll find the rhythm. Just hurry the hell up."
The guitar trembled a bit in Knox's hands but he took a pause and closed his eyes.
"Don't worry Knox, you'll get the hang of it. It just takes a while."
"Yeah...thanks, dad. I'll catch it eventually."
A calm overcame Knox's body and his eyes opened back up.
"Piercer, I'll nod to you when I need to to start the drums...I'm ready."
Knox pulled the mic close to his mouth and breathed in.
"I...can't move, I'm so paralyzed
I'm so paralyzed
I...can't explain why I'm terrified
I'm so terrified..."
Knox surprised himself with how well the words came out. With no time to congratulate himself, he continued with stronger emotion and confidence.
"Well, I don't wanna touch the sky no more
I just wanna feel the ground when I'm coming down
It's been way too long
And I don't even wanna get high no more
Just want it out of my life
Out of my life, out..."
"I wanna cut you outta my dreams..."
Knox nodded to Piercer and everything came into fruition. Knox strummed down on the intended chords rhythmically as his band mates played along the best they could.
"'Til I'm bleeding out
'Til I'm bleeding
I wanna cut you outta my mind
'Til I'm bleeding out
'Til I'm bleeding..."
Knox eased his strumming and began playing lighter.
"...I keep telling myself I don't need it anymore
Need it anymore..."
The last note was left to ring from Knox's guitar and everything went quiet again.
Opening his eyes after realizing he had shut them after getting in the groove of things, Knox anxiously store back at the two Umlaut Snäkes, praying internally that he and his marry band wouldn't become their next supper in a few seconds.
"That was...actually not that bad." Cotton admitted earnestly, the initial shock leaving her face. "I was honestly just waiting for your voice to crack so we could make fun of you...but it didn't. Color me impressed...even that old, dusty lute held it's own as much as I hate to admit it."
Lute gave Cotton a glare before giving Knox his thoughts.
"Dude I didn't know you could still sing! That was awesome!" Lute pushed as he pressed Knox's shoulder lightly with a fist.
Knox hid behind the guitar in his hands. "Look, I just want to know if we're in the clear." Knox said, redirecting all the unwanted attention back to the Umlaut leaders.
Cotton and Camille gave each other knowing looks.
"Alright," Cotton moved closer to Knox and his pose, towering over Knox's form. "We'll help you take down that scumbag excuse for a snake...but we ain't doing it alone. It can't be just us."
Knox blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? We can totally ta-"
"You've seen his territory if you've lived to tell the tale!" Cotton hissed. "No way he wouldn't show it off. His lair is enormous! His group is well over two dozen and we've paid the price for our arrogance in fighting him unprepared before. How do you expect our small numbers, a couple of humans and a rat to stop him and his gang? We need more than just us for this."
Understanding the full weight of the problem, Knox lowered his head. "You're right...give us...a couple of days. We promise we'll do our best to come up with something."
"You better ta-ta, cause I don't think there's much time for your lady-friend." Camille reminded, looking down at her guitar. "I speak for us both when I say we mean the best for your friend. But you don't have long. Better be on it."
Knox nodded his head heavily and got off stage, Piercer and Lute following behind.
Back from where they first entered the town, Cotton loomed over them one more time.
"Just two days. We've already done you a favor sparing you after that rock-out. Gave us a pretty cool time." Cotton said. She leaned her head in dangerously close to the group, narrowing her eye slits.
"But if you sneak in unannounced again...we ain't gonna be so cool anymore."
Knox and Lute nodded vigorously, while Piercer only evened the glare.
"Why are you dealing with that atrocious monkey?" Piercer accused, baring his teeth angrily.
"None of your damn business, that's why." Cotton retorted.
Lute grabbed Piercer from behind before he could find any chance to pounce.
"Heh, yeah so um, we'll see what we can do with the time we have! Don't worry, no sneaking back in unannounced, we got it! See ya!" Lute clarified as he and his group made their way out of the town.
Further and further the day went on. And soon, another day was soon to pass.
It has been six days total since they've left on their way to get Kara back.
They had only two weeks.
But Knox was truly wondering how this attempt was going to turn out. He was sure the other two were as well. All he knew was that he wasn't going to give up on her without a fight. And he knew it would be a fight that would end in death, should he fail to compromise a solution to their current problem.
He prayed it wouldn't have to come to that.