He was over Moscow when the snake started to move, a slight movement, but enough to alert Jack that the snake was awake.
He lighted down on a roof, making the sleepy occupants of the house think that some snow just landed on the roof.
The snake wriggled more, Jack held the back of his hand to his face. He saw the snake blink its eyes sleepily. They were the color of sand.
"Hey," he said, not really sure why he was talking to it, "glad your awake,"
It caught sight of Jack and hissed in alarm, burying itself in his clothes, so that only its eyes could be seen. It didn't realize the action was completely pointless.
"No no, it's okay little guy, I'm not going to hurt you," Jack hushed, fitted his finger into his sleeve, trying to coax it. That seemed to soothe the snake, because it slithered out of Jack's sleeve until the snake only anchored to Jack's wrist. It stared at him curiously.
Jack stroked the snake's head, the scales were smooth and dry, and the snake nuzzled his hand in return. Then it curled itself around his fingers and started to nuzzle his cheek.
"He-hey stop! That tickles!" Jack playfully tried to brush the snake away from his face. It only encouraged it. Suddenly, something flashed at the corner of his eye, something black.
The snake paused, sensing the danger and followed Jack's gaze.
"You need to get back in, little buddy,"
The snake obeyed quietly and slid into his sleeve. While Jack flew after the black thing, he thought, "I should give hi-her? (Can't really tell the difference) it a name, later, after I see what that thing is of course"
The black thing ran over the sidewalk, leaving a trail of black sand.
Jack's grip on his staff tightened and his mouth became a grim line. It was a nightmare, a big one too.
He followed it, ready to fire at the slightest hesitation the black horse made.
But it was very surefooted, and seemed to know where it was going, not pausing for even a second.
Jack saw it dash into a long alley he knew was a dead-end and smiled in triumph as he made to corner it.
There must have been an entire herd waiting for him inside.
The smile faded quickly