Part 6
The young girls were wandering through the Jungle, only the crescent moon and a small torch illuminating their path. For Marigold and Sandersonia it was the first trip to the jungle. They were frightened to death and clinging to their eldest sister as they walked behind her. But even for Hancock, who had accompanied the hunters through the woods several times at daytime, it was a whole new experience. At night the jungle seemed like a different sphere; unfamiliar creatures were roaming and screaming through the trees. Even the scent of the flowers was another one after nightfall.
Finally the girls reached the serpents cave, the plan was simple. They'd go inside find an egg that was impressive enough and would bring it to the princess the day she returned from the ocean.
With this she would not only have a worthy present for her beloved princess, but she could prove her strength as a warrior. Hancock couldn't wait to see her face when she would hand her the precious egg.
"We are going in!" Hancock announced. But her sister suddenly seemed very unsure of this plan. They did not show the slightest ambition to enter the cave but rather stared at their own feet.
"Oh, I understand…you do not want to enter this dark, dangerous cave. You are right, how foolish of me. It is better if I enter on my own." Hancock said with a sympathetic voice. A glimmer of hope sparked up in her sister's eyes.
"You wait for me here, completely alone with the gigantic monsters and insects that crawl out at night…I heard they suddenly jump out of the jungle and you are never seen again…But you should be safe without me, should you not?" Hancock lilted "Of course I will be taking the torch with me. I am the one to go into the cave after all. Just keep away from suspicious noises and you should be fine... I guess…."
Hancock smiled brightly into the devastated faces of her sisters. She patted them on the backs and turned on her heels, leaving the two girls in the darkness of the jungle.
Then Hancock entered the cave. Monstrous shadows loomed with the flame as she dived into the darkness. Not only was it pitch-black, but also cold and humid inside. On top of that it was filled with confusing tunnels and alleys, all leading to different directions. Almost like a labyrinth. She had to proceed with great care, or she would end up lost for all eternity.
However she came to suspect that the only reason people feared the cave was that they had problems finding out of it again…this ritual was a joke…
After walking for a couple of seconds; she heard hasty, nervous steps following her.
Hancock chuckled. She knew they would get nervous…
The steps got closer until she felt her two sisters walk next to her. Sandersonia's small hand naturally clutched at hers, shaking with fear. Hancock didn't look back, but just pressed her sisters hand reassuringly. There was nothing to be afraid of, really.
Without a word the three girls waded through the darkness, huddled up under the warm flame of their torch. An unsettling deep hum was roaming through the tunnel, as if the cave itself was breathing.
Suddenly Marigold stopped; her face was pale as if she had seen a ghost.
"What is it Mari?" Sandersonia asked with worry.
"Something… something just moved up and touched my leg…"she stammered.
"You are just imagining things…" Hancock answered dryly.
But then Sandersonia shrieked with Horror, „It's getting up my leg! Something's getting up my leg!!!"
The two younger sisters started to panic. To make things even worse one of them bumped into Hancock, who lost hold of the torch. Everything turned pitch-black…
For a short second you could only hear the fast terrified breathing of the girls. Then they started to scream hysterically.
Hancock tried her best to calm her sisters down, she grabbed them by the shoulders, Shook them, tried to speak to them with an assuring voice, but without effect. They were too deep in their panic. Finally she lost her temper.
"STOP SCREAMING NOW!" Hancock bellowed furiously. The two sisters stopped abruptly. What ever it was on the floor, it sure wasn't as bad their sister, when angered...
Finally she had their attention."Calm down, you two. Just stop panicking, ok?"Hancock's voice wandered through the darkness soothingly. She reached down to the floor in search of the torch. Indeed she felt moving, slippery creatures that tried to crawl up her skin while she was scanning the ground. She shook them off and finally got hold of the torch. Skillfully she sparked it off with two firestones from her pocket.
She turned the flame and cast light on her sisters. The two of them were petrified with horror; they didn't dare to look down. Hancock reached to the floor again, this time she snatched up a hand full of the creatures that were crawling there.
They were tiny snakes, tossing and turning in her hands. As she loosened her grip around them, the small animals blinked at her curiously. Then they joyously wriggled around her arm before they finally crawled back to the floor.
"See? They are perfectly harmless! They just wanted to get to know us!" Hancock said cheerfully. She couldn't suppress a giggle as the last snake tickled down her body.
"They are really cute!" Sandersonia agreed with a bright laugh. A small snake had wrapped around her neck and inspected her green curly hair. Marigold had a sigh of relief. Suddenly she felt embarrassed for her previous reaction.
Hancock investigated the setting with her torch; the little snakes were following her with great interest. Soon she discovered the reason for this enormous wave of snakes. A gigantic nest stood in front of her, hundreds of eggs lying in it.
Sandersonia shouted out with happiness "We have found the eggs! Look how beautiful they are!"
They all had different colors and varying, neat patterns on them. But they all had one thing in common…
"Those eggs are way too small. Who would be impressed by that…?" Hancock complained with frustration.
The eggs were not bigger than her clenched fist, which sure was not worth the trouble.
"We are moving on!" Hancock commanded. The sisters sighed unhappily and waved goodbye to the friendly little snakes to descend deeper into the den.
They kept walking for another while when they finally saw light at the end of the tunnel. Had they actually reached the end of the cave?
As they followed the light, they arrived in a wide room, resembling a hall. Moonlight was shining through a hole in the ceiling of the cave. Hancock put the torch to the ground, thanks to the moonlight they were able to see without the fire. In the middle of the room was another nest. But as the girls approached it they were pleasantly surprised.
The nest was filled with shattered egg-shells. Hidden under them, only one single egg was left. Its shell was colored bright shining red.
Carefully Hancock took the egg out of its warm nest with both her hands.
"Now that is a royal gift..." She whispered with awe. The sisters stared at the shining oval object as if it was a treasure. It was almost as big as a melon…
They were so occupied with their discovery, that they didn't notice the lurking creature in the same room. It smoothly approached them without a sound.