Chapter 2 rewritten / story has been restructured.

LEGEND OF SYAORAN

When they had arrived in the forest, Kei immediately took charge. Eriol didn't mind him so much, letting him have his way as long as he kept his attentions from Sakura. Speaking of, the archeologist watched his cousin warily as she obliviously went about rifling through her belongings. They had found a suitable camping spot to set up their things. As Sakura turned to fix up her tent, being skilled as she was in the outdoors unlike other women, Eriol shifted his gaze to the other man. Kei had been watching her too, but Eriol did not like the way his gaze bordered on predatory.

The archeologist could not help but sympathize with Touya's grievances regarding his precious little sister and her numerous suitors. He, too, felt a strong surge of protectiveness over his cousin. In a few large strides, he was next to the ranger, hoping to avert his attention.

"What do you think of the Jungle, Kei?" Eriol addressed him lightly.

"They say the jungle itself is the most powerful magician." Kei responded wolfishly, glancing around scandalously, as if the trees and the leaves and squawking birds were listening. Catching Eriol's eye, he locked onto his gaze. "Can you feel it? The magic of the jungle?"

Interest piqued, Eriol paused to listen. He heard the chirps of small animals, rustling of the leaves, and faraway cries of larger predators. Then, there was a low humming, as if the trees were buzzing with energy. The archaeologist dismissed it skeptically. "No," he returned evenly, but he didn't quite believe himself.

Kei smiled, but Eriol felt a pang of suspicion rather than reassurance. "Me neither," he stated with a smile that sparked Eriol's suspicions.

Eriol nodded politely, deciding that he wanted to have a more interesting conversation with a less annoying person. He turned around to speak to his cousin -

-but she was gone.

A small figure ambled lightly through the hanging fauna, nearly clouded by the mist hanging low. Dazedly, entranced by the mystic forest, the petite woman who had traveled with the three trampled lightly between the trees, coming across a beautiful clearing. The birds above chirped, and the frogs burped. She gasped at the beauty of the flowers that bloomed on the ground, moving to stroke the petals tenderly.

Suddenly, birds caw-ed above her, startling the woman to look up blearily at the rays of light shining through the silhouettes of branches and leaves. She didn't notice a lean shadow settling on the branch the birds just vacated. No, something more pressing on the ground took her attention.

She heard it before she saw it.

Hiss…..sss…

Above her, the lean figure in the shadows remained still, like a statue.

'Who is she?' came a soft lilting whisper, nearly mistaken for the sound of the wind.

The shadow did not acknowledge the presence of his companion, only watching the events unfold below him. He did not so much as stir when a slight breeze picked up and nearly shook the branch he was perched on. No, he did not even move when the mist settled next to him to form a nearly translucent figure. A woman with long, beautiful tresses of black hair trailing behind her dressed with a pure white nightgown.

There was slow movement from the tree trunk across the clearing from Sakura, as if a reptilian body was detaching itself from the tree. Through the light fog, a small, sharp pink tongue flicked out towards her. Then, the eyes. The bright yellow gaze, wide and gleaming, rooted her to the ground in fright.

Ssss….human….

Sakura backed up slowly, unable to tear her gaze away from those terrible eyes. She jumped in fright when her back touched the tree trunk behind her, nearly tripping over its roots. Stumbling, her hand reached back to steady herself on a small branch.

"English." The shadow on the branch muttered finally to his companion. His voice full of contempt and annoyance, the thoughts of 'why are they here again' and 'why can't they leave us alone' carried in the vocalization of one word.

There was a brief moment of understanding silence from his companion. Then, 'will you help her?'

It was an unnecessary question, they both knew.

The shadow leaped down a few more branches, pacing along lithely but did nothing to interfere.

Sss….mine…..

Sakura didn't know how, but with one terrified inhale, the shadowy snake was already halfway across the clearing. There was a soft rustle by her feet, and with wide eyes, Sakura realized that the rest of the snake was already wrapping itself in a circle around her.

Another leap, and the shadowy creature was hanging lithely off of a vine above the frightened woman. Sakura saw in her peripheral vision that an overhanging vine shook with weight, but she didn't dare look up for fear of whatever other predator was out to get her if the snake hadn't gotten her first.

With one more predatorial hiss, the snake reared its head back then -

Sakura closed her eyes, grimacing as she let go of the branch she was just holding onto. To her luck, or perhaps it was her plan all along, the branch whipped forward and smacked the reptile square in the head. Its pink, poisonous tongue whipped out and slashed the tree trunk, missing the woman's skin by scant millimeters.

When the snake's head reared back, partially covered by the fog, Sakura's knees gave out. She crumpled to the ground in a terrified heap. She may have delayed her death, but she certainly did not scare away her predator.

The snake approached again, its yellow eyes narrowed into angry slits. No, she made the reptile angry, very angry.

Sakura flinched at the reptile's approach, flattening herself against the tree trunk in fright, but couldn't find the strength in her knees to stand back up.

The vine above her shook again.

Green eyes wide as saucers, Sakura could only watch helplessly as the snake's body wrapped in a circle around her again, tightening ever so slowly. Then, those eyes came back into view and the tongue was just in front of her, flicking closer...and closer…

Then, everything was a blur.

It's obvious what comes next, isn't it?