Naagin (rise of the serpent)

"Oh, that's very delightful". Melissa spoke while clapping her hands.

I scoffed obviously.

I walked over to were the owl stood. I deeply accessed it, checking to see if there was any changes it had undergone ever since the day we met. It didn't seem to have any changes ever since the day it once talked to me.

"You don't seem to have changed much" I said with a friendly tone.

The old owl chuckled.

"You also look the same but anyways, where's your companion? The handsome tall male?" The old owl asked.

"He's at the old lady's hut". I replied.

"It's good that he's secured over there. You must tell him never to leave that hill, because a lot of evil spirits are just waiting for an opportunity to kill him".

"Does that mean a lot of spirits in the Umuguor forest know about Ovie's presence on the hill?" Melissa asked this time.

The old owl gave a nod.

"It's a good thing you were able to save him from being killed by Inka".

The old owl commended.

"Can I ask a question?" I asked the old owl.

The old owl gave a nod and I went ahead in asking the question.

"The first time we met, you told me about the old lady at the hill waiting for my arrival. Can you tell me how you got to know about that?"

The old owl smiled.

It casted a weird look at Melissa and Melissa chuckled. It then moved it's gaze back to me to answer my question. But it kinda gave a pretty long answer.

"You see, Naagin" the old owl called softly. It's beak moved rhythmically as it talked. "That day I was in the air flying when I found a burning school bus by the road with another vehicle at the other side. I didn't really give attention to it but when I landed on a tree in the forest,a black Cobra appeared. It wasn't that big in size but it's voice only told me it was more powerful than it looked. It told me that there were two individuals at the outskirts of the forest. It said that one was a female while the other a male. It told me to deliver a message to them, telling them that an old lady waited their arrival at the hill. So I carried out the black Cobra's message and came to deliver it to the two individuals at the outskirts of the forest".

The old owl's explanation was really long but somehow I felt some kind of a connection. It wanted me to go deep in thought.

Looking up at the owl's face, I sent it a smile.

"Black Cobra, huh!" Melissa said while taking her lower lip in.

I turned my gaze to her but she was staring at the ground. I took my gaze back to the old owl.

"Thanks for the answer, old owl" I greeted putting up a smile.

The old owl smiled back.

"It's nothing, really. But my name is Lee. You don't have to be calling me old owl. Maybe except for lady Melissa who's always stubbornly calling me old owl".

I chuckled softly.

"Okay then, Lee. But somehow, your name is kinda young for someone as old as you".

Lee bumped me with it's left wing making me laugh.

Meanwhile, Melissa was continuously gazing at the ground and was deep in thought. I turned my gaze to her,so did Lee (the old owl).

"Melissa!" I called her making her gaze hastily rest upon me.

"You were out for a while" Lee said with a smirk on his bird face.

Melissa gave a weird smile.

"Sorry, I was deep in thought. My bad".

Both I and Lee gave a nod.

Not long after, Lee left. We had a small chat before he finally left for his abode. He took off, flying in the air while flapping his huge wings.

Once Lee had left, both I and Melissa transformed into our full snake form and continued our journey to the hill. And once again,we were slithering side by side and considerably in silence. The silence between me and Melissa gave me the opportunity to think. After I little chat with the old owl who I got to know as Lee, I got a feeling that there was some kind of a connection.

If the black Cobra who I know is Hijirar actually told the old owl to give both me and Ovie a message when we were leaving the forest, could it mean something? Because, both I and Ovie were leaving the forest at that time but the old owl had stopped us telling us about old lady Papirus.

Then there could be a connection.

According to old lady Papirus, when I was a baby,she had found me during the war and had handed me over to a woman who I now know as my grandmother. That was when I was a baby. Then the question is, could it be that Hijirar was leading my path back to old lady Papirus when I had now come of age?

But I feel there's a connection. That also means, Hijirar was trying to stop both me and Ovie from leaving the forest when we had accidentally entered the forest. Then there was an encounter with the mysterious bear.

Could it be that Hijirar had sent that mysterious bear into forcing both me and Ovie back into the forest?

That's another connection.

But somehow, I get it.

Old lady Papirus had handed me over to a woman during the war and that was when I was a little baby. But when I had come of age, Hijirar was trying to lead my path back to old lady Papirus. And it all seems to have started when he had appeared to me, during the time Ovie was stabbed.

Coming up with a theory like this made me feel big. Knowing that Hijirar had been trying to lead me back to old lady Papirus when I had come of age.

So the mysterious bear pursuing both me and Ovie back into the forest at that time was for a reason.

I was so lost in my fantasy of thoughts I had not noticed that we had gotten to the foot of the hill. Both me and Melissa had slithered side by side, both of us lost in thoughts.

Melissa's voice sounded in my head, notifying me that we were already at the foot of the hill.

'Hey! Snap out of your thoughts. We are already at the hill'.

I turned my huge golden snake head to Melissa beside me. I nodded at her and turned my head to the front l, slithering further.

I transformed back to my human form when I got to the hill,so did Melissa.

I looked at Melissa and noticed she was smiling at me. I sent her a smile back.

"Looks like dad's plan really worked" Melissa said referring to Hijirar.

"Yeah. I'm really happy we are getting along well and I had a great time slithering side by side with you".

Melissa came closer to me and put her hand on my shoulders.

"Not to lie, you've got a pretty large snake form and it really surprises me that you are a Python".

I raised my eyebrow at her words. That gave her a sign to explain.

"I mean, Arizona, my mom is a Python which gives me the idea you got your snake form from her".

I nodded.

"Oh!!" I spoke while giving an 'oh' expression.

"We better head up the hill then".

"Then I'm surely going through the wooden elevator".

Melissa chuckled and we both walked over to the wooden elevator with our hands locked.

Before we entered the elevator,we heard the sound of hands clapping behind us. Both I and Melissa stared at each other briefly, hearing the sound of hands clapping. We slowly turned our backs and our gazes rested on Arizona and old lady Papirus grinning at us.

Arizona and old lady Papirus stood behind us. Arizona was the one clapping while old lady Papirus was grinning from ear to ear. She was holding that weird staff of hers.

We both stared at them, confusion evidently written on our faces.

"It seems Hijirar's plan worked perfectly".

Old lady Papirus was the first to speak. She walked up to me and touched my cheek, while still grinning.

I frowned, followed by Melissa who also frowned.

Old lady Papirus, seeing the frown on my face made her pout. She removed her hands from both my shoulders and stepped back a little bit.

"Why that look Naagin? Old lady Papirus asked, still pouting.

I folded my arms and let out a deep breath.

"Why don't you ask, Melissa? I'm not the only one frowning".

My response was more of a question.

Old lady Papirus directed her gaze to Melissa.

"You on the other hand, why that look on your face?"

Old lady Papirus asked.

"Nothing. Just tired after a truth talking long day".

Old lady Papirus shrugged her shoulders after hearing Melissa's response.

Just then, Arizona walked closer. Though she was still grinning.

"Anyways,now that you and Naagin are now under control and peradventure, getting along. It's time we move to the next step".

Arizona said as she walked closer.

I sent her a confused look, so did Melissa. As for the old lady, she held a large grin.

"Not bad, lady Arizona. Not bad at all" old lady Papirus said smirking weirdly.

I looked at the two women who had large grins on their faces. Their weird behavior actually gave me the creeps. It seems something was going on between them and my guess is, they are both going to reveal it.

"What's going on, you two?" I asked with a groan. Their sudden behavior getting me on the edge of annoyance.

Old lady Papirus glanced at Arizona, still grinning weirdly. Arizona gave her a nod and old lady Papirus looked back at both me and Melissa.

She sighed heavily.

"Now that the first step is complete,we better get to the next step" old lady Papirus smirked.

"And what is the next step?"

Melissa asked chuckling childishly.

"If we are going to go on with this training, you, Naagin would have to tell Ovie who you are. Who you truly are".

"Besides, both of you are getting along well and now the only problem is for you to tell Ovie the truth about who you are" Arizona said in support.