Mari and Kaa's Second Encounter

                            Mari and Kaa’s Second Encounter



  Mari aimlessly walked through the jungle. Ducking under some thick brush as she growled. She was still angry at Baloo for saying she had to go to the village. She was not ready to go back. She never told Bagheera, but she still had nightmares from what happened the night her parents were killed. Mari’s demeanor went from angry to sad. She still missed them terribly. Even though it had been months since the raid, she still was unable to get it out of her head. Even though she always appeared strong, Mari was just a troubled and lonely little girl who was very unsure of what to do.


     Mari sighed as she came to a big tree on the pathway she was taking. Feeling her feet sore and the heat getting to her, she wiped her brow and sat down on the tree trunk. Unsure what to do for now. Mari was startled out of her thoughts as she felt something wrap around the top part of her legs. It was a snake tail and it was starting to carry her up into the canopy. But it was too late, When she saw the pattern of the coils she knew who it was. Mari started to struggle and get the coil off of her, but it was already going around the lap of her back. The tail had managed to pin one of her arms to the side but missed the other one. As she was brought up further into the trees she heard a familiar voice, one she did not want to hear.
“Well, isn't thissss a treat?” Followed by slithery chuckling.


  “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!?” She practically half-shouted. Mari was not happy when her theory was confirmed. Kaa, the snake, was right in front of her. Mari growled as she got her other arm free. Now, trying to undo his tail that was trying to wrap around her stomach.
“Yesssss, girl-cub. So nicsssse to see you again.” Kaa chuckled, getting in her face, only to be backhanded very hard by Mari. She was getting angry and fast. She remembered too well what happened when Kaa tried to grab her the last time.
“Get outta my face and leave me alone.” She hissed. Sounding like a pissed-off female panther. Mari managed to get the tail off her waist and turn around, only for Kaa to try and follow her again.
“Let me look at you.” He said, bringing himself right in front of Mari with spirals in his eyes already pulsing.
Mari paused for a moment as she got herself off the coiled seat, only to see those vibrating colors again. Two seconds and she turned away, shielding her eyes with her hands. Slowly, she started walking away. Kaa gently looped his tail around her waist and pulled her back as he said,
“You don’t want me to look at you?” He said, maneuvering his tail to tighten around her waist, making the tip slowly go up to her back and slowly have her turn around, “Then…you look at me.” Kaa said as his eyes produced the spirals again as his tail brought Mari to face him again.


   Mari was having none of it, as she closed her eyes and turned away, she roughly grabbed his tail and peeled it off her body.
“No way.” Mari started to walk away again, “I know what you’re trying to KAA!” She nearly shouted in surprise as she was yanked back by her wrist locked in his tail.
“You do?” The snake yelped in surprise, before schooling his expression, “uh, I mean…you don’t trust me.”
“Take you long to figure that one out?” She muttered sarcastically till she said no, and she ripped her wrist away from the tail, only to find it wrapped around her ankle as Kaa continued to lament.
“Then there’s nothing I can do to help.” He said in a sorrowful tone.
Mari finished unwrapping Kaa’s tail from her ankle, “Help me? Yeah right.” She said, not believing him for a second. It was then she realized she could not see Kaa at all.
“Ok, where did you go?” She muttered. She knew of this tactic from hunting with her wolf family. Be invisible to your surroundings and sneak up when it’s convenient. She was right, as Kaa came from behind her and with a smirk, got close to her ear and hissed from behind her.
“Sssscertainly.”
Mari jumped from behind and this time made a move to jump and get out of the tree. Kaa though anticipated this and used his tail to form a lasso and flung it over the girl. Tightening the coils as they pinned her arms.
“I can ssssee to it. That you never have to leave this jungle.” Kaa said as he loomed over the struggling girl in his tail. He hid a smirk as what he said made her stop for a brief moment. Mari slowly turned to him. Even though she knew he was devious, she couldn’t help but ask,
“How could you do that?” Skepticism laced her voice.
Kaa smiled, “Oh, I have my own ssssssubtle little ways.” Kaa‘s tail went up to her arm and wrapped around her shoulders, bringing them closer together. Kaa let out a chuckle which sent shivers down Mari’s spine. Now she knew why some of the jungle animals feared this snake.
“But first, you must trust me.” Kaa pushed the coils on Mari’s shoulders, making her stare right into his eyes.
Mari’s eyes went wide for a moment till she closed them and growled a bit as she pulled herself out of his grip and began walking down the branch for a way out of here.
“I’m not following for it, so back off. Besides, I don’t trust anyone anymore.”
Mari walked off in a huff. Looking for a vine to swing out of here.
“I don’t blame you,” Was all the warning she got before a set of coils went onto her head. Mari stumbled as Kaa pulled her back and continued talking, “I’m not like those so-called fair-weather friends of yours.” The coils slipped over her eyes, blinding her as Kaa kept talking, “You can believe in me.”
Mari growled as she kept fighting the coil off her head. “I already told you, wormy. I trust no one.”
IT was then the coil slacked, “Are you ssssure?” She finally gripped it and thrust it up, only to find Kaa was waiting for her, spirals and all.

Kaa: Trust in me,

Mari had no time to act, her eyes already consumed by the spirals, listening to the soft voice of the snake and his soothing words.

Kaa: just in me

Shut your eyes, and trust in me


   Mari closed her eyes as Kaa beckoned her to come forward. A stupid grin on her face, as she started sleepwalking on the branch, just about to step off the edge. Kaa came forward and wrapped himself around her. Holding her back, as he made a set of coils like a staircase. Grinning slyly as he released her and she continued walking.

Kaa: You can sleep,

Safe and sound, Knowing I,

Am around,

 Mari was at the end as Kaa went around her till she was walking upside down. The coils moved and Mari slide down his coils into a formed hammock, Kaa swung the girl back and forth like a makeshift cradle.


Slip into silent slumber

Sail on a silver mist

Slowly and surely

Your senses will cease to resist


Kaa balanced her by the head on the tip of his tail and she started snoring.
"You're snoring." Kaa said.
"Sorry." Mari said, sleepily.
Kaa smiled in triumph and leaned back against a branch, as he continued to sing.

Kaa: Trust in me, just in me

 Mari slid down Kaa’s spiral of coils and was wrapped in the already made coils, this time from her shoulders to her ankles.
--

Mari jolted awake and was about to gasp till she immediately heard Kaa talking to someone. When she saw the coils around her, she let out a snarl realizing he had almost gotten her again. Mari heard a low aristocratic tone from down below. She didn’t peer over the edge to see, realizing Kaa would know she was awake and try his hypnosis possibly again. Either way, she had to get out of here, before the snake caught her again.


  Slowly and carefully, Mari hesitantly got to a crouching position, doing her best to not have any of her legs touch the coils and alert Kaa. Once deemed safe, she slowly got up and started to walk over the tail. Mari glanced down and heard Kaa was still talking to whoever was down there. She saw a vine a ways away, but if she jumped…she could get it. Mari crouched down and was ready to jump till a tail went around her mouth and jerked her back,
“And where do you think you’re going?” A familiar voice said.
Mari felt herself falling till she landed back into a set of coils ready to grab her. They tightened as soon as they felt her. Mari struggled and her free hand grabbed the vine.
“Let go.” She hissed.
“Hahaha, no.” Kaa said as he kept pulling her back.
Mari was holding on for dear life till she saw the vine was starting to snap. It wasn’t a strong one. But…Mari had a small smirk on her face as she realized how hard Kaa was pulling on her and the vine snapping. If she could angle it just right.
“Get away from me, wormy.” She said, emphasizing ‘wormy’. Kaa started getting irritated and just as he pulled Mari back harder, she smiled. That was what she wanted. Just as the vine was ready to snap, Mari twisted herself, causing Kaa to grow confused.
What is she smirking about?”
Mari moved and the vine snapped with her. She lashed it out and got Kaa, smack in the face. He went backward and the rest of him tumbled out of the tree down below. Mari managed to land on a low-hanging branch right underneath her and looked over to see Kaa had fallen into a heap of coils. Not taking her chances, Mari grabbed the nearest vine and swung away. She wanted to be far away from the sly snake.


 Kaa, on the ground, groaned as he placed his head out of his heap. He heard movement up above and frowned as he saw Mari swinging away.
“If I never see that skinny little shrimp again, it will be too soon.” He said as he unraveled himself and started slithering away, groaning. That girl made him fall hard. Too hard for his liking.