Getting "Licked"

"It was fine when I went there..."

...

Sarr'ina glances down for a moment before a look of determination overtakes her, "If that is what it will take to keep you here, safe... I will go to the Cursed Waters and retrieve what you need."

A couple hours later Sarr'ina was sneaking through the forest, bow slung over her shoulder, and flint knife clutched tightly in her hand. While she believed that Luca was telling the truth about the Cursed Waters, she couldn't help but feel she was walking into a trap, her mother had told her many times that this place should be avoided at all costs... It's unfortunate she had to come here to protect Lu, the tribe, and fight off the Karaskir.

The sound of croaking, signalled her arrival at the Cursed Waters, the trees giving way to a large pond filled with algae, various bugs, flies and birds passing above it.

"Slow, be calm." she mutters to herself as she steps forth, glancing around for the particular toad that Luca had described.

"Holes on back that leaked puss, scream-like croak... Green skin..." she repeated as she looked around, still not daring to approach the water.

*Crooooaaaaaakkkkkk!*

...

Sarr'ina looks around for the origin of the noise, it almost drowning out everything else... She gets goosebumps, a chill going down her spine as if she were being glared at by a predator...

Further at the other side of the pond, she spots two lilypads with circular yellow flowers bulging from them... Atleast that's what she thought at a glance, a moment later they were gone, as if they'd never existed at all...

"Something is not right here..." she mutters, backing away, almost stepping on a small creature, had it not given a scream-like croak... WAIT!

Sarr'ina quickly bends down and catches it, being careful not to touch it's back as it immediately begins to ooze with disgusting-looking puss. "Aha! You are mine!" she exclaims happily.

*SPLASH!*

The sound of something massive leaving the pond causes her to drop her catch, looking over she sees something truly monstrous... A huge toad, it seems to be around ten foot tall with large horizontally slitted yellow eyes. Its skin is dark grey and almost leathery, seeming more like hide than skin.

*Croooooaaaaakkk!*

The same sound from earlier hammers against her eardrums, it hops forwards creating a tremor in the earth which knocks Sarr'ina out of her stupefied wonder.

She turns and bolts, attempting to flee the scene but find something thick, meaty, and wet wrap around her ankle. Sarr'ina falls to the floor face first, grabbing at her belt for the flint knife as she's slowly pulled towards the giant toad's gaping maw.

She grabs a handful of the tall grass to stop herself being pulled any further and swipes down with her knife at the tongue, slicing a small cut into it and causing thick red blood to drip from it.

The toad doesn't give up however, continuing to pull, using it's body weight to get some extra momentum which causes her to lose grip of the grass. She scrambles and grabs another bunch, chopping away at the tongue as the toad pulls.

"GET, OFF!" she exclaims delivering another chop to the tongue, the toad pulling at the same time and tearing it in half.

*CROAK!*

It writhes in pain at having its tongue literally torn apart, Sarr'ina not wasting any time and sprinting out of the clearing still clutching the bloody knife.

Eventually, she reaches the Sua'jiki village, breathing heavily from shock and the fact she'd run all the way back.

Gil'ga spots her hurry and intercepts her, "Is something wrong Sarr'ina!?! Have the Karaskir attacked?" he quickly asks.

Sarr'ina shakes her head, "A.. A monster from the Cursed Waters! It-it attacked me, I barely escaped." she quickly says, looking down at her ankle and grimacing when she spots the large grotesque tongue still stuck to her leg, a black mark beginning to form from how tightly it'd gripped her.

Gil'ga follows her gaze and gapes, "Is that the tongue of the beast!?!" he asks, receiving a nod from Sarr'ina and slowly prying it from her leg. He then holds it in-front of himself, it stretching 6ft to the floor and still seeping blood from it's wound. "It must have been huge!... Come, we must speak with your father!" he exclaims, pulling her towards Sarr'vuln's hut. Sarr'ina is reluctant but can't find a reason to object, eventually being pulled inside as Sarr'vuln is smoking some kind of herb.

"Daughter?" he asks, surprised at the duo's sudden entrance.

Gil'ga steps forward presenting the tongue, "Your daughter has fought off a beast of the Cursed Waters... And even brought back a trophy!" he exclaims excitedly, like an uncle who's niece had just walked for the first time.

Sarr'vuln's eyes bulge open, "What were you doing near the Cursed Waters!" he shouts, furious, his previous calm produced by the burning herbs enveloped by worry and anger.

...

Sarr'ina shrinks under her fathers gaze, tempted to just tell him the whole truth... But her truth and belief in Luca prevented her from spouting their secrets. "I-I was trying to find a specific herb to help Lucas recovery!" she quickly says, staring defiantly into her fathers eyes.

Sarr'vuln grits his teeth, "Then, why did you not request any hunters to go with you! You know how dangerous those waters are!"

"I heard mothers stories but-" she tries to argue but is interrupted.

"AND YOU STILL WENT!?!" he shouts, not believing his dutiful daughter had become so rebellious in a few short months.

Sarr'ina stands, all the while grimacing due to the injury on her ankle, "I did, but I survived my encounter and have proved that the monster within the Cursed Waters exists! You cannot keep me locked up within the village father!" he says, airing her issues with how Sarr'vuln dictates everything she does, and can do.

Sarr'vuln slams his hand on his knee, "Enough! Go, see to Luca... I will think of an adequate punishment for your stupidity!... LEAVE!" he commands, sending Sarr'ina marching out.

Gil'ga is left in the hut, still standing before Sarr'vuln. He tosses the tongue on the floor in-front of him and grins, "She's strong, you need to stop worrying so much... She isn't going to leave anytime soon." he says before leaving.

Sarr'vuln looks down at the tongue, giving a heavy sigh and nodding to himself, "I know..."