Chapter 4 - Painful Reminder

Ten Years Later

Eclipse opened her eyes to the roof of her cave. She pulled her covers off and let out a yawn, looking around her cozy home.

It was large enough to fit 20 people and more importantly, good enough to sustain her and Martina's need for a safe home.

Breenis took care to provide them with blankets, clothing and food. Nine years ago, she even made furniture for them.

Breenis really kept her word when it came to providing and protecting. Eclipse and Martina lived in the most dangerous part of the forest yet no harm ever before them. It was rare for them to see any beasts alive. All they saw were their carcasses close to their cave. Breenis always killed them off before they tried anything.

In the past, she would visit at least twice a month but of late, she didn't visit them at all. Every morning, they just found food and whatever else they needed at the banks of the river. Eclipse furrowed wondering if Breenis was okay. The sudden soft whimper cut her thoughts prematurely.

Eclipse got off her mattress and knelt down beside Martina's. Martina was completely covered in her blanket. Eclipse gently shook her awake and received a whine in response.

'Come on dear, you know that you have to go and pick up our food.' Eclipse softly said to Martina.

Martina peeped over her blanket, her grey eyes looking directly into her mother's dark ones. 'Can't I just sleep for another five minutes, mummy?'

'That'll mean delaying your meals. Come now, don't keep Breenis waiting.' Eclipse insisted, cupping the side of Martina's face.

Martina sighed, 'We haven't seen Breenis in over three months now, mummy. I don't think she is around.'

'Of course she is around. How else have we been able to eat? Now come on, off you go.'

Martina pulled her blanket off and dozens of snakes crawling all over her body were exposed. Some dropped to the floor as she got up. The snakes proceeded to follow her around the cave as she dressed up.

As soon as she was done, she sat on a stool and Eclipse picked up a comb. Martina listened to Eclipse hum a song happily as she combed her whitish hair. Neither of them were bothered by the numerous snakes scattered in the cave.

Martina rested her chin in her palm with a bored look on her face. She winced suddenly when Eclipse pulled the comb too hard. Eclipse softly shushed her and continued to comb her hair. Eclipse pinned the comb in her long and thick dark hair before proceeding to plait Martina's into a long braid that went all the way down to her waist. Eclipse fixed a hairpin to tie the whole look together.

'Don't you look beautiful?' Eclipse happily complimented.

'I always look beautiful to you, mummy.' Martina remarked with a smile.

'And don't you forget it.' Eclipse fixed Martina's wrapper in place. 'Go now,'

Martina ran out of the cave barefoot. In her hand of bangles was a basket. The beads on her feet jingled with every step she took. The ones hanging on her neck bounced off and on her flat chest as she ran to towards the river. Martina bent over and held her knees as she panted. She got down on her knees to have a drink. She was on her third drink when a crocodile popped out of the water.

Martina kept her eyes on it. She didn't even budge when it charged at her—splashing water all over. Just when it was about to pull her into the water, a stronger force plunged it deep into the water. Violent bubbles appeared on the surface of the water. Martina blinked at the blood that followed.

'I absolutely hate the taste of crocodile blood.' a small voice suddenly said and Martina looked over her shoulder.

Martina smiled at the little dark girl who appeared to be 5 years old. The wind blew her afro hair along with her peacock feathered earrings that matched her olive green wrapper. The girl spat out blood and gagged. Martina giggled at her and the girl smirked at her with red stained teeth.

'Breenis, it's been a while. I almost didn't recognize you.' Martina happily said.

'Oh, I decided this size of body is less power consuming.' Breenis casually replied with a shrug. 'You're here to pick up food for the day?'

Martina softly nodded, 'Yes, mummy sent me.'

'I didn't hunt today.' Breenis regretfully admitted.

She walked to the river and looked intently at it. Her eyes beamed yellow and took the appearance of those like snakes. Breenis raised her hand up and water rose up into a wave. In it were bream.

Breenis waved her other hand and some fish was thrown to the bank. They flapped up and down upon hitting the ground. Breenis put her hand down and the water dropped back in a splash. She looked down at the fish and balled up her fist. The fish immediately stopped flapping around.

Martina put all the fish into her basket. She lifted the basket up but it was too heavy. Martina was then forced to set the basket on her head. She turned to Breenis and gave her a wide smile, 'This is a lot. Won't you come home with me so that we can eat it together? Mummy roasts fish well.'

'Child, you know that I like my food raw.' Breenis declined.

'Please, it's been long since you visited.' Martina insisted with a pout.

Breenis looked in the direction of the cave with a thoughtful look. 'Okay, I'll come with you but I won't be long.' she accepted to which Martina chuckled merrily at.

****

Eclipse was putting away her straw broom when she saw Martina and a little girl approaching the cave. She squinted her eyes at the girl and then smiled upon recognizing her. Eclipse gave way for both of them to get in. She offered Breenis a seat. She then instructed Martina to gut the fish. Martina obediently got to it.

'You look happy to see me.' Breenis remarked with a smirk.

'How could I not? You haven't been here in a while.' Eclipse remarked.

'I have been around just confined to my chamber under the river.' Breenis threw a grape into her mouth.

Eclipse narrowed her eyebrows and lowered her chin, 'Is everything okay?' she asked concerned.

Breenis' face hardened, 'You are not supposed to worry about me. You and I only have one relationship and that is raising my successor. Nothing more, nothing less.' her icy words poured.

Eclipse dropped her gaze, 'I'm sorry, please forgive me.'

Breenis rolled her eyes, 'Whatever,' she motioned her chin at Martina who was so absorbed in pulling bloody intestines out of a fish. 'How has she been?'

'Good,' Eclipse answered, 'She has been asking me if there's more of us though.'

Breenis leaned back and grinned mischievously, 'Of course she would. You two are the only humans here after all. What did you answer her?'

Eclipse sighed, 'I told her there's more of us, but we could never go to where they are.'

Breenis nodded her head sympathetically, 'True, poor child.' she remarked.

Eclipse flashed a look at Martina and brought her eyes back to Breenis, in a whisper, she asked, 'I'm afraid she will one day want to go and look for her people.'

'I will never allow it. Those ignorant savages will kill her on sight.' Breenis quickly declared.

Eclipse smiled faintly at Breenis, 'You really care about her.'

'The only life that matters is Martina's.' Breenis coldly said and Eclipse mouthed 'Oh,'

Breenis suddenly moaned in pain, and held her forehead with her eyes squeezed. Martina stopped what she was doing and looked at her bewildered. Eclipse abruptly stood up at the blood dropping from Breenis' nostril. Breenis wiped it off and it smudged on her cheek. She got up and backed away from the table in a daze.

'Breenis, are you okay?' Eclipse asked with a furrow.

'Stay away from me.' Breenis commanded and turned for the door. 'I'm going back to my chambers. Do not disturb me.'

Both Eclipse and Martina frowned at her back heading down the hill. Martina brought her sad eyes to Eclipse who couldn't take her eyes off Breenis. Martina observed that Eclipse was in deep thought, but she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Eclipse tucked her lips,

She is weakening. She thought and looked down at Martina, She is still just a child. She can't take over just yet. Eclipse worriedly bit her lower lip.

****

Breenis dived into the river and turned into a snake. She swam all the way to the bottom of the river and got into a cave. In it was a throne. Breenis turned into a half woman half snake. Her head was without horns and her hair took a purple shade. She weakly stared into the darkness with her yellow eyes.

'Damn it, the last thing I needed was for two humans to see my weakness.' Breenis smashed a human skull with her fist and groaned at the sharp pain in her chest.

She got off her throne, and blood poured out of her mouth and mixed with the water around her. Breenis shook her head in despair as the pain intensified. The tearing sensation in her chest was enough to drive her insane. Breenis morphed into a large snake and zoomed out of her cave. She swam at a speed of lightening throughout the river.

Breenis burst through the water and hissed at the screams she met. A family looked at her horrified. The man drew out his sword, but he was the first one she lunged at. The woman and two children screamed in horror as she cracked his face with her jaws. His blood splashed everywhere as his screams were drowned by Breenis' aggressive hissing. As she fed, her tail whipped the boat into pieces.

The woman and children jumped into the river in a hopeless bid to escape. Breenis tossed what was left of the man in the air, her mouth stretched five times in size and devoured him whole. She went after the others starting with the woman who was drowning. Breenis ate her in two bites.

A girl with a little boy on her back fearfully swum crying. She looked around for her mother, but she was nowhere in sight. She then picked up her pace but she was pulled deep into the river. An eagle flew past the bloodied water and disappeared into the sky before a severed head of the little boy popped out of the water.

****

Breenis went back to her cave and sat back down on her throne. She took back the form of a hornless purple haired half woman half snake. Breenis breathed slowly and faced up with her eyes closed. There was no longer tightness in her chest. She put her finger into her mouth and pulled out a piece of flesh.

'I have to power through for as long as I can. I can't die yet.' she said to herself and closed her eyes to sleep.