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Date Posted: 17:26:10 03/22/02 Fri
Author: Tristan
Subject: Did I mention I hate snakes?
In reply to: Marz and crew 's message, "Group A takes off" on 10:12:01 03/20/02 Wed

Tristan caught himself grinning when he saw the annoyed look flickering across Marz’s face. Obviously, the ex-gang leader wasn’t too thrilled with the way some of their group members were wandering off on their own. Tristan loved to see him take charge like that, but it was even funnier to watch how upset he got when no one bothered to follow his orders. At least laughing at his lover and their friends helped him to forget what was happening to Eremis for just a little while.

While they began leafing through the books in the underground library, he moved to look over Rowan’s shoulder, curious about what the elf thought constituted “issues.” His eyes went wide when he saw the vivid images of demonic humans engaged in splendidly drawn orgies and animal copulation. Rowan felt his presence hovering over him and turned to give him a wink.

“Here you go.” He pressed the book into Tristan’s chest, making him clutch at it reflexively so it wouldn’t fall. “That’s more to you and Marz’s tastes, I expect.”

It took him a while to get what Rowan was referring to, but when he finally did, his face flared up red, more with anger than embarrassment.

“You’re just jealous!” he snapped, hurling the book down angrily to the floor.

Rowan surprised him by raising an eyebrow and staring at Marz so long it made Tristan start to feel uncomfortable. “Maybe I am,” he said after a while. He turned and grinned again, shrugging his shoulders as if to say he couldn’t help wanting certain things…or wanting certain people.

Now Tristan was furious. “You’ll never get—

Rowan laughed, cutting him off. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that!” He stood up on his toes and planted a kiss on Tristan’s cheek. “Lighten up,” he added, still grinning and shaking his head, leaving the dragon feeling more befuddled than angry.

Tristan’s attention was diverted from Rowan by Marz’s sharply raised voice. Benis, the Jann who’d volunteered to tag along with them, had once again reminded them about his sheik’s beloved peacock throne, and Marz had obviously finally had it with him. (Tristan didn’t like those Jann people. They were too tall and ugly, and fought rather clumsily in his opinion. Benis was no exception.)

They all rushed off to follow Marz, who kept a brisk pace up as they hurried down the corridor leading from the library. Tristan watched as Rowan moved to walk beside Tia, slipping his hand around the slender thief’s waist without hesitation. “Tramp,” Tristan muttered, angered that his friend had professed to finding the elf attraction. Couldn’t she see that’s all he was? And now the jerk had set his eyes on Marz…if only he were ugly like Jeremy was!

Doesn’t matter, he promised himself. What’s he got that I don’t have? Still, he knew how easily tempted Marz was, and Rowan had almost seemed to be implying that the two of them had already…

No way. Impossible. He shook his head, putting the incident out of his mind for now. As they entered the immense hallway with the pillars, Tristan’s eyes moved to the black snakes slinking up and down the supporting structures. His heart gave a big thump in his chest, and he swallowed, slowly withdrawing his sword from its scabbard. When Tia yelled for Marz to wait, he jerked his head away from the pillars, watching in horror as the floor under his reckless lover’s feet suddenly caved in, dropping him from view!

They all raced toward the hole in the floor, standing along the edge and peering down into its depth. Tristan hadn’t realized he’d stopped breathing until he took a great big gulp of air upon seeing Marz standing there, apparently unhurt.

“Look out!” Rowan shouted, and he pointed to the giant snout of an immense snake slowly slithering towards Marz, who had his sword out and ready. Tristan very nearly fainted on the spot he was so unnerved, and when several more came into view, he thought he was going to have a heart attack right there on the floor. Instead, he took a deep breath and pulled himself together, steadying the hand clutching his sword.

“We have to help him!” he said, turning to the others.

Tia quickly withdrew a rope from her back and handed one end to Benis, who was by far the strongest among them. “Hold this, while we climb down,” she instructed, and the big man nodded his understanding.

Tristan shook his head. “I can’t hold on to that! My shoulder…even my leg…”

“Then stay up here!” Rowan growled, clamping a dagger in his teeth before swinging around and starting to climb downward. When he was halfway in, he paused to remove the dagger and toss it at the head of the nearest snake, hitting the creature squarely between the eyes. It bucked wildly, its brilliant green body slamming into the wall perilously close to where Marz stood.

Tristan glanced at the rope. He really couldn’t. His arm wouldn’t support him, it just wouldn’t. Without giving his actions anymore thought, he simply turned to the hole away from the rope…and jumped.

He landed on the pile of writhing serpents, crying out in pain as his injured leg was bruised once again. He hobbled quickly to his feet and backed away from the snakes toward Marz, grabbing on to him with one hand while holding his sword with the other. Both hands shook like crazy and his eyes were wild with fear, but he held his sword up straight as the giant snakes advanced upon them.

“I wish you’d be more careful next time,” he said, his voice shaking only slightly. And then the first snake lunged at them, jaws naked and open wide to reveal its twin fangs. The two youths brought their swords up and met it head-on, slashing and defending themselves as best they could.

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