The day is hot as Strix lounges under the canopy of some palm trees, the heat making the boy feel slow and lethargic. His eyelids close only to blink open a moment later before a yawn pulls his mouth apart. Oh, well, time for an afternoon nap. The boy made of black and grays flops heavily onto his side and stretches out, bring his front paws up and his nose down while his back legs spread out and toes splay.

After a nice big stretch, the boy settles on the grassy ground and allows his eyes to drift closed. With his black side pushed into the ground, he feels the built-up heat stored within start to leech away and his body slowly relaxes.

A nagging feeling tugs at Strix as tries to fall asleep and the feeling of being watched keeps him on this side of consciousness. The sound of the bark on one of the palm tree rubbing against something has the boy’s black ear flicking in annoyance but his sluggish brain doesn’t quite register it. It becomes more consistent until the boy can no longer ignore it and he huffs an annoyed sigh as his pries his eyes open.

A reticulated python greets the sleepy pup, Strix’s mismatched eyes widening as he lets out an undignified yelp of surprise. Leaping to his paws, he back-peddles away from the massive snake while releasing a quick howl to request help. Once he gathers his wits, the small boy rushes back toward the coiling snake, determined to kill it for disrupting his nap.


"Strix Klein"

The heat of the day was pushing everyone into the shade of the jungle. Even the hard working King had had enough. It was just too damn hot. As he made his way back towards the compound, a cry of alarm met the brutes mismatched ears. Instantly alert, the heat no longer meant anything. Adrenaline pumped through him and he ran quickly in the direction of the howl. Was it jaguars again? No, not this time.

Bursting into a clearing, Chimera saw Strix going head to head with a massive python. The dual-toned brute leaped forward, sinking his teeth into the reptiles back. With his jaws locked, Chimera began to pull the snake away from his son. The snakes attention was now on the larger wolf and it struck, sinking its razor fangs into Chimera's foreleg. It then began trying to wrap its coils around the man.

"Chimera Klein"

The python’s appearance startles the young Strix and he quickly backs away from the huge snake. Large jaws open, split tongue testing the air as the young Klein boy lets out a howl for help. Heart thuds painfully against his ribs as he prepares to rush back in, knowing that he needs to get rid of this creature to keep the island safe. Just as he moves forward, ready to attack, the black and white form of his father appears. Relief floods the boy as his sire leaps forward, sinking his teeth into the scaly creature’s back. It hisses, its powerful body immediately trying to coil around Chimera.

Strix darts in, remembering Kione’s lesson about killing large snake and how the soft plate at the base of the anaconda’s head had killed the creature once broken. Maybe he can hit it on this python! Small body leaps on the back of the snake, paws pinning its neck to ground as he sinks his teeth into the area where the soft bone is. Jaws flex to try and break it but Strix is forced to abandon his position as the snake bucks his small frame off. Darting away, Strix eyes the python, planning how he can strike and kill the snake with his father’s help.


"Strix Klein"

The snake tried to wrap itself around him but Strix flew into action, attacking the reptile's head. The serpent didn't like that much and forgot all about the larger wolf for a moment as it thrashed to rid itself of the clinging foe. Strix jumped back and it provided Chimera enough room and time to take up where his young son left off.

Leaping out from the coils of the giant snake, Chimera made a beeline for the back of the reptile's head as its slit eyes were fixed upon the boy. Jaws clamped shut on the back of the head and the snake hissed aloud, jaws flying open as it began to thrash and work its coils around the black and white wolf once more. There was little that Chimera could do about the coils. As long as he continued applying pressure and eventually biting through the back of the skull, things would work out well.

"Chimera Klein"

Strix avoids the snake’s jaws as it strikes after him but the boy’s job is done and the coils release his father. The small boy knows that everything will be alright with his father here and he watches as his sire shifts to grab the back of the python’s head. The snake thrashes, knowing that dire wolf’s hold signals the end. It tries to protect itself, body once more moving to coil around Chimera but Strix is there. Small form darts in, grabbing the lower body near its tail and pulls. The creature is made of pure muscle and Strix struggles and tugs, fighting with the coiling snake. Teeth dig bloody furrows into it and he adjusts his grip before shoving all his weight backwards. It doesn’t stop the coiling but it should buy his father enough time to finish that python.


"Strix Klein"

Strix did his best to keep the coils from wrapping around his father, but it was no use. The boy was small and fast but he lacked the brute strength to do much to the writhing stretch of muscle that was curling around Chimera. Jaws bit down even harder and the brute could feel the crunch of bone within his mouth. The snake thrashed anew, its mouth flying open wide even though there was nothing that it could bite. The giant lashed his head back and forth, teeth ripping through scaled flesh and sinking further into the skull case of the snake. Soon it was dead, the only motions being the last little bursts of electricity shooting through deceased nerves.

"Good job, boy." Chimera complimented his son once he'd caught his breath enough. He gave Strix a fatherly pat on the back, then steered them both towards home. They could tell someone about the snake and if they wanted to eat it or skin it, there it would be.

"Chimera Klein"