The sun was blazing over the mostly flat surface of the plain. For most being the heat would have been unbearable, but for the young pip hidden in the grass it was enjoyable.
	HE was sleeping in the brownish yellow grass; the brown spots in his fur camouflaged him well. The painted wolf slept soundly until he heard his mother call for him.
	The pup got up to look towards his mother, and wagged his tail. He was naked save for a simple loincloth worn on his waist, and a small quiver of arrows on his back. He quickly ran towards his mother, and then hugged her legs once he got to her.
	“How’s my son today?” She asked looking down at the pup. The pup’s mother was similarly dressed as her son, mainly because she was letting her newborn pup nurse from her breast.
	“I’m good.” The young painted wolf said as he nuzzled his mother’s leg. “Daddy said he was going to take me hunting tomorrow. He said wagging his tail.
	“That’s wonderful Zeeck.” The pup’s mother said as she petted her son again. “Bring home a good sized Gazelle.” She said grinning as she began to walk back to their hut.
	After a short walked Zeeck and his mother made it back to their small village. There was a large commotion in town as something new was there.
	Zeeck moved to see what it was, and it was then that he saw him for the first time. He noticed that the being didn’t have fur, but had rough dark colored scales. His ears twitched as the being spoke his language, but it was rougher, and filled with errors. The pup hugged close to his mother as he realized it was a creature from one of his father’s stories.
	“We want hunting…” the reptile said in a rough voice. “You give rights.” it said to the chieftain of the village. The reptile’s scales were almost black and were rough from brushing the grass. He was a large snake in both height and thickness. The snake towered over the chieftain, and was very muscular seeing as his kind like to suffocate their kill.
	“What will you give for them?” the chieftain asked looking at the snake. He was old seeing as his muzzle was turning grey. “We’d like about a year’s worth of fruit if you’re willing.” He said in a strong voice despite his age.
	The snake hissed. “No… half a year.” he said as his pupils narrowed into very thin slits.
	“No deal.” The chieftain said. “A year of fruit or no hunting rights.” He said as he walked away. As he walked off he heard a loud hiss, and then the rustle of grass as the snake walked away.
	It had been one month before the snake returned, this time he wasn’t alone. Flanking his sides were two other snakes, both were smaller than him, and were dressed in leather while the larger snake wore a simple cloth robe. “We have fruit…” He said showing a box filled with mangos, dates, and other fruits. “You give rights.” The snake said looking at the chieftain.
	“This is not enough…” The chieftain said looking at the box’s contents. “I requested more.” he said growling a bit.
	The snake hissed. “You give us rights, or we take them by force!” he said loudly with the last half of the statement in his native tongue; which caused a whimper from the younger people in the crowd.
	The chieftain snarled at the snake. “No! The deal is off. No threats.” he said walking off.
	The snake hissed and then looked at one of his guard, and pointed at the chieftain. Soon a loud gasp came from the crown as chaos in sued.
	The snake that was looked at ran up, and stabbed the chieftain with a small curved knife. As this happened a small band of about three hunters ran up to kill the snake, but were stopped as their legs were stabbed by a knife held by white scaled hands that were speckled with dirt seeing as they stuck out of the ground.
	Zeeck was horrified as he saw the small band of hunters fall. “Dad!” he screamed as his mother grabbed him and ran towards their hut.
	In the course of two months the village was ransacked and pillaged. The people in it were taken into Slavery. Zeeck, his mother, and little sister were put as slaves to the large snake who started the failed negotiation. His Name was Drellta, but most often was referred to as Master.
	In the next ten years Zeeck and his family were treated horridly, but in comparison to other slaves were treated well. They had food as needed, and were bathed weekly which is better than others who got meager portions and barely enough water for their hands.

Zeeck walked into the bedroom he shared with his mother and some other slaves, and felled onto the pile of grass that made up his bed. He was seventeen now, and was pretty muscular from the hard work he did. With a quick shift of his eyes he saw a dark furred female curled up and sleeping. The small pats on her hands were red and sore from cleaning plates for Drellta and his guests.
	He scooted closer to her, and hugged her softly as he saw her shiver. As he hugged her she shifted a little. “It’s me Zeph.” he said quietly as he started to sleep. Sometime later Zeeck awoke to the sound of his mother talking to someone.
	“No.” she said shoving Drellta’s current guest, a rather thick snake who looked plane fat, nit muscular like Drellta. His breath indicated at heavy drinking. “Come on… Just one night.” He said flicking his tongue.
	In her time as a slave Zeeck’s mother had been used as a plaything for Drellta’s and his guest’s more lucid desires, and this one in particular was rather mean to his courtesans, so it was obvious why the female canine was resisting the snake’s advances.
	Zeeck tried to sleep, but couldn’t as the argument progressed, and after a few moments there was a loud hiss, and then a loud metallic smack followed by the sound of someone falling.
	Zeeck’s mother fell to the ground, and twitched a little. The snake was holding something in his hand as he looked at the woman’s body. “Whore!” he said as he spat at the female.
	At that last statement Zeeck got up, and reached for the small quiver he had kept hidden from his master all this time.
	The snake began to walk off after savoring the sight of his victim. After a few second the snake hissed as he was forced onto the ground. He tried to get up, but stopped after feeling a weight on his back.
	The painted wolf growled as he stood on the snake’s back. “My mother is not a whore!” he said as she stabbed the snake in the neck, and twisted the blade to make the wound larger causing more of the reptiles blood to well up.
	The snake squirmed and thrashed in pain. He attempted to hiss, but only a gurgling sound came from him as his spasms eventually stopped.
	Zeeck breathed heavily as he got off of the snake. His hands shook as bit as he looked at them. The fur on his fingers were red with blood. He looked at his mother’s body and slowly walked towards her.
	As he walked towards his mother's body. Zeeck smelled something foul, bit ignored it, and knelt by her. "Mom." he aid nudging her, but got no response. "Mom!" he said as he shook her, she felt colder than she should.
	Tears started to form on his eyes as he collapsed onto the ground. “Mom…” he said as he started to cry.
	A tiny bit Zeph came walking out of the room. In the light of the nearby lamp the dark spots on Zeph’s fur almost blended into her fur. She gasped as she saw Zeeck’s mother. “What happened?” The hyena asked looking at Zeeck.
	In the ten years Zeeck has been a slave his younger sister died from lack of medical care when she had gotten sick. Zeph was the one who had comforted Zeeck in the time after his sister’s death, and now would have to comfort him again. The hyena was around Zeeck’s age, and treated the painted wolf as her brother.
	“She…she..” Zeeck said as he continued to cry. “She is dead.” He said as he hugged and cried into Zeph’s shoulder.
	Zeph patted Zeeck’s back as he cried. Her eyes widened as she saw the dagger stuck in the snake’s neck. “Tttt-that’s Drellta’s guest.” Zeph said sounding horrified. “He’ll kill us.”
	Drellta hissed as he walked towards the slave quarters. He was escorted by a snake that was about as tall, but not as muscular as he was. The courtesan yawned as she followed Drellta. “Will we get back to bed soon?” she asked hissing.
	“We will Diktynna.” he said as he saw the scene. “What happened here?” Drellta asked to loudly to the two mammals.
	Zeeck continued to cry. “Your guest killed…” Zeph said as she swallowed her words after looking at her and Zeeck’s master.
	Drellta looked at the scene, and  looked back at Zeph. “You two are banished…” He said looking away.
	Zeph tilted her head. “You’re letting us go?” she asked helping Zeeck up.
	“Yes, now get going before I change my mind!” Drellta said pointing a hand to the an exit
	The two mammals ran off quickly. Diktynna looked at Drellta. “You let them go? After killing your guest?” She said sounding confused.
	“Mhmm.” Drellta said looking at the corpses. “I was going to kill him.” he said nudging the snake’s corpse. “This isn’t the first time this one killed a slave of mine.” Drellta said hissing. “Serves him right a slave killed him.” The large snake said as he took Diktynna back to his room.