Did someone hear a hiss?

Twas a dark winter's eve not long ago, when a small trio of squirrels stopped and made camp by the road on their journey north. In the early dark of winter, there was not but a small pool of light from their meager camp fire, and a sliver of moonlight flickering through the tree limbs. The three had tucked themselves in as best they could to the roots of a large tree, using it as shelter from the wind, and had bundled themselves up. Being so few in number, they had to take long, tiresome shifts at watch, and there was much dozing. The trio had a bow, and a few staves between them, but mostly they were relying on a quick escape into the trees to save them if trouble came knocking.

The standard choice of fleeing squirrels everywhere. A good strong tactic against the dangers of the woods, and make no mistake. The woods are dangerous. For here there be monsters.

Moving along the forest a creature stops to sniff the air. It casts a glance down at its rumbling stomach. Hunger was a horrible thing, especially in the wintertime. The air was warm for hunting though and it would be probably its last chance to bring down some game.

The creature sniffs at the air, letting out a low hiss. "Ssquirrel..." It smiles, moving through the leaf covered woods with disturbing agility.

( One of the worst parts about fires in wintertime is their near constant dependency. The wood is usually soaked from snow, and the fire must be kept constantly stoked throughout the night to keep those dependent on it warm. The squirrels had figured out a simple solution to this; every time the watch was switched, the new watchman would go and collect another bundle of wood to keep the flames burning during their shift. Such a change in watch had just taken place near the midnight hour, and the dreary eyed squirrel began hunting about around the camp site for more fuel, while the other two slept. )

The beast slithers about the camp site, reptilian eyes quickly taking in the camp site. Squirrels. Just what his diet needed. Almost betrayed by his own hunger the shadowy serpent keeps himself from charging in like a blind fool. No, this was no time to loose a good meal do to his own desperation. He pauses at the edge of camp, peering through a bush, deciding who will be the first victim. He could kill one of the sleeping squirrels for a guaranteed meal...and possibly have to fight the others later on. Or he could, if he was quiet enough, slay the guard and eat the other two at his leisure.

The snake pauses for a moment, rubbing his chin with his tail. In the end he decides that the plumpest of the three is going to be his target. So he's shallow. He's a snake after all.

The snake continues to examine the group, seeing which will prove to be the tastiest meal.

The largest of the trio is one of the two sleepers, and an above average specimen when it comes to muscle, at least for a squirrel; incidentally the other sleeper is the smallest of the three. He'd just passed of his watch to the third squirrel, and is now settling in and quickly falling back asleep.

The snake drools as he licks his chops. He can't stand it any longer, it's tike to strike!

The gold unblinking eyes depart from the bushes. The night goes on uninterrupted aside from the occasional rustle of leaves. It's...hard to tell if they belong to beast or the wind. If nothing else the snake leaves no foot steps to be heard...

The current sentry, believing he's doing a good job of both keeping a watch on the others and gathering wood, has almost gotten an armful, and begins working his way back, slowly, picking up the odd twig or branch that others have missed in order to complete his pile.

The snake has to keep his giggling from revealing his location. As the squirrel moves through the woods a long green scaled tail comes out of the bushes, gently tapping the squirrel on the back before disappearing back into the bushes.

Perhaps it was a risk to toy with ones food. Perhaps it won't even matter as in the next instant the snake's open jaws come lunging towards the beast from the opposite direction.

The startled squirrel drops his pile of wood at the tap, and whirls round to see what hit him. Unfortunately, he's then struck from behind by a far worse blow, the serpent managing to plunge its fangs into his shoulder and back. He manages a shriek of terror and pain before anything else happens.

Fortunately for the squirrel the whiptail isn't venomous. Unfortunately for the squirrel that means he is about to face a creature known to crush it's prey. Whether this is worse is really up to one's own perspective.

Regardless the snake can't have all that delightful screaming waking up his potential meal and desert. The snake opens his jaws wide, trying to bite his 'appetizer' again by clamping down over his torso and violently shaking him, preferably until he stopped with the moving, screaming...and living.

The second bite seems to do the job, though the squirrel still thrashes about considerably until he's shaken, at which point he goes limp. The other two leap to their feet with surprising speed, though they seem uncertain of what to do. The bigger of the two grabs their bow, but both of them, blinded by the firelight and their own sleep, have no idea what's going on. The larger of the two pushes the smaller towards the tree, slings the bow over his shoulders, and begins to climb himself, hoping that the vantage point will help him spot the danger and respond to it.

The sound of the snakes feast come to a quick and fearsome close. The snake so...so badly wants to eat the squirrel in his jaws, but it sounds like the others have awakened.

Still clutching his future meal the serpent circles around back to his original hiding place, examining the camp. If nothing else his prey isn't going to escape anywhere quickly, treeing themselves like that.

It gives him an idea though.

For the squirrels there comes a sudden shout, mostly just a high pitched scream. Then their recently deceased companion can be seen tumbling limply through the bushes before slowly being dragged hallway back into them.

The snake wasn't much of a fisherman, but he knew how to set bait.

Unfortunately, the larger of the two squirrels is a pretty wily fish. From his perch at the crook of the first bough, he watches his companion's apparent plight. Without giving up his position among the limbs, he quickly runs along the current limb and makes a nimble leap to another; moving swiftly to get a goo look at what's attacking his friend, and to get a good shot at it.

The smaller squirrel is defenseless and meek!

The ground around the fallen squirrel seems to be...empty. There are signs of something cutting through the grass and leaves, leaving a trail that circles back to his own tree and the scaly tail circling around the trunk. Eventually the squirrel is met with face of the serpent as he tries to climb up the side, "HelloosssSSss." He says in a friendly manner before snapping at him.

Taking the bow from his shoulders, the squirrel scowls at the snake. He's still able to easily get out of its reach, and knocks and arrow. "Good bye." He says flatly in response as he looses the shaft at the serpent.

The snake let's out a hiss as the arrow strikes him in the mouth. He falls backward onto his back rolling around in pain until he reaches up with his tail, giving the arrow a good yank out of his flesh. He glares at the squirrel, bleeding a little from his lips. "Now, I have to murder you." He gives the tree's trunk a good wack with his tail, trying to upset the beasts grip on the branches above.

The squirrel is a bit to quick for that, and he manages to sink low on the branch till he's hugging it with his whole body to ride out the blows. Whenever he can, he returns to his feet to loose another arrow down at the snake, who now seems to be fighting for a lost cause.

The arrows don't...seem to have an effect on a beast the size of a whiptail. The bruise he is getting on his tail however from beating it against a tree...

With a defeated hiss the beast slithers around the tree, picking up the corpse of his only successful victim and giving the beasts a hateful glance before disappearing into the night...