A snake, and a rat... guess who won? ;)
------------------------------------------------------------

The scent of food is what initially drew Cruim to the fields. Rats, such easy prey. And apparently there's a large nest of them here by the strength of the scent. The snake slithers through the underbrush on the outskirts of the fields, his glossy black scales keeping him mostly hidden in the shadows cast by the sun.

Jenevieve walks through the fields, looking up at the sky. She's had to go through some extra hassle to get outside, but it's worth it--the sun is shining and the sky is clear blue. She's been desperate to get out, preferable outside so that it will take her mother a good deal longer to find her. She's as yet unaware of any predators, presuming that the area is still safe. *It's the forest that's dangerous...* she reminds herself.

Alex wanders slowly through the fields, a small clipboard in paw as he watches the field-workers tend the crops, jotting down random notes as he does so. "The feral activity appears to have died down for now. How fortunate. We just might make quota before the harvest is over.." he mutters, stopping near one edge of the fields to muse over an apple tree. He is of course not at all aware of why the typical rodent thieves who frequent the fields have abandoned their easy meal, or of any danger lurking about in the area. He simply assumes the guard must be doing a good job.

( Simon walks along next to Alex, nodding a bit. "I hope so... It's too late in the season to plant anything else if we don't have enough." )

Something lies distant from the fields, finding perch upon the wall of stone that leads further into the meadows. Depending on how far out one is in the fields, it would be hard to discern -what- it is, preciesely, almost baring some semblance to something quilled and motionless. The lack of motion is deceptive however, for it's very much alive, and trained eyes make a slow sweep along field and meadow from its perch. It's made its home amidst the wild for some time now, and won't be easily snuck upon. Even now it detects the disruption of grass, subtle, lengthy movements that betray the presense of another hunter of sorts. It stays calm, motionless, but watches and waits, seeing where those movements start to head.

( A forked tongue flicks out to taste the air when one of the rats comes closer to the edge. The ash-grey rat, Alex, begins to get all of the snakes attention as he slithers forward with a dry rustle of scales. He keeps in the shade, creating nothing more than a brief bulge in the undergrowth to mark his passing. He pauses again, regarding the others that were closest, tongue flicking out. )

Jenevieve looks up at the sound of voices, and sees two rats approaching from the opposite direction. She smiles as she recognizes Simon, her one-time rescuer, and Alex, a former colleague of her father's. Her ears perk at a sound...a rustling sound. *One of the guards? A farmer?* She looks back to her two new companions. "Afternoon," she greets them politely. *Dad always insisted on manners...*

Alex nods to Simon, furrowing his brow a bit. "Indeed. Blasted ferals.." he replies, peering around for a moment as he thought he heard a rustling nearby. It's then when he spots Jenevieve, offering a friendly wave. He hides a bit of a smirk as he remembers her father. *These colonists have no idea...* he thinks, looking back to Simon. "Well, I'm glad the guard has become so effective in chasing them off. I'm not sure what we'd do, otherwise."

Simon scratches behind his ear a bit and shrugs. He seems about to reply when Jenevieve greets them. "Oh, heya, Jen," he says, offering a small smile. "Yeah..." he replies to Alex; he seems somewhat distracted at the moment.

The perched -thing- watches as the serpent glides past.. Whether or not it was noticed, it makes no effort to get the creature's attention, nor does it make an effort to converse, or give sign of its presense, nor his own.. It does note in the distance the gathering of rodents, its gaze thinning faintly.. How long has it been since Balak has been a part of the colony's affairs, or theirs his? The thought passes, and the 'cloaked' rat stays perched, seated, ears listening around himself as he watches the gathering with a faint smirk. Time will soon tell how careful they are about minding their surroundings...

Cruim stops for a split second when another scent drifts to him in the air. Another rat, apart from the others. No matter, the grey one was his target. The grey one would be his meal. He slows down so he'd be quieter as he got closer to his prey. His tongue flicks out a few more times in anticipation before he coils himself up to ready himself for the strike.

Jenevieve looks around, her bright green eyes narrowing slightly. She sniffs the air, listening to the sounds all around her. "I don't think we're alone," she says, frowning as she walks toward Simon and Alex. Her paw reaches inside her skirt pocket, where her favorite dagger rests.

Alex peers at Jenevieve, sniffing the air as well. "Not.. alone? No, of course not. The guards are on patrol and there's at least ten rats tending the crops." he replies, apparently not quite getting the point, or at least assuming whatever it is is probably a guard. "I hear those guards have gotten good at changing up their scent." He then spots.. something sitting on the wall, and wanders a few paces away from the others, towards it to try and get a better look. "What is that....?"

Simon frowns a bit, peering over towards where Alex points. "Huh... Not one of the guards, I don't think..."

"The little one trusts her instincts," Comes a deep, low voice from the wall, the form settled there still fairly motionless, though within that nest of shrill, white thorn-like quills rests a thick nest of dark-crimson fur, blanketing upon a form, both thick and large enough to equally be a match for even one such as Brutus in terms of sheer size, perhaps even bigger. Jade-colored eyes set narrowed behind an almost wolfish looking rat's muzzle, his gaze falling upon the gathered rodents.. He picks up their scents from his perch, though something in the air gives him a momentary cause for hesitation which he forces himself to break from, though there's something distinctly familiar about it.. His gaze fixates upon one rodent in particular, for even he can tell which one is the intended target. "Out here, carelessness will only lead to death..." It's about as close to a warning as the large rat is willing to give, as he remains perched, waiting to behold the hell that is soon to follow.

'Oh...sweet little morssssel...thhhinksss ssshhhe can detect me,' Cruim thinks to himself. He coils and tenses for his strike, tongue flicking out again. 'Yesss....come clossser...make it eassier for me,' the snake thinks to himself with no little amount of pleasure, 'Better sssstrike now...the other prey get wisssee.' Then, without any warning Cruim strikes lightning quick, biting for Alex's shoulder so he could get a good hold on the rat and coil around him.

Jenevieve looks up, her eyes wide as she sees the biggest rat she's ever laid eyes on. She remembers stories of a rat who wore quills on his back...but not much else... "Who are you?" she asks, after he's given his warning. Her paw goes for her dagger--it won't help against the huge rat, who could probably skewer her alive with his outerwear alone--when the snake bursts from the underbrush. "Mr. Sanford! MOVE!" she screams.

Alex peers up at the large form as it speaks. "What?" he asks, unable to quite make it out. Out of reflex, the rat forgets his alias as Jenevieve screams to him. "Who's Mr. S-*squeak!*" The rat's question is cut off as the snake attacks, moving just enough that the snake catches his arm instead of his shoulder. It's still enough to knock him down though, and from there he reaches for his dagger, aiming for the predator's snout.

Simon blinks a little at the rat's warning, but isn't given much time to contemplate it when suddenly the snake strikes out of nowhere, managing to jump out of the way at the last second! "Woah!" He fumbles under his tunic once he realizes what's happening, then blows a shrill warning whistle to call the guards over. He, unfortunately, doesn't have his staff with him, but he does cast about for a rock or something...

There is no sign of satisfaction on Balak's expression. No malice... No hatred, nor compassion... At this point it's simply a matter of the hunter going after the hunted. It's hardly the proper moment to give the young rat an answer to her question. As the struggle begins, he remains perched, certain of it's outcome, but...

Cruim latches onto the arm and starts to immediately coil around his meal. He lets out a raspy cry of pain when the dagger digs into his snout, but the pain causes him to bite down even harder. He rolls and coils, seeking to immobilize his prey and crush it before he'd swallow it whole.

Jenevieve knows they can't wait for the Guard--she draws her own dagger and rushes the snake, striking out with the blade. She's aiming for the snake's eye, or close to it! She's temporarily forgotten about the stranger, preoccupied with saving this other rat.

Alex cries out, his arm broken, but doesn't let up, aiming to slice deep into the snake's maw with his good arm, even as it curls around him and begins squeezing. He coughs, barely getting another breath in. "..So it beg11ns.." he manages, voice broken and hard to make out, before going limp and silent.

Simon nearly drops the rock he'd picked up when he sees Alex's life squeezed out of him, unable to move, act, or do anything...

Balak barely makes out what is said himself, though from how it sounds, it strikes the large one as 'pecuiliar'.. a strange thing to utter in one's death throes.. He watches as Jenevieve makes the effort to try and save the other rat, though at this point he is likely already dead. The most the other rats can do at this point, possibly, is deny the serpant the opportunity to devour his catch. He's aware of the warning whistle that was blown, and the rat finally shows sign of movement, shifting from his perch in preperation to depart. His scouting in this area is more or less done for the moment, though he does take another look towards Jenevieve...Then down he drops behind the 'wall', sinking into the grass... strange to imagine something so big managing to hide itself and disappear so quickly..

Another stab of pain just beneath his eye causes him to roll his head away from the rest of the rats, using his tail to strike out at them and keep them from interrupting his meal. If it wasn't for his rolling and wrestling with his meal, the little rat's shiny claw would have surely taken his eye. The 40 inch snake lets out another raspy cry of pain when his prey's shiny claw slices his lower lip. Cruim squeezes again even though the rat went limp before he opens his gaping maw to start to force the rat inside. He keeps swishing his lower half about to try and keep the others back until he could get enough of the rat inside so he could leave.

Jenevieve is thrown back as the snake thrashes his tail, causing her to land painfully on her side. She gets up--and notices the huge rat giving her a strange look before departing. She screams, adding her voice to Simon's whistle. "Hurry! He's dying!" she cries, running forward again to strike. Fortunately, that's when the Guard arrives.

Alex is already quite thoroughly dead before the snake begins to swallow him, so he doesn't do much of anything.

Simon finally remebers himself enough to chuck a rock at the snake, but he already knows that it's too late for Alex, even if they managed to pry him away.

Balak distances himself from what is going on. He has no need to bear witness to the aftermath. While it may sound cruel, it may be more favorable if they allow the snake to eat its meal. Forcing it to go hungry would only prompt the serpent to possibly come back for another one of them that much sooner. Of course, he's not close enough to anyone to relate this too. ;)

Cruim feels the solid thump of a rock hitting his side and works the upper half of Alex into his maw. He raises his head to cast a look that almost says 'You're next' at Jenevieve and Simon before he turns to slither away so he could enjoy his meal. Blood dripped from the few wounds he received, but they would heal quick enough.

Jenevieve sinks to her knees, bloody dagger held limply in her paw. "Oh God..." she croaks, her green eyes filled with tears. The nearby guards are attempting to corner the snake, though they are not having much luck.

Martin, as one of the guards, pants as he arrives on the scene. "What's ... what's the pro--OH GOD a snake!" he yelps, jumping back, staff at the ready.

Cruim pays little mind to the little guards and continues on his way, ignoring everything in his way. He got what he came for, at little price. He found his new territory.

Jenevieve looks up, seeing Martin. "He killed Alex--we couldn't stop him--the guards, they're trying to catch the snake--" She gets to her feet, and goes to Martin. "That thing's huge!"

( Martin blinks, moving closer to Jenevieve and Simon. "I-it did -what-?" he squeaks in surprise. The mouse sighs, remaining with them while the other guards try to wrangle the snake. "Not much good I coulda done, either, so don't feel too bad." )

Jenevieve wipes her eyes with the back of her sleeve, trying not to sniffle. "He was just...crushed...." she says dazedly. "I heard...I tried to warn him, but...it was too late..."