the snake left the hinterlands behind with a burst of energy that carried him over the stone plains between. he emerged into a place notched with evergreen and granite, and decided it was as good a place as any to stop.

with his decision to lay up for the next handful of days, asmodeus set about scouring the terrace for prey, as he had discovered the teekon was a sorry place for it.

he adored women. their eyes, their cries, their hips, their paws — all of them, all of that which was ineffably feminine and therefore divine.

it was, therefore, the reason for his disappointment when the scent on the wind and the sound to accompany it were both owned by a gangly girl-child. her eyes burned sunset and lanterned toward him; asmodeus returned the brilliant fire with his own colorless glittering.

whatever she wanted, he did not have. the man cared not for children, including the ones he had assuredly sired. they were a consequence of his most favored pastime. 

he roamed on, bored.

the plucky little thing followed, and asmodeus grew annoyed at the grating sound of her demanding voice

"because i can be," the snake told the girl, stopping to present a full-fledged adult's bristle, a threatening step taken in her direction. "now fuck off."