Morning in the jungle dawned lazily, the sun’s rays transforming deep greens and blues of the landscape into richer, earthier hues. Light streamed through the trees, revealing a pair of half-hidden humans sleeping under the shade of a large brush on the edge of a clearing. The two lay on their sides, slumbering face to face, clad only in the salvaged remains of their ruined clothing.

A light breeze fluttered through the clearing, teasing the girls’ tousled hair. Rina stirred, her light snores abruptly becoming a *snort* as she shifted. The woman stretched, her back arching before blearily opening an eye. The sight that greeted her came slowly into focus – long lashes, freckle-dappled light skin, and a contented smile, all surrounded by loose flowing locks of blonde hair. She blinked, much more awake, and her heart skipped a beat. Shanai was snoozing peacefully, one hand under her head, inches away. Rina stiffened with a sudden awareness that the other hand lay clasped in her own. What…happened last night? Rina furrowed her brow, trying to remember. They’d been walking most of the day, and climbed…a tree? That’s right, she followed, pieces coming back to her. They’d laid down to rest, though Rina hadn’t been able to sleep as easily. She must have eventually though, because she’d dreamt – and rather vividly too.

Rina laid her head back, relaxing her shoulders as her dream came into focus. She was out late in the jungle, lost and wandering. She’d heard a hiss, looked up to find herself face to face with the hypnotic serpent, Kaa, and fallen right into his mesmerizing gaze. She had been caught off-guard, and instantly captivated. It wasn’t long before Rina was wrapped up snugly in his coils and lifted into his tree. She shivered at the imagined sensation of smooth, strong coils holding her tightly, and the seductive words Kaa had whispered in her ear. She’d given in completely in the end, becoming a mindless toy for the perverted python. It had been terrifying…exciting…and incredibly hot. Her legs rubbed against one another subconsciously as she savored the details. In the last few months, her sleeping mind had conjured similar fantasies, but none had felt quite so…intense.

There was something else though. She had the distinct impression that she was forgetting something. She looked over at her friend, something shaking loose in her head. That’s right! Shanai was too. Kaa had us -- had us both, oh…

Rina’s mind was suddenly filled with colorful images, the sounds of moaning mingled with serpentine hisses, and the sensation of her body pressed against Shanai’s toned form. Slowly, she untangled her fingers from Shanai’s, an odd sensation growing in her stomach as she stared at her best friend in silence. Watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, the cascade of hair falling down over her face, the parting of those soft, kissable lips…

Suddenly, it seemed quite hot in the open air. Rina reached forward, her fingers trembling. The back of her hand brushed across Shanai’s cheek, eliciting a soft sigh and a shy smile. Rina’s stomach nearly backflipped, but she drew closer, leaning forward almost without thinking. Her gaze lingered on Shanai’s lips, heart pounding furiously. A sudden, obsessive desire to feel their touch on hers nearly overtook her. Rina leaned in closer…

I can’t, what if she, what if Shan doesn’t…!

Her courage faltering, Rina’s hand left Shanai’s cheek, reaching up and brushing a few loose locks of blonde hair behind the sleeping woman’s ear, before retreating reluctantly. Shanai’s eyes scrunched for a moment and she twisted on the pile of fallen leaves the two had hastily made for a bed. Heart in her mouth, Rina quickly pulled back and shut her eyes tight, pretending to be asleep.

“Mmmohhh-waaaaaaHH!” came a loud yawn, and Shanai shook her head groggily as she woke. She’d been having a wonderful dream, vividly colorful and pleasant, but it seemed to fade as she tried to grasp the details. She rubbed her eyes, the last hints of spiraling colors and a snug warm embrace fading from her mind. As it cleared, the adventures of the previous day came back in pieces: a seemingly endless walk through the jungle, stopping for the night to climb a sturdy-looking tree, laying down to rest, and then…

“Ahh, heey…R-rina?”

“Ohhh, um, hey Shan! Good Mooohhhrnning!” Rina opened her eyes and sat up, a bit too quickly, stretching her arms overhead.

Shanai cocked an eyebrow. “How, uh…how’d you sleep?”

“Oh, you know…pretty good for being on the ground, I guess…you?”

Shanai stretched out herself, feeling oddly stiff. “Yeah, but maaan I’m sore…like I got a real workout, you know?”

“Well, we did walk like 30 miles, at least!” Rina replied. “Don’t tell me that was too much for ya, surfer girl?” She teased.

“No, it’s not that…” Shanai frowned, massaging her thigh. “It’s more like…muscles that walking shouldn’t…” She blushed suddenly, covering it with a cough. “Ugh, nevermind. Let’s get cleaned up and get moving again, okay?”

---

Guided by an increasing sense of familiarity with the jungle, the two retraced their steps towards a stream they’d passed the previous day, stopping to pick a generous bunch of bananas and mangoes that grew wild along their path. As breakfast settled, they began to chat comfortably, more at ease with their predicament on full stomachs.

“When we get back, maybe I will take up hiking. I don’t think my quads have ever looked this good.” Shanai looked down at her toned, bare legs.”

“Not to mention those glutes,” Rina whistled slyly behind. “I mean, dang, girl!”

The blonde blushed, quickly looking away and ahead on the path. “Well, yeah, I guess those too.” She managed. Quickly changing the subject, she added: “So, uh Rina, it’s been a pretty crazy few days – how much do you remember from last night?”

Rina paused, her face frowning as she tried to think. “Well, not much more than you, I think. We climbed a tree to sleep in, and the next thing I recall, we were hanging upside down, and our clothes were, well…” she gestured down at herself. The bra and panties Rina had come into the jungle with were gone; replaced by torn and tied scraps of fabric from the remains of Shanai’s choli and skirt into a loose top and loincloth. “You did a great job on the tailoring, you know,” she joked, turning in place. “This look is just my style~” She added with a wink. She felt bolder in spite of her earlier trepidation, and couldn’t resist throwing back some playful flirting at her friend.

Shanai rolled her eyes, another faint blush betraying her. “Haha, well I’m glad it fits. She looked down at her own attire – a strapless bra and a pair of black panties, much like Rina had worn when she’d plunged into the jungle herself. “I don’t know exactly what happened there, either. I guess we fell out of the tree, somehow? Lucky that vine was there to catch us.”

“Catch you, you mean. I’m lucky you had such quick reflexes to catch me!” Rina’s voice softened. “So thank you, for saving me, Shan. You’re my hero, for real.”

“You’re so cornball,” Shanai scoffed, but smiled anyway. “And I got you, Rina. I’m not going to let you get hurt.” She looked ahead, her face a mask. In spite of Rina’s praise, the other woman felt guilty. Not wanting to scare her friend, she hadn’t been entirely truthful about what, or rather who had been wrapped around her ankle when the two awoke in midair.

She shook her head, unsure how she would even begin to explain the existence of Kaa to her nature-loving best friend. He must have gotten the drop on them while they’d slept; she still thought she could recall the feeling of the snake’s coils around her. A close call, Shanai thought, making a mental note to check the next tree they climbed for talking snakes. Still though, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant…

She recalled the smooth feeling of scales brushing over her skin, a snug embrace that squeezed her in just the right places – it had all felt so surprisingly…enticing.

Maybe that was part of the dream, though? Shanai let her mind wander, willing it to collect those pleasant visions. Flashes of bright colors, endlessly repeating loops, a strangely familiar, seductive voice, and Rina’s naked form beckoning to her…

Or was she dressed up as a belly dancer? Shanai caught herself wondering at the vivid details of her recollection. She half-imagined herself, bound together with Rina, their bodies pressing softly against one another as coils wound around them. A shiver shot up through her body, followed by a tempting urge to touch herself, then and there. She started at the sound of Rina’s voice, jolted back to reality.

“Shan, Stop!!”

She froze, turning to face her friend. “W-what, what’s up?”

Rina had grabbed her shoulder, and now tugged lightly, pulling Shanai away from a waist-high patch of star-shaped flowers that she’d been about to wade through. Seeing the alarm on her face, Shanai obeyed, stepping back and glancing at Rina with a curious look.

“You nearly stepped thought a whole bunch of Calotropis.” When the blonde only appeared more confused, she added “Milkweeds. The sap is poisonous, and touching it will give you one hell of a rash.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’”. She stared. “Shanai…are you, ya know, okay?”

“Oh, um, me? Yes-yep, let’s uh-let’s keep moving!” The woman stammered, blushing furiously and picking out a path around the poison flowers, leaving a bewildered Rina in her wake.

Come on, Shan, pull yourself together, so you can get both Rina and yourself out of this damn jungle! She let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, and wondered.

Did I really dream all that?

---

By the time they arrived at the stream, the sun had nearly climbed to its apex. The jungle had settled into such a steamy heat, that once they had brushed aside the leaves to reveal the stream, both women had hardly stopped to take a hasty drink of the clear, cool waters before diving in, sweat-soaked garments and all.

They floated lazily, anchoring themselves with a foot or hand on semi-submerged rocks along the bank. Overhead, their mix of improvised clothes and undergarments lay drying in the sun. Rina turned to glance at Shanai, her face bobbing peacefully in the water, golden locks of freshly-washed hair flowed around her. The butterflies asserted themselves again, and she forced herself to look the other way.

Suddenly, SPLASH – she was hit with a cold wave of water, and nearly inhaled some in surprise. Spluttering, she brought her head up, standing in the shoulder-deep stream, hair dripping into her face. Rina brushed her bangs back and caught sight of Shanai giggling furiously. She grinned mischievously. “Alright, you asked for it, Shan!”

The dark-haired woman spread her arms, bringing them together in a sweep of water that sprayed directly into the blonde’s face. Her mirth cut short, replaced by a startled cry, and it was Rina’s turn to laugh as her friend fell over in the water. The top half of Shanai’s head surfaced, glaring at Rina mischievously, like a water nymph stealing a peek at some bathing mortal. She promptly ducked her head under the water, resurfacing right behind Rina with a spray of water that soaked the other woman once more. Within minutes, the normally calm stream had been transformed into a typhoon of water and echoing laughter, scaring away a lone tiger that had been hoping to catch an equally startled pack of gazelle unaware.

“I have you now!” Rina declared in a deep, foreboding voice as she aimed another splash at her friend’s head. Shanai dodged, and shot-putted a wave into Rina’s face from the side. “Blech…alright, let’s see you dodge this!” she shouted, and kicked off an underwater stone, springing forward out of the water. She hadn’t expected to jump so high, and from the look on her face, neither had Shanai. Still, Rina took advantage of her unexpected air time, curling into a cannonball dive and landing point blank in front of the bedraggled blonde. She came up laughing, inches away from Shanai, as the other woman pulled parted her own soaked hair, spluttering and giggling. The two locked eyes, their respective laughter dying down as they realized just how close they’d gotten. The silence that followed seemed to stretch into the infinite. Time slowed to a crawl as they stared, Rina mesmerized by Shanai’s brilliant green eyes, just as she in turn was entranced by Rina’s own warm cinnamon-hued irises.

It was Shanai who finally broke the silence, her voice hushed. “Hey, Rina?”

“What is it, Shan?” the other woman’s eyes seemed to sparkle, her voice breathy.

The blonde’s heart leapt into her mouth, but she forced it back down, an unexpected boldness rising within her. “A-about last night. I had this really, crazy-”

“Dream?” Rina finished, closing the short distance between them.

“Y-yeah…” Shanai stammered, heat flushing her cheeks. Her leg brushed against Rina’s under the water.

The raven-haired woman leaned forward, heat in her gaze.

“So did I,” she whispered, and brought her lips to Shanai’s.

Hands sought one another, legs entwined, and the two cast aside their inhibitions as heat grew between them. Shanai’s tongue eagerly explored Rina’s mouth, her fingers carefully caressing every inch of her neck and upper back. Rina likewise pulled the blonde tighter into her embrace, one hand running through hair, the other squeezing her backside. At long last, their lips pulled away, gazes locking in lustful wonder.

Then they were tumbling into the water, kisses and fingertips daring lower and lower as moans to rival the previous evening sounded out amongst the splashing of water. Shanai came up for air, gasping, panting against the shore as Rina’s head remained between her twitching legs.

“Oh, oh Riiiiiiiiina, Oh god--!” The blonde shuddered in pleasure. She leaned back, one hand pulling at the glossy head of hair waving in the shallow water. This was ecstasy, a dream come true; and it was better than anything she had ever experience. A few rings of color rippled through her eyes as the wave crested and broke. Shanai shook as the unexpected strength of the orgasm flooded her body. Her legs locked around Rina’s shoulders, riding out the feeling. Then, still quivering with aftershocks, she reached and lifted Rina out of the water. The raven-haired beauty sucked in a satisfied breath as Shanai threw one arm around her, turning the woman on her side.

“My turn” the blonde whispered with a playful nip to the ear, and commandingly pressed Rina’s back against a flat rock that jutted from the water. Shanai’s gaze fell to the other woman’s breasts, circling and caressing each areola with her free hand, before her eager tongue took over. Rina’s nerves sparked, the sensitive spots all along her body awakened to the playful licking and sucking. She found herself idly wondering, How is she SO good at that, before the ability to think beyond her own primal needs began to fade away.

As if to answer That’s merely a taste, Shanai grinned devilishly. Her finger deftly ran down Rina’s midriff, fingers seeking the soft flesh of her lower lips. The forefinger traced a path gently over Rina’s clit, then back over, in a teasing motion. Rina opened her mouth, but Shanai placed a finger over her lips before she could speak. The blonde seductress winked at her, the other hand sliding in, out, and over the increasing slick folds. Soon enough, it was Rina’s turn to scream Shanai’s name into the steamy air of the afternoon jungle.

---

The two lovers lay on the warm bank of the stream, basking in the afterglow. A soft breeze blew overhead, the afternoon sun kissing their bodies. A comfortable silence passed between them as the last of the water clinging to their skin dried away. At last, as they gradually sat up, donning their freshly-washed scraps of clothing, Rina spoke.

“Hey, Shanai, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you. Until now, I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but...”

The blonde turned, her arms stretching behind her back as she reattached the Velcro of her top. “You mean about what just happened?”

“Yes! Well, no…sort of. Like I said, it’s kinda hard to explain.” Rina fiddled with the fabric wrap that wound around her waist like a loincloth. “It’s just that, we…well, we’ve managed to survive really well out here, haven’t we?”

Shanai cocked an eyebrow as she finished securing her bra. “Yeah...why?”

“Well, I was thinking…” she hesitated, standing on one foot. “I was thinking, maybe we could, just…stay?”

Shanai’s brows knitted together. “Huh?”

“Y-you and me, I mean. Here. In the jungle.” She looked away, blushing furiously.

Before she could stop herself, the laughter burst out of her. Shanai doubled over, clutching her side until it had subsided. Okay-hah-okay, you got me. But seriously, Rina, what is it you wanted to tell me?”

Rina was looking down, mortified. “I, uh-I was being serious.”

Shanai’s smile vanished, confusion washing over her. “What? What are you talking about? We can’t stay in the jungle, come on!”

“Why not??” The raven-haired woman’s cheeks were flushed but her eyes blazed. “We’ve been able to survive for the last three days here with no trouble, we could-”

Shanai couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Forgetting her earlier reticence, she burst out, shouting over her friend’s explanation. “Fucks’ sake, Rina!! We’re barely making any progress out here, and we’ve been lucky.” Before she could stop herself, she added “And for your information, we have had trouble. That ‘vine’ that caught my ankle last night? That was a freaking snake, probably sizing us up for dinner!”

“W-what?” Rina stared in shocked disbelief.

“That’s right,” Shanai rolled on, her patience lost. The frustration of the past three days came steaming out of her like a boiling kettle. “What, did you think this was some cartoon adventure? That nothing bad could happen to us, that the jungle wasn’t super dangerous?? Why do you think I was so insistent that we run?!”

Her accusations echoed over the burble of the stream, chasing off the few jungle birds that had started to return to the surrounding trees in the calm. The sound faded out slowly, taking some of Shanai’s anger with it. She glanced back up at her scandalized friend, and immediately regretted her outburst.

Rina looked like she’d just been slapped. “Why…why didn’t you tell me?” She managed in a small voice. “What, did you think I’d freak out or something?” She met Shanai’s gaze, anger and hurt mingling in her eyes.

“Rina, no, I—” Shanai started.

“—So then you LIED to me?” Something between indignation and embarrassment flashed hot across her face. Shanai tried to protest, to explain herself, but the words stuck in her throat.

And Rina wasn’t finished yet. “And THAT’S what you think of me, then? That I’m too stupid, too naïve to deal with danger, that you have to come and rescue me from everything?!” She practically shook with rage. Shanai’s eyes went wide; she’d never seen this side of the normally-reserved Rina. She hesitantly reached out a hand.

“No!” Rina backed away. “You know what? I was doing just fine out here before you showed up. You want to go back to the village, Shan? Go ahead, and leave me ALONE!!” and before Shanai could react, Rina turned on her heel, and sprinted into the jungle.

Oh Fu—

Then Shanai was tearing through the brush. She looked around frantically, but Rina had already disappeared into the undergrowth. Biting back tears, the blonde called out “Rina!! Rina please—Rina, I’m so Sorry!!”

Shanai fell to her knees, despair overwhelming her.

What did I just do…?

A noise to her right caught her attention. Wiping her eyes, she stood, snapping off a low-hanging branch and readying it warily. The brush rustled. Shanai tensed, adrenaline pounding. A spade-shaped serpentine head emerged, wearing a casual expression.

“Am I interrupting sssomething?”

The blonde let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, lowering the stick.

“Tsch—that’s none of your scaley business.” She glared at Kaa as more of the serpent’s body emerged from the brush. “What are you doing here, eavesdropping on me?”

The snake merely shook his head. “Ssertainly not! I was merely coming to sssee who could be causssing sssuch a disssturbancsse.” He drew up, looking affronted.

Shanai crossed her arms, shooting Kaa a scowl. “Oh, really?”

“Yesss,” the serpent continued, floating and circling around the standoffish woman. “And it’ss obvious that ssssomething hass happened between you and Rina…she sssems to have…given you the ssslip?” He smirked, watching the suggestion take hold.

Shanai’s arms uncrossed, her shoulders relaxing as the momentary dazzle of colors shot through her eyes once more.

There’ss no need to be rude…

You can trusst Kaa…

Relaxsss…

She blinked, frowning. Dammit, now I’m taking out my feelings on him too. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Kaa apologetically. “Ugh…look, I’m sorry, Kaa. You’re right, Rina and I…we-we had a fight.”

“Oh dear, I am terribly sssorry to hear it…” Kaa draped a loop of his coils over Shanai’s shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Would you like to talk about it?”

The blonde lifted her hand to caress the cool scales. They shifted rhythmically around her, a comforting embrace. “We, well, things were actually going really well.” She started, a bit of red creeping into her cheeks.

“Oh? Judging by your expresssssion, I imagine ssso.” Kaa teased, causing Shanai to flush a deeper shade of red.

“W-well, anyways,” she stammered, gripping at the sliding coils absentmindedly. “Afterwards, Rina told me…well, she said that she wanted to stay in the jungle, and she wanted me to stay here with her.”

Kaa looked surprised. “Interessssting…but-*ahem*--I take it that you did not ssshare thisss…wisssh of hersss?”

Shanai looked crestfallen. Kaa slowly looped another coil around her arms, but the blonde hardly seemed to notice. “I…no, I couldn’t, Kaa. We couldn’t. I thought she was joking, and then when she said she was serious, I just—I basically told her she was crazy for wanting it. It was…insensitive. I wanted to apologize, but then--!”

“Go on…” The serpent nodded at her sympathetically.

“But then, she just ran off!” Shanai finished miserably. Kaa’s tail, which had been casually looping over Shanai’s midsection, changed course and slid up her back. Dexterously, it gave her a reassuring pat.

“You poor thing…it’sss never easssy to fight with friendsss…but perhapsss…” Kaa trailed off, thoughtfully.

Shanai looked up, quizzically. “What is it, Kaa?”

“Jussst an idea, to help patch thingsss up with Rina. But, no—it’s too much to asssk of you.” The serpent shook his head, sadly.

“W-wait, Kaa, tell me. What is it? If it helps get Rina back, I’ll do it—please!”

“Are you…sssertain?” The snake smiled, a devilish gleam in his eye.

Shanai didn’t even hesitate. “Yes—anything.”

“Well, in that casssse…” Kaa brought his head closer, eyes starting to swirl and shift with mesmerizing colors.

“Let me have a good look at you, my ssweet Sssshanai…” he hissed, watching gleefully as her lips parted, her look of confusion giving way to wonder, lust, and obedience…