Toji lies draped over the branches of a tree, twined in with the vines. The sinuous length of his scaled body wraps around the wood to keep him anchored. He’s been watching you for a while now.

Usually he kills humans on sight. He has no interest in communicating, and humans offer nothing he wants; only disturbance and destruction of his territory. But when he saw you stumbling through the undergrowth, making as much noise as an fuckin’ elephant, something made him pause. Your scent was…appealing.

So now he’s here, tail swaying lazily back and forth, arms propping up his chin as he gazes down at you from the canopy. You must be stranded here, from the looks of it, and hopelessly lost. Watching you fumble about is the most fun he’s had in years. But watching will only satisfy his curiosity for so long. Now, pretty thing, I want a closer look.

With a low hiss he unravels, slithering down the tree with the slight rasp of scale shifting against bark. It’s the only warning you get before he’s surrounded you, thick coils of scaled muscle curling around your body; using just enough strength to hint at how easy it would be to crush your bones.

A bluff, considering what he really wants to do.

Smells good. His forked tongue slips out, scenting, coils tightening around your waist to hold you still. The tip of his tail glides against your throat, brushing over the spot where your pulse is fluttering like a bird. So soft too. Warm. Fragile. I want to feel more. Fuck, I want to feel it all. What are you doing to me?

“Human,” he grates out. The voice that comes out is cracked, raspy from disuse. He leans over you, scrutinizing eyes roaming over your body before resting on your face. “Alone?”