We came crashing down to the earth. Getting up quickly to continue our sprint, the hissing was directly upon us. "NO!" I thought. We had been so close. I was more angry than scared. I turned to face our threat. Sure enough, the log we had tripped on was a massive trunk of a snake. Though I was exceptionally angry at how close we had come, my face palened to a white whiter than snow. Guilliton, the ferocious beast of the Dark Woods, was facing us right there on the spot."What a tassssty lunch I have here," Guilliton taunted us sarcasticly. She slithered toward us. She had an orange coating of scales, with spots of black on her. She seemed more than sixty feet long and had vicious foot long fangs. My heart was near thumping out of my chest. The cries of the other beasts in the distance was now getting nearer, but it was worthless worrying about them. Guilliton would surely eat us before they ever get us, and they won't even get to lick our bones. "What bringsss two handssssome young boyssss to my dominion?" she giggled, if you can imagine a monsterous serpent giggling. I was speechless, my mouth let out some strange noice which guilliton giggled some more at. A voice in my head was repeating, " I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" and I started crying. Large tears floated down my cheeks, but I made no sound. I was at death's door, and I had nearly given up. My goal, my quest, had not been fulfilled, I still had to complete my journey, I had to know, and I wasn't giving up until I had found the answer. "Stop it." I told guilliton stately. She appeared taken back," ssstop what, child?"

"Stop using your charms."

"What charmsss?"

"You have been trying to attract my with your magic, it's not going to work," She was appalled by my words, and even Nathan was giving me a curious look. I admit, I hadn't any idea what I was doing, but it was what had came to my mind at that desperate senario.

"Child, I haven't any clue what you are talking about"

"I've been noticing your pretty colors on your body, you are trying to captivate me so you can catch me off guard,"

"Child, I have no magical powersss, only my ssstrength and prowesssss,"

"Well then why am I focusing on your beauty?"

"Why, if you think I am beautiful that isss on your own accord." She was becoming flattered, which was exactly my plan.

"Well than I suppose your victims all die a beautiful death,"

"Boy, you are flattering, if only all creaturesss thought your mind alike, I would not live in sssuch a desssolate enviroment,"

"What do you mean?"

That was an acctual question. I had always thought Guilliton was banned to the Woods for her violence and gore. It had never occured to me or to anyone that she was thought of as ugly.

"I am not a pure ssserpent. My mother was from the giaganticusss reptiliousss ogreth ssspeciesss, or the titan ssserpent. My father, however, wasssss a dragon. A common dragon, ssso he wasssn't very attractive, and neither wasss my mother. I wasss a new breed they later named dracoliousss reptiliousss ogreth, dragon-fiend. I had never found a mate, and all the othersss made fun of me and insssulted me sso eventually I retreated to thessse woods where only my prey would sssee me."

Guilliton seemed on the verge of crying, if snakes can cry. I had almost felt sorry until Guilliton broke my heart.

"You are different, little one, you have fellingsss. I'll know to eat you quickly and azzz unpainful azzz posssssible."

My anger retained itself in my stomach. I practically exploded.

"WHAT? No, NO! I have come to far to get eaten by a reptile who has no self-esteem! I will get out of this stupid forest because...because," I started crying again. Guilliton was taken back by what I had said and I realized all points I had scored with her were now in oblivion.

"Because I have to find out.... I have to find out what happend to my father, and I can't die until I know."

Guilliton seemed to be taken over by this situation. Nathan had spoken up for the first time since we had left the bench.

"What do you want?" he stated to Guilliton blankly. I was surprised at his bravery. Nathan was a true friend.

"What do I want? Hmm.... how about if I make a deal with you children"

I couldn't believe it. We had a chance! Guilliton was making a deal with us. What her deal was, we had yet to find out.

"If I let you boysss go, I want you to bring me back a mate."

A mate? Guilliton wanted a boyfriend? For our lives?

"Of course!"

"Don't get ahead of yourssselvesss. I doubt you could find a mate who will accept me. But if you do, I want you to come back to me with him. I would be forever thankful."

I looked at Guilliton's lidless eyes and felt a pity

"I'll make it my number two priority."

"Yesss, what makesss you ssso ambitousss about your father?"

I had only one answer. " I don't know..." and it was the truth, I didn't know.