Two Views

I feel really good about this one, its nice to feel inspired from time to time again. And this was a lot of fun, and really got the brain moving. As per the title, there are several ways to look at this. I am sure our snake friend is not nearly as upset as our centaur friend! On that Accord, have some short Story!
=====================

Etalutso of the syllogis was starting to be resentful of being born with four hooves. Erissoda, those that walked on odd fingers; and their relatives the Artiodac were all members of the Ungulatam. You were either born with two legs, or four; walking as an elf or as a horse. Those with two legs tended to stay in the cities and tend to details and less traveled jobs. Most never left home, there was no need; and in some schools they were not taught of the outside world. They were happy that way, and they were safe behind the solar powered walls that held shields as strong as any magic against their neighbors. The Ungulatam were the only magic free species on their continent, and they had fought a hard war to get on par with other nations around them. In the end their technology had advanced so far, that no other nation could touch them. Once short lives were extended by medical science, low rates of foal survival reinforced by safety and security; Farming and industry boomed, and others watched in splendor and fear as they continued to advance.

Yes, at the moment Etalutso wished he and his twin Amel had been born with two legs. Then they would be in the tower with their father, making break throws in advances to get them to the stars and other worlds. They'd have gone to classes and studied hard in indoor halls with silent diligent students, students that did not wish to touch him or speak with him. Yes it would have been displeasing to Amel, but he didn't need the company of others; Etalutso could give him everything he needed in another. Sadly they had been born with four legs, like their barely seen mother; a ranking officer in the nations military. Their father admitted that the pairing of he and the woman had only been a gamble to produce good genes, that they had been born not of her body; but of glass cylinders in labs. But this had never been important.

His mind was calculating to much, right now he had a much larger problem. One that had settled with a crushing force around him.

The naga had been a clever creature, had waited for he and his brother to separate; and then had sprang a trap. Before he knew what had struck him, he'd felt a shock of pain as his tail was used as leverage to drag his hind quarters back towards his attacker. Before he could get enough stability to kick out a coil had gotten around his middle pinning his arms and wrapping further up him before shoving to force him to kneel on his forelegs. A flush of heat at the somewhat humiliating position, and he began to try and thrash; frustrated to find he was pressed to firmly to the larger being to get a hoof caught on flesh. The tip of its tail mockingly brushed his face, followed by a light chuckle and words in an unknown dialect. With no other option left, and to much pride to quit; he latched onto the tail tip with a viscous bite. And got it rammed further into his mouth for the trouble.

It was when he was trying to pull back from the tail gagging him, when he felt fingers lace in his hair and hold him head still; that Etalutso realized the other had done this before. He'd hunted his species for reasons that could to easily be guessed. And he'd let the other surprise him, getting a flight reaction out of him to get him here. Fear was suddenly biting at him as he realized he couldn't hear Amel, he wasn't here. He'd been just ahead of him before the attack, barely out of sight; there was a good chance this thing had killed him. It was enough reason to fight again, even when coils pulled firmly around him.

A hot glow suddenly erupted above his skull, the Naga hushing him lightly as the burning became painful. When the event stopped he'd been left with little fight again for the moment, noting a weight on his forehead that wasn't natural.

"Well then, that went better then the other one of you that came barreling through here." The Naga spoke in suddenly clear Ungis, fingers mockingly stroking through the trapped males hair. "Now that I have your attention. Lets talk about why your here."

=======================================

The naga was displeased to say the least. He knew why a military unit was out here, and he did not want them here. While he knew he couldn't take a whole unit solo, he could pick them off. So when they had separated to their duties it had started. He'd spent five or so hours taking out most of the group before he got to the two scouts he now had. The others had fought hard enough that he simply dispatched them, but these two were younger; and the one squirming under the grip of his scales was built less like a solider and more like a scholar. Watching him kick and fight had been amusing, but enough was enough. The species of the quadraped was not magically inclined, but magical items could be used on them; and so he grafted curse to the struggling boy using an animal horn for focus. "Well then, that went better then the other one of you that came barreling through here." He spoke amused, know the boys language had been replaced with his own. His ability to speak in his own tongue, to write in it, to hear it, or read it; now locked away for as long as the curse stayed. "Now that I have your attention. Lets talk about why your here." He urged, tail slipping free of the others mouth.

A cold look was turned on him, and he had to suppress an amused expression at the boy "Where is the other?" Stated with no emotion, the smaller male trying to seem steady.

Chuckling, he allowed a hand to trace down the centaur like creatures spine; grinning when the other male tried to arch away. "Well, about twenty feet ahead in the brush. He was quicker then you- but less aware. He actually knocked himself out while trying to avoid my coils." The pause and look from the other stated that this was not a surprise. "In any case he is alive, and will remain that way along side of you if you are willing to do as I ask." This was stated in confidence, letting coils slip free; and not at all surprised when the other skittishly bolted out of reach.

He watched the hooved male as he cautiously checked on the other of his kind, noting the horn; before reaching for his own. "What did you do."

"Made you completely unable to go home unless you gain my favor enough so to remove my curse." He gave a carefree shrug, noting the others calculating look "Killing me just means you'll never get them off."

He'd backed closer to the other of his kind, and the naga had to smile at the continued air of calm. "What will it take to get these off?"

"Well" He hummed, before giving a less then kind grin "I know where you can start-"

=======================================

END