Headed by a Snake

Nova grit her teeth and tried to speak without raising her voice.

It was difficult.

"(Elder Brother, I thought I was the only woman in your heart,)" She grit her teeth, shaking in anger, "(Well, I, Chases-Butterfly, refuse to surrender! I will fight for your affection. And if you will not accept me, I will grow stronger than you, defeat you, and force you to beg for my forgiveness!)"

Notaku sat up on his heels... and shook his head, "(Not possible.)"

"Eleven heavens, you're soOoo STUBBORN!" Nova pomf'd down in the sand in front of him, "(It IS possible for me. My heart will never be shaken. When I hunt my prey, nothing can stop me-- not even you, you useless Elder Brother.)"

The man-child's face twisted in displeasure, signalling that Nova had won the war of words. Notaku might have been undefeatable in physical combat, but he was notoriously weak in a verbal match.

Nova furrowed her brows upon sensing something... not with her legs on the ground or with her nose or ears. There was... a disturbance in the mana flow around her.

It was... something she'd never experienced. Her mana senses were amongst the weakest in the tribe.

She turned her head to see a regal elf glowing head to toe in starlight. Gentle, silvery wisps of her aura licked at the air.

As the Chieftain of the Ebon Mask tribe was the most powerful Elven Shaman in the Eastern States, Yanaba certainly deserved her title.

But... being able to see her aura was something that only happened when her emotions were running high.

Nova quickly got to her feet and saluted, "Ch-chieftain! Please don't be upset!"

The Chieftain was always gentler with her than with her blood-related sibling.

Slightly.

Still, as long as Nova pleaded on Notaku's behalf, the big baby would be able to wipe away his tears.

"Nova..." The older elf whispered, her voice deep and enchanting, "I'm not upset with you... You've always acted willfully in the field... but you've always had an eye for opportunity."

"Ehehe..." Nova giggled. She always loved hearing praise.

But... she was referring to the crying man-child. Nova hadn't done anything she had to apologize for... which was admittedly unusual.

"(Chieftain,)" Notaku slowly got to his feet, "(Why is Chases-Butterfly like this?)"

"(Elder Brother...)" Nova scowled beneath her mask, "(Do you think I'm so easy to bully? If you keep talking, I won't cook for you any longer!)"

Chieftain Yanaba spoke evenly, betraying no emotions... "(Chases-Butterfly wears the Mask of the First. The magic... is stronger.)"

Notaku wore a deep frown, but nodded-- something he did whether or not he actually understood.

Nova, however, reeled back in surprise as she placed her hand on her mask, "I'm wearing *what*? This is the Mask belonging to the Forgotten Chieftain?!"

"For better or worse, Sapling, you were fated to wear it," Chieftain Yanaba explained. "(The elves of the Ebon Mask tribe are not immortal. When time or death claims one of us, their mask is passed on... as the custom has been for centuries.)"

"Oh, I get it," Nova nodded. "(Did you want to snatch my mask away, Elder Brother?)"

Notaku closed his eyes in displeasure.

It was too easy to tease him.

"Tell me, Sapling..." The Chieftain's eyes glowed, pure and white as the first snow in winter... "(are you in pain?)"

"Hmph," Nova shrugged. "Not really. Fighting humans isn't so difficult."

"The battle..." The Chieftain hesitated... "(Is it not yet over for you?)"

"Whaaat? Of course it's not yet over! The foreigners stole a Divine Armor from the Moonwell tribe!" She turned to Notaku for help, "(The humans stole an Iron Giant from us! They're evil people!)"

The solemn Notaku shook his head... which was unsurprising. He always agreed with his sister, even over his own opinions.

"(We do not act on the Iron Giant, Sapling,)" The Chieftain sighed, "You knew this..."

Chieftain Yanaba placed a pearl-white hand on her mask, removing it. She... was... absolutely gorgeous, her beauty rivalling even that of the Highblade princes and princesses. She looked young, even by Elven standards... with perfect, straight dark hair that streamed down her face and skin softer than silk.

"The Moonwell tribe sells Divine Armors," Yanaba frowned. "We can't be certain if they attained it through fair means."

"Right, I know," Nova grumbled. "We're acting based on the Whisperwinds' report..."

She tried to slip her fingers underneath her mask... but it wouldn't come off.

"Tch! Why won't it come off..." She clicked her tongue, "I'm... I'm sorry, Chieftain, I don't mean to be disrespectful."

It... was a little embarrassing. Since Yanaba had taken off her mask, it would be rude to keep hers on. It was a simple task to dispel the mana holding it in place... but as with all enchanted items, sometimes it got stuck...

Yanaba smiled... a sad, gentle smile... "Do not worry, sister. With my mask off, we are equals."

Nova was taken aback, almost losing her balance, "S-sister? Since when have I been your sister?"

She pointed angrily at Notaku, "I can't be your sister. That title belongs to the person that has a relationship with this oaf!"

Notaku's frowning face didn't budge a single ilm. It only made Nova angrier.

"Oh, please," Yanaba rolled her eyes, letting her noblest-noble-act drop temporarily. "You call him Elder Brother and you won't let me call you sister? Everyone in the tribe knows you have feelings for my brother, so just accept it."

Nova was close to tearing her hair out, "Stars above, (it's been ten years! If I was a human woman, I would be too old to wed!)"

She tried to calm down, taking a deep breath through her nostrils and exhaling...

She put on the sweetest smile she could manage, even though she felt her mouth twitching, "Yan-yan, please teach a fool a lesson on my behalf. Thank you. I love you."

Yanaba bowed her head slightly... almost reverently, "He knows, sister."

"Like I SAID," Nova grit her teeth, "Don't CALL ME THAT!!"