*THUD.*
Beta landed lightly on the sand right in front of the serpent, knees bending just enough to absorb the drop. Dust puffed up around her boots. She straightened up slowly, tail swishing behind her like she had all the time in the world.
"Next!" she said, flashing that big, toothy grin straight at the serpent.
The serpent froze. One long step back—his coils sliding across the sand with a soft hiss. A fat drop of sweat rolled down the side of his scaly forehead and dripped off his jaw. His yellow eyes were wide, pupils tiny.
"What kind of monster are you?" he snarled, voice shaking with anger. Red aura burst out around his body in angry waves, making the air ripple and the sand near him jump. He reared up high, fangs bared, then lunged forward like a striking whip—fast, deadly, jaws open wide to swallow her whole.
Beta didn't flinch as she said. "A monster of a kind..." she said, grin getting wider. "Likes of you cannot survive."
