Once the threat of danger waned, it slowed, and stopped to catch its breath. To his sorry, this was a false peace that lured him into sloth, for from the shadows a reptilian head of vast size poked its deadly visage. Still as stone the creatures stood, taking the measure of each other. Behemoths both within their microcosm, they squared off as if for the quick draw in a western film.
Lightning fast the snake struck home, its jaw popping from its hinges to engulf the toads head as would a starving man in encountering a hamburger. Large though the snake was, the toad was fatter still, and one would not have guessed this warty titan could have fit down the snakes long throat.
The toad fought with all its might - flinging itself through the air in its desperate bid to free itself from the quite literal jaws of death, but to no avail.With every leap, with ever jerk and twist the snake only opened its jaws wider and clamped down harder. The toad's efforts grew ever weaker, until the pressure of the indomitable jaws of the snake grew so great that the unfortunate amphibian burst at the seems and was still.
Wider grew the snakes jaws, until its entire head was stretch like an overfilled balloon. Down went the toad; front legs first, then belly, then only its hind legs protruded from between the toothless jaws. Then the toad was gone, and only the faintest bulge remained to show its steady progress through the snake.
It's hunger sated for some weeks to come, the snake lay in the sun to digest - it's only motion the flickering of its forked and crimson tongue.
Lightning fast the snake struck home, its jaw popping from its hinges to engulf the toads head as would a starving man in encountering a hamburger. Large though the snake was, the toad was fatter still, and one would not have guessed this warty titan could have fit down the snakes long throat.
The toad fought with all its might - flinging itself through the air in its desperate bid to free itself from the quite literal jaws of death, but to no avail.With every leap, with ever jerk and twist the snake only opened its jaws wider and clamped down harder. The toad's efforts grew ever weaker, until the pressure of the indomitable jaws of the snake grew so great that the unfortunate amphibian burst at the seems and was still.
Wider grew the snakes jaws, until its entire head was stretch like an overfilled balloon. Down went the toad; front legs first, then belly, then only its hind legs protruded from between the toothless jaws. Then the toad was gone, and only the faintest bulge remained to show its steady progress through the snake.
It's hunger sated for some weeks to come, the snake lay in the sun to digest - it's only motion the flickering of its forked and crimson tongue.
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Written for the #NatureWritingChallenge
