Green Python

Biodata

Background

Green Python inherited her territory from her mother, a powerful mutated python notorious for attacking other monsters and human bases. Her own strength grew to nearly match her mother’s, but she preferred remaining within her territory to fighting or expanding it 27.

Her mother developed an illness that caused escalating pain and madness. During her final attack, she retained enough awareness to tell Green Python to hide. After rampaging for three days and nights, she died, and other mutated monsters devoured her body. Green Python tried to stop them but was too young to succeed and was injured in the attempt. The sight remained a traumatic memory 27 88 223.

Like her mother, Green Python struggled to produce strong, surviving offspring. Clutches fathered by powerful males failed to hatch; choosing weaker males allowed some eggs to hatch, but the young usually died soon afterward. Little Snake, fathered by a moderately strong male, survived longer than any of her earlier children and inherited her intelligence 54.

After Little Snake’s health improved, Green Python produced additional clutches. Most eggs still failed to hatch, while the surviving young had very low mutation levels and little attachment to her. She raised them until they could fend for themselves and then released them. Little Snake remained by her side 223.

Appearance

• Enormous body: Her size makes her intimidating even when she intends to be friendly 27 41.
• Bright green scales: Described as emerald-clear, reflecting a cold light beneath the moon 35 36.
• Golden, vertical pupils: A prominent feature during her confrontation with Tao Qiu 35.
• Curved fangs: Dagger-sharp teeth suited to securing prey before constriction 35.

Personality

Green Python is normally cold, solitary, and unhurried. She rarely leaves her territory except to hunt and generally avoids conflict unless defending her land. Even Black Rabbit is reluctant to provoke her 27 81.

Her reserve disappears around Little Snake. Having lost many children, she is intensely protective of her daughter and willing to sacrifice her pride or life for her. When Tao Qiu captures Little Snake, Green Python begs for mercy despite having refused to submit throughout their fight 36 37.

She can also be ruthless and outcome-driven. Before attacking Tao Qiu, she reasons that victory would allow her to control him and his crops, while surviving defeat might still give her grounds to negotiate. After reconciliation, however, she proves considerate and dependable: she delivers manageable amounts of prey to prevent spoilage and helps defend him even when trade is no longer her only reason for doing so 35 41 85.

Her upbringing as a powerful monster leaves her with blind spots. She initially fails to understand why weaker creatures would be too frightened to play with Little Snake, believing that promising not to eat them should be sufficient reassurance 54.

Abilities & Skills

Physical Strength and Constriction

Green Python relies on overwhelming bodily strength rather than venom 35 36.

• Uses her long tail to strike opponents; one glancing blow leaves Tao Qiu’s talon painfully injured and nearly knocks him out of the air 35.
• Can coil around prey with enough force that Tao Qiu fears having his flesh and bones crushed 35.
• Uses curved fangs to hold prey in place and pull it within reach of her coils 35.
• Knocks down the giant spider and later helps restrain it alongside Red Fox 148 150.

Durability and Recovery

Her scales and constitution allow her to endure substantial punishment 35 36 37.

• Tao Qiu’s talons and falling rocks remove scales and wound her without immediately incapacitating her 35 36.
• Her throat is more vulnerable than the rest of her scaled body; she targets it during her attempted suicide 37.
• Her severe throat wound has already scabbed over when she resumes delivering prey, and most of her injuries have healed by her later visit 41 52.

Hunting and Combat Awareness

Green Python is an experienced predator with sharp senses 36 41.

• Detects and evades some falling rocks even after losing her sight during the fight with Tao Qiu 36.
• Hunts quickly enough that Gray Fox struggles to find a safe opportunity to enter her cave while she is away 81.
• Can catch several prey animals without considering the effort significant, even while injured 41.

Limitations

• Ground-bound combat: She cannot reach Tao Qiu at his higher flying altitude, although she repeatedly launches her upper body upward to attack 35.
• Sensory disruption: Rotten radish mush blinds her, induces dizziness and vomiting, and allows Tao Qiu to attack from above 36.
• Large target: The giant spider’s sustained silk barrage catches her despite her attempts to dodge, trapping her among trees 148 149.
• Progressive illness: Painful attacks can abruptly rob her of almost all ability to move 223.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Conflict with Tao Qiu

While searching for a way to save her dying daughter, Green Python notices Tao Qiu’s interest in foul-smelling mutated plants and sends snakes to investigate his valley. A stolen tomato improves Little Snake’s condition, convincing her that his fruit is worth obtaining at almost any cost 35 41.

She confronts Tao Qiu at night, hoping to secure access to his crops through force. During the fight, she discovers his winged human form. Tao Qiu defeats her by covering her in rotten radish mush and dropping rocks on her from above 35 36.

Little Snake secretly follows her mother and ambushes Tao Qiu, who captures her. Green Python offers her own life in exchange for her daughter’s safety and attempts to strike her throat against a sharp rock. Tao Qiu stops her before the injury becomes fatal, returns Little Snake, and gives them tomatoes in exchange for future prey. He also asks her to keep the night’s events secret 36 37.

Trading Partner and Friend

Green Python returns with prey and reports that Little Snake’s condition has stabilized. She resolves not only to avoid harming Tao Qiu, but to protect him because he is willing to provide the crops her daughter needs 41.

Their visits gradually develop into a friendship between both families. Green Python brings Little Snake to play with the chicks, invites Tao Qiu to search her larger territory for useful plants, and later accompanies her daughter when she apologizes to Second Cub. The apology gift includes sweet potatoes that Tao Qiu recognizes as a useful crop 52 53 54 65 66.

When the Fox Clan approaches Tao Qiu over his fruit, Green Python stands beside him against White Fox. Her presence helps prevent the negotiations from becoming more coercive. She explains afterward that her friendship with him—and Little Snake’s friendship with the chicks—would not allow her to ignore his danger 83 85.

Later, she warns Tao Qiu that Black Rabbit has been lingering near his territory. Before Tao Qiu moves to the human base, she also agrees to help protect his land 108 182.

Giant Spider Battle

Green Python explains that an unfamiliar spider has doubled in size within three days and is destroying territories while feeding on insects inside trees. She joins the other powerful mutated monsters in attacking it, but its silk traps her against a tree 148 149.

She later returns to the fight and helps Red Fox restrain the spider while Black Rabbit cracks its shell. After the spider suddenly explodes, Green Python leads the injured monsters away from the approaching blizzard 150.

Illness and Continued Treatment

Green Python privately tells Tao Qiu that she has developed the same disease that killed her mother. After three painful attacks, she accepts that she is ill. She keeps the diagnosis from Little Snake and asks Tao Qiu to help her daughter after her death. She also states that she intends to end her own life before losing control and harming others 223.

Tao Qiu learns that Little Snake has insisted on sharing her crops with her mother for years. He suspects this consumption delayed the disease’s attacks, despite Green Python’s inability to perceive the crops’ special energy. The crops cannot cure her, but may prolong her life 223 224.

Given the choice of continuing treatment despite the suffering, Green Python immediately chooses more time with her daughter. Tao Qiu promises additional crops and expands his planting to support her 224.

The Banyan Tree later reveals that eating humans accelerates the deadly decline of powerful mutated monsters. Tao Qiu connects this explanation to Green Python’s illness and her mother’s earlier, more violent death 242.

Relationships

• Little Snake — Her beloved daughter and constant companion. Green Python’s efforts to save her lead to the alliance with Tao Qiu; Little Snake’s insistence on sharing crops may, in turn, have prolonged her mother’s life 37 41 224.
• Tao Qiu / Snow Bird — Initially an opponent, then a trading partner and trusted friend. He saves Little Snake, supplies crops, receives her help in dangerous situations, and promises to look after her daughter 35 37 85 223.
• Green Python’s mother — Her predecessor and a loving parent whose illness and death deeply scarred her. Green Python fears repeating her loss of reason 88 223.
• Eldest Cub, Second Cub, and Third Cub — Initially terrified of her, but later comfortable enough to sleep sprawled across her. She is astonished when they acquire human forms 41 98 107.
• Black Rabbit — A neighboring territory holder who respects her strength and avoids provoking her. They later fight together against the giant spider 27 150.
• Red Fox and White Fox — Initially on the opposite side of tense negotiations over Tao Qiu’s crops; later fellow participants in the defense against the giant spider 83 148 150.

Notable Quotes

“You can kill me, but please spare her life.” 36

“I choose to eat more crops, live longer, and spend more time with my child.” 224