Deep inside the pitch-black cave, time seemed to stand still.
Trapped in the suffocating darkness, Yue Yue remained coiled in a tight, protective ball, burying her small head beneath her own white scales.
Around her, the terrifying wails of the other snake cubs echoed off the cold stone walls. But as the long hours dragged on, the crying slowly began to die down. The frightened cubs grew exhausted, their frantic hisses fading into soft, shaky whimpers.
Suddenly, a tiny flicker of light appeared deep within the cavern.
It wasn't bright, but in the complete blackness, that small, glowing speck was like a beacon of hope.
None of the cubs wanted to stay in the terrifying dark any longer. One by one, the young snakes uncoiled themselves and began slithering toward the light.
Yue Yue quickly lifted her small head from beneath her scales. Seeing that gentle glow, her little heart leaped. She didn't want to be left behind in the dark!
