Nexus's Central Calm

Nexus was our final reptile, the peaceful heart of our scaled family. His pattern was a complex mix of colors that seemed to connect, like a central knot. He was the most handled, the most calm, the snake we would give to nervous guests to change their minds. He seemed to understand his role as ambassador. When held, he would often form a perfect coil in a lap and rest his head, a picture of contentment. His passing feels like the closing of a chapter on a menagerie of quiet wonders. The central tank in the room is empty, missing the calm nexus that connected us to all of them.