If there was one thing Haku hadn't been expecting, it was Kaa's question. Was he trying to pry? Did snakes even know how to pry? Haku turned his gaze back to the Gate, considering whether or not to answer the question, and if he did, how best to do so.

"It's nothing you'd understand," the effeminate boy told Kaa. "But let's just leave it at a refusal to return to my place will result in the forfeit of my life." That was probably far more information than he should have offered, but he wasn't going to not answer Kaa's question. It would have been rude.

Naturally, Haku wasn't certain that that would be the result of his failure to obey, but it was about the best estimate he could verbalize at the moment. There were probably other punishments that he might face. Haku didn't want to think about what they might be.