tempest

The winds roared at him, frigid specks of snow crashing against his steeled hide. Each of his slow steps left a fearsome mark against the blinding coat of white, the claws of an Elder Dragon. His heart sunk every time he looked at them. The mountaintop was lonely, and not resourceful. He had no fear of hunters. No, those prints wounded his soul because they weren’t always his own.

Behind the beasts’ pale blue eyes and metallic scales, hid a timid and frightened human soul. A person who once had a life of his own. He still remembers it clear as day too, how it all changed.

He was never fit to be a true hunter. His build was far too week. Yet, the young man and his trusty felyne had an appetite for adventure, for exploration. Every other week they would sneak out of his village, and every time, they would be caught and brought back. Scolded, penalized, but incorrigible.

That time, he wasn’t. He ventured up forbidden mountains, deemed too dangerous by the village elders. For the boy, their warning was naught but an exciting challenge. The blizzard proved too intense, and supplies too scarce. They found a cave, not the most efficient shelter, but their only option.

The felyne, more protected against the harsh conditions, headed out to seek help. But time passed. He couldn’t tell how long. Minutes, hours, days. His head was already fuzzy, and his body, about to cease functioning. Running out of options, he ventured further into the cave.

At the farthest reaches was an unusual find. A treasure he’d love to bring back to the village. Something that would make everyone proud. The pristine and recently shed hide of a mighty wind dragon, the Kushala Daora.

Alas, growing weary and faint, he thought to simply take it as further shelter against the unforgiving cold. He could fit inside it, after all. And there, he drifted off to sleep.

What happened next, he’s unsure himself. Dreams are often hard to recall without proper recording. All he remembers is the intense flood of every sensation at once. Pain, pleasure, despair, delight, energy, entropy. It all assaulted his flesh, within his slumber. It was as if he was tearing himself apart from the inside out, every nerve across his body in a wild panic.

And then, he woke up on the mountaintop. The cave, nowhere to be found. It has been a week. Resources on the mountain are still scarce, and he could not bring himself to kill. He finds a boulder to hide himself from the gale and sits down. His wings scrape against the rock. They still felt alien to control, muscles that had never been there. Should have never been there.

A growl resounds through his body. His stomach was growing desperate. Strands of drool leaked through through his sharp maw, frozen as soon as they hit the ground. A faint sound escaped his throat. Like an interrupted cough. It was the closest think to a sob he could muster. He had been denied even tears.

And then, amid the blinding snowfall, a silhouette formed in the near horizon. A familiar form, but one he never thought he would see again. It stopped on its tracks, noticing the beast. The man was unsure how to react. How to reach out. Words were beyond his anatomy. Any sound would frighten that felyne away. He knew that more than anybody.

So, he only sat still. Watching. Breathing slowly. The cat peered closer, trying to make itself unnoticed. Before long, it was close enough to see clearly. It really was his partner. His one hope, ever since his accursed journey had begun.

Bracing himself, the felyne stepped closer and closer. He stared deep into the beasts’ eyes, doubting himself. He then sat down, with unflinching courage.

“You’re crying, aren’t nya?”

Needless to say, the beast was stunned. How could he know? Since when do felynes have those kinds of senses?

“Did you eat my friend?”

The monster closed his eyes. That was a difficult question. In a sense, he had already been eaten. Consumed by his monstrous form. Perhaps, it would be best to be hated. To be hunted down, set free.

“You don’t look like it. Hmm…”

With a nod and unbreakable resolve in his gaze, the felyne got up again. He was going to leave. The monster had to do something, anything. All he could produce was a weak roar, rolling out of his maw like a piece of dough. The felyne stopped and looked back.

“What’s wrong? Lonely?”

He paused again. The resolve on his heart began to melt with a deep seated realization. A foregone conclusion. Illogical, but as possible as anything else. The monster’s eyes reminded him of his friend. He couldn’t stop staring at them. He had seen his friend sad so many times, he could recognize that light squint and dull shine anywhere.

“Don’t tell me… No…”

But the beast nodded. Another hack left his throat. How he wanted to cry his heart out. He had always taken such a simple anatomical function for granted. But the felyne didn’t need any tears to understand. It was clear as day.

His long time companion stepped closer and put a paw over his snout. It was warm. A warmth he hadn’t felt in what seemed like a lifetime. He closed his eyes, taking in all the comfort he could get.

“We’re going back to the village.”

He opened his eyes wide, in disbelief. That was insane. Even if he wasn’t shot on sight, he’d still be seen by his peers in that form. Nothing but a vile creature.

“Come on, we ain’t got all day.”

The felyne was serious, not an ounce of levity in his words. The beast got up with a quiet whine. It was answered with another pat on his nose. He was afraid, more than ever. At least, he could have died alone. Missing forever. But now, people would know what had become of him.

Yet, the conviction in his partner’s words were rather moving. His heart was soaked by their confidence. Despite the anxiety and uncertainty, he nodded. Anything could happen next, but alongside his trusted felyne, he felt as unstoppable as always.