Evening Winds, Fresh Blood, New Shapes, Old Locales.

From windblown vantage, black beady eyes keep watch intently. The still fresh scent of decay wafting on the cooling evening air. Beckoning vultures of varied feathers alike, drawing interest from afar. A few notes of a dirge drift along in the wake of avian flight.

Tonight's feature, a not so illustrious alleyway, not to far from the local child jail. A narrow passage who's regular filth remains occluded by faint crimson stains. Despite dullards dispatched by the Protectorate, it wasn't a thorough enough cleaning. Much viscera left to be perused. Even a few morsels of minutiae to be uncovered.

A peck here, a ruffle there, soon enough the sought after prize is dislodged, recovered. Whoever left behind such bounty had Den's thanks. This sloppy savagery, left behind enough to squeeze out what remained of the fallen. A serpentine Shard, it seems. Only active for a scant few years, still managed to accomplished many bad deeds. Despite many of its limiting safety features still intact. Nonetheless, one more voice for the chorus. What little it could recall of its prior defeat, was promising, tantalizing even, a trail of bread crumbs to be followed and enjoyed if nothing else.

With an audible pop, followed by a melodic series of shifts and twists the former host is shed. Metamorphic plumage first, then flesh giving way to bio-luminescent neon growth, warping, expanding, until a new vaguely humanoid form, replete with tail takes shape. The previous vessel is gingerly scooped up, the awful heat of the transition only continuing to intensify. Held aloft the remains fully incinerates, burning down to nought, the hot ash taking one last time into the sky.

It had been sometime since The Room had acquired a human's shape, tail not withstanding. A refreshing departure from the usual fair, of the wilds. This city would have much to offer, especially if Den could continue to lay low. Once more time to venture forth, in search of other lost souls to reclaim them from this urban meat grinder.