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Story

Shiik’s first thought was that something was wrong.

His eyes flew open and he sat up. Reflexes honed by hundreds of battles had him on his feet and looking for threats before his brain had time to wonder where he was. His heart raced in a momentary panic before the familiar shapes of his desk, bed, and chair came into focus. He was in his room.

Shiik whirled around to look out the window, more then half expecting someone on the other side staring through with malicious intent. Nothing, only the light of the full moon.

Shiik took a long breath, proud that he managed to keep most of his shakes out of it. He ran one hand through his hair as he tried to get his disordered thoughts back in line. He remembered the previous day as a series of moments so wrapped up in powerful emotions that they felt like they were burning him from the inside. He glanced down, somehow surprised to find himself in comfortable sleeping pants instead of armor. When had he gotten home? He wanted to sit down then and there and untangle everything but the seasoned warrior in him wouldn’t let him forget why he’d woken up in the first place.

He glanced again at the moon hanging in the sky. Something was nagging at him. There was something, something not quite right, something he couldn’t put his finger on.

He scanned the shadows again, searching every corner. When that revealed nothing out of the ordinary he cocked his head, trying to listen for any sound that could have pulled him from sleep. All he heard were night crickets and the gentle creaking of a cooling house.

Shiik looked to the dagger resting near his pillow. It took him less then a second to make his decision. He’d survived too long to ignore his instincts now.

After picking up the dagger he padded to his door and slipped out.

Automatically adopting a near silent hunting crouch, he searched the rest of the house. Starting at one end and working his way to the other, he methodically scanned every corner for threats. With his dagger held firmly in hand and battle senses humming, he was ready for anything, except for what he found.

Nothing.

By the time Shiik reached for the front door to check outside, he was getting frustrated. Everything was normal, every room as it should be, every item where he’d left it. His surroundings even felt right, just something didn’t feel right.

He stepped out into the night and didn’t know if he was surprised or not when nothing attacked him. He circled the house, stomping a bit into the soft grass with each step. He glared into every shadow, daring any monsters to jump out and attack him.When he found himself back at the door he huffed in frustration and turned to go back in.

He hadn’t meant to make the movement quite as forceful as he did. He certainly hadn’t meant to bang his left arm against the door as he walked through.

Shiik flinched reflexively, expecting the pain, and it didn’t come.

He stopped, and held himself completely still as it hit him. Really hit him. It was gone. The pain was gone and that’s why he’d woken up. He gasped and jumped, more out of shock then anything else. His dagger fell from shaking fingers and he reached to run his right hand over his left arm. It was smooth, unmarked skin. No trace of a bite.

Suddenly desperate, he reached behind and felt along his back. More skin. A few bumps where his spine rested below.

He giggled, a high, almost deranged sound that he’d never made before. His heart was beating faster then it did during battle and his whole body was shaking.

He gulped air, trying to calm his uncalmable body. He realized his dagger was lying on the floor and bent to pick it up.

The sheen of moonlight on the floor caught his attention and he looked up through the open door. Something about the night beyond tugged at him and he straightened up. Stepping over his dagger, he walked through the threshold and onto the grass.

He strode forward, eyes fixed on the moon. He’d never realized how bright it was. When thinking about light, he’d always first thought of the sun, and its blazing rule of the day. He hadn’t realized how easily even lesser lights cut through darkness. Like it was nothing.

As he stood there, basking in the glow, something inside him started to stir. It unwound, but slowly. It had been clenched so tightly so long that it had to remember its proper shape, not the rock hard mass it had been. It unfurled one wing, then another.

I’m free.

Shiik only allowed himself to think it. He wouldn’t, couldn’t dare say it out loud yet. That didn’t bother him though, he had a feeling he’d have plenty of time to get used to it.

A portion of his soul took flight, dancing and singing in the light of the moon.

(So Shiik's dream is to be rid of the curse on his back and the bite on his arm. I wanted to not only draw this, but write a little something for it as well. I figured I'd more easily convey the necessary emotions by writing, although I hope I managed to do a halfway decent job with the picture as well. Thanks so much for giving me the chance to work with your character InkPawStudio777 ! I'm sorry if I messed anything up. I hope you like it anyway. )

Description
Story

Shiik’s first thought was that something was wrong.

His eyes flew open and he sat up. Reflexes honed by hundreds of battles had him on his feet and looking for threats before his brain had time to wonder where he was. His heart raced in a momentary panic before the familiar shapes of his desk, bed, and chair came into focus. He was in his room.

Shiik whirled around to look out the window, more then half expecting someone on the other side staring through with malicious intent. Nothing, only the light of the full moon.

Shiik took a long breath, proud that he managed to keep most of his shakes out of it. He ran one hand through his hair as he tried to get his disordered thoughts back in line. He remembered the previous day as a series of moments so wrapped up in powerful emotions that they felt like they were burning him from the inside. He glanced down, somehow surprised to find himself in comfortable sleeping pants instead of armor. When had he gotten home? He wanted to sit down then and there and untangle everything but the seasoned warrior in him wouldn’t let him forget why he’d woken up in the first place.

He glanced again at the moon hanging in the sky. Something was nagging at him. There was something, something not quite right, something he couldn’t put his finger on.

He scanned the shadows again, searching every corner. When that revealed nothing out of the ordinary he cocked his head, trying to listen for any sound that could have pulled him from sleep. All he heard were night crickets and the gentle creaking of a cooling house.

Shiik looked to the dagger resting near his pillow. It took him less then a second to make his decision. He’d survived too long to ignore his instincts now.

After picking up the dagger he padded to his door and slipped out.

Automatically adopting a near silent hunting crouch, he searched the rest of the house. Starting at one end and working his way to the other, he methodically scanned every corner for threats. With his dagger held firmly in hand and battle senses humming, he was ready for anything, except for what he found.

Nothing.

By the time Shiik reached for the front door to check outside, he was getting frustrated. Everything was normal, every room as it should be, every item where he’d left it. His surroundings even felt right, just something didn’t feel right.

He stepped out into the night and didn’t know if he was surprised or not when nothing attacked him. He circled the house, stomping a bit into the soft grass with each step. He glared into every shadow, daring any monsters to jump out and attack him.When he found himself back at the door he huffed in frustration and turned to go back in.

He hadn’t meant to make the movement quite as forceful as he did. He certainly hadn’t meant to bang his left arm against the door as he walked through.

Shiik flinched reflexively, expecting the pain, and it didn’t come.

He stopped, and held himself completely still as it hit him. Really hit him. It was gone. The pain was gone and that’s why he’d woken up. He gasped and jumped, more out of shock then anything else. His dagger fell from shaking fingers and he reached to run his right hand over his left arm. It was smooth, unmarked skin. No trace of a bite.

Suddenly desperate, he reached behind and felt along his back. More skin. A few bumps where his spine rested below.

He giggled, a high, almost deranged sound that he’d never made before. His heart was beating faster then it did during battle and his whole body was shaking.

He gulped air, trying to calm his uncalmable body. He realized his dagger was lying on the floor and bent to pick it up.

The sheen of moonlight on the floor caught his attention and he looked up through the open door. Something about the night beyond tugged at him and he straightened up. Stepping over his dagger, he walked through the threshold and onto the grass.

He strode forward, eyes fixed on the moon. He’d never realized how bright it was. When thinking about light, he’d always first thought of the sun, and its blazing rule of the day. He hadn’t realized how easily even lesser lights cut through darkness. Like it was nothing.

As he stood there, basking in the glow, something inside him started to stir. It unwound, but slowly. It had been clenched so tightly so long that it had to remember its proper shape, not the rock hard mass it had been. It unfurled one wing, then another.

I’m free.

Shiik only allowed himself to think it. He wouldn’t, couldn’t dare say it out loud yet. That didn’t bother him though, he had a feeling he’d have plenty of time to get used to it.

A portion of his soul took flight, dancing and singing in the light of the moon.

(So Shiik's dream is to be rid of the curse on his back and the bite on his arm. I wanted to not only draw this, but write a little something for it as well. I figured I'd more easily convey the necessary emotions by writing, although I hope I managed to do a halfway decent job with the picture as well. Thanks so much for giving me the chance to work with your character InkPawStudio777 ! I'm sorry if I messed anything up. I hope you like it anyway. )