Somewhere in an unknown land...

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#1 of Sunshine's Adventures

Somewhere in an unknown land a dragon stirs awake and decides to venture out into the realm. What may happen?

This is my attempt at getting my writing out into the world and practicing my ideas. Feedback is appreciated and welcome! Hope you enjoy/ed reading!

^,..,^


It was calm within his den, the rooted surroundings of his home giving off a cozy vibe despite it being large and foreboding to most who might venture into it. Along the "walls" were modestly sized sky blue crystals; jagged and crudely made it seemed, or simply pulled from whatever depths they were found. Nevertheless, they glowed gently, giving a calm blue hue to the room the dragon slumbered in. Given time, the dragon stirred slightly from his sleep; ruffling his wings and letting out a small growl as he stretched his forelegs outward, splaying and curling his clawed paws before slumping to his side with a grunt. The dragon lay there on his side for some time. His yellow and short-furred sides rose and fell slowly with his waking breaths. The swirling "cinnamon" colored patterns on his fur danced down his sides flowing to another spiraled end at his hind legs. Though in the silence of his breaths, he would stretch all four legs this time.

Giving a long grumble and shudder he'd then return to his former position upon his very large cubby hole, it is almost a few times his size, him only being about the height of an average human from paw to horn. It was nestled snugly in the corner of the circular room, roots surrounding it, making it a sort of den within his den.

"I need to do something with myself..." He muttered under his breath. It was ages since he had done anything noteworthy. Ages since he had been to Eridor's or out past his lair's borders. It had indeed been a long time since he found himself in the new world as well, alone and confused.

With a quiet huff he got up, rolling onto his legs and standing on the soft ground, he'd give a quick look around his empty den. His urges to hoard were growing stronger by the day, but he had no idea how to go about these new urges of his. Hopping through the small opening and landing with a dull thud, he would make his way to a small rooted "hallway" leading out of his den. Just a few steps until he was greeted by the familiar sight of what he called...

"My atrium... Still a beautiful place as ever.." He would sit gently, curling his tail around the base of his feet, taking a deep relaxed breath of the cold morning air of the canopied surroundings. The massive roots of the tree he currently lived under obscured the morning sun, only allowing small rays of light through all the dangling vines and thick brambly roots overhead. It was still, however, enough to light the area beneath, even given its height from where he sat. The roots more acting like massive arches looming over and digging themselves back into the earth they called their homes.

Letting out the breath he was holding with a content sigh, he would smile and tilt his head to give a horn a scratch with his forepaw. Just behind the base, a location that bothered him quite a bit at times, but always left him satisfied after a good ol' scratch. Though another thing that always bothered him as well as how easily his antler-like horns caught on everything... He would tug at his horn that was now stuck between some smaller roots at his entrance, his horn not budging as it tangled itself further with every tug. With a grumble and a huff, he would reach up with a paw; rather uncomfortably and begin to claw at it in annoyance. It would soon snap out of the tangle and send his head free with a bit of a jolt. Grumbling some more, he would sputter at the root in annoyance and sputter more about the troubles of having horns before sighing to let go of the situation.

He'd sit there for a little while, just enjoying the sights and sounds of the wind rushing by. The sounds of some other inhabitants of the tree. The wonderful smell of moss and crisp air. One thing he had come to love was the serenity of his new home, his den, and this tree. Though, with humans nearby, he knew well enough that things could get noisy and troublesome very quickly. Another urge of his that he was not used to... A burning desire to defend his home, at all costs. Being this defensive and possessive was very much new to him, the fire within was almost overbearing at times. But he tried to not let this bother him too much.

With his thoughts wandering now, he thought it was now a good time to move from his sitting position, even if he could watch the silence of his den all day. But what was even better was the view outside. He remembered this and was filled with vigor, uncoiling his tail from the base of himself he'd stand briskly; trotting toward the rather large opening between some massive roots leading up and out of his Atrium. Clambering up a dirt hill and grabbing onto some roots for leverage he would be greeted by the familiar and wonderful rush of cold wind over his face. Closing his sky-blue eyes, he would just simply hold onto where he was, letting his head stick out and be buffeted by the strong winds that always ran over the cliffs where he lived.

He couldn't help but take deep breaths of the wonderful winds. The air up here was always so clean and fresh upon the heights of his cliffs. For a moment he pondered that thought.

"They are mine, aren't they... My cliffs" He couldn't help but let out a giggle of delight. Something so simple for a lot of beings and creatures, stirred that inner fire more, Invigorating his draconic desires and instincts. Something of which he very much was not used to indulging in. Opening his eyes he would finally clamber out fully and shake off the dirt that clung to his rather fluffy back fur. A white fur ran from the bridge of his horns to the poof at the end of his tail. Taking some time again, to enjoy his surroundings, something he hadn't done for a good while, he would wander over and through the bushes and brambles; the smaller trees and branches running over his fur as he walked by. Finally making it to the cliff's edge, the forests cleared abruptly ending in a sharp drop. Sitting by the ledge, the breeze picking up for a moment, he would look around and down at the world.

In the distance, as far as the eye could see, was pure wilderness. The green hills and forests stretched out into the horizon, and through the mountains that lay just at that horizon. A small river snakes away from the cliffs due to the waterfall nearby, slowly winding and dancing its way through the forests below into a large lake a good flight away. Its water glimmers in the sunlight, adding even more life to the calm green lands below. He leaned over carefully; his claws digging into the soil, to get a better look at the wondrous cliff face. The white and grey crags he stood upon loomed over the land he stood over, a good thousand feet or so of a fall, Or, a calm windswept glide for a being like himself. He spread his wings ever so slightly, feeling the wind catch them, and lift him to the breeze.

Though, he turned his head away from the sights below and tucked his wings close to his sides, taking a few steps back before sitting again farther from the edge. A sigh escaped him and he stared at the ground distraught.

"If I had only listened.." he murmured to himself. The memories of his failed experiment lingered in his mind now as he pawed at the dirt, writing in one of the many forms of draconic. The runes connected in odd ways until he swiped them away with that same paw with a growl of frustration. A wave of anger he wasn't entirely used to, but understood enough, swelled inside him before he took a rather shaky breath to calm himself. If he had only listened to Eridor about playing with things he didn't understand. But how could he not be fascinated by things he had only ever dreamed of existing? Magic is the thing that science had always tried to label and disprove. It existed, right there! Right in front of him! How could he not ignore the temptations of being able to do things he would otherwise be unable to do as a normal human? He let out a small pained, yet amused scoff at himself as he lifted a paw to observe it.

"Human... what I used to be. Now, look at me. A beast that was never thought to have existed. Right here..." He gave that very paw a flex, claws protruding more than they did while at rest. He sat there contemplating if this was all just some sort of wild dream. But everything felt so real. The pain, pleasures, all of it. Especially the pain... He rested the paw onto the ground with a sigh, some leaves and brambles crunching softly beneath the weight again. He realized now, a little too late, what Eridor meant about dabling with things you don't know about. Messing about with some books about teleportation and portals, lead him here, away from everything he knew. His new life, the new beings and people he met. The teacher he started to adore. All... gone.

"And this is the punishment I get for not listening.." He let out a somber sigh, looking back out into the wilderness below.

"To be marooned in a world that isn't my own, in a body, I have no clue how to understand or use." He would give a look around, before getting up and turning back towards his den. Something that had seemed to become a ritual now. His thoughts and mistakes weigh too much on him to allow him to do anything else but venture out to hunt when his mind becomes feral due to hunger. Every time he would come out with a hopeful mindset. Only to be crushed by the realization of everything that had happened to him. But, something felt different inside him today. He'd stop and stare at the ground just before the hole leading into his atrium in deep thought. The wind rushed over his fur as he stood.

"What are you doing with yourself? Wallowing. Where is that going to get you? Nowhere.." Giving a sigh that sounded more like a hiss, which mildly surprised him, his frustration and the inner fire burned too bright to allow him to dwell on such a reaction. He would turn roughly toward the cliff's edge, a fire in his eyes. A passion burned in his soul; something he hadn't felt since becoming what he is. He would stand there, beginning to tremble at the thoughts and feelings he began to feel. Emotions ran wild, his eyes would water and he would grip the ground tightly with his paws, sticks crunching in his grasp.

"Start living damn it!" He grumbled and threw his head back.

"There is no sense in wallowing about things you can't change. Perhaps you can find someone to help you?" His gaze would affix back onto the cliff's edge not too far in the distance.

Standing there, his confusing urges and newfound drive were telling him to go. To go somewhere, figure something out. Perhaps find a way back to Eridor and apologize for not listening to the person that was only trying to help. His heart racing, and adrenaline building, he would growl and break into a sprint, dirt, and sticks being flung into the air behind him as his paws dug firmly into the ground below him. He thought to himself about what to say if he'd ever find his way back to him, wondered if they were even trying to find him. But that didn't matter right now. All he needed to focus on was moving forward. With a few more thrusts of his legs and heavy breaths, he'd unfurl his wings and throw himself off the ledge and into the air.

Now he thought,

"Where too?"