A man and a Beast

Chapter 31 - Journey's end

Felicia

I woke up sore. Yesterday I managed to pull through the pain that was inflicted on me. But now? Everything hurt. Opening my eyes I see a darkened space. Colin lay curled against my side. My tail had coiled around his leg. Undoing the tent my wing constructed above us, I wanted to stand up. But the moment I did, my tired muscles cried in protest. The sudden uselessness of my muscles surprised me and I collapsed.

My eye flicked to Colin, who had started to stir. I froze, testing if he had awoken. He quickly fell silent and I lay my wing over him, shielding his sleeping form from the world. His slow, shallow breaths against my racing heart. With a breath I calmed myself. I finally noticed the barest glow inside of his pants. And I knew what this red glow was. The Source Stone he carried. However I didn't mind that he had it. So I let it slip my mind. Though curious, I pulled my head out of the shelter. The lights were still dimmed. Though I could see well enough.

Forms of sleeping dragons lay across the massive warehouse; Cobalt Lake Warehouse if I remember correctly. A few sleeping dragons stuck out due to their loud snore. It was an especially enhanced sound since the only other noise in this place was the sound of the AC units.

To be fair those had to be some massive units.

With strained effort I slowly started pulling myself to my feet. It took a while to get my bones moving again. Cracks were heard along my spine. The not so simple, simple task was even more difficult since I had to untangle myself from the small human near me. Within a few minutes I pulled myself free. The moment Colin was free of the warmth my body radiated he shuffled around in his sleep; he then fell silent back in his dreams.

I stretch. A really good one. I stretch my wings along with everything else. Posing myself much like a cat would. It was a good way to stretch. With a yawn I put myself in a proper stance. Though now that I'm up and standing I don't know what to do with myself. My eyes scan along the edges of the colossal room, looking for something that might be entertaining. My sights land on the massive shelves that make up about a tenth of the warehouse space. Seeing nothing better to do I make for the shelves. Rows upon rows.

Upon closer inspection I found that there were piles of metal beams and plates. Probably more shelves to be built. The space in between the rows of shelves was surprisingly large. I can walk through them with room for two more of me, although I can't spread my wings. Don't need to anyways. Much of the shelves were empty. But there was still a fair amount that were filled with boxes bearing labels I didn't bother to read.

I take a turn at the intersection between the rows and columns. The stacks upon stacks of stuff get more dense the further into the mess I go. I eventually reached the row just a few shelves away from the wall. I walk through this one. Taking a look along either side. Same cardboard and plastic bags all over. A few wooden crates. And military looking boxes scattered around. I turn my head to look forward.

However I ended up snapping my head back to where I was looking a moment ago. One specific crate caught my eye. To anyone else it would look like any other wooden crate. But the symbol it was marked with was all too familiar to me; to dragon culture.

"Colin wake up!"

He jumped up from his spot with a jolt, his head shot in pretty much every direction, "Ack! What-? Felicia!?" He yelled in a jumbled mess.

It probably also didn't help that I shook him up as well. So he woke up with his world shifting. Clearly I underestimated my strength compared to him. But no guilt looms for I have reason for waking him. Even if he didn't appreciate it.