YOU HAD TO HIDE AWAY FOR SO LONG / awakening

[COSMIIX]

[glow=white,1,400]SUN IS SHININ' IN THE SKY, THERE AIN'T A CLOUD IN SIGHT ! — ｡+ﾟ.[/glow]

Dormant.

They couldn't remember how long they had been slumbering but he could feel claws against his skin, he wasn't certain if it had been out of malice or anger, that's what he couldn't understand. Several different claws scraped down his skin, it was painful yet quick, the first time having been the most he had felt such an aggravating agony. The giant watching through half lidded eyes to try to see who was inflicting this feeling onto him, he was about ready to scare them off until he saw that both beings held one another's talons before they pressed their muzzles together, it made the large tree-like beast blink in confusion. He was uncertain what the gestures meant but obviously the carving on his skin brought them happiness, it occurred to him that perhaps he would let couples carve onto him... If it brought them happiness. Once more he would pursue his slumber not shifting that much, some of his leaves falling off due to a soft breeze that had been passing along.

Time went on, other couples left their initials on his skin, he had grown accustomed to it by now and hardly ever moved or would stir. Everything muffled to his groggy mind, there were so many things he couldn't hear quite well but they brought him a sense of ease. The feeling of different kinds of paws against his bark was comforting, until he felt the familiar stab of claws against their bark-like skin, sometimes he would shift a little causing those who were up there to think maybe there was an earthquake or a soft breeze passing by and blowing the leaves off the trees. He was a draconic beast who lacked wings, in place where his wings would have been, were a pair of trees. The story of his wings missing, well, that would have to wait for another time.

What he hadn't expected was to finally stir from his slumber due to two individuals that were playing around on his trees, it was something he was used to, so he hadn't bothered moving not wanting to disturb their games. That was until he felt one of them pluck something off of his branch did his eyes open slowly. Questions swarmed his mind like bees as he tried to think what they had taken away from him, he didn't think his leaves had much value though he often did bloom flowers at random. The earth shook a bit deciding that it was time to unfurl from his slumber and awaken, he wished to see what had become of everything around them. Uncaring to those who were probably still perched on him, he would erupt from the earth with a sudden bellow, in their eyes, but it was simply a yawn.

The beast would slowly leave the space that was once his chamber of slumber and stretched out his talons to scoop up a bit of soil, he shook himself out to get rid of the excess dirt that was stuck on his skin, finally he would turn his glowing gaze over to the pair. His charred horns making him seem much bigger than he already was, he would snort loudly only to stare at the two who had disturbed his quite long sleep only for his head to tilt to the side. They were odd looking then again, he never looked at anything else aside from dirt and the trees around him.

/ wait for roy & beck to reply [glow=COLOR,1,400]—[/glow]

[beck.]

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    Beck was true to his word. At least, when he actually meant it. Sure, the youthful pair were slightly ahead of their scheduled spring frolic through fields worthy of a slot in an advent calendar, but truthfully, he never could know how much time remained with a friend before they too joined the thousands, millions of bones resting in the earth.

    His steps quickened to keep pace with the tiger's longer limbs, his limp clicking along as a broken joint grated with each footfall of his back leg. Their shared destination didn't truly exist; the duo meandered through the northern woods, chattering about nonsensical topics from horror movies and adopted fathers to how to track certain creatures and favorites of whatever category came to mind.

    The little ghost didn't remember when he started smiling, the corner of his lips curving into his intact cheek, but he didn't force the smile away like the unwanted weak point it was before. Maybe, just maybe, he could gain the friendship of Roy, although his overbearing surrogate did arise as a problem. Who knows what the angelic lion preached behind closed doors about him -- he could've been described as a dangerous lunatic, a time bomb waiting to claw another eye out.

    He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to sulk or snivel. Selby asked -- no, pleaded for him to be social and venture outside his depressing shell that he spent prior months curled within. So he was going to be social. Starting with Roy.

    A dainty flower swayed alluringly in the chilled wind, a rare sight in the midst of February despite the thawing ground. With petals of baby blue and leaves curled close to a trembling stem, Beck found himself breaking from Roy's wake to approach. "Hey, look, I found one," he called over his shoulder, outstretching a paw to pluck the early bloom from its cradle. When it didn't give quite as easily as expected, the housecat frowned, tugging at the stem more insistently. The flower came with this time, yanked from its roots like a doll from its picturesque home. The shadow of a smile reappeared and he held his lonely bouquet out to the skeletal tiger, returning the favors from weeks ago.

    Then, against all odds, the earth shook with terrific force, the very ground he stood upon quivering with a ferocity only witnessed in urban earthquakes of old along faultlines. His scrawny form went rigid and hazel eyes squeezed shut, bracing for the impact of a fallen tree. A tree that never fell. Instead, he lurched upwards, as though gravity negated and an overhead saucer decided to abduct a random patch of woodland. Beck peeked, finding himself standing abnormally taller than Roy. Much taller than Roy. Way, way too much taller.

    A panicked noise tumbled from his mouth; he nearly tumbled off the giant's back as well in his clamber to get down. Landing on his face with a thump, the boy recovered and scrambled to cower beneath the tiger, giving himself a monochrome wig of long, hanging belly fur. His instinct to flee faded, however, upon glimpsing the living tree in front of them. Beck giggled nervously, unsure what exactly happened beyond simply plucking a flower like a girl.

    He slinked out from underneath his shield, hackles bristling with static (and causing Roy's fur to lift weightlessly as well) just in case a tree could prove a threat to his newfound companion. With a haphazard glance to the remaining stem that he decapitated a flowery head from moments ago, the puzzle pieces fit together within his mind. "Oh," he rasped, looking to the disembodied flower in regret before holding it aloft to the draconic tree -- although he could barely stretch it past bark resembling a knee. "Um, you can have this back now."