Guardian

I smiled softly at my pack. I walked among the hellhounds, letting my fingers drag through their fur. I bent down to inspect one of the newer pups, when I suddenly felt the stabbing sensation in my chest, the telltale sign that one of my animals was being wounded. I growled at the pack of hellhounds, and then darted through the woods. They followed behind me as my somewhat-human form melted away, shifting into one of them, one of my hellhounds. I was huge--a monstrous blue-black wolf-like creature with my usual light emerald eyes. We silently and swiftly maneuvered through the forest, our pads whispering on the soft forest floor. My eyes were hard and furious--the smell of my anger was upsetting the pack. I finally skidded to a halt, testing the air. Yes, straight ahead. I silently stalked whatever it was. I sniffed again---and let off a deep, bone-chilling growl. Human. How dare he try to kill one of my animals---how dare he! My growl grew louder, until it was a deadly snarl. I was now standing on a huge boulder now, my furious glare cast down upon the foolish human who dared to kill one of my creatures. He looked up at me now, surprise flickering through his eyes. My lips pulled over my teeth in a terrifying snarl. He was bent over one of my pygmy dragons, the small creature dying slowly. I could feel it calling out to me, calling for my help. But first, I had to rid this hunter from my forests. As I studied him, thinking of which way to kill him, I noticed how young he was. Maybe fifteen, sixteen. I hesitated, but then jumped down from the rock, shifting into my earlier form. I glared at him now, furiously. His shock escalated now, turning somewhat into fear, somewhat into curiosity. "Human." I spat, my eyes furiously glaring at him. "Look at what you have done!" I gestured angrily towards the pygmy dragon. It was flickering now, weak. He glanced down at the dragon, but still trying to keep an eye on me. "Do you know who I am, young hunter?" I asked him with quiet anger. He hesitated. "You're..." he thought a moment. "A demon." I wanted to laugh. How could he not know? His clan should have told this young idiot about me. "No, stupid hunter. I am Sofiel, The Guardian. Part demon, yes, but also part angel, linked to nature. You've never heard of me, boy?" He quaked beneath my power. "Y-yes, Mistress. I h-have." he stuttered, bowing low, but always keeping his eyes on me. I took my eyes off him to inspect my dragon. I stepped around him, picking up the dragon. An arrow stuck through its side. It was barely breathing now. I wasn't sure if I could save it. I glared at the hunter. "Do you know what this is?" I asked him as I professionally wiggled the arrow from my poor creature. "Y-yes, Mistress Guardian. It is a dragon." "Pygmy dragon." I corrected tersely. I pursed my lips as I pressed my hands to the wound, the brilliant pure white blood oozing between my fingers. "And why did you decide to come in here and kill one of my pygmy dragons?" I demanded, glancing up at him menacingly as I let some of my power pour past its usual blockade. The boy stared at the dragon's now-healing wounds in amazement. My irritation went up a notch. "Boy!" I snapped. He looked up, surprised. "Yes, Mistress. My apologies. These...erm... pygmy dragons of yours, they... their blood has immense healing powers." he said. "I know this, boy. Get on with it." I snapped. "Well... Mistress... Our clan was attacked... and now... we have many wounded. My father--the clan leader--sent me into here on a quest to find and bring back a pygmy dragon. To heal our clan." I narrowed my eyes, setting the slowly healing dragon on a boulder.

Yeah that was part one. I'll finish Part 2 later.... :)

Mason