Cthulhu

Fully gened on 2016 on father's day Earth dom :D

story by Violetah

A tiny tuft of green fur lay tangled among the bone white branches that lined the dam, the dragonet from which it came resting among the driftwood barely a meter away. The Tundra chick's fur was still wet from hatching and fragments of eggshell speckled his back, but he was sitting up and scenting the air, seemingly searching for some sign of another living thing.

The Tundra, who would call himself Cthulhu, slipped and slithered back to the murky water that had bathed his egg, and dived in searching for food. While he was a child of the Shadowbinder, indicated by his dark purple eyes, the waters that caressed his egg was imbued with the Tidelord's magic and had given him the ability to breath underwater. Quickly the child learned to swim, and to search for the aquatic plants that lined the bottom of the lake he called his home. The water was his teacher, and as he grew he became its protector.

Even so, as he aged he came to wonder about what he was, for he had never seen another dragon in his short life. It pained him to leave his home, but with a determination fuelled by ceaseless curiosity he set out to understand exactly who he was. In the shadowy forests that surrounded the Driftwood Drag he encountered many ferocious beasts, forcing him to grow in his magical talents just to survive. It was then he realised just how talented he was, for without a word he could blind his attackers or conjure smoke to fill her surroundings, obscuring everything from sight. On occasion he wished to return to his birthplace, for while it was a lonely place the creatures that lived there were easy drive of, while in this unfamiliar place the fights more than often left him injured.

Once after beating back a giant shadowy serpent he heard strange sounds, chirping and humming coming from close by. The same curiosity that had lead him away from his home tugged at him again, and he crept towards the sound on silent feet. When he finally peered through the bushes he saw a trio of dragon hatchlings, a Skydancer, a Coatl and a Tundra like himself. He pushed his way through the vegetation, causing even more leaves and twigs to tangle into his matted fur, to try and get a better look at the strange creatures. When the chicks caught sight of him however they ran in terror, for the thorns tangled into his thick pelt made him seem more like a monster than an actual dragon. The Wildclaw tending to them rushed to their defence, attacking him before he knew what was happening. Cthulhu fought back violently, but even his new found fighting skills to not prevent the more experienced Wildclaw from knocking him out with a kick to the head.

When he woke up he attempted to fling himself to his feet to defend himself from his attacker, but unfortunately all that achieved was to throw him onto his side, as he feet and wings were bound. Twisting in his restraints he tried to bite through the leather that bound his legs, but couldn't as his mouth to was bound loosely by leather wraps. He growled in frustration, looking around with his dark purple eyes to see if he could cut his bonds on any nearby objects. It was then he realised that there was others watching him from the shadows, the small chicks from before among them. His ears flattened and he bared his teeth in a long, drawn out growl in an attempt to scare them away, but they didn't move.

A Tundra stepped forwards, her pelt a mottled dark grey, and looked at him with eyes as dark as his own. She started speak to him, her voice while distinctly feminine deep and faintly echoing, but he could not understand her. Her eyes narrowed, and with the jerk of a mulberry coloured wing called over a small Nocturne. Cthulhu wondered what the bat-like creature was doing, and flinched away when it cast magic over him. The older Tundra spoke again, her voice unchanged.

"You do not smell like a Tundra, but yet you are. Who are you, and where are you from?"
"The name’s Cthulhu, and I come from the large water ten days travel away from here" his voice was gravelly, with a heavy accent.
"The Driftwood Drag? What are you doing here?" The female's voice had changed, the reverb disappearing.
"To find what I am."
"You're a dragon, like all those here. Like the hatchlings you were going to attack. How come you do not understand Draconic?"
"Wasn’t going to attack them" he growled, "I’ve never met another dragon before. I grew up alone." With that he turned his head away from the female and tried to curl up. He was so tired, and he had no desire to talk.

She let him be, and so he fell asleep. When he awoke he discovered that the bindings had been removed, and he was now in a dark cave. Rolling to his feet he shook out his thick pelt and got ready to leave. However before he could do anything he noticed the female sitting in the corner with another Nocturne sitting beside her. He immediately mantled his wings, ready to defend himself. She looked at him calmly, the silver around her muzzle due to her age shimmering in the half light.

With a wave of her tail she indicated he should come closer, and when he didn't she sighed.
"Do you want to learn how to be a dragon? To access the power you hold within you? Stay with us, and we will teach you." She offered to him, sliding down into a laying position.
"Why?" Cthulhu growled at her.
"Because I can tell you're curious. We, I, can teach you about what you are, and what you can be. Will you let us?"
He dropped his head, conflicted. His instincts told him he could never trust another creature, but the logical part of his brain told him this was what he wanted, to learn about himself. He finally relaxed his muscles and slid into a position mirroring hers, muttering a soft "Yes" to her question.

He learned that the Tundra, Angi, was the leader of the clan alongside her mate Dytas. Within the clan he learned about the different dragon breeds, their customs and their strengths and weaknesses. He also learnt to speak, read and write in Draconic with the help of the Nocturne’s translation accent, but never truly lost his growling accent. The clan consisted mostly of decedents of Angi and Dytas, and their close family ties often left him feeling like an outsider, causing him to occasionally wish to return to the dam he had come from. He even trained with the warriors, but soon was sent back to the clan due to his relentless attacking of the beast clanners, ruthlessly battling them even when they were retreating. His violent nature, so different from that of most Tundras, concerned many of the clan. Most of the time however he simply sat at the edge of the clearing glowering at everyone, lashing out at any that came near. He rarely spoke, and when he did it was without finesse.

He, however, had natural talent in magic, and so Angi took him on as an apprentice. He was an eager student, learning of the ways to manipulate shadows and to benefit from the darkness that shrouded his home. The dark and fear became his allies, and eventually he learned to teleport between shadows, travelling through them like they were linked pools of water.

Even though he enjoyed learning about being a dragon, as he aged out of adolesces he felt the call of the water grow more powerful. So one day while the clan was sleeping in the mid-day sun he crept away, traveling quickly and using his new found skills to return to his home. The moment he stepped back into the murky waters of his dam he felt like he belonged, something he had never felt around the other dragons.

With time came more intruders to his territory. Dragons were moving closer to his home, and so he had to become more alert. Those who came too close to the dam were usually scared off with a few shadowy tricks, but once they damaged the dam or polluted the water they were met with swift attacks. He manipulated the shadows and blinded those he attacked so they never got a good look at him, though he never killed them. Soon legends were appearing in the clans that lived in the Driftwood Drag. They spoke of a monster made of pondweed and shadows that took the shape of a Tundra, and that this creature would protect the dam from any that would seek to damage it. He was unaware of the myths and stories that grew up around his appearances, but was pleased by the reduction in intruders.

He lived in relative peace for many years, until the great flood. The last few days had been rather unpleasant, with low cloud cover and high humidity causing his fur to clump when he was out of the water. Restlessness forced him into action, and he patrolled the banks and walls of his home, repairing any small cracks and adding a few more beams for support. He could smell the storm in the air, but when he curled up to sleep he paid no mind to the sprinkling of rain that pattered over him. He wasn't to know of the torrential rains further upstream that caused the rivers and creeks to burst their banks, washing trees and dragons alike into their foaming depths.

The rain steadily grew heavier, eventually forcing him to wake as it pelted his hide. With wakefulness came a horrible realisation; the water that made the dam was beginning to flow over the top of the dam, and the currents pushing against it were only growing stronger. Lightning split the cloud smothered sky, the rolling boom of thunder echoing off the trees that surrounded the dam as he dived into the frothing depths that was once his home. No dragon, not even the strongest water-born Guardian, has any hope of swimming against the currents that flowed towards the wall, straining to pull it down. He paddled desperately through the water, eventually pulling himself up onto the slippery bank and trudging to the other side, where the water was nothing but a shallow stream. He reared up against the tangle of mud and logs that walled the dam, planting grey paws over the slight gaps that water tricked through. The mud sucked at his feet, and even though he put all his strength into holding up the dam, the power of the water could not be contained. With a horrendous roar the naturally made wall gave way, the logs snapping like twigs and the ferocious flood of ink black water sweeping Cthulhu away.

He choked on the mud and sticks that were forced into his mouth as his grey-black wings were pulled away from his body and pinned under a rolling log. He twisted and thrashed in the murky depths, vainly scrabbling at the huge tree that trapped him at the bottom of the creek that was now a river. He pushed against the log but nothing happened until something else, most likely another tree, smashed into the log that had pinned him and set him free. He was pushed to the surface, and burst up among the foam and waves with a surge of relief. The rain lashed at him, and it was all he could do to keep his head above the churning waves. He floated with the current, and eventually the river spewed him out into the Sea of a Thousand Currents. Exhausted, he simply let himself be washed ashore, and once he was he stumbled into the low brush that lined it. Not even the strobing lightning or the lashing rain could keep him awake, and he fell into an exhausted slumber.

Once the rain has ceased and the clouds cleared the dragons of the Driftwood Drag returned to their flooded homes, searching for lost clan mates and beginning to rebuild. The land was radically altered, old dams destroyed but new ones made and new rivers carved up the peaty soil. The dam Cthulhu had grown up in was gone, and dragons curious about the spectre that was rumoured to haunt it searched for any sign of him. Most just assumed since the dam was gone so was its guardian, but the few who knew that Cthulhu was a real dragon and not some sort of apparition kept looking for him. Eventually they too gave up, for there was no sign of him. Cthulhu himself had remained at the shoreline of the Shadowbinder's land, hiding himself in among the undergrowth for his wings were too injured for him to return home. He lacked purpose, and felt alone and adrift, for all he'd known was gone.
Even after the weeks passed and his wings returned to full strength, still he didn't return to where his dam once was. Somewhere inside he knew that it was gone and there was nothing to return to. He spent his time scavenging along the shoreline, finding old dented pieces of armour to wear and trinkets to decorate his new home. Still he felt hollow, like there was something he needed to do, but he didn't know what it was.

One of those days, when he was resting on the shoreline watching the sun set he noticed a strange dragon swimming towards him. Quickly he retreated into the bushes to watch the stranger, and to prepare to attack if necessary. This strange dragon, a dark coloured Pearlcatcher with green wings and a hood, easily came to shore and started to look around as though he'd lost something. Cthulhu was quite disturbed when this dragon called out his name, and then stared right at his hiding place. With a snarl he attacked the stranger, and was mildly impressed then the Pearlcatcher dodged the attack.

"Cthulhu, stop" the stranger spoke suddenly and in a rush, "We need your help. I've come here to bring you to my clan, so we can protect your home from the Shade."
"Who are you?" Cthulhu growled out, his voice rough from disuse.
"I'm Kiven," he paused suddenly, before rushing forward suddenly and pushing Cthulhu back towards the bushes. Cthulhu snarled with displeasure, but the Pearlcatcher called Kiven ignored him. "You need to listen to me. You're the key to winning our battle against the Shade, and we need to get moving."

Before Cthulhu could voice his opinion about randomly being tackled by dragons Kiven launched into an explanation about why he must come with him. He told Cthulhu about how the Shade was trying to take control of the Shadow territories, infecting dragons and destroying clans. He also told him about his clan leader Sukio, who was leading the attack against it and had formed an alliance between the Shadow and Plague dragons to bring about victory. Something about his impassioned speech convinced Cthulhu to follow Kiven into meeting this Sukio, and he followed the odd dragon deeper into the land of shadow. After about a day of constant travelling they arrived at a staging post, and Kiven rushed over to a skull masked Wildclaw. They talked animatedly for a while, until the Wildclaw-who Cthulhu assumed was Sukio-walked over to him.

"So, Kiven says you're here to fight the Shade." When Cthulhu just stood there, saying nothing, Sukio sighed and called over two other warriors. These two were called Fossil and Koso, and they were assigned to battle beside him. They were to keep an eye on him, and he was to go and battle with them to beat back the Shade. He had no complaints, because as far as he was concerned he was only here to fight, and so he didn't care about who he was to fight beside.

Quickly he proved his worth, for in the attacks against the Shade he used his prodigious skills in both magic and fighting to drive it back, and lead them to victory. By the end of the war he was scarred, but at the same time he felt like he had a purpose again. When Sukio's dragons left the Shadowbinder's territory to return to their home in the Tidelord's domain he went with them. Their final battle had been a place he'd known well, the place where his dam had been. His knowledge of the terrain, even though it had been forever changed by the flood, was an essential part of their victory and he was proud that he'd been one of the warriors to keep their home safe. Yet seeing his home destroyed, the logs scattered like a hatchling's playthings, had severed any ties that remained to bind him the territory.

The dragons that made up Sukio's clan reminded him of many he'd met before. They were warriors like himself, as violent and terrifying as he was, and so he felt comfortable around them. He didn't interact much with the other dragons of the clan, though he often fought beside Fossil and Koso and a Wildclaw female by the name of Oku entranced him, and so spent much of his time watching from the shadows. Still, even though he lived in the Sea of a Thousand Currents, he stayed close to the clan. Something about the deep water unnerved him, the way he felt it calling him.

During his time there he noticed how the dragons that flaunted their strength were respected, and those with a skull helm even more so. In an ill-advised attempt to gain this respect he challenged Sukio to battle, the winner taking the skull mask Sukio wore. While Cthulhu was a good fighter, his opponent was vastly more experienced and so soundly beat him. Thus Cthulhu found himself patrolling the edges of the lair's boarders, licking his wounds and trying to live down the embarrassment. It was here he smelt blood in the water, and with morbid curiosity he followed the scent it its source. It was here he found an injured Granite Thresher, surrounded by Maren warriors. In a sudden and unexpected wave of protectiveness he charged the shark-like creature's attackers and drove them off. Fully expecting the injured animal to either attack him or run away he was surprised when it just floated there looking at him. He was more concerned however when it followed him back to the clan, and wouldn't leave him alone. Every day it was there, shadowing his movements and attacking anything he attacked. Eventually he voiced his concerns to Fossil and Koso, and they both told him that the thresher was probably his familiar. He became more accepting of his rocky companion, and called him Thresh. They became very close very quickly, and soon could be found racing each other, in an attempt to see who the fastest swimmer in the sea was.

It was in one of this races that Thresh finally lured him into the deep ocean, and Cthulhu found what he been calling him. The water here just felt right; there was no other way to describe it. While he felt comfortable in the clan, it was in these dark and crushing depths he finally felt at home. He was suddenly overcome with a desire to protect the sea and to protect the clan from the monsters of the deep he saw cruising here. He found his role here, the Abyss of Water Depth, a warrior that patrolled the deep ocean and killed any dangerous creatures before they could cause harm in shallower seas. While he does return to the clan's lair, even taking short trips to the Shadow territory on occasion; his true home is the depths of the ocean, and this is the place he spends the most of his time. For he is a child of both the shadows and water, and so the dark depths are where he belongs.