Dreams of the Deep: Dair

Dair put a hand to his face, brow furrowed as he turned over restlessly in his sleep. Something felt wrong. Out of place. With a groggy grumble he would pull himself up from where he lay into a seated position. Rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes and stretching briefly before glancing around to see what was the matter. 

It was dark, which was not in itself unusual seeing as he had always slept with the lights off, candles and lanterns snuffed out for the evening.. but this was different. This was not the comforting darkness of his small and cozy bedroom. This was a vast and empty lightless place, and he could see no further than just past the length of his hand... His hand... This was not his hand. His hand was small and three fingered, like the hands of all of his kind. No, this hand was larger, clawed and with five fingers, like those of other races in the seas. He would draw his hand back to look upon it. This was not the only difference either. His arms, his body.. both were changed. Where once there had been a petite, slime covered frame, now there was instead the elongated torso of some humanoid creature. His legs scaled and coming to end in pointed, bird-like talons. He'd touch his face and his fur would bristle. He had a mouth.. but that was not all, the hard bridge of a nose, and the thick fuzz of his brow... 

This was not his body. 

This was the body of a browbird. 

The only thing still familiar to him were the two large, dragon-like wings that sprouted from his back. Though they felt.. heavier now. Thick with muscle and sinew. Powerful wings, built for propelling oneself at great speeds. 

The ground beneath him was sandy and barren, and crunched under foot as he unsteadily brought himself to stand. The gangliness of his new limbs making him wobble as he tried to find balance. Dair could figure out the body later.. what was most pressing to him now was finding out where exactly he was. Finding out how to escape such enshrouding darkness...

Taking in a deep breath, he would attempt to call out... Only, instead of sound, what escapes his lungs were nothing but bubbles of air, and suddenly he realized with great fear that he was underwater. This was not at all something he was accustomed to, and panic would begin to set in. Was he drowning? He'd hardly have time to realize that he could still breathe before, in the blink of an eye, he shot up straight out of bed, disturbing his partner who'd lain just beside him, sleeping comfortably. Cecil would startle, and shot Dair a worried look. The goobull was panting, hard. Chest pounding as he looked around himself. Regaining his bearings. 

This sight was a familiar one. The comfortable room he'd first expected to see. He would glance down at his hands again. They were the usual. Putting a weary palm to his forehead he'd plop back down onto the bed. Perhaps it had all been nothing but a dream.. but it had felt so vivid...