Chapter Three: Filkun

Shyvana was not at the lair when her father returned with food. He stormed into the cave to search for her but she was not there. He lifted his head and smelled the air picking up his daughter's scent. He followed it across the forest wondering just what his daughter thought she was doing. Suddenly he caught the distinct scent of humans and he began to fly faster towards his daughter. He flew higher into the night sky to avoid detection and peered down into the forest bright purple hair and glowing eyes caught his attention and he began to descend. Shyvana was running straight towards the lair and he followed close behind her.

What ails you my daughter he thought to himself. He landed just outside the lair and saw Shyvana sitting there atop the cave mouth peering up into the stars. Her back was turned to him.

"Meyus kon fos lost zu'u fun hi do leaving tahriik do gul, fod Zu'u los nusaan" Shyvana's father rumbled and stomped his foot.

Shyvana flinched and slowly turned towards her father. She tried to smile but the frown upon her father's face and the low growl he emitted froze her in place.

"Father please I was perfectly fine, it was merely a group of humans" Shyvana tried to shrug it off wanting to avoid the disapproving glare of her father.

Her father raised a talon and pointed at Shyvana "Gir kiir, listen child" he sighed. "I only ask you stay for your safety. Yet you continue to disobey my teachings" he rumbled. He walked toward Shyvana lowering his head to look into her eyes.

Shyvana looked away from her father. She hated when he lectured her about staying near the cave like she was some weak human. She hated never being able to explore the world around her. For all her life she was perused by a drake for her mere existence. Hounded by her dragon kin and exiled by human kind for her dragon blood. She was an abomination and she knew it well.

"Just once could you not lecture me about safety father, just once could we pretend I'm not some weak Halfling abomination that needs protection" she turned to her father fire blazing in her purple eyes.

He took a step back, surprised by her sudden outburst. He looked at his daughter the defiance the rage in her eyes and felt despair. For years he tried to get her to learn to accept her unique heritage but every time he brought her to human society they rejected her. Humans feared what they could not understand what they could not control. So he chose to raise his daughter in solitude away from the dangers of dragon and human kind alike.

"Shyvana, you are not an abomination, you are my daughter my lein" he tried to console his daughter but she backed away scales forming around her eyes, and reptilian slits replacing beautiful orbs. Her horns glistening menacingly in the star light and she roared at her father. The sound deep and guttural the cries of a beast in great distress.

"Come here Shyvana, listen to my words and calm your hil, heart" he reached a great taloned hand towards Shyvana and she finally embraced it. Shyvana jumped from her perch and approached her father.

"Listen to me now Shyvana hear my words my onikaan" he gestured for her to sit beside him patting the soft earth with his tail.

Shyvana sat down beside her father. A soft yellow light enveloped him and his form began to shrink. Beside her no longer sat a mighty celestial dragon but an otherworldly being. His scales replaced with deep purple skin that swirled with shades of blues and yellows like twinkling stars. Atop his head two golden horns curved up away from his face. Long purple hair fell down below his shoulders and his eyes sparkled a brilliant blue. Only celestial dragons were able to take on a human form but at a great cost to their strength.

"You say you are an abomination my child, but you are so much more than you give yourself credit for. I loved your human mother dearly and she gave me the greatest gift of all a daughter. You are the rarest treasure in all of Valoran you have the heart of a dragon and the soul of a human. Others may fear you and hate you for your power. Humans fear what they cannot understand they are a young race you mustn't hold them any ill will child." He turned to Shyvana and embraced her running is golden nails through her hair.

"Father, when I look at you I feel envy you are everything a dragon to wishes to be. I'm neither human nor dragon I'm stuck in between forever to wander through life alone. I'm not a beautiful woman or a powerful dragon I'm a half beast" Shyvana ducked her head away from her father tears threatening to fall. No a dragon feels no remorse I must be strong she thought to herself.

Her father placed his hand on her cheek and turned her head to look into her eyes. He smiled at her and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"My daughter, you are beautiful. My only hope is one day you will learn to forgive those who have wronged you and see the world with unbiased eyes. All creatures are created equal I am no better than you and together we are no better than all of Valorans sons and daughters. Prem Onikaan Lokaal los pah truk hi kent mindos" he looked to the sky and closed his eye taking a deep breath.

"Father, I will never forget I will never let go of the hatred for humans and dragons alike. I fear that it is the only thing that drives me" Shyvana said looking down at her hands grimacing.

"In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past Shyvana, but you will find yourself" her father stood and moved away from her. He turned and looked at his daughter so distraught and bowed his head.

"I have something for you daughter a Ofan" he turned and walked into the cave. Shyvana looked up at her father watching him walk into their home and cocked her head. A gift I do not deserve anything father she thought.

"Father?" she called no answer "Onik" rarely did Shyvana call her father by his name but he was not answering her.

In the back of their lair secluded to one corner Onik was looking for the last thing that remained of his mate Shyvana's mother. When she died and their home was burned to the ground he was unable to save anything except a single pendant. He had given her this gift during their years together so she would always have him close by. Finally, he found it and pulled it out into the light. Time could not ravish this gift given to her and he smiled when he looked upon it for the first time since she past. He walked out into the moonlight to find Shyvana looking at him curiously.

"Here, my daughter the last gift given to your mother before she past may it remind you that no matter what happens walk with the knowledge that you are never alone" he gestured to the pendant placing it in Shyvana's open palm.

Shyvana's breath caught in her throat for she thought this was lost to the destruction of time. She held it up in the moonlight and it twinkled brightly. A pendant of pure starlight glowed brilliantly in her palm. She felt the urge to weep when she looked at her father. Pain was clear in his eyes and she ran to him and embraced him.

"Thank you" she whispered. She looked around to find something to fastened it with but could not. Finally, she decided to rip a small strip of leather from her clothing and used it to tie it around her neck. she always wondered how her father came to obtain such a rare and beautiful gift. As if he was reading her mind he spoke.

"When I was young I obtained much power. Not like our forefathers before us the star forgers, but I did have stasis I was called an ashen lord and could bask in the glory of the stars. That pendant was given to me. When I met your mother and took her as my mate I was banished from dragon kind an exile for loving a human. Much of my strength has left me I am but a shadow of my former self. I gave that pendant to your mother to remind her that my choice to love her was above all else. I never regret loving your mother and I shall continue to love her until I return to the stars" Onik spoke softly and looked high into the heavens whispering something Shyvana could not hear.

Suddenly his eyes flew open glowing an ominous blue and golden light enveloped his body. He returned to his native form and ran to Shyvana shielding her body with his own. He began to growl low and threateningly. Shyvana did not understand his sudden change in mood she tried to see around her father's massive form into the darkness. In the distance she could hear scream of a human deep and sorrowful. She shivered and her blood ran cold her draconian instincts taking over she could sense the malice in the air her kin drew near.