EDIT: Crap, I forgot the spikes on her back- Please just pretend they're there. T-T Congrats on 400! You totally deserve it. :3 I had eyes on all three of the designs, but this one had it's story come to me first. The creature that helps to set my story in Kalitan into action. I hope you enjoy! Notes for the art piece: I think this turned out really well! I know I changed the tail, but I think I like it better! :) It came up because I did the tip of it kinda weird, and thought it would look cool as a spike, so I added it. :3 I think her design is super cute, and I'm excited to see the results! ^^ ⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰ An excerpt from "The Land of Curses" “ This creature is special to me. This was the entire reason I decided to go out on my journey to see the wonders of this continent in the first place. Helda was my parents pet. They found her sitting in the hay, trying to get warm when she was young. Deciding to adopt her, she became our little pet. We were raised together, her and I. Everyone in the village was against the idea of her living with us. She was a monstrosity to behold, or… at least according to everyone else. Yes. She was certainly different from the domesticated pets that we normally had. A mixture of a cat, and a demon. Or at least that's what other people liked to explain her as. I still remember the day I told my parents about my exploration. The day was relatively normal. My bags had been packed. The only thing I needed was my parents' blessing. I clearly remember sitting down on the table, and my parents looked at me with confusion. “So, what did you need?” My dad asked. I took a deep breath. This was it. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. Brushing her head against my leg, Helda glanced up at me, giving me the confidence I needed. “I want to leave the village to travel the continent.” That seemed to shock my parents into silence. I watched as Helda leapt onto the table. I slid my hands down her back, tracing the horns that extended through her back. “I know how dangerous it is. I know what I'm doing is something that could kill me. But… I want to see more than just our small town. I want to see the unique creatures that live in Kalitan. I want to explore the world.” My parents stayed silent. I continued. “I know you wanted me to help with the family business. But… that's never called to me. I love exploration, I love seeing new things. Don't worry, I've trained myself enough for self defense in case things get bad. “Basically, I'm telling you this because I want your blessing.” The room stayed quiet. The only sound that I could hear was the chirping of birds outside. “Thats…. A lot to comprehend.” My mom whispered. “I know it's a lot, but… just consider it? Please?” My parents thought for a moment. “We'll talk it over.” I bowed my head. “Thank you.” Helda flicked her tail, and yawned. I smiled softly. “Come on Helda.” I turned and walked away from the table, leaving the silence of thoughts behind me. Obviously, my parents allowed me to go. It was a rough day, leaving them. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to return home, or even if I did, that they would still be there. But still to this day, I thank my parents for letting me have the adventure of a lifetime. All because my parents adopted a creature whom others called a curse. " ⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰ All art belongs to me, @dragontoothless123 Character currently belongs to @SunshineTheDragon.
