Missing

Intro...

Feeling the sun beat down upon his back as he worked, fingers brush at the shavings of his woodworking. The carvings were taking a little longer than anticipated; he wanted to finish before they were to be picked up for their mating ceremony.

Unsure how long he had been working... his stomach growled its answer, and he realized he missed the midday meal. Reaching for a brush, he runs it over his work and notices how realistic the small inlay of birds was coming out and was pleased. This was his gift to his Shyrana.

Hearing a seagull cry overhead causes him to look out across the bay, measuring the sun... he sees he has enough light to finish it.

Shyrana... the thought of her name, fills his mind with her face... The image causes him to smile, and he reaches for another tool, wanting to finish the wings of a little bird.

But then something pulls his attention... looking over his shoulder at his cottage... he watches Shyarna running towards him waving her han0ds, she was yelling something, but the wind was stealing her words...

Curious as to what was up, he stands and starts to walk on the beach towards her...

But then.... pain... looking for the source of the pain.... he looks down, finds a sword coming through his chest and blood seeping about it, running down his chest.

His legs give out, and he falls to his knees, but he makes an attempt to reach for the sword.... but the person behind him twists it and causes more pain as it steals his breath.

He knows it's a killing blow... and just as fingers touch steel... he hears Shyrana's scream...

~

Bolting upright... gasping... his body completely drenched in sweat... hands move to his chest and finds no sword, and the pain is beginning to ebb away.

Taking a few moments to catch his breath... he slowly opens his eyes, trying to remember where he was. It was not till he noticed the light of the hotel vacancy sign flickering about the bath towel he had put up the previous night, hoping to get some sleep, did he remember the hotel room.