Badger's Sketches! *2nd Sketchbook!*

***VOID OF STARS SNEAK PEAK***

You guys asked for it ;)

Btw, I suggest listening to the video above while reading. It's instrumental music that really gives some depth to the story and kinda plunges you in. ;3 I do appreciate CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, but please be polite. Thanks! 

Prologue-

The One Who Hallowed The Storm

He watched the battle field with narrowed eyes. Armour covered his body, blue gray and shining with the light of the rising sun behind him. Bloody wounds cut open his belly, sides, and shoulders, scarlet droplets dripping onto the ground beneath him, but he barely noticed. He was watching the tiny figure, clad in silver and blue-green tinted armour, fighting with tooth and claw. The figure was swimming in the sea of fighting cats, all yowling and snarling.

The figure would have been hard to spot, if the tom hadn't known him so well. He felt his eyes growing dim and dark, but he forced them open, determined to watch for a bit longer. The figure, though small, fought with the ferocity and courage of one thousand warriors. If not for his size and lack of strength, he would have been a very formidable foe. Who could believe he was once the weakest of the kits, the runt, scared of his own shadow.

The fighting figure was suddenly pinned to the ground by another cat, twice his size. The cat pinning him down raised his paw, claws unsheathed, ready to deal the final blow that would end the figure's life, to end his destiny.

The tom watched and the paw seemed to lower over the figure's head in slow motion. The claws curled, sharp and stained with red... The figure closed his eyes, accepting his fate to the larger cat with dark tabby fur.

The sun behind the tom was rising, and the moor was flooded with golden light. The tom atop the hill who watched the battle was outlined in the light and the rays of sun warmed his back.

He watched as the paw was brought down to the figure's head. The tom forced his eyes to stay open, even though he didn't wish to watch.

But the paw never reached the figure. The figure's paw stopped the claw from dealing his death, like the house deals a player's cards. The figure opened bright eyes. The cat that pinned the figure down looked shocked and scared at the cat beneath him. The figure's eyes were solid blue-green, and the figure's very fur seemed to glow with the same light that came from his eyes.

The figure grew in size, scales covering his fur, muzzle elongating into a snout. Horns curled from his head and wings came from his back, large enough to block out the sun. Turquoise light glowed between the scales of the dragon. The armour that once clad his body had fallen to the ground, smoking.

The dragon fixed his eyes on the tom that had pinned him down and slashed him, quick as lightning, with razor-sharp talons. The tom was flung a few meters away, where he laid, unmoving.

The battling cats around the dragon stopped fighting and gazed up at him in wonder. The dragon raised to his full height, unfurling his wings to the brightening sky. His huge jaws opened and a mighty roar thundered from his chest.

The tom atop the hill could feel the thundering roar through his paws and into his own chest. The roar gave the tom an overwhelming feeling of pride and he smiled, blood trickling from his lip.

The dragon rose onto his back legs and used his front paws, adorned with large, fatal claws to rip through the crowds of cats. But the great beast, with his eyes and scales glowing with power, picked through the crowd gracefully and nobly, avoiding those who had their gaze low and head bowed. But those who tried to claw the dragon or stab at him with spears, were quickly stepped on or slashed.

The tomcat watched the dragon, his gaze growing dim once more. Quiet thoughts raced through his mind, thoughts of peace and happiness. The dragon flicked his long ears upwards. The huge, scaled beast fell back onto four legs and turned towards the tom on the crest of the hill. The solid eyes of the powerful reptile reached the tom's own eyes, grazing his face with a look of an emotion one would not think a dragon could experience: fear.

The turquoise glowing dragon suddenly raised his wings and flapped. The great gusts from the wings blew some cats away, but others dug their claws in the tough moor grass and held their ground. The dragon rose up, his giant wings pounding the air like thunder, making great claps. The trees around the moor rustled, even the strongest of them bent in the wind and leaves swished and rustled in the sky.

The dragon raised his mighty head to the heavens, which was slowly being painted gold and pink by the coming day.

One who watched closely at the dragon's eyes could swear tears were falling, glowing with power and light, but also great emotion.

The dragon opened his jaws and fire rumbled in his chest. Great plumes of fire came from his throat. The fire was not the ugly, destructive fire that ravaged forests...it was beautiful. The fire was white and turquoise and lapped at the sky. The curling flames twisted and writhed in the sky, burning a hole in the thick clouds that blanketed the sky, dark, ominous, and threatening. The cats below watched, enemy and enemy side by side, stared with silent wonder, fighting and killing far from their minds.

The dragon's fire raged the sky for only a few short minutes, but the light painted the ground all around with blue-green and white light, flickering as the flames lapped. The dragon ended his flame with another roar. This roar was more powerful than the last, if that was possible. It rattled the ribs in all the cats watching, making their hearts beat faster. But this roar, mighty and strong as it was, it was fueled, not by rage as one might think...but by love.

The dragon closed his mouth, lowering back down to the ground. The great winged animal stood silent for a moment, his taloned paws close to it's chest, glowing eyes closed. The light from his scales dimmed, growing darker. The head lowered and many emotions were engraved in the dragon's long, scaled face. His long ears lowered, brow and snout furrowed.

The cats that surrounded the dragon waited, as though for the battle to resume. Two cats in particular, two toms, stared at the dragon with the same look that graced the tom atop the hill.

The great dragon's eyes flew open once more, glowing with even more light than they had before. His scales glowed even greater, casting the cats' faces into light and shadow. The cats that had lowered their heads before, did once more before fighting broke out.

The dragon snarled and began to fight again, with renewed strength. A spear from one cat was thrown at the dragon, which pierced his wing, leaving a bloody hole and a snarl sounded from the dragon. Another spear was stabbed into the dragon's left hind leg and the dragon faltered, pain gracing his eyes.

The tom atop the hill lowered to the ground, his energy draining from his body as fast as his blood did. His eyes grew dim, but a smile still remained on his face. With one final breath and a sigh of peace, the tom curled his legs close and he closed his eyes, but not before getting one last final look from The Dragon Who Had Hallowed The Storm...

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Hope you enjoyed

<3

COMING SUMMER 2017