Zalin raced through the streets paws pounding the wet paved road. Her red fur was wet and turned rusty by years of living in the dirt and filth of Corith, the planet that was 100% city. Zalin looked back at the men that were chasing her. “There she is, that vermin the stole from my store!” said a angry voice. She bit harder on the stolen meat that she had worked hard for. “They can live with out the single piece of meat but maybe I can't!” Zalin thought. She swerved right and dove into a open man hole and raced through the sewer labyrinth that was home to the remaining population of Corith’s native shape shifters the had lived in peace before humans took over their planet and for generations they lived on the streets and in the sewers of the city. The shouts of Zalin’s chasers died down and she trotted to her small hole in the wall den. Zalin crawled in and ravenously devoured the meat. She went back outside and transformed herself in to her humanoid form. Zalin was thirteen with red hair, piercing fox eyes, a bushy fox tail and two fox ears peeking out of her hair. She was wearing a skin tight black biking outfit and had bear feet. Zalin walked out in the street and walked down it looking for clean water. She soon came upon a public water fountain and started to drink greedily. “Hey, you get your filthy lips of that fountain!” yelled a voice Zalin glanced up and started to run away. The voice got louder and Zalin ran faster. She ran up and down ally ways and clasped in excision on a pile of newspapers. “What brings you here fox kit?” said a clam voice. Zalin looked up in shock to see another shape shifter with wolf features. He had blue eyes and gray grizzled hair. He was the oldest shape shifter Zalin had ever seen. “Who are you?” She snarled at the old wolf. “I am Argon, to you fox kit!” He sniped back at her with a grin on his face. “I’m no kit Argon I can take care of my self.” Zalin retorted. “That is what you think fox kit, you must go to the center and be found fox kit this is not your future!“ The old wolf then burst out laughing crazily and Zalin slunk back to the wall trying to get away for the crazy wolf and the with a flash of light he was gone. Zalin looked around but she was alone on a dark wet and unframilure street. Zalin turned back into her red fox form and trotted towards her home. Zalin got back on to the street and looked around in amazement. She did not reconise anything not even the smells. She trotted left then right the came upon a huge intersection. Traffic wizzed by at high speeds but none noticed her. She looked up at a sign that read. “Center.” “That is funny.“ Zalin thinks. “didn't that crazy old wolf mention something about this place, like meeting my future or something like that?” Zalin waited for the light and then crossed the street and saw another creepy sign “Search being conducted here in one hour bring all those of age to be found.” Zalin felt he jaw drop. “That stupid wolf said to be found!” She said out loud to no one. Flap Flap thud. Zalin wheeled around ready to pounce and almost fainted right away when she saw a huge red dragon with a beautiful rider perched on top of the dragon looking noble and clean. Zalin did not even realize that she had turned back to her humanoid self. “Zinarth and white Blizeth have had a clutch and I am looking for candidates to impress the eggs and Zinarth thinks you will be a fine candidate. I am Lady Midnight weyr women of White Spark dragon adoptions” Zalin kept nodding eagerly like a kit. “Can I impress a dragon to be my friend?” Zalin asks as she climbs up behind Lady Midnight. When they reach White Spark Zalin goes to the candidate barracks and cleans up. She marvels as her fur glistens in the sun light and she lays down in a clean bunk to sleep off her street life and smiles for the first time sense she was playing with her brothers and sisters when she was a kit.
Things did not turn out the way Zalin had planed. The adoption had closed down and she was taking care of herself again. Only now Zalin was wondering through trees instead of buildings. She felt at home here and there was abundant prey. Zalin had developed a new need. She had seen the bond between dragon and rider. She now knew how alone she was. Zalin suddenly hunkered down and ears erect. She watched a large wild turkey creep though the under brush. It was almost larger then her. Zalin crept closer white teeth gleaming and the shadows hiding her red pelt. She crept like a snake through the tall grass. *Spring* Zalin flew at the turkey as she used her strong hind legs to launch into the air with deadly accuracy. “Squak!!” yelped the turkey as she in packed its side. It pecked at Zalin‘s back drawing some blood. Zalin clamped her jaws on its wing and was still holding when the wild turkey wrenched pulling some of the wing off. Zalin let go and nimbly circled the prey and leapt at the small head with beady eyes. Her jaws made contact and the turkey made one last struggle then was still. Zalin tore through the feathers and devoured the whole bird ruthlessly. She did not know that she was being watched. Rikki, a candidate at Ryslen was watching her with intelligent eyes. Zalin finished with the turkey walked to a stream and dipped her bloody face into the water. Zalin then lowered her clawed up back into the cool water wincing as the dirt was cleaned out of the wound. Rikki walked up to her. He had been out hunting for himself one more time before the hatching. “Your very brave you know. And strong to just the type the weyr women wanted.“ Rikki said in a sly voice. Zalin leapt out of the water fangs bared then she relaxed. “Were, I’ll stand any where. The trail is hard and lonely, I have longed for someone to share it with.” Zalin said coolly eying the other red fox shape shifter wondering if he could be trusted. “So you wish to impress, then come with me, I presume that you are a shape shifter?” Rikki turned and peered at Zalin. “Yes, I am but your all talk and if this is a trap then we will see about your bite.” Zalin growled as she followed him to the weyr. “So, can she be a candidate?” Rikki asked Tiyanni when they got back to the weyr. Zalin sits outside the office. “I hate it when people talk about me like I don’t exist, like I’m some kind of game piece that should be moved.” She snorts but then Rikki marched out and smiles at her. “Yes, you are to be a candidate!” He sticks a badge on her then walks out of the room. Zalin glares after him “What are you laughing at?” She wonders around the weyr. Dragons fly over head and all kinds of people walk about with important things to do. Zalin is in her humanoid form and looks around with unbelieving eyes at the size of the place. She then turned at fox tail twitching walked back to her barracks to await the hatching.
Stats:
Name: Zalin
Age:14
From:City covered Corith
Pets:None
Species:Red Fox shape shifter
Standing at: Ryslen Weyr
Zalin is standing at Ryslen Weyr