Commission for  TheShamefulStore of someone turning into their Sonic OC, Cain. This is one of my longest stories yet, so enjoy!

“Well, here we are.” David said to himself.

Right before him stood an old two-story house. Its black angular roof rose up above the faded white wood panelling, while the dusty windows all sat vacant and empty. The dim grey morning light made the house feel lifeless and cold, and David couldn’t help but feel sad to see it in such a state.

The house had belonged to his late parents. They had passed away some months back from age and had left the house to him, but David hadn’t really used it for much. He already had a house of his own and the house was much further away from where he lived and worked. So he had instead turned it into an AirBNB.

While it had some customers, its location in the dense suburbia was not ideal due to the distance from anywhere noteworthy. As such, David hadn’t been able to keep up with the bills, so he had consulted a real estate firm and they had agreed to take it off his hands for a sizable payout.

David knew it was the logical move. The house didn’t hold much sentimental value to him. Ever since his parents had passed it just felt like a somber reminder of their absence. If anything, he was almost glad to be rid of it.

Still, he had come here one last time to gather up anything that still held some value to him. He had already taken a lot of them in the years and months prior, but he hadn’t checked the attic yet. His parents had moved many of his old things there, so he figured there must be some things there he wanted to keep.

David closed the door of his tan station wagon and walked across the cracked concrete driveway to the front door. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the house keys, their faded brass colouring shining in the dull sunlight. He walked up to the front door, its brown paint peeling away from the sturdy wood, and inserted the key before unlocking the door.

David took a deep breath and stepped inside as he stowed the key back in his pocket. The interior of the house was sparkling clean, but it wasn’t a comforting kind. It made the interior feel sterile and lifeless, and the smell of bleach couldn’t help but elicit the feeling that someone had been murdered in here.

David flicked on the lights and bathed the interior in a warm yellow glow. He took off his sneakers to avoid tracking dirt and grime across the wooden floor and looked around.

The inside of the house was much as he remembered it. Directly in front of him were the carpeted stairs up to the second floor. To his left was the kitchen, its clean white counters reflecting the lights from above while its dark brown cabinets laid closed. Past the kitchen was the dining room, its large window closed by heavy tan curtains and the dining table laid empty.

To his right was the living room, with a flatscreen TV mounted on the wall above the stone fireplace, its coals and burnt wood lying inert. In front of the TV sat a white couch and black coffee table, the contrasting colours feeling rather comforting to David.

Past the couch was a more open carpeted room, where several shelves lined with board games and a pool table rested. That had been one of David’s additions to make the house more appealing for guests, but he often had to replace the pool cues as reckless teenagers used them as weapons.

Behind the pool table laid a sliding glass door to the backyard, which was devoid of motion or life, save for some cleanly mowed grass and weeds. He could still see the morning dew shining off the blades of grass and the sunken, rotted wooden fence that surrounded it.

David realised he was getting off track. He began making his way up the stairs, his heavy footsteps feeling out of place. Even during his visits, he hadn’t gone upstairs often. His room and his parent’s room had been up there, but now that they were gone, it felt colder than the rest of the house.

David ascended the stairs, his fingers running along the pearly white bannister, and he soon reached the upstairs loft. There was a carpeted seating area with bean bags and a sofa facing towards another television, which was hooked up to a Playstation 4. He had played it many times in his youth, but had left it behind when he went to college since his dorm lacked a TV. Now that he was an adult, he didn’t have time to play it.

David could feel the heaviness of time weigh on him as he walked into the loft and towards the hallway leading to the bathroom and bedrooms. He turned on the lights to break up the cold atmosphere, but couldn’t help but shiver. Even in his jeans and sweater, the upstairs felt so empty and chilly. The portraits that used to line the hallway of him with his parents were all gone now, replaced by generic paintings and photos he had gotten from Macy’s.

David walked past a closed white door and stopped, slowly turning to look through the small crack. He could see the mint green comforter of his parent’s bed, gently lit up by the light from the nearby window. He let out a sad sigh and gently closed the door. He had no reason to go in there.

David instead continued down the hallway and soon arrived at his old bedroom. He gently opened the door and took a peek inside.

It had been converted from a room fit for a teenager into a guest room, with sterile grey sheets and white pillows on the bed. The window’s curtains were closed and only a thin beam of light came through the crack between them. The walls were decorated with mute coloured paintings which didn’t resemble anything in particular. The walls were a dull light blue, and did little to reflect the scant light.

He remembered the days long ago when it had been his room. Posters for the games and bands he enjoyed. A killer dark blue paint. A bed decorated with beaming red sheets and many stuffed toys. A desk full of (mostly) completed assignments for school. Now it was just a guest room.

David hadn’t had a chance to have kids. He was a hopeless romantic, and hadn’t been in a serious relationship for more than three months. His parents had constantly pushed for a grandchild, but now that they were gone, he didn’t have much motivation.

Still, it was quite lonely back home. He had a stable job and lived a better life than most people, but he had trouble making friends at work or in public. He had tried pets before, but what he really wanted was someone who could take care of. Another human being that relied on him for love and support.

David exited his childhood bedroom and kept looking around upstairs. The hallways ended at a bathroom, which was just a standard white porcelain affair. Nothing too special. His interest instead lay in the ceiling right before the bathroom, where a rectangular panel of the ceiling separated from the rest.

David turned to the nearby white wooden closet and slid the shutter door open. Inside were a variety of towels and linen goods, all neatly folded and organised. David turned to the right and grabbed the aged wooden pole that leaned just out of view, which was tipped with a small metal hook.

David reached the pole up to the rectangular panel and inserted it into the small, barely visible slot. As he stepped back to clear the way, he pulled down on the pole, and the panel swung open. A wooden ladder swiftly descended from the opening and came to a slow stop before gently touching down on the carpeted floor. Up above through the opening, David could see the dim light of the attic.

David replaced the pole back into the closet and began climbing up the ladder, cringing with every creak and bend of the wood. Even when he had lived here, the attic had been strictly off limits to him. It was practically unused, save for the occasional long-term / forever storage his parents needed when the garage was stuffed. So this was uncharted territory for him.

David’s head peeked up above the edge of the opening and he only saw darkness. Save for the scant few beams of sunlight that came through the cracks, David couldn’t make out anything. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone before clicking on its flashlight.

The bright white beam of light illuminated the interior of the attic. It was dusty and full of cobwebs, but otherwise it resembled just your average attic. Several boxes and old furniture were stacked high along the walls, creating a large open space in the center.

David fully climbed up the ladder and began searching for a light switch. The rotted wooden walls were all bare, but David ended up bonking his head against a light bulb hanging in the center of the room. He rubbed his slightly bruised forehead and looked up at the bulb to see a metal cord hanging from it.

David tugged on the cord and the bulb flickered a bit before clicking on, bathing the attic in the same warm glow as the house below. But with the dark wooden interior, the attic was much less welcoming. David could feel a chill run up his spine and he thought about leaving the attic undisturbed, but he calmed himself down. It was just an attic. He would grab his old stuff and leave.

David began looking at the various boxes to find any distinguishing features, but many of them were unmarked. The furniture was not his at all, and now they were occupied by a family of house spiders. David went further into the attic and kept looking for any sort of sign of his stuff, but it would take him forever if they were all unmarked.

David debated leaving the attic undisturbed, but then he spotted a familiar shape. Peaking out of a partially opened box was a small, black fabric toy. David raised an eyebrow in surprise as he walked over to it and got a better look. The toy was wedged between the cardboard flaps, but David could make out those all too familiar features. David gently grasped the small plush toy and pulled it out of the box.

It was a small stuffed raven, with black beady eyes, small grey talons, big fluffy wings, and a small grey beak. Its eyes shined in the light of the attic, and David felt a tinge of nostalgia well up in his chest.

He had gotten the toy at a very young age as a birthday gift, and it had been his companion for many years. He had cared for it like a pet, or more accurately a child, taking him nearly everywhere. Caring for him like his own flesh and blood. David missed those days a lot.

He gently rubbed the head of the small plush bird and felt the nostalgia turn to sadness of bygone days. How he wished he had the chance to be a father, but now with the life he lived, he just didn’t have the time to make it work.

David set the plush in his sweater pocket, making sure it was snuggly secure, and looked into the box to dig deeper. Most of the other things within it were other old toys and aged books, but otherwise it was not really of interest. If anything, only the crow plush was what caught his eye.

“Father?”

David froze on the spot. It was a childish, boyish voice. He looked over to where the voice had come from. The voice felt like it had come from right below him, but there was nothing there. Just the usual dusty attic flooring. David felt a bead of sweat trickle down his neck. Where did that voice come from? Was someone else here? Was it haunted?

No. Don’t be silly. David scoffed at the notion. Their house was not haunted. Maybe the dust was getting to him, and his anxiety and sadness was playing tricks on him. He closed the box back up before lifting it from the ground and carrying it back to the ladder. He figured he could donate the rest.

David set it down on the edge of the opening and slowly climbed down the ladder. Once he was close to the bottom, he reached up and grabbed the box to pull it down. It was thankfully light, but he had to readjust his stance to make sure he didn’t fall over.

David began heading back downstairs to take the box out to his car, but as he did he noticed something different about the house. The inside felt a bit… warmer. Less cold and distant than it had been before. It wasn’t a heat difference per say. Rather, it felt less like just a house and more like his old home.

David couldn’t help but smile to himself. Maybe seeing his old stuff had reminded him of better times, and had helped his mood. David carefully made his way down the stairs towards the front door. He set down his box to begin getting his shoes back on, when the raven plush accidentally fell out of his pocket.

“Whoops. Sorry little guy.” he said to the plush. Before he could chastise himself for talking to a toy.

“It’s ok,” said a boyish voice.

David froze on the spot and looked down at the toy. He had sworn it had just spoken to him. David wiped his eyes and looked back at the toy. Sure enough, it was still there, but he could swear its beady eyes were looking at him now.

David felt some more sweat drip down his forehead. He gulped and slowly got his shoes back on before standing up from the ground. He looked down at the toy and debated leaving it behind, but some nagging feeling in the back of his mind kept him from moving away from it.

David reached a trembling hand down to the toy and picked it up. It felt like normal, but he still held it with the utmost caution before gently stowing it back in his pocket. The feeling of dread he had gotten quickly began to fade as he held the toy close. Maybe he was just hearing things.

David picked the box back up and opened the front door. Once the lights were off, he stepped outside and closed the front door behind him. The sun rose higher above the clouds, painting the ground and sky in a variety of blues and purples. David felt the warmth comfort him as he approached his car and opened up the trunk.

He set the box down in the back and began reaching for the raven plush. As he pulled it out of his pocket and began reaching it towards the trunk to set it down, he stopped himself. This felt… wrong?

David pulled the plush back and regarded it with confusion. Why was he so attached to this thing still. He was an adult now. He knew it was just a toy. It would be perfectly fine in the trunk.

Is that any place to put a child?

What? David was confused why that thought had popped up in the back of his mind. It was just a toy. Just a toy. He began reaching to put it into the trunk, but it became harder and harder to move as he tried to set it down. It was like he was holding himself back, but he had no idea why.

David just gave up and closed the trunk before taking the raven plush to the front of his car. He opened the door and set it down in the passenger seat, making sure it was snug and secure in the folds of the seat. He even began to reach for the seatbelt, but stopped himself. It’s just a toy. It’ll be fine. He had to keep reassuring himself, which was concerning.

David turned on his car and began driving away from his old house. He figured he would go and stop for some late coffee first. He yawned at the very thought and began retracing the roads he used to bike to get to the local coffee shop. The all too familiar houses and trees blazed by for the last time and David could feel the sadness well up again. He was going to miss this place, but at least he wouldn’t be alone anymore.

What? He was still alone. What was he talking about? He was completely alone…

David looked down at the plush and felt comforted by its presence. Despite sitting in his passenger seat motionless, he couldn’t help but see it as alive, just sitting next to him as a small friend. Or maybe a…

The sound of a car honking snapped him back to the road. He had stopped at a green light by accident and kept going in an instant. He was getting distracted and needed to take a breather. Luckily, he was almost at the coffee shop. Just a bit further.

David turned into a parking lot surrounded by wilderness and beheld the familiar facade of “Joe’s Cup of Joe.” It had been a staple of the nearby neighbourhood for over 50 years now, and was still as crowded as ever.

As David began getting out of the car and his breathing began to slow down, he started walking towards the shop.

“Don’t forget me, father.” said the boyish voice, now right behind him.

David turned around and saw the raven plush, which was definitely looking at him now from the passenger seat. His breathing got a bit faster and he had trouble moving, but strangely, looking at the plush seemed to help calm him down. Slowly, he reached a hand for it and grasped it gently before taking it out of the car and closing the door.

David held up the plush and began to stick it into his pocket, but he was shocked to see it had become much bigger. It was larger than his hand now, and felt heavier too.

David was concerned that the attic might have had some sort of mold in it, and it was causing him to hallucinate this. He decided after this, he would go and see a doctor.

“You can just hold my hand.” the voice said once more.

“Who said that?!” David asked, surprised. No one responded, owing to a thankfully empty parking lot, so David just nervously held the plush at his side by the wing. He decided to go and grab that coffee post haste. Maybe he just needed something to help wake him up.

The doorbell rang out with a cheerful chime as David stepped inside, sheepishly carrying the plush at his side. Many patrons were sitting down at the various chairs or stools that flanked the wooden tables, but they all gazed at him sideways glances as he entered, taking particular notice of the raven plush he was holding.

“Hello sir! Welcome to Joe’s.” said the cheery barista behind the counter. He was manning the only open register and had a line of three patrons all set to order their drinks. David gave him a slight nod as he stepped behind the last person in line and caught his breath. The aromatic scent of coffee was helping him to calm down.

“Can I get something father?” said the voice again.

“Maybe if you’re well behaved, Carrus, you can…” David said before his voice trailed off. The people in line all looked back at him and he could feel their confused glance piercing into his soul.

As they all went back to their usual business, David could feel himself beginning to panic again. What was that? He had responded as if by instinct to the voice. And others had heard him. He hadn’t hallucinated that. He probably looked like a crazy person to everyone nearby.

David began to debate whether he should just leave for the hospital straight away, when he realised he had reached the front of the line. David stepped up to the barista (named Tyler according to his badge) and cleared his throat.

“I’d like to get a house brew please. Regular size.” he asked. The barista nodded and began selecting it in his register. Once it was ready, he looked back at David.

“Alright. Anything else?” Tyler asked. David pondered it for a moment.

“Could I get a vanilla bean for the little one too please?” he asked. Tyler raised his eyebrow and looked down at David’s waist to see if there was a child, but all there was was the raven plush.

“Oh? Is it for someone at home?” he asked, his voice full of confusion. David realised what he had just said and felt the color drain out of his face.

“No sir. It’s for me.” said the voice, which came straight from the raven plush.

David yelped and nearly dropped it, causing all the patrons of the shop to look over with concern. David began to slowly back up as Tyler looked up at him.

“Sir, do you need some help?” he asked with concern. David shook his head and, without another word, stepped out of the coffee shop. The ringing bell being the only remains of his presence.

David avoided the weird looks from the windows of the shop as he darted back to his car and quickly pulled open the door before getting inside. He set the raven plush down on the seat and realised it had gotten bigger. It was nearly as big as his chest now, and its plush skin looked like actual feathers now, while its limbs were more bulky.

“Where are we going, father?” the plush asked. David was confident he was losing it by this point, so he quickly buckled himself (and the plush), and turned on his car.

“The hospital. I gotta check something.” he said to the plush. Realising he was talking to a toy once more, David couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the ridiculousness. It’s fine. He was sure he was fine.

Shrrrfff!

David froze as he felt something weird on his chest. He padded down his sweater’s front and sure enough, there was something weird right against his chest.

He pulled the collar of his olive sweater and looked inside against his chest, almost causing himself to yelp once more. There, growing out of his pectorals like some sort of infection, were jet black feathers. They slowly spread across the surface of his chest and stretched up and down his body.

“This can’t be… this can’t be…” David repeated to himself.

“Father? Are you okay?” the plush asked, and David could have sworn he saw the beak move out of the corner of his vision.

“I’m… fine… I think?” he said. He wasn’t super sure. On one hand, he could be completely delusional and hallucinating all of this, but on the other hand, this all felt way too real to be a dream or such. He reached his hand down and felt the feathers, which gently folded under the pressure. They felt real. What was happening to him?

The questions would continue as his hands began to quiver. David looked over to his left hand, still gripped around the steering wheel, and saw it begin to change. His skin darkened and hardened, turning a deep shade of black as feathers sprouted from the back of his hand.

He held up his hand to his face as he saw his fingers begin to grow thin and long. Each one was covered in a small layer of feathers, giving them the appearance of… wings???

The jet black feathers spread across his palms and fingers and began working their way up to his shoulders. David realised he needed to get somewhere private until this passed. The last thing he needed was someone seeing him transforming and calling the authorities or government.

David started his car and began to reverse with haste, nearly clipping a trash can on the curb. He switched gears and began driving to his old house, knowing it was currently empty. As he did, he could feel the feathers encircling his entire body, and beginning to spread down his legs and up towards his neck.

David pulled out of the parking lot and got back onto the open road just as a plume of feathers erupted from the base of his sweater’s neck. The feathers stretched up across the base of his head and soon began encroaching across his face. David spat out a few of the feathers as he slowly drove back down the road towards his house. He could feel them crawling all across his face and giving him an itchy feeling.

David began to reach for his phone to try and call someone who could help, but as he did his lower jaw suddenly began to ache. His mouth felt like it was stuck with something inside, and he began to groan. From within his mouth, his teeth began to all merge together and slowly protrude as his mouth stretched out of the way.

David did his best to stay focused on driving, but he could feel his car swerving ever so slightly as he lost his concentration. He slowed down to compensate as he could feel his “teeth” stretching out of his mouth while his tongue grew in place. His teeth had formed into a beak, with sharp grey features and small slits on the tip. His nose and ears both smooshed into the sides and front of his face respectively as his head shifted to a more avian form.

“Ah…. ah!” David said between strained stretches as his bek grew in fully, causing his mouth to merge around it and allowing his beak to become his new mouth. David felt the sensations along it all at once as his head became coated in a thick layer of feathers. From the top and back of his head, thick plumages of the feathers emerged and formed into a long set of “hair” and a curly bit erupted right above his forehead.

David managed to catch his breath as the changes to his face ceased. He pulled down the mirror as he continued driving to get a better look and saw his eyes had shifted to a deep purple, in addition to his head resembling that of a raven’s. Just like the plush.

“Father, are you sick? You seem unwell.” the plush asked again. David looked over and he could have sworn it’s beak moved as it spoke.

“I’ll be fine, Carrus…” he said by instinct. Just as he did, he felt a gurgling sensation along his body. It began from his stomach as he could feel it slowly beginning to grow out. Muscle and mass slowly packed on across his stomach and chest and began spreading to his shoulders and thighs.

“URK!” he exclaimed, almost causing him to swerve off the road. His clothes began to get tight as he felt his body slowly beginning to grow and shift. David managed to regain control and kept focused by keeping his eyes on the road. It was hard owing to the fact that he could feel his hands swelling up around the well, the flesh bulging and stretching out of his sweater’s sleeves.

David pushed down on the brakes to slow down even more, and became aware of an acute pain in his feet. He glanced down quickly and saw that his shoes were beginning to swell up. Three large lumps appeared on each tip as he could feel his socks stretching against unfamiliar limbs. Another lump formed on the back of each, causing his shoes to stretch forwards and backwards.

David had a feeling about what was happening, so he hastened back to his parent’s house. Luckily, he could see it appearing in the corner of his vision, so he gently pressed down on the gas to keep going.

KRRRKKK! David almost lost his grip as his arms stretched out suddenly. His back and chest had grown in size greatly, causing his sweater to be stretched to its limits over his frame. His legs had stretched out as well, causing his pants to rise from his ankles and revealing dark grey scaly skin.

“Almost… there… ughhh!” David groaned as his pants and sweater both constrained him tightly. His shoes made subtle popping noises as the leather began to split from the sole. From the tips of each of the lumps, pitch black claws tore through each. They didn’t have much longer left.

David pulled up into the driveway of the house and turned off his car. His knees had raised up to his stomach as his legs had grown longer, so he had to bend and compress his body to open his car door. As his hand pushed open the door, the sleeve of his sweater began to rip and tear along his growing muscles.

David began to move his legs but was stopped by an intense pain in his feet. He looked down at his shoes and saw them ripple and split across his growing toes.

BRRRRKK! CRK! POP!

His shoes violently parted as three massive raven talons tore through the fronts of them, splitting the top and bottom of his shoe with ease. Out of the back of each, rear talons joined the rest and separated the sole, causing it to barely hang on from the sides. David winced as he felt his new claws stretched out of their confines and scratched up the bottom of his car. He flexed them to try and regain control before continuing to get out of the car.

Placing the still growing talons onto the cool cement, David pulled himself out of his car and was shocked by how tall he had gotten. His sweater had ridden up his body while his sleeves had torn all the way up to his elbows. His pants were nothing more than skinny jeans now, with his calves already beginning to rip the denim to pieces.


“Don’t forget me, father.” asked the plush, its beak opening with every word.

“I got you… Carrus.” he said. He could feel old memories beginning to pour into his mind. Memories he was unsure of who they belonged to. He reached in with his now massive arms and grabbed the plush, which was almost as big as he had been prior. He held the plush gently in his arms as he began walking up to the house door.

David patted down his pockets and found the house key. He tried to reach into his pocket to pull it out, but paired with his massive fingers and tight pants, he couldn’t get more than an inch inside. Frustrated, he gripped the pocket’s exterior tightly and yanked on it.

SHRRRIPPP! The denim tore away and the keys fell to the porch floor. David reached down and picked it up gingerly with his fingers before inserting it into the door. As he reached for the handle, he felt pain flare up in his lower back and leaned against the door for support.

The seat of his pants began to stretch and creak as David leaned evermore so into the door, closing his eyes and his beak. The pants tried to hold back the new limb, but it was pointless. Small rips formed on his pants as David just waited for it to finally break free.

RIP RIP POP! The seat of his pants tore open and a flurry of black tore through the denim, revealing a bold plumage of tailfeathers. They swooshed in an imperceptible wind as David regained his composure and managed to fiddle the door open.

He practically shoved open the old wooden door and stepped inside before slamming it shut behind him. As he set down Carrus right next to him, he could feel his stomach gurgle as his changes were about to reach their peak. David gripped his stomach with both arms and hunched over as he felt the energy well up in his body. More and more. Until…

“ARRRRRRRGHHHHH!” he yelled as his body stretched outwards one last time. His sweater tore down the center all the way to its waist, where it stretched firmly over his chest. His pants ripped across the sides of his calves and thighs, revealing the feathery muscles underneath. His soles split away from his shoes while the bottoms of his socks tore away entirely, leaving his bare talons against the hardwood floor.

David panted and strained and caught his breath as he could feel the changes slow down and finally cease. He was easily a whole two feet taller than he had been, and looked like a massive version of the raven plush.

What had happened to him? Why did he feel old memories that weren’t his? And who was… Cain? These questions racked through David’s mind as he could feel something strange going on. The house he was surrounded with seemed to shift and bend, as though someone was washing it away with soap and water. He froze on the spot and looked around cautiously as he felt something beginning to tug at his clothes.

“Hey! What the?” he asked as he looked down and saw his clothes beginning to change right before his eyes. His sweater stretched across his body and changed from wool to a light cloth, forming into a red-button up shirt. At the same time, his pants followed suit, turning from tight denim to loose fitting cloth that stretched down to right above his talons.

The remains of his shoes and socks quivered before merging together and stretching over his grey talons. They encircled each of his toes and solidified into brown leather bracers, complete with lacing and openings for his talons. Across his fingers, dark leather erupted from the base of his sleeves and covered them quickly, forming into supple and soft gloves.

From the base of his shirt’s collar bloomed a dark brown leather collar. From its folds blossomed a brown cloak that covered the top half of his body while leaving space for his arms to stick out. In the center of this cloak emerged a symbol of a red gemstone, which had six sides and shined ever so slightly. Around the long hair on the back of his head, a black leather band tightened, forming it into a nice ponytail.

David felt the changes conclude and the reality around him stabilise. He looked around and was confused about his surroundings. He seemed to be in a much older style of house, with stone and plaster walls, lanterns hanging from the ceiling to illuminate it, and several pieces of wooden furniture all strewn about.

“Father, are you sure you’re ok?” asked a familiar voice. David looked over to his left and saw the raven plush… no. He saw Carrus standing there. His son. He was shorter than him and wore only a simple red shirt paired with brown pants. In his hands was a large brown hat, which looked like one a musketeer would wear.

“I’m… fine Carrus.” David said. He looked around the home and realised how warm it felt. How alive it felt. He wasn’t just the sole occupant. He had a son to take care of. A son who loved him, and who he loved.

David, or rather Cain, felt some joy light up in his chest as he crouched down next to Carrus and gently ruffled his head feathers. He giggled a bit and handed his hat up to Cain, which he took gladly. Cain placed the hat upon his brow and gazed into the nearby mirror. He looked like a hero of yore, ready to protect those he cared about.

Cain looked back down at Carrus, who stared at him with admiration in his eyes.

“Carrus, would you like to tag along with me for this adventure?” he asked. Carrus gave him a beaming smile and his eyes sparkled before he charged over and hugged Cain.

“Yes father of course!” he said with great excitement. Cain felt himself smile and gently grasped his son, hugging him tightly. Carrus was still for a moment as the two embraced each other in a display of fatherly love that would melt the coldest of hearts.

“I love you Carrus.” Cain said, utterly content.

“I love you too, father.” Carrus responded.

There was nothing more to be said. David had found his home once more.