PARAGON

Paragon woke to the delicious smell of ship wood. With hazy thoughts, she located the source of the scent: a newly-opened window. Her stomach growled, urging her to find the source. The tiny carving looked to Travis, who continued to sleep with his hand over the figure like a blanket.

Her mind was hazy. Paragon knew this person was special to her but couldn't remember why. She smiled softly at his sleeping face before her empty stomach became too hard to resist.

She slid out from under Travis's hand and looked around the room. The wooden nightstand smelled good, so she hungrily nibbled on the corner. However, she quickly stopped. The scrap wood that made up the table was bland and offered minimal memories. The tiny carving craved the wood from decommissioned ships, and she could smell it.

Another soft growl from Paragon's stomach spurred her into movement. She stepped off the nightstand and onto the bed, then ran down its length. She stopped at the end and stared up at the window as her nose flared and her stomach urged her onward. Two body lengths separated her and the windowsill, and she had to stretch to be tall enough for her head to be high enough to peek out and see something other than the sky.

Paragon glanced at her sleeping captain. She could feel a connection slowly reforming, but it was nowhere near the strength it used to be. She knew he was important to her somehow, but hunger fogged her memories. Paragon felt like herself, though also not herself. At least she felt nothing like the insane bondless ship she was without a captain. Even a few hours ago, all she could think about was sleeping and eating.

Her stomach growled, forcing her to refocus on the chasm between her and the quest for food. I think I can make that. She silently admitted that even if she didn't think she could reach it, she would have tried. Hunger drove her onward.

She backed up and brunched up all six of her legs like a cat preparing to pounce. In a blink of an eye, she raced forward and lunged, even using her tail to add power to the leap.

Her body slammed against the side of the ledge, her frontmost claws digging into the top. She scrambled to pull herself up, her middle limbs grabbing the edge and giving her enough grip to climb onto the windowsill. She left tiny marks on the windowsill, but she surmounted the obstacle.

She poked her head out of the window, and her mouth watered as her stomach growled. She still wasn't used to the sensations, but her hungry mind didn't care. The smell was more intense in the opening, brought into the house by the nightly breeze.

She mindlessly leaped down to the grass-covered ground and sprinted toward the source of the smell. Her mind was blank, solely filled with the scent of ocean-aged wood. She didn't even notice the dirt coating her silver scales with brown as she ran.

Her tiny feet pattered against the dusty ground as she emerged from the grassy patch around the house and onto the shipyard. She could feel a slight tug on the bond, but the hungry growls in her stomach were stronger as she raced to the far side of the shipyard. She wished she was bigger or could run faster; the tiny legs on her minuscule form were slow. Was I always this small? She couldn't remember, and her hunger didn't care.

After several minutes of running, Paragon finally reached the pile of discarded wood and bit into the first piece. Mmmmm..... oak decking... The entire pile was full of old wood, broken and worn from time of the seas, removed during maintenance and repairs. The saltwater-soaked wood satisfied her cravings, but the first bite sent her into a hunger-driven feeding frenzy.

The wooden sea serpent ate until completely sated, barely making a dent in the piece in front of her. Paragon suddenly released a yawn, her full stomach making her want to go back to sleep.

A faint sound behind her made her pause and look back, then freeze. A cat stared down at her and licked its lips. Compared to Paragon's current size, the feline was a giant, easily able to swallow the wooden sea serpent whole. The figurehead didn't know if she retained her invincibility in this state, and she wouldn't take the risk. She dove into the woodpile, and the cat's paws narrowly missed the fins on the tip of The dirt-covered carving's tail. Paragon weaved her serpentine form through any gap she could squeeze through in her frantic escape.

The cat's growls became muffled and nearly obscured by a pounding sound that echoed through her body. Air filled her body as she panted. It all felt unfamiliar and different, but right at the same time. Once the unfamiliar beating in her chest stopped, Paragon curled up and fell asleep in the middle of the pile. She felt something faintly calling her in her dreams but remained in the world of sleep.

Author notes

Paragon is alive!
Did any of y'all predict that?

I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!