Chapter Text
Happy endings aren't for everyone. Despite everything, it can still all end in tragedy. This tale tells of the experience of one young man and the struggles of his life.
Sam shifted as he felt sunlight enter his cave. His hammock was so comfy and his cave was warm, he didn’t want to go outside into the winter air. But he couldn't exactly stay inside all day. Sighing heavily, Sam opened his eyes and jumped down to the floor of his cave. He stretched his limbs and wings, trying to get the ache out of his bones. He'd surprisingly gotten a good night's sleep last night; most nights were sleepless or plagued by nightmares. Stepping outside of the cave, Sam let sunlight wash over him.
Despite the cold ground beneath his claws, the sunlight peaking through the clouds warmed Sam up enough so he didn't freeze. Walking over to a little patch of flowers, he knelt down and checked upon their condition. The flowers were snowdrops, one of the few flowers that could grow in winter. They were beautiful, so small and delicate but also resilient enough to survive the harshness of the cold atmosphere. He gently moved his hands through the white flowers, checking each one. They were all happy and healthy, except for one. A small snowdrop at the front of the patch had dropped more than a snowdrop was supposed. to, its petals were also slightly wilted. Sam felt his heart flutter with sadness.
Luckily, he had a solution. Not a permanent one, but something that would at least extend its life by a little while. Hovering his hand over the wilted flower, Sam concentrated on his magic. His magic tingled through his body as it flowed to his hand, making his hand glow with a green aura. The aura surrounded the wilted flower and the plant began to stand up straight, the colour returning and its petals flourished one again. Satisfied with the outcome, Sam stood up and began his search.
His daily routine didn't really consist of much, but the most important thing was searching for food and water. Sam… wasn't much of a hunter. He didn't like to take life with his own hands and would usually just eat plants and berries. Sometimes however, he would hunt a small animal but only when there was nothing else that could be done.
Getting back to the task at hand, Sam headed towards the river since that was nearby. Reaching the river, he knelt down and scooped up the water into his hands, bringing it up to his lips. The water was cold and refreshing, soothing his previously parched throat. It was nice. Standing back up, he stared down at his reflection in the water.
Scruffy dark green hair adorned the top of his head while his is skin was a green-grey colour. Dark green freckles adorned his cheeks around his dark green, animal-like nose and small fangs protruded from his lower set of teeth. Pale yellow sclera were home to two different coloured irises; one a striking teal and one a burning orange. Claws adorned his hands and feet while a long sleek tail snaked around from behind. Large wings were sprouted from his back that were home to teal coloured membranes; the inside of his pointed ears were the same shade of teal. Large dark olive trousers were attached to his stomach with a thin rope due to his thin stature.
Sam thought he looked pretty normal for a gargoyle but from what he'd been told and had seen; he was on the smaller and scrawnier scale but that didn't bother him too much. A low growl from his stomach broke his staring contest with his reflection. He turned around and headed into the forest. With it being winter, he knew berries would be scarce but sometimes he found a hidden cluster in a bush. He searched and scoured the forest, checking in every tree and bush but ultimately coming up empty.
Leaning against a tree, Sam weighed his options. On one hand, he could wait a day until Nau visited and brought him good food to eat. On the other hand, he hadn't eaten in several days since the last of his food reserves had gone. A roaring growl from his stomach solidified his choice. When the sun went down, he'd make his way into the nearby village and take some food. He'd done it a few times before so what's the worst that could happen?