The shattering stone was black shot through with a rich, deep red-pink. And perhaps "shattering" was a generous word: it was splintering, slow but sure, pieces falling away to tumble down the cliffside. The hot rock below the stone wasn't burning, yet it would have been uncomfortable for most; the creature within this stone, however, was pleased by it.

Its first stir of consciousness was met by a contented rumble, and the first touch of air as the chrysalis pieces spilled it free, by a low, warbling song.

The beast that fell from the broken stone looked like a large, wet, black lump: a slab of dark flesh with little definition. A cough sent a spray of vapor skyward; an inhale inflated the beast, so that the flesh began to take on a real shape.

The creature that, moments later, took to the air was first a child: oversized head, flippers and flukes, bobbing clumsily as it rose from the mountainside. And second, it was a monster, of sorts: the eyes that opened in the streaked and pitted black skin were glowing, the vents igniting along its side--one by one, like lights coming on--all shining a brilliant pinkish-red, striking against the skin.

This child did not think to look back, with its newly opened eyes, to the chrysalis it had left behind. Instead it drifted outward and away, toward the life that lay ahead of it, ignorant and in awe of the sudden splashes of sound and color all around it where before, there had been nothing.

What a gift-! This life, this experience--what joy, to have something, where nothing had been! Magic rose up, twining with the keening (and, for now, somewhat discordant) song the whale-child was emitting, joining to it a noticeable, strange vibration in the air.

Anthem--that is my name--drifted out over Leo's bay, ready for whatever lay ahead.

Crack!

The tiny creature, previously lost in dreams, was suddenly very aware of his surroundings. He was still cradled in the safety that had allowed him to rest until such a time as he was to emerge from the chrysalis, but the sound of that crack stirred a very strong emotion in him, causing his heart to thump rapidly - fear.

At first, he just curled in tighter on himself, his long naked tail wrapping around his body protectively. As the cracking continued and he began to be able to see light. The fear grew stronger, and his brain screamed at him - run, run, run, run! and as his chrysalis broke fully open, that is exactly what he did.

Tiny pink paws pattered on the rock, his fear driving his speed but also the heat from the ground. On top of being thrown into this confusing place from his safe place before, there was such a narrow range that he could actually see. He had to turn his head to the point he was practically changing direction before he could see a new section of the cave.

He squeaked loudly as his eye focused upon a giant beast. Anything would have been giant to the tiny fancy mouse, but whatever was before him was truly massive. He squeaked in utter terror, his stomach dropping, and he actually skidded to a stop. Frozen by fear, he found himself shaking his head as a vibration met his ears along with...some noise the big creature was making.

He cowered, using his front paws to try and block some of the sound from his sensitive ears. He felt a tiny surge of something, and then it was gone, with no seeming effect.

"Eek!" he squeaked helplessly.