'Ah... it really is the flying human and... what the heck is that thing?'

It was... a big, floating patch of darkness... just that. A black thing that seemed to absorb all light into itself, a moving shadow that hovered just above the ground. The smell of rotting fish came from it, and yet I could see nothing as to indicate why that was the case. The... whatever it was, didn't seem to have an actual size or shape; its form would shift rapidly - a churning, writhing mass of the purest darkness. I have never seen anything quite like it; I wasn't even sure if it was a living entity as it had no discernable features, aside from the blackness it exuded.

And yet... something about it seemed oddly familiar; not in the sense that I've seen its like before, but more akin to meeting one, whom I've not seen in many moons... which didn't make any sense the more I thought about it. Regardless, the... thing was familiar; I just wasn't sure how.

The flying human appeared to be on guard; was she fighting this floating darkness thing? That definitely appeared to be the case. The air was thick with the sweetness and the flying human herself had obviously unleashed powerful magical attacks of her own, likely directed towards the floating darkness thing. But then, why would they be fighting? What cause could the flying human possibly have to attack the... other thing?

Curious, I took a step forward towards them, passing by several trees that'd fallen, splintered at their base. The flying human had done this; the air itself was saturated with the smell of her energies. She said something, but I ignored her; the floating darkness was far more interesting than whatever sounds happened to escape her mouth.

Lacking any actual features, including a mouth, I realized the only way to communicate with this... thing, would be through psychic speech. And so I reached out with my mind and spoke a single word. Hello...

The darkness thing immediately reacted, its mass seemingly expanding. The flying human noticed it as well, shrinking backwards, hands outstretched, glowing with fiery energies that hurt my eyes when I looked at them. She didn't attack, however, and so I turned my attention back towards the darkness thing, which - I somehow knew - had also turned its attention towards me.

You're like me... It whispered in my head. But... why do you look like that?

Like a bear? Well, that was a strange question. What do you mean? I've always looked like this; I'm a bear?

What's a bear? It asked, genuinely curious... which I could just somehow tell. You're like me... but... you're stuck in a shell. Why are you stuck in a shell? Do you need help getting out?

A bear is what I am... I really had no other way of answering that strange question. The... thing seemed to believe that it was like me, but it wasn't a bear, which meant it wasn't like me. But then I also felt a strange kinship with it - that strange familiarity in its presence, despite the smell of rotting fish. No... I don't believe I'm stuck in a shell. I think this is skin and fur, and beneath that is bone. Thank you for the offer, but I don't need to get out.

You're a very strange one... It said, which hardly made sense as I'm not the floating blob of pure darkness. Your presence is that of an infant and yet here you are. I can sense you haven't made use of your powers, which is a shame, but - I suppose - it hardly matters when time holds no real meaning to us...

Okay, now, it was definitely talking nonsense. Why are you here?

Oh! Right! I almost forgot! It seemed jovial for a moment. One of our kin has broken through the veil between dimensions and has entered this world without the Great Father's permission. I was sent to find him and bring him back, but he's being stubborn and I can't seem to find him no matter where I try to look...

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Its tone went from jovial to annoyed. I don't like this world; it's so... physical - everything here is so physical. It's annoying! I hate it here! But, dad says I'm the one, who's best suited to this world, so I guess I'll have to suck it up. What about you, little one, how did you get here?

Uhm... I'm pretty sure I was born here... I don't really remember my mother, but I'm sure she did her best to keep me alive when I was but a young cub, seeing as I lived to this age, when others would've been hunted down by other predators or killed by the elements themselves.

It seemed... confused? Why would it be confused? You... were born? That is... very strange. I have never heard of such a thing. How were you born into this physical world? And yet... you're an infant; your powers are so weak that you can't have crossed the barrier between dimensions by yourself... which means... you were already here... but that doesn't make sense!

Were you not born?

No... I willed myself into existence, just like the rest of our kin...

Well, this was... very fascinating. I had no idea such... entities even existed. And we were apparently related somehow, which didn't make sense but hey - a lot of things didn't make sense. Most of my own abilities didn't make any sense. So... what exactly are you going to do, now?

I... do not know, little one; I know very little about this world, but - rest assured - I will find our wayward brother and take him back home... somehow. It seemed lost - confused. I suppose I will simply scan every square meter of reality in this world until I can find him; it'll be very annoying, but I have an eternity to waste and nothing better to do. So... eh

Aside from going beyond the woods and seeking adventure, the only thing I really had to was that task, assigned to me by the talking bone thing - something about destroying a black orb in the place, where dragons go to die. So, I didn't really have much to do and... I've never felt such familiarity with any creature before - even with other bears.

I can help you! I offered - something I don't think I've ever done for anyone before. It... felt nice, I guess, but also exciting. I'll be walking out of this place very soon and I don't really have much to do; maybe I could also search for this brother of ours. I might just come across him, while I'm wandering around!

Okay! We could travel together! It'd be nice to have some familial company - even if you are an infant. I noted its excitement mirrored my own. Huh, despite its... lack of appearance, this entity was actually quite pleasant; I could easily get used to the rotting fish smell. It was strange... wanting to spend time with another being seemed like an alien concept and yet I knew that I wanted it. Right, before we go any further, little one, my name is Nyx; what's yours?

I am Ursus; it's a weird name and I would've given myself something else, but that's all I've got.

Nyx chuckled, and a brief spell of sudden wisdom told me it was a she - Nyx was female, which also didn't make sense, given the fact that sentient blobs of darkness likely didn't have genitals. Your name is fine, little one - strange, but fine.

I nodded and turned to look at the flying human. She was still standing there, holding out her arms, still blazing with the weird and painful energies.

Well, she wasn't attacking, so that was good. I turned back to Nyx. I think you should take on another form - one that doesn't smell like rotting fish and looks like a floating shadow.

Truly? It is the default physical shape I usually take whenever I enter a physical dimension. Nyx said, curious. Then again, I'd rather not be impedded by the natives of this dimension; what form do you suggest?

Just before I could answer, something small, black, and furry ran out of a fallen log, dashing between the splintered trees, before disappearing into the distant bushes. Nyx chuckled. Oh, I like that form - I shall take it for myself!

And so I looked on as she slowly took on an actual, physical shape - shadows receding from her being as she shrunk down and landed on the soil. The flying human, who'd stood quite a distance from us, audibly gasped, but I paid her no attention. Slowly, but surely, Nyx assumed a more familiar shape, though it was of a very small creature - four limbs, a long, furry tail, large eyes, fangs, pointy ears, and black fur.

"Meow...."

A cat....

Nyx had chosen the form of a cat; she was now barely larger than one of my fore paws and the smell of rotting fish was gone. She surged forward and leapt, landing on my back, where she lazily laid on her back, stomach up. I barely even noticed her weight. "Meow...."

I like this form....

The flying human released a tired sigh as I turned to face her. She shook her head and met my eyes. "What the fuck was that?"