Vilin

While the other dragons like Vilin, trusting him is scales more difficult. Ever since he has arrived, he has spent a great deal of time in a small and solitary shack atop a cliff overlooking the sea. The clan members find stashes of materials and food going missing at random intervals, and rumors assert that Vilin, at times, has no shadow. When he is in the central 'hub' of the outpost, others notice that he stares just a bit too intensely at the shapeshifter who runs the clan.

Everyone longs to see what is in the shack by the sea, but Vilin declines every time they ask.

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Behind the shack, the land runs down to fields, intersected by a river. A day comes when Vilin leaves the shack, slowly making his way down towards the fields. A whisper starts up, a susurrus that could be mistaken for the wind moving through the crops, except for the way that as the whisper spreads, heads rise and turn to look at Vilin.

It would be difficult for him to go unnoticed, dressed as he his.



"This is a new look for you!" someone calls out when Vilin reaches the bottom of the steep hill.

A slight flush paints Vilin's cheeks but he holds his head higher. He doesn't reply. Instead he turns and makes his way to the central 'hub' of the outpost.

Standing on a crate in the middle of the crowd that has followed him, Vilin begins to speak.
"For a time, I didn't know myself. I didn't understand who I was or what I wanted. I did what was expected of me and it made me unhappy. So I left where I was and came here. I met all of you."

He looks around at the group, which has grown as dragons leave off their activities and come to check out the commotion.

"I'm sorry for hiding myself away for so long. I'm sorry for keeping everyone at arms' length. But I was using that time to figure myself out and it has been a slow and sometimes painful journey of discovery."

He catches the eye of the shapeshifter and gives a wry smile. "When I first arrived, I wanted to be somebody else, anybody else. I wished I could change my form at will. Surely, if I was no longer me, I would be happier."

He shakes his head ruefully. "I discovered it doesn't work like that. Apart from the fact that I have no talent for shapeshifting anyway," there is gentle laughter from the crowd, "on the inside I was still going to be the same me."

Vilin spreads his wings out and everyone can see the multicoloured paint splotches his is covered in. "I found out some things about myself while I was hiding in my shack and not letting anyone in. To begin with, I discovered that I love to paint. My apologies to everyone who lost materials and gear. Yes, I might have lifted some things from some of you. I promise to pay everyone back. I kept a list."

The laughter is a little louder now. The crowd is in a forgiving mood, now that Vilin has come to spill his secrets and make his apologies.

"I also discovered that I'm not straight. For the moment I'd prefer to go by 'unlabelled' because I'm still exploring what this means for me but it was one of those things that involved a lightbulb moment of understanding that then took a while to get to grips with. Acceptance within myself has been hard won. And even if I'm not accepted by some in this community, if I have to move on I'll take a greater understanding of and love for myself with me."

There is a quiet stillness, a moment suspended in time where no one speaks or moves, before smiles break out on faces and wings rustle as understanding settles on those gathered.

Vilin waits for a beat or two before he says, "Now, for everyone who ever asked to come and see inside my shack, or for those of you who are interested now, my door is open for those who might want to come and see my paintings." His voice gets lost in the hubbub as excited murmurings pass through the crowd.

He turns around and begins to head back the way he came, a group of curious dragons trailing him as he calls back over his shoulder, "I really hope you like them!"