Acalek
You enter a clearing with a small cliff on one side. A waterfall trickles down the cliff and into a large lily pond.
You kneel down by the pond and look into the water where you see several shimmery red, gold, and white fish swimming lazily through the shadowy water.
It's very peaceful down by the pond, and you stay there for a long time, watching the fish swim in and out of view beneath the lilies while silver-grey clouds float above you.
Soon you begin to feel that you are not alone. You hear a noise like someone clearing their throat and you look behind you to see a strange, blue-green, doglike face. You look at it closer and see that this creature is some kind of large dog-lizard. It has big brown horns, golden-brown bands around its legs, a blue watery mark on its neck, and what appear to be green vines creeping down its back.
It smiles at you. "Hello," it says in a soft voice. "Do you like my fish? I like to sit here watching them...they're so calm."
"What...are you?" You ask, not intending to be rude. It was just that most of the other animals you've met so far seemed to be at least somewhat recognizeable as equine, feline, or canine. You have no idea what this strange creature is.
It smiles again in its calm way. "I'm an Origo...an Evolution Dragon. My name is Acalek." (He, for now that you've gotten over your surprise you can tell from his voice that he's definately a "he," pronounces it "A-cha-lek.")
"What's an Evolution Dragon?"
"Well, we all start off the same...very plain and pure white. But as we grow we evolve to suit our environment. I have had five evolutions so far, as you can see." He looks down at his greenish paws with a smile.
Well that's new...
Acalek lies down and looks up at the cloudy sky and you are both silent for a while.
"So...do you think it's going to rain?" You ask, looking up.
"Who knows?...It's always like this here. Dyani knows that I love rain and clouds, so she decided to keep it permanently cloudy here. She'll change it if I ever want her to, but I never grow tired of looking at the clouds."
There is another long silence. "What do you think your next evolution will be?" You ask.
"I really don't know," Acalek says with a smile. "But I hope I evolve soon. Everyone here is so curious as to what will happen to me...they stop by all the time to see if I'm changing." You laugh and he grins in embarrasment.
Suddenly you feel a drop on your arm. You look up and see that the clouds have darkened even furthur and now it's beginning to rain. "Oh, it's raining!" you say, standing up quickly. "I'd better go. Good bye, Acalek!"
"Good bye, friend," he says, standing up, too. "Be sure you stop by to see me when I evolve."
"Oh, I will. You can be sure of that." You smile at him and run off into the woods. As soon as you're safely out of the rain you look back and there, in the clearing, you can see Acalek dancing in the rain...
It's very peaceful down by the pond, and you stay there for a long time, watching the fish swim in and out of view beneath the lilies while silver-grey clouds float above you.
