Awareness returned to me slowly and I struggled to piece together my recent memories as I shifted my body around. It was hard to focus on details when everything around me felt so soft and cozy on my scales. I yawned and stretched, my wings extending fully and pushing the blankets off of me. I found myself doing a long stretch like a cat, my front limbs extended as I stood on my back limbs. Something about my situation seemed a little off or perhaps different but I couldn’t piece it together with how comfortable I was. My little nest of blankets felt like paradise and I never wanted to leave. I heard a funny noise, a chirping like I’ve heard some larger cats do instead of meowing, followed by the rumble of a purr. It took me a moment to realize that I was the one making those sounds and something about that confused yet delighted me.

I do not know how long I sat like that, enjoying my rest, but eventually my mind cleared and I remembered what had happened. I felt only relief at no longer having to fear the men who had plagued my existence for years. I worried briefly how I would break the news to the townsfolk, but so long as I could convince them of my identity, I could make them understand why I did what I had to. I briefly toyed with the notion of keeping my part in the deaths of the hunters a secret, but the people deserved to know. My time spent as the town priest meant I knew many of the others who had been hurt by the hunters over the years. I had always tried to console and comfort as many as I could and we all bore our abuse with the hope that our suffering was worth it to keep the town safe. I realized now that very behavior was what kept us from holding the hunters accountable and left them free to inflict their harm.

I would tell the truth and those who understood would accept it and those who wished to punish me for my actions would learn that I was no longer willing to cower and appease them. The greatest gift my acceptance of myself and my transformation had given me was not more power, but the understanding of the power I already held and the clarity to see how I could change things. And I must change things, for myself as well as for those who could not.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and went to get out of bed only to find that the strange differences I was picking up on earlier were more than I had thought. For one, I seemed to be much smaller. I turned my serpentine neck this way and that, taking in my body. Blue scales, delicate but strong claws, four limbs, a pair of wings stretching out of my back, my tail extending behind me as I moved. Perfectly normal dragon, if a bit small and maybe a bit rounder than I expected. Yes...typical dragon. Wait.

Lightning crashed through my brain as I finally pieced it together. I somehow had shifted into my full dragon form in my sleep and I was SMALL. Panic filled me as I realized I didn’t know how to turn back into my human form. My wings flapped as I took to the air, my terror overriding my joy at finally flying. I zoomed through the lair, searching for Onyx, plaintive chirps escaping my maw. She was nowhere to be found inside, so I flew outside only to fly right into some laundry hanging out on the mountainside. I thrashed and squirmed while I heard loud roaring laughter that drew closer to me.

“Settle-haha-settle down, Valora!” Onyx struggled to speak as she laughed and snorted at my antics, finally getting me to stop thrashing and calm down. She pulled the sheet off of me and scratched just behind my horns in a way I found incredibly soothing while she spoke. “I was wondering when this would happen. You’ve nothing to fear. As you’ve discovered, a little surprise of the gift is that your dragon form has to develop to match your human form’s maturity. Teara seems to derive some amusement at seeing chonky little dragons flying around for their first time and my dear you are a little ball of adorable scales.” She laughed again, this time a low throaty chuckle. “Your draconic form will mature and you’ll reach adult dragon state in three to five years. Most don’t take longer than that and some take less. It is all relative to your human form’s maturity and your own individual quirks.”

I pouted as best I could in my cute form and let out a huff. I don’t see what is so funny about being a tiny dragon. How was I supposed to strike awe into the hearts of the townsfolk if I was tiny? I grumbled and fretted and tried to speak but only little chirps came out. They were pretty adorable, I did have to admit.

Onyx continued. “Speech takes a bit of practice. A dragon’s mouth isn’t terribly suited for human languages so we tend to project our thoughts with a bit of magic. You’ll pick up the trick soon enough. As for resuming your human form, that should be easy enough. Try to picture your human self in your mind and you should feel a tugging sensation on your thoughts. Let them fill the picture and you’ll shift back.”

I did as she said, calling forth an image of myself. I certainly had spent enough time in front of the mirror lately to get the general gist quickly. Sure enough, I felt that pulling sensation and allowed my thoughts to be dragged into the image. I was surrounded by a blue-grey cloud shot through with sparks of lightning and then I was back in my human body. Thankfully Onyx had put me down as I did so she wasn’t holding me anymore. A very good thing since apparently I had shifted back without any clothes.

Onyx chuckled again as she wrapped the sheet around me, my face burning with embarrassment.

“Takes a bit of practice to keep your clothes when you change. I’ll bet your clothes from before are still laying on the bed where you left them when you shifted into dragon form. There is a trick to it, I’ll show you later, but you can pull your attire in with you when you change and then keep it when you change back. I sometimes forget how funny it is the first time though. We all go through a bit of embarrassment at first. I’ll let you get dressed and then we can have a chat about what you want to do next.”

I mumbled a quick, strained word of thanks and tore off towards my room. I dressed swiftly and took a moment to wash my face and adjust my hair. I couldn’t help but smile in the mirror as I did so. Not only was I beautiful in my human form but I could get used to being rather cute in my dragon form, at least for now. That feeling of immense joy filled me again as I processed that this is my new normal. I get to be like this now and it isn’t just a dream. I couldn’t wait to see Maple again and tell her the good news. I adjusted my outfit, the same one I wore before. I found my vestments and my pack sitting on a chair in my room and did a last check to make sure everything was still there. Satisfied, I pulled my holy symbol over my head, briefly struggling to get the cord it hung from over my horns, and then let it hang from my neck. If anything, that would be important to show the town who I am.

I met Onyx outside and helped her bring in the remaining laundry and told her my plans. The town would be worried when the hunters didn’t return and I didn’t wish to leave them in the dark for long. Onyx said that she would carry me to the edge of the woods in dragon form, since mine was not quite ready for swift flight. She teased me briefly about how cute I was when I was like that and I blushed furiously. It was nice to see her so happy and I could feel the love in every word she spoke. We went back and forth over whether it was a good idea to use a glamour to appear fully human or to talk to the town with our true nature on display.

In the end, I decided that I wanted the people to see me as I was with everything that entailed. I wasn’t sure how they would react but I had lived among them my entire life and they were my people. I had cared for them when they were hurt or ill, shared my pains and my triumphs with them, and spent time guiding them through their daily life. A priest was expected to serve as a counselor and listen to the people’s concerns. I had always been careful to hide the trials I endured at the hands of the hunters, but I knew I wasn’t alone and I had to trust that they would accept me, fully.

We set out with the morning sun shining and a gentle breeze at our backs. Being carried by Onyx was still a thrill but more so with the knowledge that some day I would soar like this. I spotted a few folks on the edge of town stop and point at us as we set down in the woods. They seemed frightened and then confused as Onyx shifted back into her human form and we walked towards them.

I recognized the faces before me. Becky the baker, a basket of flour from the miller tucked under her arm, Elisa the tailor staring at me from the doorway of her shop, and little Daric staring at me from behind her skirt. I held my hands up to show we meant no harm and raised my holy symbol to show who I am.

Becky reacted first, dropping her basket as she looked from the symbol to my face to my horns and back to my face. She opened her mouth to speak only to close it again and frown, trying to process what was going on. Onyx hung back a little, giving me space.

“Hello, Becky. I’m back and I have quite the story for you.” I beamed at her with the biggest smile I could, though she flinched a little when she saw my fangs.

Her body trembled for a moment as she gathered her nerves and then she walked closer to me, looking down at me. “Is...is that you, Sarric? What happened to you? Where are the hunters and why is she with you?” This last bit was directed at Onyx with a glance and a nod.

“It’s Valora now.” I spoke softly but firmly. “Onyx helped me and she means this town no harm. There is a lot to discuss, could I ask you to spread the word and have the mayor gather the town together for a meeting this evening? I’ll explain it all there.”

Becky leaned back and crossed her arms, processing my words. She looked as if she was going to question me further but stopped and made up her mind. “Valora eh? Well, it suits you. I won’t lie, this is a lot, and if it were anyone else speaking to me I think I would be inclined to disbelieve them. But you’ve always done right by me, priestess, and I haven’t forgotten how you took care of me when I took ill a few years back. I’d say that means I should hear you out, no matter how strange this all looks. I’ll let folks know you’re back. Never thought I’d see you as one of the lasses, but that smile on your face is brighter than any I’ve seen from you before.” She pulled closer again and wrapped me in a hug, her mighty arms pulling me so tightly I thought something might break. “Welcome back, Valora.” I saw Elisa sigh in relief and pull back into her house with a smile. 

She tried to pull Daric in with her, but the boy shot past her and stood before me in a flash, his hand outstretched as if to touch my skirt but stopping just short. He looked up at me with wide eyed wonder.

“You’re that priest who healed my leg when I broke it last summer?” I nodded. He furrowed his brow. “And you’re a lady now?” I nodded again. “Wow! That is so cool! How did you do that?”

I chuckled. “I had a little help, but I’m much happier like this.” He looked at me a bit longer and I could see the wheels spinning in his head before he nodded. “Good! Thanks, pretty lady!”

He ran back to his mother, shouting. “Mom, mom! I wanna be a pretty lady!” Elise looked a little bewildered, and I suspected I would be having a talk with them once things settled down.

I felt good as Onyx and I made our way to Maple’s house. If even half the town accepted me as easily as Becky and Daric had, things would turn out alright in the end. Onyx gave me a reassuring look as we stopped outside Maple’s door. It was funny to see her horns brush against the windchimes and set them off. The door opened and Maple looked out to see me giggling while Onyx sheepishly patted her head. Maple looked at her and at me and her smile grew and grew and she grabbed us both in a big hug.

“I’m so glad to see you here safe and sound. Welcome home.” Her soft voice was music to my ears and I felt my eyes well up as tears rolled down my face. “I’m glad to be back.” I whispered and I closed my eyes and enjoyed being held by the two most important people in my life.