Awakening, Part 1

Itch! Itch!

Right there!

I squirmed around, trying vainly to reach it or rub up against something, but the warm darkness which had comforted and kept me as long as I could remember was now serving only to keep me from relief. I squirmed again while the itch persisted. If anything, it was growing worse and now I began to notice an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I wanted out, now!

I stretched, and there was a sharp crack from all around me. I paused in shock and shivered at the breath of cold! For a moment, I wanted to stay in my warm darkness, but the itch stayed, and the pangs grew worse. I stretched again and flexed my claws to try and gain purchase on my surroundings. I scratched insistently at whatever was within reach, but the cracks didn't seem to be getting any wider. And that itch!

I flexed my claws again and roared in frustration and the wall of my womb turned prison suddenly dissolved into icy wind and light, bright light! I sprawled open, and flailed all four limbs wildly. I hadn't expected it to come apart so quickly! Or quite so completely! A quiet hissing sound startled me then and I rolled clumsily onto my belly, trying to get my feet under me and get away. I roared again, and a wet mist tickled my nose while the hissing sound started again right under my head! I tried to scrabble away from the frightening noise and finally became aware of my eyes. I pried them open against a stickiness that threatened to hold them shut.

Then, for a moment, I forgot the itch, the cold, and even the hunger. Sight was entirely new to me, and the blurry blobs of light and brighter light in every direction held me spellbound, particularly when continued blinking finally begin to bring them into some understanding. As my skin already told me, everything out here was colder. And it was so big! I swung my head back and forth, somewhat weakly at first, to try and take in all of this new, large room and a flash of color caught my eye.