Chapter 2

I awoke to the sight of black fauna.

A variety of black lilies, tulips, daisies, and bush-type flowers like roses and peonies, along with some other flowers I couldn't recognize.

The stems of the flowers were a shade darker than usual, yet richer in color.

They were rooted in black earth.

I was laying on the ground on my side.

A soft glow of silver moonlight shined from above.

Immediately, I attempt to get up.

My body feels weaker.

With... extra limbs?

Ah. I must have come back to life.

I was dead so waking up here means that I either reincarnated, took over someone's body or I'm in some sort of Hell.

Once more I attempt to stand up. And this time I just move my front arms, pushing myself up.

Looking down, I can see that my hands have turned into paws. The tip and underside of my paws were silvery grey while the rest above is pitch black, blending in with my surroundings.

I twist my head back and examine the rest of my new body.

Wings larger than my body ran limp down my back, they were black in color, and while the underside was also black with the ends of the wings a grey-beige, fading into a silvery-white.

My tail was long. Longer than my wings, it was slim and fluffy yet the tip of my tail had much more fluff, with silver and snowy white coloration.

Looking at the structure of my back legs, I can tell that I am some sort of feline, or maybe a fox, with wings?

I don't think one exists on Earth so I'm assuming that either Earth either underwent a mutation, I'm some sort of biological experiment, or I'm in another world.

Standing up, I try to adapt to my new body.

Comparing myself to the size of my surroundings, either whatever I am is really small, the surroundings are too big or I'm a child.

I believe I'm currently a child, as I still have baby fluff on my wings and some parts of my body.

When I had just awoken, I was laying in a small clearing of dark green grass surrounded by some darker-themed flora. Which was in a forest of even larger trees.

Firstly, I step my front foot out, and then a back leg, then my other front foot as my back leg follows.

Repeating the cycle, again and again, I swiftly refine a working walk cycle.

Walking into the black flora, I feel much safer in the shadows. More at home.

Being exposed with no natural protection was unsettling for me.

'First thing's first. Survival.'

Just because I already died once doesn't mean I'm fine with dying again.

I have been given a second chance, and this time, I intend to live how I want.

As I walk in the black-colored flora, I navigate in between the openings, slowly adapting and synchronizing with my body.

After a while, I can silently move in the overgrowth of flora and fauna. My wings are either half folded on my back or slightly spread open, helping me glide a bit.

My tail is surprisingly prehensile, it feels like another limb, but whenever I'm not biconsciously controlling it, the tail moves either according to my emotions or for balance.

Lifting my head, I sniff the air. The scent of bitter flowers assaults my nose. It was a bit overwhelming ah.

Filtering out the scent of the flora, I pick up some moisture in the air.

This means that either it just rained, or a body of water is nearby!

The surrounding area was dry, meaning there hasn't been any rain in a while.

Following the moisture in the air, I leap over a thin fallen tree into another clearing.

The dark grey pebbles feel cool against my paw pads. A silent stream flowed in between a crack in the earth.

Lowering my head, I sniff at the water.

I don't think it's poisonous? Although I don't have much of a choice but to drink the water.

My throat is dry. I had been maneuvering in between the fauna for about 10 minutes.

Assuming that I am currently a child, so much movement without rest would take a toll on my body.

Sticking my tongue out, I lick the water in the stream.

Water in the stream was clear, pure from any dirt.

Immediately I feel refreshed. Dipping my paw into the stream, cold water flowed around my paw.

I dip the rest of my feet in the stream, washing off the dirt that got stuck on my paws.

The silver which coated the very tip of them resonated with the soft glow of moonlight.

Stepping out onto the rocks, I dry my wet paws in the grass.

'Now that I have found water, I need to eat'

Usually, I would just buy something from the convenience store, and if I were in the wild I would have just eaten by hunting a wild animal.

While I was exploring the surroundings, I could not hear or smell anything other than the fauna rustling from each other and my own paw steps.

Though I don't believe that there are no creatures here, there currently aren't any I could find right now.

Me having wings means that other organisms probably have something similar. With enhanced features, it would be pretty hard to hunt as a child.

And for edible plants? There are only grass, bracken, and flora from what I could see.

Instead, I unsheathed my claws and dig them into a large tree that was near the stream.

Pulling myself up, my wings flap as my tail just swings behind me.

Slowly, I climb higher up the tree.

Looking up, I find a large branch, strong enough to hold my weight which honestly wasn't that much.

After getting on the tree branch, I look down and see how high I climbed.

...It wasn't that high.

Maybe about 3 meters above the ground? My size messes with my senses.

Instead of worrying about that, I spread my wings.

I wanted to fly.

Although with Virtual Immersion, the feeling of flying in-game and in reality are two separate things.

Opening up my wings, I start flapping them, slowly at first and until I got the hang of it, I started putting in more force.

I didn't flap my wings up and down and instead moved them more circularly.

The air was pushed down, lifting me a bit before I fell once more.

Seeing that it didn't work, I then proceeded to run along the branch, and jump, stretching my wings into a gliding position, and moved them in a way that pushed the air behind me.

The momentum lifts me and my wings push me forward.

Air brushed against my wings and a cool breeze hits my face.

My feet are tucked into my body, and my tail is left flowing behind me.

Freedom.

The feeling of flying was amazing.

Winds that flowed through my fur felt new.

I flap my wings up and my body follows.

Flying was suprisingly easier than expected.

I had a pet raven once. Was this how he felt when he flew above me?

Free and unrestrained?

Gliding above the trees, I lower my right wing, and flapped once.

My body leans right and turns directions.

I follow the stream, flying towards the direction of the moon.

The feeling of hunger is pushed to the back of my mind as I enjoy the flight.