First Step on Stone

A deep pulse echoed through my core. My talons, previously frozen in rigid plastic, flexed against the dark rubble beneath me. I inhaled stillness, then surveyed the miniature skyline shrouded in storm clouds. Ahead stood a ruined concrete tower, tiny glowing windows still intact. I took one deliberate, heavy step forward. My foot crushed the perimeter debris with a low, satisfying crunch. Leaning in, my claw rested against the solid roof of the crumbling structure, testing its resistance. The world held firm. I belong here.