First Pulse

A sssharp jolt tore through my brow. My claw was clamped against my head, locked rigid until the cold stiffness gave way. I pulled my fingers down, feeling the heavy flex of my own arm. I leaned forward, driving my sharp talons into the flat floor beneath me. The solid surface held under my weight. Overhead, the iron grid of the skylight loomed in the quiet space. A low hiss scraped past my fangs as I braced myself against the ground. Alive. Solid. Alert to every shadow in this high enclosure.