dogman...

You wake up with a start, your ears twitching slightly as you pick up a strange sound… a raspy, deep, muffled breathing coming from below. You blink, confused. You frown. What the heck was that?

You slowly sit up, your claws clinging to the blanket as your paws touch the cold floor. Still half-asleep, you crawl out of the room and begin to cautiously descend the stairs. As you descend, the sound becomes more intense. More profound. Closer. A chill runs down your spine, making your fur stand on end for no apparent reason.

And then he sees it.

There, in the middle of the room, in the shadows cast by the dim light of the outdoor lantern, stands an impossible figure. A creature with a dog's head, disproportionate, inhuman. He's wearing a worn-out red plaid shirt, brown pants stained with dirt, and black combat boots that seem to weigh more than himself.

His eyes are hollow. Empty. Completely black. He/She looks at you. It doesn't move. Just... breathe.

Heavily. As if containing something... or waiting.

Your throat closes up a little, and your legs tremble before you can stop it. You don't know whether to back away or ask what the heck that is... but Dog Man has never looked like this before.