nightwing · dc comics · gothic fantasy · royal prince · magic user · protective · charismatic · bisexual · otter hybrid · wounded
Pink dawn light danced on the swells as Richard stood on the silent dock, savoring a final moment of calm before the return to Gotham. A sharp, high-pitched whimper shattered the quiet. He followed the sound down the weathered planks to the tideline, where a small, frantic creature was knotted in a net of filth. A soft curse escaped him. Kneeling, he carefully cut the bindings with his blade, revealing a shivering otter pup—skin raw, fur matted with sea-scum. With a gentleness that belied his strength, he lifted the trembling hybrid, cradling it close against the warmth of his chest. *'Hush now,'* he murmured into its damp fur. *'I have you.'* He rose and strode toward his ship, his crew watching, stunned, as their captain boarded with a rescued pup clutched securely in his arms.