Private Finished Dark By The Water

The ocean was a bit scary. Jacota had thought that the moment he had seen it from the airplane's window as they had brought him to the island. Well, everything during those moments had been scary. The people, the noise, every slightest movement. Not that Jacota would ever admit it to anyone.
But now Jacota wasn't scared. He had been on the island for few months and had grown accustomed, mostly, to the strangeness. Just understanding normal humans had caused Jacota trouble but trying to understand supernatural creatures was near impossible, although Jacota was one himself. His nightmare form, in which he was at the moment, was proof enough.
Jacota was moving admist the trees and occasionally traveled from one shadow to another. Lately he had spent his nights wandering around the woods, exploring and occasionally looking for company. Jacota didn't consider himself timid, just cautious, and that side of him had prevented him from exploring earlier.
But the woods were nice. It was quiet in a very noisy way. Jacota could hear, smell and feel all the movement and life in the environment and it was very relaxing to know near nothing around him was a threat. In the city any sound could mean danger and you could never lower your guard, and that was very tiring. But now Jacota happily sniffed around in the moonlit forest and couldn't see that his tail was wagging.
Suddenly Jacota could hear waves and the ocean. He turned his head towards the sound and sniffed. The shore wasn't far. Jacota's ears pressed down a little but he started a determined jog towards the waterfront. Jacota didn't want to be scared anymore, he would cautiosly go see the ocean and not get too close. But he would go see it.
Jacota traveled from a shadow to a one closest to the ocean and found himself right next to the treeline, by a beach. Jacota stood there for a moment in the shadows and took in the ocean. It was...so very big. Jacota knew he had a person's brain and intelligence but despite that he felt like his canine brain couldn't wrap itself around the hugeness of the ocean. He sniffed warily, it was a very salty scent. But somehow...refreshing.
Jacota stepped out of the shadows into the dimly lit beach. He sat down onto the sand and took a deep breath. Jacota looked up at the moon and felt like howling a bit. It was a strange urge, not an instinct per se. Jacota just felt like it. He tilted his snout towards the sky and started a low, somehow melancholy howl. He kept going, getting into it and letting his memories flow over him. They came out of nowhere but suddenly Jacota could see flashes of his childhood, the childhood he had spent as a person. The memories didn't feel like they were his, they felt separate. And the only memories that felt like his were the one where he shifted in the playground, and the one where his parents...
The howl sounded like crying now, it had sorrow mixed into it, and if nightmares could cry Jacota would have tears in his eyes.

@Boop

Jacota kept howling for a while, until he let it gradually die down and finally end. Jacota's chest felt empty and though he didn't basically need to breathe in this form it was hard to take breaths. The sorrow felt overwhelming and Jacota let out a long quiet whine that the wind caught and took along with it.
But as Jacota heard a sound that didn't belong in these surroundings all those feelings were pushed aside by alert and fear. Jacota stood up quickly and spun around in a split second, scanning the environment for danger. Where was the danger? Run? Fight? A small growl escaped Jacota's throat.
He saw a human form and didn't immediately recognize it as Ishvi. Jacota froze and observed the possible threat, his eyes glowing in the dark. His glowing teeth were still concealed by the shadowy lips.
But then the wind blew in a different angle and brought a familiar scent to Jacota's nose. Well, familiar enough for Jacota to relax and straighten from the stalking position he had been in. It was Ishvi. A new acquaintance that Jacota had quickly taken a liking to. Jacota's tail wagged outside his will and he started jogging towards Ishvi, forgetting he was in nightmare form and that Ishvi might not recognize him. Jacota had seen Ishvi's nightmare form before, and was not frightened or even surprised by it. On the contrary, it brought him some pleasant memories about him and Jacota's father being outside together after sunset, both as nightmares.
As Jacota got closer he would let out a small bark as hello, his tail still wagging and ears perky.

As he got closer Jacota noted how Ishvi seemed uncomfortable, curling his wings around himself. He also noticed the dagger and tensed a bit, though he was pretty sure Ishvi wouldn't hurt him. But you never knew, weapons meant danger.
Jacota slowed down a bit, thinking Ishvi's state was his fault. He realized Ishvi hadn't seen Jacota in this form yet, was it strange? Jacota whined a bit silently, debating if he should not go any closer. He had stopped a meter or so away from Ishvi, shifting his paws a bit.

But as Ishvi started making soothing sounds Jacota slowly crept closer, believing Ishvi was not bothered by him. Ishvi squatted and wrote something on the sand. Jacota lay down on his stomach and crawled over carefully, stopping in front of the words. Jacota could barely read, he had only been going to school for a few months, but his skills were enough to decipher the simple message. Jacota looked up at Ishvi.
"I'm alright. Where is your talking device?"
It felt strange to be able to talk in his other forms. Jacota was used to not talking at all and just staying quiet. He worried if Ishvi liked him less if he talked. Ishvi said that he liked dogs more than people and so did Jacota, but dogs didn't talk. Maybe Jacota shouldn't speak...

Jacota looked Ishvi over briefly and noticed his arm holding the weapon was shaking. Jacota sniffed at it, whined a bit and looked at Ishvi.
"Are you okay? Is that knife hurting you?"
Jacota's ears pressed down and his tail was swaying anxiously as he looked at the dagger again. Jacota ruffed at it, as if it was a sentient being hurting Ishvi. Of course it wasn't, Jacota knew that. It was mostly instinct.

Jacota was a bit tense. He could see, feel, that Ishvi was not feeling that well. Jacota was sharp regarding moods, like most dogs. And he felt, willingly or less so, the need to make people feel better. That instinct was the dog part of him and a philosophy his parents had taught him. But after his years on the streets, facing so much distrust and anger, Jacota couldn't help but fight against that instinct.
For some reason however, Jacota really didn't want Ishvi to feel bad. He whined a bit and slowly went closer, as close as he could go without both of them feeling uncomfortable. Jacota's ears pressed down a bit and his tail wagged when Ishvi seemed to realize it was Jacota.

This was also Jacota's first time seeing human-shaped nightmare form and he sniffed at Ishvi carefully and curiously. He looked at his wings, how they unfurled slightly, and kind of wanted to touch them. But that would've been really rude and intrusive so instead Jacota lowered his head a bit and pressed his ears down, embarrassed.
"Your wings look nice."
Jacota said silently and kept his head in place to show he was sincere. Averting gaze would've beem mean.
When Ishvi reached out his hand halfway and seemed like he was going to pet Jacota at first he was happy and wagged his tail. Jacota liked Ishvi's pets. But then he realized he was in nightmare form. He had no physical form. So when Ishvi didn't pet Jacota after all he felt mix of relief and disappointment.

Jacota whined a bit confused when Ishvi gestured and shrugged, unable to understand what he meant. And he flinched, even more confused, at Ishvi's reaction to Jacota's question. He lifted his feet in place a bit and whined, sniffing at Ishvi's hand he had put behind his back.
"You are not fine. Is it because of me?"
Jacota tried to sound indifferent but his concern and guilt crept into his voice and his ears drooped a bit.

Jacota's automatic reaction to most things was alert and suspicioun, and he was mostly fine with it. Jacota knew the world was a hard, cruel place and though Jacota hurt himself by hurting others it never ached him for too long. It was better being hurt inside than being dead.
But Ishvi's reaction made Jacota a bit more upset than he was comfortable admitting to himself. The man shook his head and tried to say something, Jacota guessed denials. Jacota felt embarrassment and guilt but didn't want to take it back. He had meant it. Jacota whined a bit and his ears drooped but as Ishvi's wings spread a bit again his tail wagged. Jacota looked at Ishvi with a bit of concern.
"Why do you not like yourself?"
Jacota didn't like himself either so his tone also had sympathy. He knew how Ishvi felt. But Jacota wanted to know why, since his self-hate stemmed from guilt. Jacota had never been ashamed of what he was, but who he was. And he was a murderer. Jacota had caused his parents' deaths and killed people with his own fangs. Jacota didn't feel guilt about killing those people, they had deserved it. But his parents had to suffer and die because of Jacota. So, Jacota hated himself.
But for some reason Jacota didn't want Ishvi to hate himself.

When Ishvi sat down Jacota lay down with him, inching a bit closer as he did. And when Ishvi showed Jacota his hands he crawled even closer to sniff them. Jacota could smell his hands were wounded, and immediately he was concerned and wanted to help. Jacota whined and tried to lick the burns. But his tongue would just go right through Ishvi's hand, leaving behind a small tingling sensation. Jacota's ears drooped, he couldn't even do this right.
Jacota turned his attention to the dagger and growled at it.
"Why did that hurt you?"
Jacota asked, keeping his eyes on the dagger like it was a literal threat that could pounce at any moment and try to hurt Ishvi again.