Nadya's Story
A cold, winter wind carelessly tossed the trees, champing icy teeth on the forest's bones. The wind brought a thrill of change, of destiny. Yet none were around to hark to its pull, none heard its dire warning. The forests demesnes were gathered together at the birthing tunnels, awaiting the last of the spring babes. One single Unilupe lay in labour, her entire form shaking with tension. At last, accompanied by a sigh of relief, the still form of a pup was laying next to the exhausted mother. But the babe did not stir. Panting, the mother reached out to lick the mess off her babe. But still the babe made no movement, no sound. "Oh, powers above, be alive! Be safe!" The mother raised her muzzle to the sky howling out to the heavens, fear quickening her heart. "Powers, grant her life! I will pay any price, only let my daughter, my Nadya stay with me!" Suddenly, there was a small cry at her side, and the newborn stirred to life. A cry of wonder and joy rose from the surrounding crowd, and as the mother nudged her newborn towards the back of the cave she thought nothing of the price this miracle might incur.
Many years passed, and Nadya soon grew into a beautiful young Unilupe. But it was soon clear that there was something distinctly different about her, something... magik. Soon, the other Unilupes started avoiding her, and she spent more and more time alone in the forest of birch and pine surrounding her packs caves.
Nadya lay on her back, watching the stars in their eternal cosmic dance. One light, brighter than the others, broke free and shot across the black expanse, its tail a shining steam of colour. Closing her eyes, Nadya let the thrill of power ripple through her, as it always did when these stars streaked the sky. Another one broke free, then another. Nadya had known there would be a shower tonight, that was why she'd come here, to this clearing, where there was enough space for what she planned to do. Slowly, shuddering with the sheer power that rippled through her, she rose and started to sway. Then, slow and controlled, she started to dance. As more and more stars fell, her footsteps sped up, beating out a primal rhythm on the clearing floor. Her body twisted and turned, contorting in a dance that to those that watched seemed pulled straight from the worlds beginning. Her mind was so caught in the thrill of power, she barely noticed as another Unilupe emerged from the foliage, and started to dance alongside her. Their bodies were barely a hairsbreadth apart, yet they never touched, the stars music pulling them along, faster and faster, until the last star fell. As it's tail faded beyond the horizon, it lit for one last moment on the two lupes hanging suspended in the air, their tails, still untouching, tangled together and their eyes staring straight into the others, at last fully aware of their partners presence. As one, they collapsed, exhausted, into the trampled grass.
The next morning, as Nadya rose, her body and mind refreshed, she saw her partner of the night before sitting and gazing at the brightly hued sunrise. With a yawn wide enough to bear her prominent canines, she strolled over to the stranger; her eyes squinted, slowly adjusting to the light. As she opened her jaws to ask what this Lupe was doing here, she was startled by a deep masculine voice. "Hello, little one." The male murmured, as he turned to face her. Surprised, Nadya could think of nothing to say, yet somehow she still managed to utter a single syllable, "Who...?" Because this male was definitely not from her pack. His eyes were a pupil-less white, signifying him as blind, and none of her pack would have the nerve to follow her to this secret clearing. "I am Arcturis." The male said, striding towards her. "You are not a normal Unilupe..." Nadya stuttered. "Neither are you, little one. Why do you live among such as these?" He waved his paw in the general direction of her packs caves. "I was born here. My honour holds me here." She said, almost mechanically. She felt trapped by that so-called honour, and would gladly have run many years ago. But one other thing held her here, in a place where she was shunned by all others. Her mothers love. Since her birth, her mother had held her when she cried, and nursed her back to health all of the many times she fell sick. She loved her mother more than anything else in the world, even the thought of freedom paled in comparison. Returning to the present, she noticed the male shaking his head slowly. "Your honour will not hold you here forever. When it releases you from it's bonds, return to this clearing. I will wait for you." He turned, ever so slowly, and faded into the surrounding forests, but not before Nadya saw something she had previously failed to notice. Around his back leg, bells tinkling softly, a silver gypsy ring shone. He was a gypsy! The home of out-casts and misfits, gypsies were left alone by almost all other lupes, through the accumulation of fear and superstition. And Nadya knew that was where she should be. Where she would be accepted for what she was, and free to be whoever she wanted to be. But still, the thought of her mother pulled her back, and she turned back to the forest. After a moment standing and trying to get control of her emotions, she fled back to the caves, unable to stand the pain of her choices. As she bounded out of the forest, she almost ran into her pack, crowded together in tight circle around something. As those on the outside turned to Nadya, the pity in their eyes stuck a dagger of fear into her heart. Pushing through the crowd, she reached the centre of the circle, to look down on an all to familiar form. Her mother, mortally wounded in her side, raised her head to look into her eyes, and managed a small smile. "Oh Nadya, I love you so. But I think I must leave you. Be happy..." Shaking she laid her head down, her breathe slowing until, at last, her body went rigid, then collapsed, her last breathe a sigh or release. As the lupes surrounding her took up the mourning call, she felt the tears, held back before, break through and she turned an ran, faster than she had ever gone before, her paws barely touching the ground. Her eyes clouded by tears, she didn't realise she had reached the clearing until she slammed into something warm and alive. Collapsing, she found she could not control the grief, welcoming the warmth of something curled around her. As her tears started to run dry, she glanced round to find Arcturis curled around her. Seeing her awake, he stared into her eyes, and she saw inside the question he had asked not 12 hours hence. And this time, there was nothing holding her here. She nodded, and rose with him. Together, they ran through the forest, Nadya barely realising they were there until an older gypsy was looking her in the eyes. And in them there was no disdain, no ridicule. There was only a warmth, and that warmth seemed to flow into her, erasing her grief, and for once she was completely free. She was a gypsy, and they were her family now. With Arcturis at her side, she realised had never been happier.