Savanna's Story – Chapter 3

Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk, I heard as I felt the soft rustle of something beneath my head. Sighing, I felt myself slip in and out of consciousness. However, I kept hearing a single familiar voice I had thought I heard before.

"Poor little thing … little Shu Kanya … you had a long journey. Rest, my child."

I wasn't sure who it was, but her touch was familiar as she lovingly ran a hand over my forehead, slowly yet gently over my brow as Mother did.

Sighing contentedly, I slept on as I felt someone pick me up in their arms. Sitting next to a warm fire with me resting in her lap, I felt a warm blanket being wrapped over my shoulders as my head rested against her arm. Gently pinning back my hair, she gazed down at me with a kind smile as she began to hum.

Little silent whisper, have ye no name?
Little sunshine, found by the riverside.
Little wonder, what do ye know?
What do you remember, on that moonlitted star?
Look no farther than you see,
The truth will come to you, gazing like the pages of your past,
Your story is being re-written, every time you breathe.
Little silent whisper, do you remember
That one night in winter, holding you to my heart?
Little silent sunshine, may you glow
Know my love, and sing till dawn's first light.

"Mom?" I murmured, hanging on to a familiar memory as the precious medley touched my heart.

Hearing a light chuckle, I only felt her hand tenderly brush my cheek as she said, "Not quite, my little Kanya. Now, rest, I shall see you in the morning."

Kissing me lightly on the forehead as Mother did, I sighed as she laid me on a grass woven mat safely next to the small fire, no doubt to keep me warm as I slept.

Covering me with the blanket once more, she turned to her side as she said, "We'll just have to see how she is in the morning, Lumina. Poor little thing isn't doing too well. She has a fever. I'm going to have you get me a few things …"

I didn't hear any more from her until the next morning.

Breathing steady, I sat up shakily as I felt something soft and feathery bump across my arm. Blinking open my eyes, I slowly gazed up as I came face to face with a pair of amber coated eyes.

Gasping, I slowly etched back as a massive head lowered down to my level to gaze into mine. Purring inwardly, the head tilted to the side in curiousity as a pair of huge twilight fringed wings unfolded themselves as they encircled next to me on the ground. Lifting itself up for but a moment, two clawed feet casually came out into sight as she gently folded one over the other as she laid her head back down to look back up with me with but her eyes.

"A dragon, but how?" I murmured, quite calmly, so not to startle her.

Taking a step back, I froze as she lifted her head to watch me.

Itching back a few more inches, I saw that her gaze never left mine as her eyes remained constant on me, her head following me as I moved. "A dragon," I murmured with a smile.

Standing still with my arms held aloft, I heard the lady come up from behind me as she said, "Yes. Lumina wanted you to stay next to her by the fire, as you should be. You shouldn't be up and wandering around, not yet."

Turning to face her, I saw that she was a tall lady with long auburn curls and waves, much like my own. Her eyes glowed a misty violet, much like my Mom's, but by her clothing, I could tell she wasn't my Mother, but she did look it. "Who are you? Why am I here?"

Offering me her hand, she led me back to sit next to the fire as she said, "We found you, my little Kanya, far out at sea. You nearly drowned out there. If Lumina hadn't have saw you, then I don't know if we would've gotten to you in time."

Hearing what she called me, I said, "My name's not Kanya, it's Savanna."

Bowing her head but for a moment, she replied, "As it thought it might, but I used to call you Kanya when you were young."

"Huh?"

"In our culture, it means 'girl,' which you were but a tiny one when I last saw you. And still so little still. Your father made you leave too early to be traveling out in the wilderness like this. You were but a tiny tingl, but I can sense that your next year has come and gone since I last you."

"Who are you?" I asked her, again. "How do you know so much about me, my family?"

"You may not recognize me, but I was once one of the closest people to your heart. My name is Chineka. I had left the clan shortly before your Mother did with your father, but when I returned for a visit, you were no longer there, and neither was your Mother."

"Chineka …" I repeated, listening to her story.

"For the past year, I have been looking for you and your Mother, believing that your father, who I knew would one day move out yet again, had stolen you away too soon and lead to plan into his way of life as he knows it, which is to roam the land endlessly and recklessly, living off only on what you find along the trail and such. To me, that wasn't a life that I wanted for you or your Mother, but it was my sister that made her choice to go with him, and nothing I said could change her mind. She loved your father so much that she made that choice to go with him, and they took you with them, you being so small and their kin."

"Father did like to move," I said, with a tiny smile. "But wait, you're my …"

"Yes, I am. Your Mother was my sister, and I too loved her very much." Turning her head away, a silent tear warbled down her cheek.

"What happened?" I asked, a similar tug pulling from my heart.

For a while, she said nothing as she sat a small tumbler in my hand. Bringing my hand up to my mouth, she watched as I took it, knowing that's what she wanted to me do. "Boneset, it'll help with your fever."

Taking my hand, she said, "I couldn't help your Mother, but I almost didn't find her in time either. Your father, though, has disappeared. I found no trace of him, as I can believe he must have made it to shore, but your Mother wanted you to have this …"

Pulling out a small purple stone out of her skirt pocket, I immediately knew what it was as Chineka gently cupped it into my hand. "Mom's wishing pebble."

"Yes, she told me to give it to you, so you'll know she'll always be with you," she said softly.

"Thank you," I said, a tear rippling down my cheek.

"I know I can't replace your Mother or your Father, but I hope that …"

Before she finished though, I just threw myself into her embrace as she hugged me as tighter I did her. "There's no one I've rather be with than you, Aunt Chineka," I told her quite fiercely.

"And you know what, I do remember those times I spent with you," I said, pulling back with the biggest smile. "I remember."

"Then, always cherish those memories, but do forget, and I have no doubt, that both of your parents loved you so much."

Frowning a little, I said, "Is my Father really …?"

"I don't know," Chineka said quite softly. "Like I said before, I don't know for sure."

Suddenly, a little silver fringed baby dragon came running out from under Lumina as she bumped up against my legs. Shaking her little head, a small set of sparkly misty blue eyes smiled up at me, her little wings pulled up against her sides.

"She's so cute," I cooed, bending down to stroke her as she rapped herself in my arms.

"Her name is Skyling, but I shortened it to Sky when I saw her gaze outside into the twilight sky for the first time. Doran is over there, he's the smallest one," Chineka said, pointing out the little green tapered dragling as he laid curled up next to one of the many ivy-stemmed walls of the cave.

"What kind of dragon are they?"

Placing a hand on Lumina's side fondly, Chineka said, "I don't know for certain, but, thanks to Lumina, I kind of came them a name for their kind, the Luminescena."

Looking up at Lumina with a smile, I said, "It seems to fit them perfectly."

For a moment, Lumina purred in response, but then her head tilted up as her ears stood straight up on the side of her head as we all heard a cry.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you, your Mother left you one more surprise," Chineka said with a smile.

Chineka is Anna's aunt on her Mother's side. She also has a Spanish background, but she is native in English as well. But as I said, all Spanish is being reputed back to English.

I hope this chapter is still good. :)