“He spoke!”
“Are you sure?”
“Clear as day—out.” Vanessa and Jay looked at their son, who was oblivious of the import of the moment as he kicked his feet and repeated himself, pointing out the window.
“I haven’t heard of any litters, though,” Jay said softly, worried. “If there’s no one in the village for him, we will have to look elsewhere. He’ll never grow to his potential if we don’t find a partner for him within the month.”
Vanessa scooped the toddler into her arms and started out of the house. “Then we should start now. Nisa!” She called. From the tree line emerged a fully-grown red wolf, ears perked. When she spotted her partner and the child, she panted happily and trotted over. “It’s time. Take Dekun with you and find a cub for him. He needs a name as soon as possible.”
Nisa yipped and a black timber wolf poked his head out of the brush. Jay still stood in the door of the house, and met the eyes of his other half to nod his agreement with the assignment. Dekun leaped out of the trees and ran a quick, celebratory circle before he raised his head to howl. Nisa joined in, and the human couple tilted their heads back as if to do the same, but only smiled instead.
Without wolf cubs in the village to bond to the nameless infant, the joy was more muted. Now that he could speak, he needed another mind to help him grow. If he didn’t get one soon.... Brain damage or death awaited their son, and there was nothing worse than dying without a name.
Without a name, you didn’t exist. Jay put his arm around Vanessa to watch their wolves leave.
I thought I would do a series of stories to flesh out that first idea, which is taking on a life of its own in my head. Although there are wolves in this story, not dragons, I do intend for Nameless and Surviving Alone to be part of the same universe. I have the germ of an idea for a story explaining why, to be put down on paper later.
No comments:
Post a Comment