Silverclaw

The Great Mother Goddess

The Jaguar watched them for a moment. 'Well, at least they're respectful. Otherwise, they're untrained and untested. Mother, what are we going to do with them?'

 The Goddess looked down at him. We prepare them for the tasks ahead, Jaguar. It is what we have always done.

 'True.' The Jaguar sighed. 'Well, I am going to go hunting. Princess, if you would come with me, please? You and I have much to speak of, as does our Partners.' He walked away, for the Jaguar was most definitely male, and Princess glanced nervously at Anya. 'Now, Princess!' She jumped, and raced after him, looking back at Anya as she did.

 The Goddess waited until they were out of sight before speaking again. Anya, please get up from there. Would you like some water? I have always found that a drink after a shock helps calm me down immensely.

 Anya swallowed. 'I-I would think that barely anything shocks you, Great Mother.'

 Actually, you would be surprised. Come now, I'm not that scary, am I?

 Anya stood nervously. 'Forgive me, but you are the same Goddess that created everything but the stars, aren't you?'

 I am, yes.

 'Then I'm really sorry, but you're a lot more scary than I first thought.'

 Laughter rang out through the clearing, and the Goddess clutched at her stomach, doubled over in silent mirth. A single musical note rang out, followed by the same song that Anya had heard a year before. The Lunix bird flew down from one of the trees, where Anya hadn't seen it before, and landed on the wrist that she held out to it. The Goddess watched, eyes sharp, as the bird sang happily, and then ran its beak over Anya's face.

 It is not often that my bird takes to another person, Anya. She did tell me about the human she met out in the forest last year, the sun-haired girl who sang with Silver that she gave a feather to, but I never would have thought that it was you, Anya. A pleasant surprise indeed.

 The Goddess watched the bird, who sang a few notes of her song happily as Anya smiled.

 'She's so beautiful. I thought that our meeting was a dream the first morning that I woke up after, but the feather proved that it wasn't. Glenfell made a box for me to keep it in, actually.'

 May I see it? The feather, that is.

 Anya nodded, and pulled the box out of her tunic where she had been keeping it since they had arrived at the island. Carefully, she opened the rose-carved box to reveal a single feather, long in length but incredibly strong that shone like silver in the sunlight. Stepping forward, she held the feather out to the Goddess, who lifted the feather from its silk cushioning.

 Beautiful. And in perfect condition, too. You have cared for this feather beautifully, Anya. And I believe that you have gained another companion for the years ahead of you, too.

 'What do you mean, Great Mother?'

 She has decided to journey with you, Anya, and to stay with you for the rest of your life.

 Anya gaped at her in shock. 'B-but I don't even know what she eats! And how do I care for her....? What's her name...? I... I don't know what to say...'

 She eats fruits, and nuts when she can find them. Otherwise, merely let her fly freely and she will stay at your side. As for her name, well, I have never given her one. It was the elves and humans who gave her the name Lunix. Perhaps you can think of one for her, Anya.