Legacy of a Luna

Ch. 1 In the Beginning

Chapter One: In the Beginning

Excitement rode the air this morning. I tried to bottle it in, but I was bursting at the seams. Mahala was coming today! As long as I could remember, Mahala was there! My mother's beloved and most trusted friend. She and her entourage came under the guise of a traveling entertainment group, but I knew who, or should I say what, she REALLY was.

Mahala was a seer. The pack thought the King and Queen so kind to invite the spectacle of their troop in every so often. She and the others would spend the days doing magic shows or simple parlour tricks. But come nightfall, after their mobile city of wooden caravans and brightly colored flags closed, Mahala would come to the pack house and consult with my parents.

She would reveal to them mysteries of upcoming happenings and offer her counsel. And then she would visit me! We had such fun! She always asked me the most intriguing questions and usually had a gift tucked away in the layers of her skirts. She'd tell me all about her journies, the places and people. Different cultures. She made the world sound so beautiful! I often laid down and dreamt of my own adventures after she left.

"Amina, come now, breakfast is waiting." My mother's voice reached my ears.

"Coming!" I called back gleefully as I threw my blanket back and rushed to start the day.

This time it was even better! Mahala had coincidentally timed her latest visit on my birthday! And not just any birthday, but my 16th! Nothing made me happier than to know she would be standing right there with my parents when we meet my wolf tonight.

My mind instantly shifted. I was on autopilot as I made my way to the dining hall. Thoughts of my wolf dancing in my head. What would she look like?!? What's her name? What's it going to feel like to view and experience the world through her eyes?

"Amina. Eat child. You need your strength." My father teased as he helped me load my plate even higher with food.

I didn't hesitate. Maybe I DID need to load up on calories for my first shift. Besides, being a lycan already came with a hefty appetite, who was I to say no thank you? I scarfed my breakfast and went to training. The day dragged on miserably until the most magical part finally arrived.

Trumpets announced Mahala and her caravans' arrival. I bum rushed the balcony of my room and looked down just in time to see the first wooden wagon breach the border. It was always a sight to see! Great flags of purples, yellows and greens flew high. Several people walked alongside them dressed in exotic fabrics. Some wore elegant turbines, other simple lace shawls. The scent of spices and earth soon wafted in as the winds brought them straight to me. It only fueled my delight ever more.

I squinted as more wagons soon joined the assembly and creaked closer to the pack house. I could JUST make out the symbols in the sides of them. Each had its own design, but I was specifically looking for the one adorned with Roses that had an eye in the center. Mahala's wagon. I loved that she decorated it in a way that was uniquely her. Nowhere in the world had I heard of Roses with eyes in their center.

As soon as I spotted it, I beelined from the balcony, out of my room, down the stairs and out the door. The pack was buzzing. They so loved this band of merry misfits and the joy they seemed to carry with them as they began to finally pull up to the pack house. I quickly took my place at my parent's sides and awaited our guests. I composed my face, ensuring it wasn't too enthusiastic nor reflected any malice as I had been taught.

I had to fight hard not to smile when the very wagon I had been awaiting took front and center. A cute, circular door opened from the rear and a set of wooden steps soon followed. Finally, Mahala herself exited and approached us. She bowed low.