Legends Untold

A glow fell from the fireplace of the small but cozy cottage. The stone walls were less than elegant than many of the quickly fading buildings in the city, but it served its purpose. A woman sat before the fire, her black hair cascading down down her back, and her ever-changing eyes watched the small, gurgling child in her arms. A black and grey wolf lay on its back before them, a white star on her belly. The child squirmed in her mother's arms, reaching for the floor. The woman smiled and set her daughter on the floor next to the wolf.1

The wolf gave a disconcerning grunt as the baby buried her small fists in the thick fur. The woman laughed and swung the shild into the air, their laughter filling the room.2

"Ta!" the child proclaimed, pointing at the wolf's stomach.3

The woman laughed. "Yes, star." She lowered herself to the floor, and her child to her lap. "She has a star because she's a loyal wolf. Her mother's mother's mother so many times back was the moon's child." The child gurgled and struggled to get closer to the wolf. "And the lady moon told her to guard her human children." The baby yawned, clearly tired from her struggle to antagonize the wolf. The young mother stood up and carried her child into the other room.4

"A falcon slept perched on the windowsill, and the mother continued her story. "But the sun god wanted their children to be safe, too. So he sent the birdsthe watch them and remember what they saw so they could always tell him later..."5

"And what happened to the people they guarded?" a voice from the doorway asked. The mother smiled as a young man entered the room. He put his arms around her and kissedher cheek. "So, what happened to them?"6

"Many of them led normal lives, despite the moon's corrupt daughter. They went around looking for adventures, were nearly killed more than once. One of them found the love of her life and had the most beautiful daughter in the world."7

They stood here, and for a moment time stopped. It started again with a knock at her door.8

"Tarnesa!" The woman exclaimed when she opened the door. "What in Lady's name..."9

"Sinaya! She knows!" A look of pure terror passed across Sinaya's face.