a mother and a new found son
Long ago a war broke out. War between humans and meta humans. Meta humans were born from a strange union; half beast,sometimes carrying the traits of mythical creatures . Long after the war ended and the humans stood victorious,leaving the survivors of the other side scattered, broken and hunted. There was a mother named Nora, a doe like meta human with gentle eyes,pointed ears and hooves that echoed softly on stone .She had already lost everything-her husband,her people and most painfully her only son. She had buried him high in the frozen mountains,her tears soaking the earth beneath his tombstone. “Rest in peace, my son,’’ she whispered,pressing a trembling hand against the cold stone.days passed in grief
Then movement at first she thought was the wind through the trees,but the sound was faint,fragil ... .alive.nora lifted her head and followed it deeper into the snow choked forest until she found the source;a small bear cub half human,half beast, lying unconscious in the frost. His fur was matted,his breaths shallow, he was starving. Freezing.dying, her heart clenched she could not bury another child. Gently ,she knelt and gathered him into her arms,cradling his fragile body against her chest “little one ... ..I’ll take care of you’’,she murmured softly, her voice breaking. “I promise.”
The days passed.Nora raised the boy as her own,caring for him in a small cabin hidden deep in the frozen woods.She gave him a name Koji Koda. His fur was a warm brown,his eyes gold like sunlight,and a single freckle dotted on his nose. One evening,the smell of curry filled the cabin.Nora stood at the stove,humming softly while stirring the pot. Four year old koda padded into the kitchen,his small claws clicking against the floor
She turned smiling. “Dinner will be ready in a minute koda’’,she said her voice warm.she turned back to her cooking,her tail swaying gently as she moved Koda’s sharp eyes caught the movement.With a playful growl,he pounced and clutched her tail with surprising strength for someone so small. Nora yelp in pain and spun around,her calm smile replaced by sharp glare.she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. “Kouji koda!’’she scolded,her tone fierce. “You do not grab someone’s tail like that”
The little bear cub whimpered.Nora sighed,her anger fading,and set him down gently. “Go into the living room,’’she ordered softly.
Later that night,after the curry was eaten,they both fell asleep by the fire.Nora let Koda curl into her side,her protective arm draped around him. The next morning their peace was broken, a thunderous pounding rattled the cabin door,jolting Nora awake “Nora!’’a voice boomed from outside. ‘’We know you’re in there-and that cursed cub too! By the king’s orders, your heads are demanded.open the door,and surrender quietly!’’
Koda slept unaware of the danger. Nora rose,jaw clenched,and pulled a long silver sword from its sheath. She positioned herself between the door and her son, her ears twitching as the hinges groaned. The door crashed inward.armed guards in heavy armor flooded the cabin.they surrounded her,blades gleaming in the moring light
Nora raised her sword,her voice breaking with rage and grief.’’ I already lost one son to your war,’’she roared.’’I will not lose another!’’
The clash was brutal.steel rang through the cabin as Nora fought with everything she had.her blade cut through armor,her hooves struck bone-breaking force.one by one the guards fell-until at last,the cabin was silent again,littered with bodies
Breathing hard,blood dripping from her arms,Nora sheathed her sword and turned back to koda.She scooped him into her arms,holding him tightly against her chest. Her voice softened whisper’’come my child we must go somewhere safer
And with that, the cabin behind them and danger on their heels.Nora carried her son into the wilderness. 12 years have passed and Kouji koda was no longer a frail cub,but a strong young man of sixteen. For years he and Nora have been hunted and chased endlessly through the frozen forest.Still,she had raised him with love,telling him stories of the past- and of the night she found him in the snow. On his sixteenth birthday,they shared laughter,cake,and the comfort of family
’’I’m happy you’re the one who found me,mom,’’Koda said with a smile Nora’s eyes softened. ‘’And I would do it all over again.’’ She handed him a small box.inside was a necklace-a silver charm shaped like a doe and a bear standing side by side.koda eyes glistened as he placed it around his neck. Thank you,mom i’ll wear it forever.’’
But joy was fleeting later that evening ,as they stepped outside to take out the trash,a piercing scream split the air both their ears twitched, from the tree line stumbled a girl-a young meta human with long rabbit ears,no older than Koda.her eyes were wide with terror,tears streaming down her face. Behind her,armored guards gave chase.
’’Help me!’’she cried. ‘’Please!’’ koda’s golden eyes flared.his claws extended,razor sharp,as a deep growl rumbled in his chest.with a roar, he charged toward the girl,slashing through guards before Nora could stop him ‘’koda wait!’’ she shouted,but her warning was drowned by the clash of steel and the bear boy’s fury.
They fought side by side,defending the rabbit girl against wave after wave of guards. But then-disaster one guard slipped past Koda and drove a blade into Nora’s heart. Her body crumbled into the frozen ground.Koda’s eyes went wide,his breath caught in his throat. ‘’No…no,no,no!’’ his roar shook the very earth as grief turned to fury.’’I’ll kill you…i’ll kill you all!’’ The ground trembled with rage, his rage exploded outward like a shockwave,crushing the guards where they stood.silence followed,broken only by the ragged sound of Koda’s breathing.
When it was over,he turned to the trembling rabbit girl,his eyes still burning with grief. Without a word,he led her back into the cabin. Inside,clutching the necklace his mother had given him. ko
ji koda’s world had changed forever.
