The Returned Luna

n dead. She had been dead. She remembered the craggy rocks and the rushing river. The sharp pain in her neck had been the last thi

e was s

ed on the grass and twittered at her as she sat up. Fish swam in the clear water of the lake nearby, peacefully moving through the gentle currents as the wind blew

rembling hand and found her warm to touch. She had

in h

ice called. “You

, gliding across the surface of the water like a spirit. Long, silver curl

of the moon embroidered on the hem of her skirt. She trem

, her despair welled up and overflowed as t

-I ju

the goddess, ever-loving and merciful, simply pulled her cl

ould she have worked so hard simply to be abandoned and scorned for everyth

done to deser

na, but I tried… I tried so

ra curled closer to her as Alice growled with contentment. “You have always been meant

… Bu

her tears, cupping her face in h

wing a path not meant for y

ad, “G-Goddess, I

ion is not complete, young one. I am sending you b

ched, “I…

“You do not w

the last three years. What did she owe the kingdom after everything she

her only to die of despair? If this was the afterlife, how could she face him when h

piness she was meant to have, but she didn

d, her voice a bit amused. “You fear hiding your tr

will never be go

Of what it means to be my cherished child? You have only ever needed to be

was sh

d her and Alice into her arms, covering thei

the paradise vanished as she

th pain as she struggled to sit up. Something wet and sticky drew her gaze. It was hard to tell, but the pearly sheen of the berries’ skins made her certain. T

m her hand, and saw a small puddle of water nearby. Gritting her teeth, she drag

n was pretty but younger than Laura. She frowned at her h

pening? Who

lice and found her there, stre

ed,Well, sh

y, but the tremors were easing slowly as the poison seemed to be leaving

vived falling into the

had a

Maybe she was starving and d

ngs was such a tragedy. She offered a prayer for the young woman’s

ura, where

ing at the sound. It d

ure

rl’s name was pretty similar to her na

rward with a hunched back, walked t

out a sigh, “Oh Laurel, I've been look

a bit turn

th a warm and almost maternal s

old woman out of the forest. Slowly, the

them were elderly, and there were a few children, bu

re all t

up at her, “Are you

may have hit my h

dom against the vampires, child

small pack located on the border of the werewolf kingdom. Laurel couldn’t te

going to r

efore shaking her head, “No, I wanted to g

“I do love a good gi

about her living situation without giving away the fact that she wasn’t Laurel. So far, so g

s her

ome back? What

el have

way she never thought a house could be. Though she was a bit wary about picking up the life Laurel had left behind, she too

to start her