The Xenton Chronicles: The Jenshia Star

Prologue

The world can be cruel to so many people. Unfortunately for me, I am one of them.When it rains, people often say it's a way for the things that contaminate the world to be washed away. I beg to differ. My life hasn't always been like this, at least I don't think. I suppose at one point I was happy.

Loved.

But now my life is what it is. When I remember the way people treated me - that kind of dirt can never be washed away, no matter how loud the stormy sky yells at me. Yes, I can be a cold-hearted bitch, but I have every reason to be. For twenty-one long years, no one has suffered as much heartbreak as I have.

I think back to when I was five. I don't know what happened. As I woke up in a forest, the area around me was burned to ash. The only spot that remained untouched by the flames was the grass around my body. I looked around this unfamiliar place and wondered why I was here. There must have been an accident, which meant people would come looking for me.

So I waited.

Then waited some more.

As the day neared its end, the moon rose into the sky.

Still, I waited.

No one came.

The hair of a wild animal's fur tickled my nose and I awoke, startled. Somehow, it secured me within its body, nestling me as I slept deeply. I saw it snoozing gracefully, its head resting on its front paws and its hind legs secured under its sturdy body; its flowing tail lay calm. I was a smart child, and I knew not to wake the creature, so I did my best to be quiet as I tried to move away. Beneath my foot a twig snapped and the animal's ear twitched. Picking up its head, it listened for more. She stood straight up, as though on alert, her silvery tail swishing behind her.

Finally, it turned towards me, and I was caught in its blue-eyed gaze.

Those eyes.

They were beautiful.

They vaguely reminded me of someone.

My mother perhaps.

I guess you could say, at that moment I realized this amazing creature wasn't a threat to me at all. It yawned, licking its lips. Its silver fur and strong stance was something to behold, as though it meant to protect me.

The animal moved closer to me, getting a whiff of my scent as it sniffed me. Then it extended its tongue and began to lick my face. I laughed and hugged the creature and I knew that everything was okay. I was found, and I was happy.

I named her Stella and she took care of me.

She fed me when I was hungry.

Kept me warm when I was cold.

Protected me when I was asleep.

I felt as though I was home.

I didn't concern myself with where I came from. All that mattered to me was the here and now. Stella meant more to me than anything and I knew she felt the same way about me.

I lost track of the days as Stella and I lived in those woods and I remember it like it was yesterday. The full moon hung in the sky, and I awoke. I was uneasy. Stella was cuddled next to me as she always did, fast asleep. Through the tall trees, I saw the flickering of something, a light perhaps. I arose and like any other curious child, I walked towards it. I heard distant voices as I came closer. Through the brush, I saw a man and a woman with two children, sitting around a campfire. I remained hidden.

A loving family. Something tugged at me from the deepest pit of my stomach. Did I ever have one of those? I could not remember. It had been so long since I even thought about it. It was foolish to try and persuade myself that I wanted that because Stella was all that I needed, but it was hard to look away, and the longer I observed the emptier I got.