Lupina of Verdancia

by thegreatlupelover

Deep in a forest in a part of Neopia called Verdancia, untouched by the pale light of the nearly full moon, lay a mossy knoll. In the side of the tiny hill, there was a dark hole. And inside that dark hole lay a female Lupe. Her name was Lupava. She was young to be a mother, but her frail body shook with the strain of labor. Her breath came in and out in gasps. Sweat trickled through her fur. The pain felt unbearable. Finally, Lupava's efforts were rewarded. A green Lupe pup slipped out into the world.

Lupava lifted her head weakly and gazed at the small body. She spoke five words, just five words. "Welcome to the world, Lupina." And then Lupava, the new mother Lupe, slipped quietly into the Endless Sleep.

***

A tribe of Gelerts trotted silently through the forest. It was sunrise. The Gelerts were wanderers, they journeyed throughout the seasons, barely scraping up a living. But they all agreed, it was much better than going to the pound. They were passing a knoll when one of the Gelerts, Jonah by name, heard the sound of whimpering. He called a halt.

The Gelerts stopped and Jonah said, "I heard a whimpering noise from the other side of that knoll. I'm going to check it out."

When Jonah came to the other side of the knoll, all he saw was a hole. He crept inside. There, lying on the floor, was a red Lupe. She was dead. Then Jonah saw the tiny form of a green Lupe pup.

"Mommy!" the pup whimpered. "Mommy, wake up!"

Jonah couldn't bear the sight of such a tiny creature in distress. Tears prickled in his eyes. He crouched down and whispered to the pup, "Your mother is dead. My name is Jonah the Gelert. I'm from a tribe of Gelerts. We will care for you. Do you have a name, little one?"

The pup raised her eyes tearfully. "My name's Lupina," she replied. "Is there any milk there?"

"Where?" Jonah asked. "Oh, you mean with my tribe. I'm certain my wife, Jen, wouldn't mind if you joined our litter." He picked up Lupina by the scruff of her neck to carry her back to his tribe. He felt something cold and hard in his mouth. He set Lupina down.

"What's that thing around your neck?"

"What thing around my neck?" Lupina asked.

"This," Jonah replied, nosing it out. He inspected the stone. "Oh my god," he whispered, then, "Oh my god!" louder.

Jonah regained his composure. "I've never seen one before, but I think I know what this is," he said. "Around your neck, you have a Lupe Moon Charm."

***

Jen, the wife of Jonah, licked her new pup. True, Lupina was of an entirely different species, but Jen had happily accepted the young Lupe into her own litter. Lupina was happy, too. The vivid blue male and soft green female Gelerts, along with their offspring, felt like family already. Lupina smiled up at her foster mother and licked her back. Then she went back to her hungry suckling.

Next to her, a rosy red female Gelert pup nudged her.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before."

Lupina explained. The Gelert looked shocked.

"Poor you! I've never had my mommy die. I don't think I'd like it, either."

Lupina giggled. "Of course you've never had your mommy die, see, she's right there. What's your name?"

"My name's Rosy. Usually our family is named with a name beginning with a J, but Mom and Dad didn't think Jacky suited me."

"What do you like doing best?" Lupina asked. "I like thinking about everything. And learning."

"I like writing poetry," Rosy replied.

"Can I hear one of your poems? Please?" Lupina begged.

"I guess," Rosy said shyly. "This is about the moon. Here goes:

Moon bird
Dancing Swooping through
His own world
Of endless sky.
Diving
To bless the stars
And fading into dawn."

Lupina was impressed. "That's really good," she said seriously. "I couldn't write anything like that."

"You really think so?" Rosy blushed, deepening her rosy red color to crimson.

"Of course I think so!" Lupina replied.

Just then, Jonah came up and said, "Time to go. Today we're going to Lupe Moon Falls, where we'll stop for a day of relaxation." He didn't mention the real reason to go to Lupe Moon Falls: To find out more about Lupina's Lupe Moon Charm.

The tribe set off. Lupina got up and trotted along with them, her newfound companion close behind.

***

The Faerie Queen looked down through a gap in the clouds to Neopia. All was well. No, all wasn't well. Something was brewing in Spooky Woods, she was sure of it. She raised her wings and took off.

The Faerie Queen arrived in Spooky Woods a few minutes later. She fluttered down. Ah! There was a campfire! The Faerie Queen had not seen it before because of the oily black mist that had magically formed around it. Under cover of the mist, a very strange meeting indeed was happening.

To one side of the campfire lay about 80 Skeiths, to another side, about 120 Korbats. Two hundred NeoPets. And the remaining area was full of Dark Faeries. The Uber Dark Faerie herself was standing up to speak.

"All those of you who have decided to join me, I thank you. Together, we shall destroy the Faerie Queen herself and then I shall reign!"

The company cheered. The Faerie Queen bristled. How dare they? She was just about to jump out to fight the rebels when her conscience stopped her. She was outnumbered one to 350. Even her powerful magic couldn't win this battle. She restrained herself and continued listening.

The Uber Dark Faerie turned to a green Skeith. "And you are sure that Lupava ate it? That she is dead?"

The Skeith nodded his head.

This time the Faerie Queen was alarmed. Lupava was the only remaining descendant of the great Moon Lupe, and she didn't even know it. In fact, Lupava didn't even know that having been born wearing the Lupe Moon Charm meant you were special. All the others had known. But it was dangerous to have told Lupava. For when she was born, those were the days when the Uber Dark Faerie had been trying to conquer Faerieland. She had been stopped by Zarmisha and her band of Peace Warriors, but the Dark Faerie had remained a threat. Yes, it had been too dangerous to tell Lupava. But the descendants of the Moon Lupe had been the Faerie Queen's greatest allies! And now...

***

The Faerie Queen landed before an assembly of Light Faeries. The Uber Light Faerie stood.

"Why are you here, Your Highness? Why do you come to the Realm of Light?" she asked.

"There is trouble afoot," replied the Faerie Queen. "The Dark Faerie is making an attempt of murder."

"Murder of who?" asked the Light Faerie.

The Faerie Queen took a deep breath. "Me," she replied.

The congregation stirred. The Dark Faerie had tried to conquer Faerieland before. But she had never actually attempted to destroy the Faerie Queen!

"Friends, I call upon you to help me. This will be a hard battle. For the Dark Faerie has already managed to defeat the last remaining member of the Moon Lupe line."

The Light Faerie bowed her head. "We will be there, Your Highness. The Dark Faerie will not triumph, even if we are without the use of Lupava's powers."

To be continued...