A Memory of Lutari Pond: Before the Discovery

Under sunlight, Luna swam with wild spirit.

     Under moonlight, Luna swam gracefully and slowly.

     When she finished her nightly swim, she hopped out of the water and onto a log.

     Careful about not slipping, she shook out her blue, wet coat and brushed it with her teeth.

     When she finished grooming herself, she rested herself on the log and peered at her surroundings. Around her were assortments of trees and bushes, all thick enough and big enough to hide her beautiful home. The pond was gorgeous at night, with lily pads with white flowers floating on the surface on the water. The moon cast a large reflection on the pond through the hole in the trees, making a shimmering white circle in the middle of the blue-green pond. Some trees produced sweet berries, which were eaten by the truckload.

     Huge willow trees hung over the pond, giving shade to the other Lutaris who slept under them. Pond reeds, lily pads, and willow trees were abundant in Lutari Pond.

     A huge wood raft floated next to the log, and on it slept a green Lutari who smiled as he dreamed happily. Luna smiled and looked up to the moon. The moon seemed to look down at her, making her fur shine. Luna rested her head on the log and soon fell asleep, thinking about her wonderful home where Lutaris swam free.

     No Neopet in Neopia had found out about her, her friends and family, or her world. Lutari Pond was protected in the largest of forests, in the heart of it, protected by the trees.

     Still, Luna also worried.

     Many inhabiting species were discovered by Neopians, and soon lost their language and were forced to forget their native lives. Luna watched as one by one the many unheard of species were being found. The Hissi, the Xweetok, the Ogrin, and the Gnorbu had fallen to them and soon adapted to the Neopian lifestyle. As the species were found, the forest decreased in size, and Luna knew that she and her species could be next.

     But still, she slept a good night's sleep, dreaming of diving into clear blue water and having a ball.

     The sun rose and shone through the many trees in Lutari Pond.

     The glow of the sun made green light glimmer over the Pond, waking up all life.

     Luna woke up and gave a big yawn and a stretch.

     She saw the water below, a lovely blue green, and a still sleeping Lutari on the raft.

     That gave her an idea.

     She smiled mischievously and walked off the log and went behind one of its big branches that had no twigs or leaves and was all stumps.

     Then she jumped over the log branch and dove into the water below.

     SPLASH! She hit the water and dove right through.

     When she came off, the Lutari on the raft was wet and rubbing his head saying, "Not AGAIN," in Lutarian, the language of Lutaris.

     If you were not a Lutari, their language would sound like hisses, clicks and teeth clacking to you, with a lot of body language too.

     Luna giggled and got back on the log.

     After the big splash, everyone soon woke up and started to swim.

     As other Lutaris swam and dove, Luna just sat up straight on her log very still, looking at her fellow Lutaris and their antics. She saw a bunch of Lutaris have a race from the old, sunken log to the baby willow tree and back. The red Lutari won by a mile.

     She also could see two Lutaris try to balance on a log and make the other one fall down.

     The green Lutari seemed to be a bit clumsy and soon fell over, but his blue opponent lost balance and fell into the water with him. When they both came to the surface, they laughed and laughed. A few Lutari children were having water fights and water spitting contests. One yellow Lutari spat 10 feet in the air, and won the contest.

     A few Lutari couples swam together, side by side, hand in hand.

     A few Lutari mothers were teaching their young how to swim, while the fathers watched proudly. A mother Lutari was resting in the shade with a newborn baby Lutari under her chest. The father came up and smiled upon them both. And then the couple both smiled upon the baby, whose eyes were not even open yet, and yet it could still smell its mother.

     Luna smiled upon all of this. She was happy to have a world of her own, where no one would bother her and everyone treated her kindly. She was happy, her neighbors were happy, and every Lutari in the pond was happy. When a mischievous Lutari did the same stunt as she did and made the sleeping Lutari on the raft jump, she only smiled and stared into space, thinking about her wonderful home.

     When she looked to her right, she suddenly spied something.

     Curious and afraid, she jumped from the log and waded in the water, getting closer to the object she spied. When she came close, she hid under water and sneaked through the reeds. When she came to the ledge, she popped up to the surface and found herself staring into a bright black object that seemed to shine. Suddenly from behind the object, there was a scream. Not knowing any better, she screamed back. The thing behind the object screamed again, and so did she. She then looked aside the object and was staring at the face of a Quiggle. They both screamed at the sight of one another. The Quiggle put down his object and started to run. But Luna caught him with anger about his trespassing.

     She said in Lutarian, "Who are you?! Why do you come here?! Don't make me hurt you!" To him, it sounded like ten hisses, three clucks, seven clicks, and a "KAHEEE!"

     He trembled as he took up his object and said, "Look, I'm sorry about the intrusion. I'll just go and-"

     "KA HAYEEE! MUSHNIK ALBO DOH!" This meant, "GET OUT OF HERE! YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS WITH US!"

     The Quiggle gulped and said softly, "I'm really sorry, but boy is my boss going to love this when he finds out about you guys! So, what kind of species are you?"

     Luna tilted her head, raised an eyebrow and said, "Lutari, Lutari Nada." This meant, "I only speak Lutarian, you don't, so I don't understand."

     But the Quiggle was just scratching his head as he said, "Lutari. Hmm… That's a nice name."

     Luna was now just getting mad, so she hunched her back like a cat and kept her head low as she said, "Stay… Away… NOW!" To the Quiggle, it sounded like hissing and a large snapping bark.

     When she snapped, he ran away from the place like crazy.

     Luna smiled and went back to her log, not realizing that she had just met the first ever Neopian who had discovered Lutari, and was about to tell Neopia! When news broke out about this, Luna and her species were discovered and brought to Neopia Central to be adopted.

     Luna and her species were taught the language that every Neopian spoke.

     Luna and her species wound up being cared for by owners.

     Sure, Luna did find a nice home with a good owner and new friends, but she vowed to never forget the days she had in Lutari Pond. Her spirit, her memories, her lifestyle, was gone and crushed. She would only have one special memory of Lutari Pond. Only a few days after she was discovered, the baby had opened its eyes and saw the Pond for the first and last time. That moment was the most special thing to the baby's life, and to Luna's.

     Even though that baby would forget, Luna wouldn't.

     Luna would still be a wild Lutari in her mind and spirit and heart.

     She WAS a Lutari.

     She VOWED to be one.

     Forever…

The End