Wanda

A Dragon with no name..or so it seemed.

Wanda came from a poor side of the family. They had very little..in fact..no home, no medical care and no future. Wanda was born with a very different side to her dragon self. Dawning a pattern that people called horrible names, Wanda held her head with pride, as her body was not attractive and colored much like a garbage pile..at least that is what people called her when they decided to poke at her, tease her and give her a hard time. But even though through all this, Wanda through her years remained gentle and kind.

It was one fall morning, when a horrible storm came through. They lived in the high country..retreating from the city for the rest of the family disowned them. It was amazing how money could corrupt once nice people. The storm was vicious...the winds howled, the lightning was deafening. It was in this storm a terrible accident happened..and what place they considered home..a cave, decided to cave in..destroying what they had. Wanda had been sent out to try and hunt for food, as the family was in dire need of supplies. Wanda was resourceful, and she managed to catch a good deal of fish, but it took her most of the day. When she returned home, the journey had been long and hard. The storm had made her so tired and she looked forwards to a warm fire and food. To her eyes as she approached the camp, she saw the boulders, rocks and dirt around their home had broken off the mountain side..and piled in front of the cave entrance..along with a massive tree that had to have been hundreds of years old there on the ground. She looked up, worry filling her sad lightning blue eyes. The tree left a gaping hole on the ledge, and water poured in from a near by stream that had run right next to the base of the massive pine that fell. She blinked some. The wind howled around her and she called to her family..hoping to hear them respond inside..but there was nothing. Water seeped out around the rocks and boulders that blocked the entrance. Not only had they been trapped inside..but water had filled the small cavern by the looks of it. Wanda called to them over and over..but there was no response. She huddled there, knowing the worst had happened and who were inside drowned.

Wanda slunk off to crouch near another tree, feeling it vibrate and rock back and forth some. The wind was horrible. It was there she remained for the rest of the night..it was to dark to try and move rocks..but it was only that. Her size was not very large and some of them she knew she could not move. It was in this moment she felt as if her life could end. She prayed for a lightning bolt to come, to take her life..or perhaps a tree put her out of her misery..but none came.

The storm raged for two days.

Finally, when the sun peeked out..Wanda approached the cave once more. It was in ruins..more rocks and mud had come down..you would have never known a cave was there. Days past.
The winter was coming soon. The fall patterns started..and there was a chill on the winds. She knew she didnt have enough supplies to even survive a winter there..there was not enough time to locate a home..gather enough food. It was time.


Drawing a heavy breath, one late October morning she turned to the sky and took to the air. She could not stay here..her grief was so great, and the situation she was in was not a good one. Now she had no one..but even then, it did not damper her spirit. Her parents would want her to go on, push forwards..not give up. It was in this moment she had to make a change.

The flight back down was a long one, but thankfully, the winds were in her favor and she was able to glide on the winds down. She was on her last leg it seemed. She was young for a dragon...only 30 years old..but the years of struggling had taken its toll. However..her heart beat wild and free in her chest, there had to be a way.....Some how.

There is always hope.

After a few hours of flight, she finally came down into the palace grounds...exhausted. The trees came in to fast, she had a hard time flying..her wings were giving out. She tried to maintain, to keep her self righted, but she was exhausted and unable to fly further. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and then opened them, feeling the pine branches lash at her body as she practically dove in the trees. She summoned what energy she had left, pushing her lower body down and flaring out her wings to try and slow down.

The crash was deafening. She felt branches beating her now...like she had not had enough of that in her life! Finally...she came to rest abruptly..rolling now on the soft yellow green grass that covered the forest floor. It was here she finally stopped and she lay there, panting hard.

Hours past.

Finally she opened her eyes. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds. Sunlight peeked into the trees, blanketing the forest floor in Fall warmth. Wanda rolled some and and finally got herself to a sitting position. She looked around. This place held magic..it held peace...it held..

Love.

She had seen the great spires through most of her journey, They rose like majestic Pillars towards the heavens..She had reached a place of safe at least, and she stood and shook herself off, feeling the pain from the beating she took from the fall. At least nothing was broken, and she padded along, looking around. This place was simply breath taking. Finding a stream..she drank from the crystal clear waters. Her belly rumbled harshly..reminding her that her body needed other things than just water.

Moving onwards, she would seek out help. Hopefully, she would not be judged by the horrid appearance of her scales and wings...But here she might find some one who gave a dam. At the forest edge...she found vast fields of fruit trees and vegetables. This would feed her!
Moving carefully, she padded into the fields, finding ripe tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, peppers and the like.. However this food belonged to the royal family. She touched not a bit of it.

Hopefully they would not mind? She was only one soul. But then again, this was not her food. She began the journey now walking down the field path, towards the great palace. Her eyes shone in wonder at its very presence...it was so massive..almost like it was painted and not real. Such a beautiful place..Her heart swelled in her chest, looking upon it as a beacon of hope..guidance..and even in its light..it seemed to draw her closer.

Who knows what people would say....would they give her something to eat? Or shoo her away at her rather haggrid appearance? She was simply to tired to hunt, but would not dare steal from the King and Queen.

Only her wild and free heart that beat so hard in her chest now could guide her..and this place it had taken her to.

Update:

only a couple days later, Wanda is now part of the palace family, and mated to son of Leroy and Mia, Kevin. A trip to the mountains had found her parents indeed got out of the cave in time and they were found huddled in another cavern a valley away. Now in the loving care of the family, Wanda, her father William, and mother Beth are doing well and the out look is great for a positive future ahead.