My name is Tanya. I am an Elemental, the spirit of air. I lived alone for most of my life, never wanting the company of others. I thought I knew how the world was and what my life was worth. Never in all my days would I have guessed that one person would be able to change my perception so completely.

It all started one afternoon as I made my way home from a nearby market. Rain poured from the sky and I let it wash over me as I walked. It was refreshing and I liked the way my skin tingled right before it fell, changing from shades of light blue to dark as the sky did the same. I always matched the sky, not on purpose, all Elementals match our elements.

My bag swung from my shoulder, weighted with a small loaf of bread, a cheese wedge, and a small variety of fruits and vegetables. I did not need much food for only myself and made trips to the markets on only rare occasions. This trip, I had expected, would last me until the next full moon.

That was when our paths crossed.

I drifted silently on the air, just above the ground, my powers as an Elemental bidding it to carry me through the damp woods.

The trees were so thick around me that, if I had not been so familiar with those woods, I might have easily gotten lost. 

Movement distracted me from the sweet solitude of the rainy afternoon and I paused to watch as a little black rabbit hopped out from under a low growing fern.

Rain dripped from her fur as she watched me with big eyes the color of amethysts. Her eyes were entrancing.

I saw it in her eyes as I subconsciously bent down to get a closer look. There was magic in those eyes, magic stronger than that of most shape shifters. The magic I saw was ancient and strong.

I was looking into the eyes of a Diamondback.

I thought for sure she must be hiding, trying to evade capture in the shelter of the storm that had begun to circle slowly overhead. I knew the story of how the Great Wars ended, everyone did, and I knew that a Diamondback on its own would not remain so for long.

Our world, once peaceful and healthy, had been plunged into darkness the day that Chaos came. Chaos wanted power, to reign over the creatures of our world as ruler. It had spread in whispers and lies, creating tensions and divides between the many species who had once been kind and happy.

It destroyed all it touched, except the Diamondbacks. The most powerful species in our world had also been the last to fight in the wars.

The great winged wolves, protesters of life and the embodiment of goodness were blessed by the Ancient Magic with powers that gave life and healing. They were shape shifters with a light magic almost as ancient as our world, but even they could not stop Chaos alone and one by one they had been wiped out.

I looked around for a sign that she was not alone. The woods were quiet and still save for the rain splashing down and the air that moved with it.

I wanted to keep going, finishing my routine trip alone, but I could not make myself move. Instead I stayed right where I was, rain beginning to fall harder down on us both, watching her as she watched me.

Without warning she hopped out onto the path next to me and when I found myself finally able to move forward, free from the trance, she came with me.

We walked for a short time in silence. I was sure she must be uncomfortable and wondered why she did not change, her fur quickly soaked up the rain that it was not made to handle and it was looking quite heavy, but she made no sign of distress. I stopped suddenly and without thinking knelt down holding my hands open to her.

She hopped up into my arms without hesitation and looked up at me again with those beautiful eyes. She trusted me, a complete stranger, and I couldn't help smiling humbled by that trust.

I carried her that way back to my little house unaware of just how completely my life was about to change.

When we arrived at the one room cabin that I called home I set her down on the porch. It was very small but the wooden shingled roof stuck out overhead, sheltering us from the rain.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. I had only heard of Diamondbacks in legends and the stories of the Great Wars during which time they had nearly been wiped out.

Generations ago they had been everywhere, born of ancient magic into every Animanian family. Since the end of the great wars they were only an anomaly that popped up in the occasional family tree. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined meeting one.

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Questions ran through my mind as I wondered where she had come from. For all I knew she might still be roaming free, or maybe someone somewhere was waiting for her to return. Rather than giving into my curiosity I decided to remain silent, her life was not my business and she was probably just looking for shelter to wait out the storm.

I opened my little front door and was about to go inside when she took a small step back and looked up at me again. I paused, caught in her gaze, and as I watched she transformed right there on my porch in front of me from the small black rabbit into an Animanian.

I felt my mouth fall open as I watched the transformation for the first time. The old stories had told of the Diamondbacks abilities as shape shifters and the beauty and grace of their transformations but watching it in person was both shocking and beautiful.

A dull light seemed to glow around her as her black fur and long ears disappeared replaced with chocolate brown curls that grew as she did and were streaked with bright ruby red. Her Animanian form was smaller than mine with two-toned pink and orange skin. Shining silver wings grew from her shoulder blades, stretching from her knees all the way up to peek over her shoulders, something that I was fairly certain was unique to Diamondbacks.

In shocking contrast to her lovely colors, large scars were scattered across the exposed skin of her shoulders, arms and neck. There were even a couple across her face. The first time I saw them, her scars shocked me, they stood out in stark contrast to her otherwise beautiful self and overlapped the dark swirling lines that crossed her shoulders and disappeared under her hair down her back. Markings that were also unique to Diamondbacks.

I was ready to ask who she was and where she came from when I was distracted again by her eyes and my words were lost. They were the same big round amethyst eyes she had looked up at me through from the path.

I cannot count the number of times I have found myself lost in her eyes.

"Hi," I said, my voice just above a breath. "I'm Tanya."

I held onto the partially open door awkwardly.

"Hello Tanya," she smiled at me and her voice sounded like a quiet song. "My name is Addi."

Her smile was and forever will be the sweetest sight I have ever seen. It captivated me and stole my heart.

"Want to come in?" I finally managed, pulling the door open the rest of the way.

"Thank you." She walked past me and into my house with movements that were more like dancing.

She stayed at my house the rest of that day and through the night and then the next and then every night after until before I knew it she had made my home hers. It was quickly filled with life and light and decorated in sunshine and wildflowers.

She did not tell me where she had come from and I did not ask, respecting her privacy as she did mine although I could not help wondering

She painted inside first and then out so that every room was a different color and the house was no longer unnoticeable in the woods. My once plain cabin had become a tapestry of colors ranging from sky blue to sunset orange and the outside walls, now a sunshine yellow color, were adorned with wildflowers. Rather than being bothered by the changes that I would never have made myself, I watched and admired her work.

When she had filled the house with more life than it had ever seen she moved her attention to the outside. She spent time with the many plants and trees that had grown up around the house. As I watched, they seemed to come to life for her, moving and dancing with her.

Everything she touched seemed to thrive.

The plants and trees that produced food made more than we could eat and each day she would gather up what was extra and take it in a basket out to villages near and far, sharing them with everyone she met regardless of their species.

It was not long before I began to go with her, helping to deliver the food and other things that she had made. She tired quickly, unable to carry the sometimes heavy and cumbersome loads.

As we went I could see her tiring, her face would stiffen in concentration and then she would slow down. I never let it get farther than that, quickly taking the heavy load from her and carrying it myself. I was stronger than she was and had no problem carrying whatever she could not.

We visited villages of Centaurs, Minotaurs, Fairies, Dwarves, Dinosaurs, and Animanians. Some of the villages were a mix of several different species while others, still carrying the scars of the Great Wars long after they had ended, were only populated with one.

Addi was not fearful nor was she prejudiced, rather her pure Diamondback heart loved all of them. She joined the villagers in their daily tasks, talking with them and sharing her harvest.

I helped as well though I was much more inclined to keep to myself. She brought out a new side of me and grew it as she did the world around her, I found myself beginning to care about the different creatures we met as my cold heart slowly began to melt.

We lived happily together in that way for some time, sharing stories and taking care of each other. She did not talk about her past although I finally found the courage to share mine.

She never judged or hated me for what I was or what I had done, abandoning my family and running from the Great Wars rather than helping those in need.

I am an Elemental, the spirit of the air, it does what I ask and instead of using that power to help others I had kept it to myself. My power could have helped to fight the battles against Chaos, possibly even saving many lives.

I knew of other Elementals who had fought but I had not seen the point. Instead, I had watched the world around me dying and turned my back on it with no shame or guilt.

When she met me I was wild and uncaring, as untamed as the wind I commanded. I had never had any interest in being around other people and had no desire to fight for them. I had never thought about anyone other than myself or done anything that was not for myself.

I felt shame as I told her all of this, a feeling I had never felt before. I had been so afraid that she would be disgusted with me and ashamed of the person I was as I sat there on our little couch beside her.

She was not like me though, a Diamondback does not hate, it is not possible for hate to live inside a heart that beats with the magic of goodness. To my surprise and even relief she reached out and hugged me.

Never in all the time I knew Addi did she ever bring up the things I had done or the person I had been before I knew her. She simply loved me for who I was and for that I am forever grateful. There were many times when I would be reminded of the choices I had made and each time she would be there to comfort me and remind me that I was not that person anymore. 

The day I finally learned where she came from was one I will never forget.