VEENA

The first thing I remembered was a dull pain in my head as I tried to get my eyes open. Then, at the next moment, my pain was replaced by awareness that seemed to pull me back from the edge of the abyss like a taut, strong rope. I could feel the tree that I was resting against and the life that was flowing through the forest in my immediate vicinity without opening my eyes. But these sensations were like small embers compared to the open flame that was my familiar bond. I could feel it blazing next to me, forming a loop that I fed and at the same time, fed back to me, enriching me even more. I could feel his breath as it left his powerful body, standing poised to protect me.

I could do nothing but marvel at the absolute beauty of his being as I took him in. I still had a hard time believing that he was my familiar, but there was no mistaking the sensation of the familiar contract. With my eyes still closed, I sent a pulse of awareness at him, letting him know that I was okay. The feeling of relief that I got back from our bond was so genuine and pure that I couldn’t help but smile in utter contentment.

It was when I was enjoying this feeling of complete bliss that I noticed him tensing up as he shifted his position. A sense of worry that was communicated through our bond had me on edge immediately, which snapped me out of my blissful relaxation. I managed to open my eyes and focus with some difficulty. Long rays of the sun illuminated my surroundings as I gathered my senses. I was lying against the trunk of a tree with my Wolf standing guard over me. I managed to shift my awkward position and was rewarded with a sharp jolt of pain, which told me it must have been some time since I was laying here.

I noticed him tensing up and letting out a low, guttural growl the same time as I moved. I turned my head to see what had him feeling threatened and I saw Anna and Kate standing a few dozen feet away from us. As soon as I saw them, the events before I lost consciousness came flooding back to me.

‘Nick.. Where was NIck?’

I started looking around frantically for NIck. When I couldn’t see him from my position, I tried to stand up, only to be rewarded with sharp pain in my leg muscles. I used my Wolf as a support to stand up and face Anna and Kate.

“NIck, where is he? What happened?” I asked them in a frantic voice.

“Nick is fine, sweetheart. He overextended himself a bit. Maggie’s taking care of him back at camp. He’s gonna be fine” KAte said.

I almost sagged with relief at her words. I didn’t think I could have lived with myself if I’d let anything happen to him.

“Veena, Are you okay?” Anna’s trembling voice brought me back.

“I’m fine. I’m aching all over and I feel like there’s a killer headache coming on. But I’m okay mom” I said.

I could see the tension visibly seeping out of her body at my words. She must have been in a right state with watching over me, unable to do anything while I was passed out for elements knew how long.

I communicated through my bond to let him know that these were friends and they didn’t pose any danger to us before limping as fast as I could towards them both.

I hadn't even made it more than 3 steps before Anna had me in a fierce hug, shortly followed by Kate. I don’t know how long the 3 of us spent there in each other’s arms, sobbing till we were all feeling content. The way that Anna was holding on to me suggested that she was unlikely to relinquish her grip anytime soon. I rather enjoyed it since I felt that we were both only coming to realise just how much we meant to each other.

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My new companion was still standing rather close to me when all this was going on, but he refrained from making any aggressive movements towards Anna or Kate. I tried to put my emotions about both of them and just how much both of the meant to me through our link. Just when I thought I didn’t succeed, I was greeted with a whine and a nod and he seemed much more relaxed around Kate and Anna after that.

We made our way back to the campsite slowly, in consideration for my aching body. Still, everytime Stiles moved with me and Anna on top of him, it sent a jolt of pain through my back. My new companion easily kept pace with us as we made our way back.

As we entered the clearing, we were greeted with the sight of Maggie physically restraining an obviously exhausted Nick, who was struggling against his mother. At the sight of our party returning to camp, they both disengaged from each other, with a look of utter relief and amazement on their faces. They both started to move towards us till they spotted my wolf emerging from the shadow of the treeline. Both Nick and Maggie took a few steps back with Maggie standing protectively in front of Nick. I tried to put up a happy face so as to make them feel at ease, but both of their eyes were firmly locked on to the rather scary form of my new companion.

I tried to communicate to my wolf that these were not enemies, but I got the feeling that he was not going to show the kind of trust that he’d extended to Kate and Anna. Lack of outright aggression seemed to be the best I could ask from him at this point.

“Calm down Maggie, everything’s under control.” I heard Kate telling her.

The only response she got was an incredulous look from Maggie before she focused back on the Wolf.

“It’s really okay Maggie, Veena managed to form a familiar contract with the Strygian wolf. He won’t harm anyone, not unless someone threatens Veena”. Anna said.

I tried to give a confident and reassuring smile to Maggie and Nick, but it might have just come out as nervous and sheepish, as Maggie and NIck were now staring at me as if I’d grown two heads.

“Are you really telling me that an apprentice mage managed to make a familiar contract with an effing Strigian Wolf?” MAggie asked incredulously.

“Unless you have another reason for a docile one to be following us around Maggie.” Kate retorted.

Maggie seemed to be struggling to come up with an answer before giving up and going back to sit down on a stump.

Nick still seemed to be staring between me and my Wolf with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

“Are you okay Nick?” I asked.

“I’m fine Veena, Are you okay?” he asked, still throwing uncertain looks at my new companion.

“I’m okay Nick. He’s bonded with me now. He’s just a bit protective of me that’s all” I said.

I noticed that Nick’s expression had turned to something less than pleasant when I addressed my wolf as ‘him’. After this exchange, Nick quickly said goodbye before making his way back to the tent. I suppose it made sense that he’d be extremely wary of a magical beast that was poised to kill us only a few hours ago. It also struck me then how quickly I had come to accept the said magical beast as my friend and protector. I had to keep in mind how the presence of my bond would distort my view of him. To everyone else, he was still an extremely dangerous Strygian wolf.

I managed to get off my horse with some difficulty, but I managed to make it to my tent with relative ease with the help of my new companion.

‘I really have to find a name for him’ was the thought running through my head as my head hit the pillow. Despite not being awake for most of the day, I was out almost as soon as I laid down to rest. The last thing I remembered was the warmth of my new friend beside me and his promise of protection that he communicated through our bond as his head down beside me.