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The Guardian protects all
But is defenseless
The Guardian watches all
But is invisible
The Guardian says all
But is ignored
The Guardian knows all
But is nameless
The Guardian loves all
But is abandoned
The Guardian nurtures all
But is neglected
The Guardian seeks all
But is lost
The Guardian humors all
But is forlorn
The Guardian aids all
But is helpless
The Guardian feels all
But is unnoticed
The Guardian is alongside all
But is alone
Prologue: Niche
Claire walked slowly through the deserted halls, her quiet footsteps unheard over the clicking of her companion’s claws on the once-polished stone floors. Meliasa walked on her mistress’ right, her fox-shaped head even with Claire’s hip. Merdoth, on Claire’s left, towered a good three feet or so above the girl.
“Hey, Mel, can you go check the wind conditions? I’d like to go for a fly today.” Meliasa nodded her head and shot away from Claire and Merdoth, her membranous wings flapping just a little. Claire and Merdoth continued their leisurely pace, letting the air grow fresher and fresher around them.
They came to a large, open entryway that was only reachable through flight, being the sheer drop that it was. Claire looked up against the midmorning sunlight to see the winged form that was Meliasa, soaring higher and higher. The Vacca sent back a mind-picture of a high-flown bird easily gliding along, signaling all-clear. Merdoth lowered himself, allowing Claire to easily climb aboard.
Once Claire was seated atop his back, her hands entwined deep in his thick, dun-colored mane, Merdoth leapt from the entryway, diving a little and pulling up suddenly. His large, feathered wings kept them both easily aloft, and they glided along like liquid. He flipped sideways in midair, rotating on the same axis as the long horn that sat perched atop his snout.
Merdoth came out of his playful spin and rose, Claire still clinging to his back. Air rushed past the duo as they rose to meet Meliasa where she hovered, waiting. Merdoth surged past her, though, despite his bulk and passenger. The smaller Vacca turned and soared after him, her long, catfish whiskers fluttering like twin banners behind her.
Merdoth went to do a loop over Meliasa, but the larger Vacca didn’t account for his passenger. Claire’s finger’s slipped from his fur, and she fell, her green scarf fluttering in the air. She landed neatly on Meliasa’s back, and the smaller Vacca only dipped a little in midair. She then surged upward, catching up with Merdoth easily. She threw a picture into his mind, one of a bird easily outflying another, and passed him quickly, taking her passenger higher and higher.
Claire always enjoyed her flights with these two. Granted, she couldn’t make herself airborne as such, but she loved their playful antics nonetheless. She felt complete safety while aboard their backs, even when they did accidentally drop her, and she absolutely loved the sense of freedom that came with the aerial maneuvers.
Merdoth flashed a picture into Claire’s mind, one of a bat in its fluttering flight. On the horizon, a winged dot was making its way towards them, approaching at a slow pace.
“Let’s head out to meet them,” Claire said after a moment of thought. Meliasa soared towards the unknown flying creature, Merdoth keeping steady with her.
“Guardian Claire, is that you?” a voice hailed. The trio recognized it instantly, and Meliasa sped up to greet their friend.
“Yeah, Lonar. It’s me,” Claire shouted back, holding tight to her speeding mount.
“I need to speak with you on some dire issues,” Lonar called back, speeding up as well.
“Then let’s discuss them back at home, shall we? I’d rather not shout my business across the mountain range.”
“Agreed. You go on ahead; I will catch up.”
At this last, Meliasa took a wide, sweeping bank back towards the once-beautiful palace that they called their home. Merdoth mimicked the maneuver but with a tighter arc and dove below Meliasa so that Claire could hop onto his back.
The larger Merdoth made it back first, and because his wingspan was just a little too wide for the opening, he tucked them in with just enough time to land running. Meliasa, being smaller, landed easily and braced herself with her long, flexible tail, the serrated spur at the tip pointed up so as to not catch.
Lonar flew in a few minutes later, regally tucking in her large, leathery wings once she had landed. She turned her doggish head towards Claire and said, “Well, shall we go find a place to sit and discuss? I have something rather important to speak with you about.”
“Of course, Lonar. Why did you come all the way here, anyway?’ Claire asked, walking down one of the corridors. Lonar’s claws clacked on the floor as she trotted alongside her friend, her whip-like tail flicking back and forth.
“To talk.”
“About what?” Claire kept walking, hoping to get some kind of response from the Una queen. Claire had known Lonar long enough to know that when the wolf-like creature fluttered her black-tipped ears and flicked her tail as such that she was upset.
“May we sit first?” Lonar snapped, glaring up at the girl. Claire recoiled at the biting response.
“Y-yeah, we can sit.” They walked in silence until they came to the place where Claire usually slept, which was full of soft skins and such. Claire settled down on one of the beds. Meliasa and Merdoth settled down on either side of the girl in a protective stance, while Lonar sat simply on the floor across from the girl.
“I will get straight to the point, Claire. Your planet is going to be destroyed.”
Claire just stared at Lonar. The Council, to translate the word, didn’t just go around destroying planets for no good reason.
Claire licked her lips and asked with a small, croaking voice, “Why? What have I done wrong?”
Lonar tilted her head a little so that her right eye could better take in the girl.
“It is the fact that you have done nothing that your planet is in the peril it is in.”
“And what about me?”
“You will be going with it, unfortunately.”
Claire just stared at Lonar, horror written all over her features.
“Then-”
“There is a way to fix this, Claire,” Lonar said, standing and walking to Claire so that they were nose-to-snout. “If you can find good reason to keep this planet from annihilation, then the Council will spare it.”
“How do I do that?” Claire asked dumbly.
“You go out and actually interact with your planet, Claire. Like I do with my own. You just stay in these ancient halls and do nothing, which hurts your relationship with your planet, and hurts the chances it has to survive. You will not be able to say anything about your planet from experience because you have none. You,” Lonar sighed in frustration, then said weakly, “You have twelve of your years. Use them wisely.”
“Wait, Lonar!” Claire cried, shooting up before the Una even had a chance to turn.
“What, Claire? I have known you for a long enough time to know you will not do a thing. I asked to have you come to my own planet, but the Council refused,” she looked up at her desperate friend, “There is nothing I can do.”
“Nothing at all?” The girl couldn’t hide the terrified twinge in her voice. Lonar thought for a second.
“I will return in one of your ‘Months’ with an answer to that question, Claire. Until then, take care of yourself.” The Una left calmly, with her tail and ears still betraying her true thoughts.
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