Fenrir's Journey : I Shall Devour The Heavens! 12 Maturity

Training with Eva was very difficult but, to avoid feeling the pain of loneliness, Fenrir studied as hard as she could. Eva was a ruthless Master, unlike her kind and gentle Master, but she was also very strong. Fenrir could also tell that, though Eva was very hard on her, and her Master's True Dragon, Terra, she wasn't really a 'bad' girl. Eva always made sure to explain anything that Fenrir couldn't understand and, because Fenrir also had an affinity with Ice, Eva had started teaching her some of the unique magic she had developed over a several-hundred-year period...

(A/N: There will be a subtle s.h.i.+ft in the tone from this point on.)

Even though she did her best to not let the loneliness get to her, Fenrir found it was difficult to last the entire four year period as Eva's understudy. She had become much stronger but, as a result of her increased magical power, the hunger that slept deep inside of her became more difficult to manage. Without her Master there to replenish her reserves, Fenrir was unable to continue putting the maximum amount of effort into her training.

Things eventually reached the point where moving around was very difficult and, unable to continue any longer, Fenrir used what remained of her energy to build an Ice Palace to wait for her Master's return. She constructed a large bed of ice in the very center of the palace and, after using up a large portion of her magic power, Fenrir curled up into a small ball and began to hibernate. In truth, she didn't really dream, nor did she even require sleep, but Fenrir had gotten good at sleeping on command. During the brief periods of time when she would wake, Fenrir would weakly raise her head and sniff the air, hoping for any sign of her Master's return. Then, after spending a few minutes trying to recall the warmth he always brought her, Fenrir returned to her slumber once again.

After a long cycle of sleeping, waking, and returning to the blissful embrace of darkness, Fenrir finally awoke to find an abnormality in the s.p.a.ce surrounding her. The link that connecting her heart with that of her Master's became active and, even without smelling the air, she knew he had returned. It was very difficult, but Fenrir managed to stay awake as she waited for his arrival. Then, after what had felt like an eternity, the cold air of the Ice Palace retreated and, like the sun cresting over the horizon after the darkest of nights, her Master arrived.

She had never possessed them as a Kobold so this was one of the first times in her life that Fenrir actually released tears. With what remained of her strength, she began to gently wag her tail to show her Master that she was aware of his presence. An instant later, he appeared at her side, bringing with him the long-forgotten warmth that seemed like something from a lifetime ago. This time, instead of allowing her Master to hold her for comfort, Fenrir enjoyed the feeling of the comfort he brought to her. Their roles had reversed and, for the first time in her life, Fenrir understood what it truly meant to share happiness with another person. She now knew what it meant to be loved...and what it meant to love another...

(Fenrir's Commentary: 'Master, I truly do love you...always, and forever...')