Fenrir had always been more than a dog. He had been Lila's protector, her constant companion, her best friend. From the moment she had been brought home as a tiny, helpless infant, he had been there, watching over her, his eyes always attuned to her every need. As she grew, so did their bond, stronger with each passing year. He understood her without words—her joy, her sadness, her commands, and even her quiet moments of solitude.
But now, as he stood in the middle of the burning house, his fur singed by the flames, his heart pounded in panic. The world around him was chaos, his instincts screaming at him to act. Fire bad. Fire dangerous. Protect. Protect Lila.
His body moved before his mind could fully process the danger. The acrid scent of smoke filled his nostrils, the heat from the flames scorching his fur, but none of that mattered. His mind was clear, focused only on one thing: Lila. She was in danger. Where is she? His gaze darted around, searching frantically.
His ears perked up, catching the faintest sound—Lila's voice, a whisper beneath the roar of the fire. Lila! His heart surged with urgency. I need to get to her.
His paws moved quickly, claws scraping against the wooden floor as he rushed down the hallway, dodging falling debris and choking smoke. The crackling of the flames echoed in his ears, but his focus remained sharp. Lila's here somewhere. I have to protect her.
He reached the living room and there she was, curled up on the floor, her small body trembling with fear. His heart clenched. She's scared. She needs me.
Without thinking, Fenrir ran to her side, nuzzling her gently with his nose. His thoughts became a whirlwind of urgency and fear—Get her out! We don't have much time!
Lila looked up at him, her wide eyes filled with confusion, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire. "Fenrir… I'm scared."
Fenrir's chest tightened at the sound of her trembling voice. She's scared, and I can't fix it. But I can get her out. I'll protect her. I have to. I can't lose her. His instincts took over again. He nipped at the sleeve of her nightgown, urging her to follow. Move! Hurry!
Lila's hands reached out, gripping his fur tightly as she stumbled to her feet. Fenrir pushed forward, nudging her gently as they made their way to the front door. He could feel the heat intensifying behind them, the fire chasing them like an unstoppable beast. His body screamed with the pain of the heat, but he ignored it. I can't stop. I have to get her out.
But as they neared the door, disaster struck. A deafening crack split the air, and Fenrir's heart sank as the ceiling above them began to cave in. The fire surged toward them in a sudden, violent explosion. Fenrir instinctively threw himself at Lila, trying to shield her with his body.
The flames roared, licking at his side, but his thoughts were a blur of urgency—I have to get her to safety. I have to protect her. She's everything. Everything to me. His body was heavy, his legs buckling under the strain, but he didn't stop. Move, move, move!
He pushed her forward, feeling his own strength fading with each step, but he didn't care. He was getting her out. That was all that mattered. She's more important than anything else.
But then, the world shifted. His muscles gave way beneath him, the air around him thick with smoke and pain. Fenrir collapsed, Lila's cries becoming distant. His vision blurred, the heat overwhelming. The world was fading, slipping away from him, and he realized, in that moment, he couldn't save her anymore. No. I can't… let go… I can't…
And then, there was nothing.
---
Silence.
Fenrir awoke to a strange sensation, like floating in the cool, fresh air. He could feel the ground beneath him, soft and firm, but his body didn't ache, didn't burn. His mind, still groggy with the remnants of his final thoughts, struggled to understand where he was.
His eyes flickered open. The familiar, suffocating smoke and heat were gone. Instead, there was a cool breeze, crisp and sharp, carrying the scent of earth and fresh grass. His ears swiveled, catching the sound of distant birds calling and the rustling of trees. Where am I?
Fenrir's body felt... different. The first thing he noticed was the weight of his limbs. His paws were no longer small and delicate; they were larger, stronger, with sharp claws that dug into the ground. His fur, once soft and familiar, now felt sleek and tough, as though it had been tempered by time and experience.
He lifted his head, looking down at himself. His body was longer, more muscular. His chest rose and fell with each breath, his heart pounding with a strange energy. I'm bigger. Stronger. His senses flared—he could hear every movement in the forest, smell every leaf, every drop of dew. What happened?
Fenrir's mind raced. The fire, Lila—Lila! His heart leaped in his chest. What had happened to her? He tried to move, to call out to her, but his throat felt strangely foreign, like the air itself didn't come to him the same way. Where is she?
As his mind spiraled, a voice filled his thoughts, quiet but commanding, as if it had always been there, waiting.
"Welcome to Lunaris, Fenrir."
The words echoed through his mind. Lunaris? He didn't know what it meant, but the name settled over him like a heavy cloak.
"You have been reborn. The path ahead is yours to carve. Know this: power will be your greatest ally—or your greatest curse."
Fenrir's chest tightened as the voice's meaning slowly sunk in. Reborn. I'm not dead? But then, what happened? His body, his senses—they weren't the same. He wasn't the husky he had been. He was something else now, something more. Power… ally or curse?
He lifted his head toward the sky, his new form towering over the landscape. The air hummed with an unfamiliar energy, an energy that filled him with both anticipation and fear. What is this place?
One thing was certain: his journey had just begun.