Reika

REIKA: THE WANDERING STORM

"But Alpha... what if I don't come back...?"

These were the first words that Reika remembered upon gaining consciousness. She had no other memories. All she could remember was a voice, much younger than her own, asking that question. The rest of her memory was too hazy, too clouded.

She woke up in the middle of the woods, near Naonuma Pack lands. She had no home, no family, no name. At first, her pelt was a soft blue color, with black limbs and white-tipped paws. Black diluted her coat. Her eyes, a cold but gentle blue. That gentleness would soon harden, as she would later come to find out.

It was Timber Forest who found her first. The male was scouting the forest where his leader had founded his Pack. Upon finding the femme, he was shocked. He asked who she was, and was surprised when she said that she didn't know. She had no name.

After taking her to the aging leader, Kokuro, the femme was allowed to stay. Kokuro took it upon himself to speak with Willow, the pack's herbalist at the time.

"Willow, dear." Kokuro said, his elderly voice soft. Pups were roaming around Willow's den, and he didn't want them to overhear. "I need you to tell me about the strange femme Timby found."

"I don't need to tell you, Alpha," the kind young herbalist laughed, lifting a paw to nudge her leader's chest. "You know who she is. Deep inside, you know. Look at her pelt, her eyes, her soul. Search within yourself. You know that she is our lost one."

"But that's impossible…!" Kokuro barked. "She can't be-! She can't be our Reika!"

"Oh, but she is. Our Reika was taken from us, swept away whilst on her journey, and lost to the sands of time. But our wish has reached the ears of our ancestors. The Great Ones have heard our pleas. And they have given us our Reika back. But she does not remember us. You have to awaken her. It can only be you, the Alpha. None other, are capable of awakening our Reika."

"But… if I awaken her… will she resent me for letting her go?"

"No. 'Twas her wish to see the world. She will understand, but you must tell her, Alpha. Before the moon's first light crosses the skies tonight."

~~~

"I'm sorry, WHAT-?!?" The voice that split the air was many things. Confused. Shocked. Angry. The femme stared at the elderly wolf in disbelief, hackles raised in alarm.

"You-" Kokuro gulped. "You're our Reika…"

The femme - Reika? - felt her heart break as she mulled over the knowledge of what had happened to her past self. Her first stop was decent enough, but when she made her second stop… she was never heard from again.

Kokuro lowered his head. "I'm sorry, young one. I had no idea that you… that they would…"

Reika shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. You're innocent, Alpha. You didn't know."

Kokuro hesitated. The look in Reika's ice-toned eyes… it was cool. No, cold. It lacked any warmth to it. He was worried.

"Reika…" He began. "What are you going to do…?"

"That's easy." She responded coolly. "I'm going to get my revenge."

~~~

With the knowledge of her past, Reika had one goal: to strengthen herself as a huntress, to prove herself to those around her, and to get her revenge. With the passing of Kokuro and her succession as Alpha, her dreams were finally within reach. Reika was ready. To those who knew her, who called her their friend, she was as warm as she'd been in her first life. But to those who crossed her, who'd done her wrong, she was as cold as the frozen northern mountains. She was hellfire given life.

She was, and is, and will forever be…

THE WANDERING STORM.