Minerva

Misty Gulch was home to a small protected community. Isolated in the desolate badlands, the town was protected from the influences of the war and was possibly one of Krenyra’s best kept secrets. However, the quiet expanse of desert was also a safe haven for several small gangs of thieves, looking to set up camps in the most secluded area of the colony. It was not uncommon for those looking to pass through to be knocked out cold, awakening to bruises and empty pockets.The jangles and rattles of stolen trinkets and treasures were just another part of the wild’s nightly symphony. 

But the Gulch had never been a target for bandits since the news of the town’s infamous “beast” began to spread throughout the badlands, halting any further assaults from occurring in its proximity. A creature resembling a woman- but taller and stronger than a man- with teeth sharper than daggers and eyes a deep crimson shade of red, was said to stalk through the village and attack on sight. These rumors alone had been enough to shield Misty Gulch from any unscrupulous nightly visitors- or the rare curious tourist. 

The terrible monster, in actuality, was not a bloodthirsty beast. In fact, it was not a creature at all, but a teenage girl who had struck fear into the hearts of so many invaders. Loved by the village for her kindness and strength, Minerva never thought of herself as a monster at all. Such an idea seemed amusing to those who knew her well. The residents of Misty Gulch claim the stories of such a beast to be the follies of the desert’s many lost souls.

With the appearance of a wild animal, it wasn’t unusual for outsiders to turn tail at the sight of the oddly tall girl. Minerva stook out like a sore thumb from her peers and neighbors, but they had accepted her as one of their own since she was a small child. From her first day there, Minerva had been not only a citizen of Misty Gulch, but a part of its family. Known as the town’s “big sister”, she has protected it for years just as the townsfolk had done for her.

Though she viewed them as her siblings and her equals, she always knew that there were things that made her different from those who the outsiders dubbed as “normal”. They were smaller and she had to be gentle with them, lest she accidentally bring them harm with her strength. She could run faster and jump higher, hear better and see farther, yet she never held herself to higher standards than anyone else in the village. She was just different in a few ways, neither superior or inferior, and it was her duty as part of the family to protect those who she loved with the strength she had been blessed with. 

No matter how baffling the concept may have been to many, Minerva ate at the same table and slept under the same roof as her odd little family, never baring her fangs or stalking after them as if they were her prey. Likewise, they never had an ill thing to say about her, and did not view her as a predator, but as a friend- a sister. Whether those outside of the village could accept this or not did not affect this relationship, as the secluded town of Misty Gulch cared little for the ignorance of outsiders. Family came first, and as far as any of them were concerned, Minerva had found her family here.