Winnie and Astrala

Winrir looked across the landscape in confusion. This had been a bright happy green forest only a day ago… Now everything in sight had been destroyed. Trees were knocked over and splintered into pieces, bushes and shrubs torn to shreds, any flower or animal that had been in the radius of whatever had come through was mutilated. The only things left alive and only slightly traumatized was rabbits.

As he was walking through the destruction to discover what exactly had happened he gathered the rabbits, all shaking and many escaping off to somewhere unknown to him. He looked out at the destruction. He tried to think of what could have happened.

There was no volcanoes, not to mention no scorching.

There was no earthquakes and earthquakes wouldn’t tear animals to shreds.

This forest wasn’t set to be destroyed for millions of years from what he was aware. Nothing could have done it.

He stepped over a mutilated corpse and heard something. A shriek. He began sprinting. Someone was hurt, possibly set for the same fate as the animals! He pushed himself to run as fast as he could. He couldn’t let anyone die!

As he got closer two things could be heard. Loud crunching and screaming. Furious screaming. Not of someone in pain or danger but someone who might be a danger.

Winrir approached cautiously and sees a woman who he quickly recognizes as a god far more powerful than him. The goddess of the full moon… She was rarely seen, why was she here?

He watched, entranced and confused.

“So I was just a toy, huh? The moment something better comes along just throw me away?” She screamed. She swung her huge sword at a large tree and knocked it clean down before stabbing it repeatedly.

He followed her as she crashed through the forest, screaming curses at someone for leaving her. She made rapid progress through the forest and was approaching a river. On the other side of that river he saw something he’d never want to see standing in front of an angry primordial… A little girl.

The girl had obviously been gathering water but had now been frozen with fear, watching the monstrous woman growing steadily closer to killing her. The goddess probably wouldn’t even know she’d killed anyone.

Without another thought or even a worry for himself, Winrir pulled out his bow and tied a string to his arrow. He aimed directed at the goddesses back.

The moment it hit her she froze. The little girl snapped back into reality and began running.

He pulled hard at the arrow and the goddess fell back, sending up dust and rocks into the air. He pulled harder and was hit by something. He fell back as well, now holding something in his arms.

As the dust settled he began to realize exactly what he was holding. It was a small girl, probably only ten years old. She was sobbing.

He looked up, expecting an angry goddess to be running at them but instead saw nothing. His arrow had snapped and now only half was attached to the rope. The other half was lodged in the girl’s back.

“E-Excuse me,” He said softly.

The girl looked back and grimaced, tears dripping down her face. “A man…” She murmured before slowly getting up.

He looked over her. She had similar traits to the two other moon goddesses he’d seen. The same four arms, dark skin, and curved horns. She must be a different moon goddess, though how or why she was here he didn’t know. He did know she was upset and injured though.

“Let me help you,” He sat up more and held out a hand to her.

“Men do nothing for me but steal, why would I let you help me?” She growled, wiping her tears away.

“I won’t steal anything, I just want to get that arrow out of your back,” He insisted.

“Why put it there just to take it out?” She stepped back a little.

“I-I shot the full moon goddess because she was about to kill a little girl, I didn’t intend to shoot you, nor shoot without reason,” He explained to her.

She looked over him carefully. “Did I- She really almost kill a little girl?” Her voice got a little softer.

He nodded slowly.

“Thank you then, but I will take care of the arrow myself,” She turned away again.

“Please let me help, it’s the least I can do after hurting you,” He stood slowly.

She looked back at him. She stood there silently, studying him. “Take it out, then Cassie won’t figure out it was you who shot me,” She snorted and sat back down.

He smiled softly and sat behind her. He carefully began removing the arrow.

She didn’t flinch or wince or react at all when he pulled it out. She just looked ahead with a grim face.

“What happened? Why did the full moon goddess do this? And why were you crying?” He asked cautiously.

“None of your business, man,” She spat out man like it was an insult.

“I know but… I want to help if I can,” He said softly.

“Why would a man want to help?” She snarled, looking back with fury in her eyes.

He wasn’t sure why she kept repeating man. It was like it was the worst thing to possibly be. “I was taught that helping was important and you seemed in need of help,” He replied.

“Men only steal and speak cruel words,” She stood again, brushing herself off.

He pulled her back down into an embrace,“I won’t let you leave until you realize that’s not true.”

“I am your superior! Let me go!” She clawed at him.

“If your my superior shouldn’t you be able to escape easily?” He retorted.

She slowly stopped struggling and went almost entirely limp,“I’m tired…”

“Then talk to me, we can just sit here and rest,” He smiled softly.

She looked back at him. “I’ll trust you and you alone. If you speak one word of this to anyone I’ll seek you out and kill you,” She said harshly.

“Okay, I won’t,” He nodded.

She shifted in his lap so she could cuddle into his chest. “Not as soft as a woman,” She muttered.

“Damn, I normally pride myself in being soft,” He chuckled.

She looked up at him confused.

“I’m kidding, it was just a little funny,” He carefully reached up and pat her head.

“Oh,” She smiled weakly. It was an innocent and cute smile that made his heart yearn to make her smile more.

“So what’s wrong?” He asked.

She settled against him, wrapping her four arms around his back. “M-Full moon… She was angry because… Someone stole her girlfriend,” She said softly.

He watched her quietly. Girlfriend? A god so rarely seen has a girlfriend?

“It was like every other girlfriend since the beginning of her life. She falls in love, they date, and then the girlfriend finds a man who is far better and just throws her away,” She teared up.

He stroked her hair,“I’m sorry if this is a bad question but… Has she ever tried dating a man?”

She looked up,“Of course not, men are horrible.”

He got the idea she had been taught that by full moon. “But maybe that’s just the men she’s encountered. Am I horrible?” He asked.

She looked away,“Well, not from what I see…”

“If she doesn’t want to she doesn’t have to but maybe she should try dating a man,” He suggested.

“Why are you here?” She suddenly changed the topic.

“What do you mean?” He asked back.

“Why are you here at this forest?” She clarified.

“I hunt here a lot, though I only hunt celestial creatures or things I plan on eating,” He smiled.

“Oh… You really are a god then…” She snorted.

“Wait, why wouldn’t I be a god?” He asked.

“Because I thought maybe it was just mortal men who were like you,” She replied.

He chuckled,“Nope, I am definitely a god.”

“What of?” She asked.

“Wolves, and hunting but mostly wolves. I’m not a very big god,” He began stroking his fingers through her hair.

“So you’re a woofy?” She looked up at him with big eyes.

“Yes?” He smiled. What was this about?
“Well I’m a bunny,” She grinned.

“Oh yeah?” He was entirely distracted by how adorable her smile was.

“If you show me your woofy form I’ll show you my rabbit form,” She said excitedly.

He chuckled,“Sure.” He released her and she sat back to watch. He slowly changed into a large black wolf.

She grinned and began petting him,“Lookit the big woofy! I wuv da big woofy!”

He wagged his tail. He liked seeing her happy.

She kissed his nose and then began to shrink. She transformed into a tiny white rabbit.

He bent down and nudged her gently.

“What do you think?” She asked, hopping closer to him.

“Adorable,” He replied.

She pressed her nose into his. “Can I tell you something woofy?” She asked.

“Of course,” He settled down and wrapped his little paws around her.

“I am full moon, and Astrala,” She replied.

He looked down at her, a little shocked. He hadn’t realized they were the same gods… Though that would make sense… “Is that why you hate men?” He asked.

“Yes, men are horrible. Except woofy, woofy is nice,” She cuddled into his chest fluff.

“Woofy’s name is Winrir,” He told her.

“Winnie!” She said excitedly.

His tail wagged happily. “Well Astrala, Winnie will protect you from all the evil men,” He told her.

“Thank you,” She shut her eyes and relaxed against him.