I know about losing family and I know about gaining them. In such a short expanse of time I have lost maman and my father and my birth home, and gained my mother and the Sisters and the jungle. There is a blessing in being so young, because I can be so fully focused on the now. Daily my past life fades and my eyes are filled with the bright green of my new world. An ache rests in my soul for the separation from the one who bore me, my lovely and charming maman, but it is being soothed by the possibilities ahead of me as my mother's daughter.
And she is perfect. My first sight of her, with horns held high and eyes of steel and warmth, won me over in a heartbeat. She is protective but she does not smother me, and I feel freer than I ever have before. I know little of what she does, only that she is called Khaleesi and the Sisters listen to her (like I am supposed to but don't always manage).
I feel like a queen in her kingdom, confident and carefree, as if the entire jungle exists as my playground. I am not aware of politics or tensions or anything other than the moment I am in. But still, I am a little lonely at times. There are not many other children.
The bark of a capybara catches my attention and I leave my mother's side to investigate. I have seen many of the little pig like creatures while searching for the jungle's spirit, and they are endlessly amusing. This one seems to be running about in circles, watched by a filly. I halt in surprise, unused to seeing anyone who is my size, and then begin to chatter.
"Oh! Hello. Those little things are rather funny, aren't they? Perhaps it is looking for its mother or something to eat." I move closer to the filly, my smoky black form revealed from the foliage and an interested grin on my face. "I'm Anguisette although nearly everyone calls me Sette. Who are you?"
the jungle princess