Despite her warning, Phaedra could not allow herself to simply ignore the girl and let her fend for herself. And, she was pleasantly surprised to see that Nika was a fast learner. She quickly caught on when Phaedra taught her how to catch food, and she knew how to make it back to the cave within a week of her arrival. She almost couldn't believe how rapidly Nika mastered the skills she taught to her. Her eagerness to learn amused Phaedra greatly.

But, despite Nika's success in understanding the rules of the forest, Phaedra was often cold towards her. She snapped easier than the dry twigs littering the forest floor, and many times she refused to even speak to the girl. However, Nika would often speak to Phaedra, whether she responded or not, so the golden wolf had unconsciously learned quite a lot about the young girl.

Finally, Phaedra finally warned Nika of the Hunt, for it would be foolish not to do so. She urged her to always be on the lookout for hunters, because Phaedra had lost track of the Hunt now that the sun had been taken from the village. She could tell that the thought of a mass Hunt scared the girl, but once more she refused to comfort her and left her to her worries.

As the days passed, Phaedra could not help but notice how alike she and the young girl were. Both were curious of almost everything that caught their attention, and, not to mention they both were quick of wits. She tried to ignore Nika's growing similarities, but to no avail. Despite her best efforts, Phaedra soon found herself taking a liking to the young girl who accompanied her everywhere.

"Keep up," Phaedra barked one day as the two were making the trek back to the cave. They had been searching for food, but to no avail, and Phaedra was irritable at the lack of food they had found. But, as she turned back to see what was taking Nika so long, her heart momentarily stopped. Nika was nowhere to be seen.

"Nika?" Phaedra shouted, her voice cracking as she dashed back in the opposite direction. Against her will, her heart began to pound through her chest in worry. Had the Hunt began without her realizing it?

She quickly caught the scent of Nika and followed it back to a small clearing they had cut through mere minutes ago. There she found the girl, crouching low to the ground and singing softly. Phaedra opened her mouth to scold the girl, but when she heard her melody, she stopped. Nika's voice seemed to be more beautiful than Apollo's himself. It danced and twirled above her head as the notes rose and fell in the most magnificent design. Phaedra sat down and listened as the song lifted her heart to the heavens, tickling her ears pleasantly with its whispers of good fortune and love. It allured her and made her want to believe that the world was good, and that there was hope for everyone. As the last note brushed past her, Phaedra could not help shaking her head and breaking herself from the delightful trance the song had put her in.

Nika glanced back at her timidly as she said, "I am sorry Phaedra, I did not mean to worry you. When I saw this glade, all I desired was to sing my tale to the heavens."

Phaedra nodded, "It was a beautiful song, but next time, tell me when you stop. If I hadn't looked back, I would have made it all the way to the cave before noticing you were gone."

"Yes, Phaedra."

But, as the two continued their trek back to the cave, Phaedra could not help longing for the songs she would hear years before; the songs of Nika reminded her painfully of Rastus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Phaedra was unusually close to the town when the Hunting horn sounded deep within the forest. Fear flooded her heart as she dashed back towards her cave, realizing she had made a dreadful mistake. Unlike most of her expeditions toward Zaesria, Phaedra had told Nika to stay near the cave, thinking it would be safer for her to not venture so close to the town. But, now the Hunt had begun, and Nika was alone and defenseless.

Phaedra barreled through the forest, jumping over logs and bushes in her mad dash to make it back to the cave. As two hunters crossed her path, she mercilessly killed them, knowing that they would only cause trouble for her and Nika if left alive. She ran faster than the wind itself, weaving through trees and rocks as her mind began to stray to the worst possible outcomes. Was Nika still alive? Had the hunters already found her? Would they take her back to the village?

But, as Phaedra jumped into the glade, she saw that the cave looked untouched and that there was not a hunter in sight. Nika nervously dashed out of the cave to her side, fear evident in her pale blue eyes. Phaedra wanted to comfort the girl, but there was no time to spare.

"Run," she said quickly, "You must hide, Nika. I will lead the hunters away."

"No," she said, her voice quivering, "I won't leave you."

"You will be killed if you don't go!" Phaedra said, glancing around the glad in a panic, watching for the hunters.

"No!" she shouted, tears beginning to stream down her face, "I will go with you, they'll kill you if I don't."

"If you do not hide then they will kill you too!" Phaedra said, pleading with her eyes for the girl to save herself.

"You said before that you were not responsible for whether I survived or not. I am choosing my own fate, and if I die then so be it, but I won't leave you to die."

"You and I both know that is not true! I am responsible for you," Phaedra said, her own heart throbbing as she spoke, "And whether you live or die is on my honor. Now leave!"

Nika looked as if she might finally consent. The fire in her eyes dimmed and she sighed before beginning to turn away from Phaedra. But, before she could even take her first step away from the golden wolf, a lone hunter jumped into the clearing, spear at the ready. Phaedra and Nika both turned in shock as the man hurled his arm forward and released the weapon.

Phaedra's heart stopped as her mind slipped back to the past. She had been frozen before, and in doing so had let her boy die. She had hesitated, she had not protected him. And now, she stood beside Nika instead of in front of her. She was afraid to put faith in her life in fear of her dying. She thought that she had distanced herself from the girl, but in reality, the thought of her dying grieved her as much as Rastus's own death. She could not allow her to die. She loved the girl as her own, and it pained her to admit it but it was true. For too long she had held her grudge against the emotion in fear, but resisting love was like trying to hold back the tide with her bare hands.

As Phaedra jumped in front of Nika, she knew her time had come. But, she was not fearful; she was at peace for the first time since her punishment. She would finally be free.

The spear struck her chest with a resounding "thump" and Phaedra dropped to the ground, pure agony spreading from the wound in her chest. She heard Nika cry out, but she could do nothing but stare forward at nothing, yet everything. Her breaths labored fruitlessly as she attempted to take in the last breaths she would ever experience.

Phaedra then felt herself being pulled across the ground. Her eyes weakly flicked upwards to see Nika. Tears swam in her blue eyes and Phaedra longed to comfort her. She reached upwards with her paw, but as it came into vision she saw that it was no longer a wolf's paw, but instead a human hand.

"I'm human," Phaedra mumbled weakly, looking to Nika for confirmation. The young girl nodded her head with a watery smile.

"Don't move," Nika said, her voice trembling, "It will only make it worse."

"It does not matter now," Phaedra said, her tone deathly calm, "I am dying, Nika, there is no stopping my fate."

"No there has to be a way," she said, "Please, don't leave me."

"Heed my words," Phaedra said, wanting, no needing, to give the girl a last piece of advice, "Love is the most powerful force in the world. Do not lose it, and do not abuse it. I have seen the horrors that love can wreak, and I have tried to resist it. It is a magical thing that can turn bitter so quickly. Do not allow the beauty of love to become tainted, it will destroy you."

Phaedra then allowed her eyes to drift to sky, knowing her remaining time on earth was measured. As her breaths shortened, she saw Apollo watching above her. He smiled solemnly and nodded, letting her know that it was all right to let go, to fade away into the darkness threatening her vision. Finally, Phaedra gave her last breath, and like a gust of wind, the air exiting her lungs pushed away the clouds and revealed the fading sunset for the first time in years. Nika looked to the sky and her eyes widened in wonder at the beauty that could come out of something so sorrowful. The sky was painted brilliant hues of purples and red as the sun began to sink below the horizon. The stars shone faintly above the fading light of day, and Nika could not help but stare in amazement at the twinkling dots in the sky.

"It is a shame," a voice spoke up next to Nika, "That such a benevolent soul had to be taken from the earth in such a cruel way."

Nika looked to her right to see a young man kneeling next to her. His blonde hair reminded her of Phaedra's own pelt, and his blue eyes were brighter than the stars. He looked grimly towards her, and in his shimmering eyes, Nika could see great sorrow.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice cracking with grief.

The man smiled, "I am simply a man hoping to honor the life of another friend. You need not worry."

Nika was still curious as to whom he was, but she held her tongue and looked down at Phaedra's motionless, upturned face. Her glassy eyes reflected the starlight like pools of water, and her skin had turned cold. But, as Nika watched, strange things began to happen. Phaedra's lifeless, brown eyes turned gold, and her skin become so fevered that Nika could not stand to touch it. She slid backwards quickly and watched in awe as Phaedra's whole body shimmered gold before shattering into thousands of tiny gold specks. The man then walked forward, took the gold specks into his hand and threw them skyward. Nika was sure that they would simply tumble back to the earth in a shower of gold, but instead they trickled upwards towards the stars, glittering more than metal the entire way up. As she watched the spectacle, several other hunters entered the glade to stare in awe at the phenomena created by this man. When the gold particles finally faded from sight, Nika thought that they would merely disappear forever to dance among the stars, but once more she was astonished by what happened next. A golden star streaked across the horizon, soaring through the darkening sky and outshining even the sun below it. As the lone gold star trailed across the heavens, a single howl echoed in its wake, striking a mournful chord within the hearts of all watching. The star stayed visible until the sun faded from sight, at which time the shooting star also disappeared into a black void. Nika turned to look in amazement at the mystery man who caused this, but as she turned her eyes upon the where he had been standing, she was shocked to see that he was gone. He had simply vanished into thin air.

Nika then stood to face the hunters who had gathered around her. They all mumbled in shock of the event that had just transpired, but stopped talking immediately as Nika raised her voice.

"The wolf of the shining pelt has been given the greatest honor by the gods!" she proclaimed, "We will tell all the Tale of Phaedra and spread her glory for years to come. It is our duty to praise her, for the gods have bestowed this miracle onto her for her courage."

The hunters looked at her in amazement, and many nodded their heads in agreement. Nika continued, saying, "Next time you look to the night sky and see the flying star of Phaedra, know that her love is upon you. She will help you if you only ask."

And so it came to pass, that whenever one from the village of Zaesria would see a shooting star, they would feel the guidance and protection of Phaedra within their souls. They soon began to believe in their hearts desires as they gazed upon the fiery spectacle. And, every year on the night of the hunt, the golden star of Phaedra would soar past the setting sun and proclaim her mournful, yet hopeful howl for all to hear. Phaedra's love would live on in the hearts and minds of all she watched over, and it would continue to endure as long as there was love in the world.