The Reincarnated Luna

Mana

There was a low buzzing in my ears and the mumbles around me grew louder. I was able to open my eyes, but only to be greeted with a stark white ceiling and be unable to move my neck or body.

"You can't expect us to be okay with just letting a Mantacore Cub walk around the Pack freely." Eli's father's hushed tone bounced off the walls in the room and was accompanied by a repetitive beeping. 

"That thing is why Alora is in the hospital bed to begin with!" His mom chimed in.

"No," Eli spoke firmly, "the reason she is in this room is because of you, mother." He sounded strained. There was a small stirring on my abdomen before I felt a tiny warm thing start to purr. 

"Besides, we have never been able to tame a Manticore. Why should we expect this to be any different?" His father added.

"Alora has proven to me that she has the soul of the original Luna, and she has now shown me two separate abilities that she has learned within the last forty-eight hours."

"A-are you sure?" His mother stuttered. 

"Not only does she have advanced senses, and can use those methods to help her track, but she also just brought that cub back from the brink of death. You said it yourself, it was basically braindead after the serum."

"Oh gods, I poisoned the moon goddess. What do I do, what if she never forgives me-" Rage began to build inside me with every terrified word Isabella spoke.

After what they're doing to innocent animals her main worry is because she harmed us?

"We will do something about this, but first we need to get more information. Find out what exactly they're doing to the Manticores." 

"You didn't stab her, you just gave her a sedative." I could hear the sobs from Isabella as Walsh tried to calm her.

"It was a lethal dose for humans, but since she is an Amaruq we were able to stabilize her in time." A fourth voice bounced off the walls as footsteps grew closer to my bed. The tiny purring mass jumped up quickly and began to growl.

"Now now ferocious one. I am just checking on her. Oh, it looks like she's somewhat awake. Here this may help" Seconds later warmth was radiating through my body. Starting with my right arm. An uncomfortable groan escaped my lips as I tried to pop my neck. Eli was already at my side holding my hand.

"How are you feeling?" The fourth person peered down at a chart from the end of my bed. They had a short pixy cut and large oval glasses and blue scrubs on. 

"Like I was hit by a truck." Eli helped me sit up. 

"The sedative was a large dose, but it seems you are recovering exponentially. You should be able to leave here within the next couple of hours, just makes sure to take it easy. From what I've heard you've had an eventful couple of days. I'll be back with discharge papers. If you have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to let me know." Without another word, the doctor left and it was just the three of us in the room.

I kept my face blank and emotionless when I looked towards Eli's mom. She immediately took a step closer to me, but the tiny Manticore began to growl in my lap causing her to get a displeased look on her face. I placed my hand on the small animal's head; it was about the size of a cat's.

"It's okay little one." It began to push into my hand and purr. Its tiny nubs for horns grazing my palms. 

"Isabella." Her displeased look finally changed when she looked back at my face. "I'd like to have dinner with you one night and speak to you about what being  Luna was for you." Her face lit up and was the exact opposite of what she was just giving to the manticore.

"I want to apologize for the-" She went to move to the hospital bed but I held my hand up.

"I would also like to know what kind of research is being conducted on the cubs." My gaze moved from her and locked with Eli's. He stood idle as his mom and dad looked at each other. Eli then walked and closed the door to the small hospital room, reminding me of when he first closed the doors to the bar in the colony. It feels like it's been months since then, not just days. 

"First," I braced myself making sure I wouldn't show a reaction to whatever he was about to say. "we started the study simply to find out why they were producing so fast and sporadically. Like insects" He paused. Everyone seemed tense and on edge.

"Then we realized that they truly are similar to us, so any of the serums, drinks, or even advanced medications we would test on them before starting trials on Amaruq's."  

Are they not ashamed of this?

"They seem uncomfortable admitting it."

"For how long?" I directed my attention to Isabella, slightly changing my tone so that she knew I wanted a straight answer. She glanced at Eli then back to me before running her hands down her shirt and composing herself. 

"Since the beginning. In the first round once they were released generations ago we started the study. They've just kind of-"

"Become lab rats?" I cut her off without hesitation. She avoided her gaze. 

Why is she so timid? I didn't think that a Luna would be?

"It seems that we're more dominant than her, as it should be for a future Luna." 

"Can we have the room?" Eli asked his hands deep in his pockets. Within seconds it was just me, him, and the tiny creature.  He made his way to the side of my bed, slowly lifting his hand and letting the manticore smell him. It was standoffish at first, but soon he rubbed his head into the palm of Eli's hand. As if he was waiting for the okay from the animal, Eli then scooted in beside me on the bed. Before I knew it his large arms were engulfing me in a smothering hug, but weirdly I didn't hate this one. I wanted him closer. I hadn't realized how far he had felt until there wasn't any space left between us. 

"I'm so glad you're okay." He buried his face in the crevice between my shoulder and neck. "I've almost lost you far too many times in the short time we've spent together."

His hot breath tickled my neck and I wanted to melt in his arms and take all his uneasiness away. To let him know I'm okay.

"There are more important things at hand."  I snapped out of it, pushing Eli away slightly. He pulled back enough to make eye-contact with me, but never released his hold on me.

"What you guys are doing is not right." His eyes softened and he nodded.

"I agree, but I have had no alternatives." I scooted away from him and made sure to sit straight up. All my muscles were tense from lack of use. 

"You do. You absolutely do have an alternative." He c****d his head to the side, not understanding what I was saying.

"Be honest with your people. You've told me a few things that you've kept from your pack. Are you not supposed to be open and honest with them?"

"There are things that we can't tell them."

"Can't, or won't?" He drug his hand down his face in frustration.

"You really think they'll just line up to have controversial drugs tested on them? Do you think I'd be okay with testing something on my own people that could kill them?" 

"Did you not listen at all in school?" I shouted, unable to hold my anger in any longer. The small animal seemed to feed off of my emotions and its hair started to stand as it snarled. "With how advanced your lab is, and how targeted it can be; use cultures! Or human tissue samples that are donated. Hell, even computer modules until your ready for human trials. Use your brain for f***s sake!"  He grew silent with his eyes wide for a second. When he didn't respond I looked away. The silence made me feel awkward.

"Maybe I shouldn't have raised my voice but-"

"No, I think you might be on to something. Almost every type of human and animal cell can be grown in the lab as a culture, and we can see how what we develop affects it. Why hasn't my team thought of this before?" My chest felt lighter with every word he spoke. 

"Well you guys weren't looking at it as a problem. It was just a convenience to test on them. So why would you be searching for a solution?" He nodded.

"We'll have to pitch it to the board."

"The board?"

"Yes, the people who we were speaking to earlier. Rowan, Nia, Sam, and Denver. While I am the leader they make sure I don't get power-hungry. It's not customary, and the Elders don't exactly understand it, but I'd rather have the voice of the people in my ear as I make decisions." 

" We'll also need to find a way to keep the manticores from reproducing. That way we can still keep the study of them going. Just not the torture of them. We need to know why they're hostile towards us." I continued to pet the little one.

"We did find a way to neuter the animals of certain anatomy. Since they all vary so much it is hard to determine what we will be dealing with until we try." 

"Then we'll start there. I don't want anyone with a disdain for them to be working within them at all." 

"I'm not too sure that's exactly possible, but we can definitely try." Lilly came bursting through the door, with Sam and Corra following closely behind her. Sam was covered in finger paint while Cora was trying to wipe it off.

"Al I missed you!" She jumped up and down feet from my bed. Sam kept her from getting closer eyeing the tiny animal beside me. I looked down and patted its head. 

"It's okay Sam, let her through."

"You may be pretty and all but you've gotta be mad if you think I'm going to take the chance of putting this precious child in danger." Eli put a hand on Sam's shoulder and I guess mind-linked her. She then took her hand off of Lilly. Immediately before anyone could tell her to do otherwise, she jumped straight into my lap. The manticore not even growling at her as she approached me. Eli and I shared a look just before she went to grab the tiny animal.

"What is this-" This time the Manticore didn't get angry, but anxious. It timidly went to curl up behind me. 

"This little one," I patted the bed beside me, making the small creature come out from behind me, "is a ferocious beast." Eli titled his head to the side. "While this tiny thing here is sweet and precious now, do not approach them while you're alone." Lilly seemed a little shaken after my words and timidly stuck her hand in the creature's face. Moments later it stretched it's cat-like neck out and began to purr. 

"It tickles!" Lilly giggled as I looked to the door at Sam. The same doctor with the pixie cut came strolling in too.

"Alrighty miss." She began unscrewing my IV line and taking the tube out. The small creature was too engrossed in Lilly's loving to care what the doctor was doing to me. Once they were done they handed Eli a small bag and stack of papers.

"If you need anything you know where to find me." Before quickly leaving.

"Alrighty, I guess we better be going now. We had fun today little one, see you again tomorrow morning." Cora sent me a small wave before dragging Sam out of the room. 

"So what do you think we should name it?" Eli questioned from the small closet in the corner of the room. My legs were a little uneasy as I tried to stand.

"I had planned on letting it go with the rest of the Manticores in custody." He brought me a pair of sweatpants and a loose navy blue t-shirt and hoodie. Which I was thankful for since I didn't have a bra.

"It doesn't seem right to keep it really. It deserves to have a chance at a normal life." Eli nodded before heading to the door.

"I still think you should name it. It's different from the rest of them." And with that, he closed the door behind him.

"What about you Lilly? What do you think we should name it?" I slowly took my hospital gown off and slid the baggy clothes on.

They smell like him. I smiled knowing these were his clothes and not mine by the way they bunched around my ankles.

"Mana." Is all she said between giggles and playing with it. It nibbled at her but never bit her. I nodded.

"Mana it is." I said opening the door to the room.

"Mana is a wonderful name." There Eli was with a wheelchair in front of the door.

"I can walk." he caught me off guard by wrapping his arm around my waist and sitting me in the chair.

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Come on Lil, we gotta make dinner for Allie when we get home." Mana jumped into my lap in the wheelchair as Lilly skipped beside it.

"I don't know who you're calling Allie but it's not me." That got a deep rumble of a chuckle out of Eli.

"After all the stress you've caused me I'll call you whatever I want." I twisted in the chair and raised my eyebrows at the grinning Eli.

A smile really does look best on him.