Anastasia awoke one morning with a racing heart. She sat up and tried to crawl up the crib. She knew what day it was. It was the day her father would be coming back! She squeaked until her mother ran in.
"Hey Anastasia! Are you happy for the big day?" she squeaked more, Septia smiling.
"I knew you would..." Septia took Anastasia to the dining room, where there was a full breakfast on the table. Anastasia felt her mouth water, she being set down onto her high chair. Septia smiled.
"Choose anything you want, Ana." Anastasia pointed to a muffin, Septia handing it to her and the young grub wolfing down.
"Hungry aren't ya! There's plenty, Ana!" Septia ruffled Anastasia's hair, she still eating. Septia plucked up her food, eating along with her daughter.
"I've missed your father these past few months..." She said as Anastasia squeaked. Septia checked her watch and gasped.
"Oh dear! We gotta go, Ana!" Anastasia was soon swept off her chair and was rushed out the door. She in her mother's arms ran straight to the train station. When they reached it, the train was pulling in. Septia smiled and whispered to Anastasia.
"Smile wide for Dada!" Anastasia smiled as the doors opened, she squeaking loud enough anyone at found them heard. When the train was empty, Septia became confused. Her heart dropped. Where was he? She looked inside the train. Empty. She gasped and started to cry. Anastasia looked up.
"Mama? Where Dada?" Septia gasped and sobbed, holding Anastasia close.
"Ana...Dada....He gone..." Anastasia broke out into tears, sobbing as her mother carried her home.
"There, there....He died in honor. Nobody can stop the Midnight Crew....Nobody...."
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They ate silently at breakfast, Anastasia hardly touching her blueberry muffin. Her mother was in her room, sobbing her heart out. Anastasia sighed and let a blue tear slip out, it landing into her muffin. She had lost her appetite, along with a piece of her heart. She leapt off the chair and crawled into her parent's room, seeing her mother lying motionless. Worried, she crawled up the sheets and onto the bed, seeing she had cried herself to sleep. Sighing, she nosed her way under her arm, snuggling against her mother's warmth. She felt her stir, waking up.
"Oh...Hey Ana....You scared me." she felt her mother graze her slim fingers through her raven hair. She snuggled closer, squeaking, trying to comfort her. Her mother smiled and sniffled, drying her eyes.
"You're just like your father...Always wanting the best for me....including emotions..." Anastasia looked up and squeaked happily, showing sharp baby teeth. Her mother held her close.
"But...I'll keep your father's promise....I need to take care of you...Whether he's here or not. He's watching over us right now...and he'd be disappointed if I didn't-" Anastasia's belly roared in hunger. Now she wished she had eaten. Her belly ached and she curled up.
"Aw...Come here....Let's continue eating breakfast." she carried Anastasia downstairs, and she warmed up the breakfast from earlier. Anastasia sat and prepared her belly, it still aching with hunger. Soon, hot eggs and sausage was set in front of her. Not seeing it was her mother's plate, she wolfed down some sausage. In an instant, her mouth burned. She hissed, squealing. Septia gasped.
"ANA!" she picked her up and rushed some water down her throat. Anastasia felt the burning and throbbing sensation die away, panting.
"Sorry....Mama should've placed that away from you. Forgive me?" Anastasia nodded happily.
"Yea, Yea!" Septia smiled and kissed her forehead, setting her down and cooling off some oatmeal for the grub. Anastasia ate heartily, her mother doing the same, knowing that Anastasia would grow up honoring her father and his sacrifice.
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A few hours later, Anastasia was at a park. Oddly, however, she felt alone, on her back, looking up at the clouds in the sky. She felt the warmth on her skin. She suddenly felt a prescience beside her. The teal grub crawled close. Squeaking in baby grub language.
"Mind if I feel the sun with you?" Anastasia squeaked back.
"Not at all!" the two lay on their backs, looking at the clouds.
"My name's Polara. What's yours?" Anastasia gulped, then squeaked.
"Anastasia." Polara seemed to gasp.
"Little long of a name, eh? Anyway, I know how you feel. People keep saying that my name's to long too, but they misspell it. It's P-O-L-A-R-A." Anastasia smiled and squeaked.
"Yeah...I think we should be friends!" Polara nodded.
"Yeah!" the two grubs hugged, and crawled off to play on the slides and other fun park activities. Meanwhile, their mothers watched over them.
"Finally Polara has a friend..." Polara's mother looked around, seeing Anastasia's mother. Correctly assuming it was her, she walked over to her.
"Might you be that cute grub's mother?" Septia smiled.
"Yep! And you are?" they shook hands.
"Polara's mother, Snowly." Septia smiled.
"Septia. Nice to meet you."
"Polara really needed a friend. She was starting to get so lonely..."
"Anastasia was the same." Snowly tilted her head.
"Anastasia? That's a bit long for a name..."
"She's named after my grandmother...She was quite an oddball, but she lived a very full life. Kids and all." Snowly nodded.
"Nice. So...why do you look so gloomy...?" Septia gulped, sighing a little.
"My.....Matespirit was lost to the Midnight Crew."
"Ey....Im sorry...."
"It's okay....he died trying to protect us." Snowly smiled.
"You're strong willed. I like you. I think we'll be good friends as long as Polara and Anastasia are." she slipped a piece of paper into Septia's hand.
"What's this?"
"My phone number. So maybe the two can have a sleepover."
"That's sweet. Well, me and Ana have to go have some lunch. She gets hungry REAL easy." Snowly smiled.
"Well, call me and our two little darlings can have some fun." Septia smiled and picked up Anastasia, carrying her home, but not before waving back to their new family friend.
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