Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Space, the final frontier… this had always been said about humanity. Their last challenge was to conquer the distant, faraway stars. Until then, alone in space, a green and blue world in the vastness of the infinite void… that was what everyone believed, until the arrival of the Vargr race on planet Earth.
Date: November 5th, 2025 — 10:36 AM
At 10:36 AM, local time, across the entire planet, humans were going about their normal lives—working, drinking their coffee, or playing with something. But everything ended suddenly. Loud, shrill sounds were heard, like gigantic engines roaring over the surface of planet Earth… and then, just as suddenly, they ceased.
What followed was the sight of gigantic ships descending from the sky—large gray figures, rectangular and elongated, with enormous engines at their rear. In that instant, the world fell into chaos, terror, fear, and fury. No one knew who the visitors were. Friends? Enemies? Conquerors?
This was the beginning of everything.
Within hours, the world government of the United Nations hastily gathered to discuss what they would do with this new information: WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE. That was all they could think about. Should they make contact first? Or would the visitors do so of their own accord?
Suddenly, everything trembled. Lights flickered throughout the headquarters. Everyone feared this would mean the end of humanity—that they would be attacked, dominated, even enslaved…
A bright light burst forth in the middle of the leaders’ round table. Everyone closed their eyes.
What appeared in the center of the room was surprising, frightening, and incredible: a wolf—or what should have been a wolf—with a humanoid appearance, blood-red fur, a large fluffy tail with a silver tip, and four strong arms. Her eyes were amber-colored, like living fire. The being had large breasts and wore armor made of steel that moved like small living metallic insects. She stood 3.24 meters tall—towering over every human in the room. They didn’t know what she was, but she was certainly female, accompanied by two others of the same species, shorter but equally impressive, holding weapons… or what appeared to be weapons.
Suddenly, everyone remembered that she could be a visitor with hostile intentions and shouted for security guards, soldiers—whatever might respond. A battalion of soldiers rushed through the doors, aiming their rifles, pistols, and anything else they had at their disposal.
The female raised her hands in a gesture of peace. She opened her mouth to speak, revealing sharp teeth.
“Pleasure to meet you. I am Freyja, Empress of the Vargr. We have not come to dominate your world or devastate your people. We come in friendship, to offer mutual exchange—and nothing more than alliances.”
The world leaders, their guards, and their soldiers fell silent, as if the very air they breathed had vanished. They had not expected this. Happiness appeared on their faces—or perhaps disbelief. But they would not miss this opportunity.
Over the course of more than eight months, discussions with the Empress, agreements, and growing friendships formed a bond between humans and the Vargr. And thus, an alliance between humans and wolves was sealed.
Humanity had finally conquered the stars… and gained new allies.
And so, 200 years passed since learning that WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE.
__________________________________________________________________
Location: Frontier Planet Ironpaw — Local Time: 09:20 AM
Ironpaw was a planet of clear seas, blue skies, and vast alien flora. A large spaceport connected the planet to an orbital elevator, supporting a major colony composed of 80% Vargr, 10% humans, and 10% other races.
Through the study of the Vargr, it was discovered that their species consisted of far more females than males—a matriarchal empire. They explored the universe in search of males to continue their existence, but with little success… until they finally encountered Earth and humanity. Their species could survive and thrive on many worlds.
A young Vargr girl, around ten years old, slept in her new, warm bed. The door opened slowly, and an adult Vargr entered, gently poking the little one.
“Veyra, dear, wake up. The day has begun. Your classes start today.”
She kissed the girl’s forehead as her red eyes slowly opened. Veyra sat up, stretching her four small arms… and hugged her mother, smiling brightly.
“Finally! I was so excited about this! I’ll be able to make new friends, won’t I, Mom?”
Her mother smiled.
“Of course you will, my sweetheart. But let’s take a bath first, or you’ll be late.”
Veyra jumped up hastily, running to the bathroom and nearly slipping in the process. A few months earlier, she had told her mother, “I’m a big girl now. I can bathe myself!” And so she did. She took a quick bath, cleaning her light gray fur and her small gray tail with its white tip. She dried herself quickly with a towel, being careful with her tail, and put on her new school clothes—a shirt with four arm holes and pants with a hole for her tail.
She went downstairs and found her father—a tall human with fair skin and chocolate-brown hair—making breakfast: solar pancakes with honey. He was a homemaker and handled most of the household chores. He stood at the stove, making toast with butter. Veyra ran over and hugged his legs tightly.
“Good morning, my sweetie. Ready for your first day?”
Veyra smiled.
“Of course! I’m super excited, Dad!”
He gently patted her head, and her ears twitched with happiness.
Her mother entered the kitchen, hugged her husband, and kissed his cheek.
“You’d better eat, love. We’re almost late.”
Her father served toast with butter and juice.
Veyra ate quickly, brushing crumbs off her new outfit.
“Quick, quick, let’s go!”
Veyra ran to the front door and stepped outside into the open air of the small town. Green grass grew in front of the house, and the spaceport was visible—a massive dock in orbit against the blue sky. She could see several children walking with their parents to school and hovercars moving back and forth. She waited for her mother, who was still talking with her husband at the door. Her mother kissed her cheek and took her hand.
“Let’s go, then,” she said.
They walked for fourteen minutes, the school being close to the family’s home. Many children could be seen, each from a different species: Vulpari children—small, agile foxes with large fluffy tails; Krynn, resembling crocodiles, walking beside their enormous mothers, some even larger than Vargr; members of the Greymar race, similar to gray seals—skilled singers and merchants; and a few humans.
They entered the school and headed toward classroom 3B. Her mother kissed Veyra’s forehead and left her at the door. Veyra stepped inside—it was chaotic, filled with children talking and playing. She stood there, observing everything, not noticing the approach of an enormous female Krynn with dark blue scales and red eyes behind her. The crocodilian woman tapped her shoulder.
“Come in, young lady. No standing in the doorway.”
Veyra flinched slightly but entered, searching for an empty seat. She found one near the window and sat down. The Krynn teacher moved to the front of the room, her large, sturdy body commanding attention.
“Attention, children! I will be your teacher for the next few years. My name is Estra. Remember that. Now, sit down—and no messing around.”
The children quickly settled into their seats, listening as the teacher explained how things worked at the school. Veyra paid close attention. She could hear whispers at the back of the room, but couldn’t understand them clearly.
Several hours passed. The lesson had moved on to mathematics.
The lunch bell finally rang. Everyone rushed excitedly to the courtyard, a wide space filled with tables beneath alien trees with bluish leaves. Veyra searched for an empty table, her lunchbox swinging from one hand. She hadn’t made any friends yet, but she wasn’t giving up.
She was about to sit when her sensitive ears caught something—aggressive voices, cruel laughter. She froze, her tail stiffening, and turned toward the sound.
On the far side of the courtyard, where fewer adults were present, three Vulpari boys surrounded someone smaller. The orange foxes, around ten years old, wore new, shiny clothes—clearly from wealthy families. Their large tails swayed with cruel amusement.
Veyra approached carefully, hiding behind a nearby table to observe.
Their target was a human boy, about nine years old. His fair skin was smeared with dirt and dust, with fresh scratches on his arms and face. His school uniform was old and faded, clearly secondhand. An orange badge on his chest read: “Municipal Foster Home.”
An orphan.
“What are you doing here, orphan?” said the Vulpari leader, the largest of the three, an expensive golden collar around his neck, as he shoved the boy hard. “This school is for people with real families—not abandoned trash.”
The other two laughed loudly, their pointed ears twitching.
The human boy stumbled back but stayed on his feet. He clenched his fists, trying to look brave, though his hands trembled.
“I… I have the right to study too…” he said quietly, but with firm determination.
“Right?” The leader stepped closer, baring his sharp teeth in a cruel smile. “My father says orphan humans come from nearly inhospitable worlds just to steal our opportunities. You don’t belong here, Terran.”
One of the others kicked the boy’s backpack, scattering his belongings across the ground.
“Go back to your hole,” the third mocked, stepping on a notebook.
The human crouched to gather his things, but the leader pressed a foot down on his hand. The boy cried out in pain.
Veyra’s ears flattened against her head. Something hot and furious rose in her chest—a rage she had never felt before. Her four fists clenched, claws slipping free.
She thought of her father that morning, gently stroking her head. Of her mother, always protective and kind.
Everyone deserves someone who cares for them.
And this boy had no one.
Veyra placed her lunchbox on a nearby table and walked toward the bullies, her small gray tail stiff with resolve.
She shoved the Vulpari leader away with two of her arms, knocking him back with surprising strength.
“Why don’t you leave him alone?!” she shouted.
The Vulpari fell hard. He glared at Veyra, rage burning in his yellow eyes. His friends moved beside him, growling softly.
The human boy stared, stunned.
“Don’t interfere, little wolf,” the leader snarled. “Or you’ll get hurt too.”
He laughed cruelly, his friends joining in.
But Veyra stood firm.
“I’m not afraid of you!” she said, louder than she meant to.
The leader charged, fist raised—but tripped as the human boy stuck out his leg. The Vulpari crashed face-first into the ground.
Blood streamed from his snout. Two teeth lay on the floor.
Crying loudly, he fled toward the school entrance, calling for his friends. After a brief hesitation, they followed.
Silence fell.
Veyra turned to the boy, her breathing unsteady.
“Thanks for that,” she said softly. “My name is Veyra… Veyra Arcticus. And you?”
The boy wiped his face and looked up.
“Ethan,” he said. “I don’t have a last name.”
“That’s okay,” she smiled, offering her hand. “Ethan is a good name. Want to sit with me?”
For the first time in a long while, Ethan smiled.
“I do.”
What would come from the meeting of a Vargr girl and a human orphan? Anything could happen. But one thing was certain—both their lives were about to change.
Chapter 2: CHAPTER 2
Summary:
After the fight between the students...what awaits Veyra and Ethan?
Notes:
I'm here to share chapter 2 of Through the Stars. I hope you all enjoy it... Happy reading!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 2
Lunch, after what had happened, went by calmly for Veyra and Ethan. Sitting at a table away from the commotion, they talked and laughed—something Ethan hadn’t done in a very long time.
It was during that conversation that Ethan finally told his story. He was an orphan and had lived in the Municipal Care Home for as long as he could remember. The three Vulpari always bothered him because of that—children of wealthy merchants who believed orphans didn’t deserve to attend the same school as they did.
He became withdrawn as he spoke about himself, his voice low, his eyes avoiding Veyra’s. But she, being a clever girl, decided right then and there that they would be friends. It didn’t matter what others thought.
“So we’re friends now,” she declared, extending one of her four hands. “Officially.”
Ethan’s face lit up. He shook her hand with both of his—his first handshake of friendship in a long time.
“Friends,” he repeated, smiling for real.
Veyra’s gray tail wouldn’t stop wagging. She had also made her first friend at school.
And so, a great friendship began.
Before they could play any longer, the shrill and irritating bell signaling the end of lunch rang. Veyra made a face.
“We’re in different classrooms,” Ethan said, standing up. “I’m in 2A.”
“And I’m in 3B,” Veyra replied, already missing his company. “But you can wait for me at the end of the day, okay? We’ll go home together.”
Ethan blinked, surprised.
“You… want to go home with me?”
“Of course! You’re my friend now.” She smiled, showing her little teeth. “See you at the gate!”
They said goodbye and returned to their respective classrooms.
Veyra entered classroom 3B with a huge smile on her face. Teacher Estra gave her a curious look but said nothing. The final classes passed in a blur—math, science, Ironpaw history—until the last bell rang loudly, echoing through the halls.
Veyra packed her things in record time, tossing notebooks and pencils into her backpack without care. She practically flew out of the classroom, her paws barely touching the ground.
At the school gate, she waited. She tried to stay still, but her tail betrayed her, wagging excitedly every second.
Three minutes later, she saw Ethan approaching down the corridor. He wore a somewhat old backpack—the blue fabric was faded, and the straps had patches—but the smile on his face was genuine and bright.
“You really waited for me,” he said, surprise in his voice.
“Of course I did.” Veyra tilted her head, her ears perking up curiously. “Why wouldn’t I wait for my new friend?”
Ethan didn’t answer. He just smiled wider, his eyes shining with something that looked like… relief. As if he couldn’t believe someone truly cared.
As they were about to leave through the main gate, a large Vargr woman with dark blue fur and brown eyes stepped in front of them. She wore a small silver badge on her blazer reading “Principal.” Behind her—astonishingly—stood the same Vulpari boy who had bothered Ethan, now with his nose bandaged, smiling smugly despite missing two teeth.
Ethan and Veyra struggled not to laugh at his appearance.
The Vargr woman began to speak. Her voice was calm and measured, but clearly irritated.
“First day of school, and I already have to deal with trouble from you children.”
She clearly didn’t want to be doing this, but it was her job.
“Veyra and Ethan, come with me to my office.” She looked at Veyra. “I’ve already called your parents.” Then she turned to Ethan. “And you, Ethan, I’ll be speaking with the orphanage’s headmistress.”
She turned to leave.
“Come. Now.”
Her tone remained irritated.
Both children flinched, but they knew they could explain everything. After all, the Vulpari with the broken teeth had started the fight.
Everyone went to the principal’s office. Ethan and Veyra sat on a bench outside while the Vulpari entered with the principal. Ten minutes passed.
Veyra’s parents arrived. They spoke briefly with their daughter before entering the office.
Veyra wasn’t sure if she would be in trouble for defending her friend. But what worried her most was Ethan—he had no parents to defend him. Even so, he didn’t seem worried, just quiet, looking at his own hands.
Inside the office, the principal asked them all to sit, but she herself remained standing. She gave a small salute.
“Lady Altira, it’s a pleasure to see you again after so many years.”
Altira was Veyra’s mother. She was a Legata—a legion commander in the Empire’s army. She stood up and shook her friend’s hand.
“Nala, it’s been so long! Who would’ve thought the girl I took care of during my soldier days would become a school principal.” She gestured to the side. “This is my husband, Joah.”
Nala turned and shook Joah’s hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Joah. I hope you’re taking good care of her.”
Joah smiled, returning the greeting. Nala asked both of them to sit.
The three adults talked. Nala explained what Veyra and Ethan had done—but said nothing about what the Vulpari had done to start the fight. Altira and Joah were shocked by what their daughter had done, but they were sure she had a very good reason.
Nala called the two children inside.
Veyra and Ethan entered with their heads held high, knowing they had done nothing wrong.
“Can you explain what happened, Veyra?” her mother asked, her face worried but stern.
Veyra nodded quickly and pointed at the Vulpari.
“He started everything! He was bullying my friend!” Her tail was raised and bristled, a sign of indignation.
Altira’s gaze shifted to the Vulpari beside the principal, then returned to Ethan.
“Is that true, boy?”
Ethan nodded.
“Even if it’s true, you can’t assault your classmates,” Nala stated, her voice professional but firm.
The Vulpari looked irritated but stayed quiet, simply crossing his arms.
Joah, who had been silent until then, decided to speak.
“Dear, I know you defended your friend. That’s very good.” He knelt to her height. “But you can’t attack someone… You’ll have to be punished.”
Before Veyra could protest, Ethan stepped forward.
“She didn’t do anything, sir! It was me…” He pointed at the Vulpari. “He was going to punch her, and I put my leg in front of him. He fell face-first on the ground.”
Altira looked back at the Vulpari with a sharp, angry gaze.
“Children, you may leave now,” Nala declared. “I still need to talk to your parents, Veyra. Reyn, you may leave too—I’ll still be speaking with your parents later. Don’t think you’re getting away with this.” Reyn was the Vulpari’s name; he left angrily. “And you too, Ethan. I’ll speak with the headmistress as planned. Your actions weren’t good, but they weren’t bad either, given what happened…”
The three children left the office. Veyra and Ethan sat on the bench outside. Reyn walked away silently, though his smug smile still lingered on his bandaged snout.
A few minutes passed before Veyra’s parents exited the office.
Altira approached her daughter and knelt, gently stroking her little face.
“Dear, even though you acted correctly in helping your friend, it’s still wrong to push a classmate from behind.” Her voice was gentle but firm. “Nala told me Reyn claimed that’s what happened… Even so, your father and I decided to ground you. You’ll be without your toys for two weeks. Understood?”
Veyra opened her mouth to argue, but her father shook his head. She understood there was no point.
Altira turned to Ethan.
“Thank you for defending my daughter, Ethan.” She gently touched his shoulder. “But you also got her into trouble. I’m not angry with you… and since you’re her friend, I’ll try to speak with your headmistress to lessen your punishment.”
Ethan nodded, eyes wide with surprise. No one had ever defended him like that.
The four of them left the school together. Veyra and Ethan continued talking and playing, the punishment already half-forgotten in the excitement of having each other.
At the corner, Ethan said goodbye to Veyra and her parents and headed toward the orphanage. He didn’t know what punishment awaited him, but he wasn’t worried.
After all, he had finally made a friend.
And that was worth any punishment.
A few days passed.
Ethan’s punishment was simple: thanks to Altira’s help, he only had to clean the furniture and the orphanage yard for four weeks.
During that time, Ethan and Veyra got to know each other much better at school. They talked a lot, played, and had fun like true friends.
It was another school day. This time, a Vulpari teacher temporarily replaced Estra. She had a long nose, orange fur with brown stripes, calm and kind brown eyes, and a large, fluffy tail.
The class was History, held in the school library. Veyra and Ethan sat together.
“So, children,” the teacher began, “today we’ll study the History of the Empire: how it was created and how it reached the present day.”
She raised a small round device made of flesh and steel, with a single eye embedded in its surface—one of the Empire’s bioengineered creations. The teacher turned off the lights, closed the windows, and lowered the white screen. The device came to life.
A great planet appeared—vast and full of life. Enormous trees, seas of vibrant purple, and a long blue sky stretched before the children.
“What you see, children, is the capital planet of the Empire, where everything began: Venera Varka. Of course, today it’s very different. This is just an educational reconstruction.”
The room fell silent as everyone admired the beauty of that world. Veyra and Ethan watched attentively.
The image changed, revealing the names of the species that inhabited the planet. The Vargr dominated the forests; the Vulpari reigned in the deserts; the Krynn lived and worshiped in the swamps; and the Greymar inhabited the vast ocean waves.
Each species had its own home… until war began—driven by territory, dominance, and conquest.
The conflict between the races lasted six long years. Everyone was exhausted. Most of the males of each species had died, leaving behind wives, daughters, and sons.
Tired of death and destruction, the empress of that time—the great-grandmother of our current empress Freyja—took control of destiny. She convinced the other races that violence would lead nowhere. In a great vote, they decided to merge all species into a single Empire… so they could survive.
The children listened, fascinated by those ancient stories.
Over the years, peace and prosperity followed. Technology advanced, and bioengineering was discovered, allowing the creation of living marvels of flesh and steel—and even the healing of gravely injured bodies.
Still, a new problem arose around fifteen hundred years ago, during the reign of the current empress’s mother: the scarcity of males.
The issue was debated seriously, and a search began. Years passed… until our radars detected something unexpected.
It was Voyager 1, a probe from Humanity, carrying the Golden Record—with various songs, languages, sounds, and images of a great blue planet.
Faced with this, we could not ignore it. Thus, a diplomatic incursion was launched.
After arriving on Earth, Empress Freyja formed several agreements with humans—various treaties—and shared our technology. Years of mutual understanding followed, learning to use all kinds of items. Of course, it was very frightening for them to deal with living things like the Empire’s special military armor, but they adapted over time. From advanced ships to the simplest vehicles, and so, two hundred years passed. For Freyja, it was the blink of an eye, but for humans, everything was always new—they were like children with new toys.
And so, the video ended.
The children’s eyes sparkled with excitement as they learned how the Empire came to be. The same was true for Veyra and Ethan, both extremely curious. The teacher explained a bit more about the races of the Empire and their cultural differences.
When the class ended and the bell rang, announcing dismissal, Veyra and Ethan left quickly, following their usual path—until Veyra asked:
“What do you hope for in the future? You know… where do you want to be?”
Ethan thought for a few seconds. Thought hard.
“I don’t know… we’re too young to think about that. But if I had to dream of something… I want, someday, to have a family.”
Veyra smiled—a big, sincere smile.
“That’s a great dream…” she said, her tail swaying thoughtfully. “I think about that too sometimes. But for now, I want to try to be like my mom. Work with her someday.”
Ethan admired her expression. He knew very well that orphans had few chances at success… but if he wanted to keep being her friend, he would have to work very hard.
They kept talking for a while before saying goodbye. Ethan headed back to the orphanage—a large, well-kept house surrounded by high walls.
He couldn’t let himself be discouraged.
Ethan was determined to be someone. To become someone, someday.
And so, five years passed.
Their friendship only grew stronger. Veyra was now fifteen years old, and Ethan fourteen. Both had matured with time—not completely—but they were still playful as ever.
That day, Ethan was visiting Veyra’s house to work on a school assignment. When he knocked, Altira opened the door with a warm smile.
“Hello, Ethan. It’s good to see you.”
She hugged him maternally.
“Come in. Veyra’s in her room.”
He smiled and eagerly went to her room. Upon entering, he was greeted by a smiling she-wolf.
“Hey, you took too long! Let’s finish this boring assignment so we can play!”
Ethan laughed.
“Alright, alright… you’re still as energetic as ever.”
They finished the assignment quickly. It was a simple essay on how the Empire’s central economy functioned, with the Greymar race being one of the main forces behind production and trade.
After that, Veyra turned to Ethan, now with a more serious expression.
“So… before we play… I wanted to tell you something.”
Ethan looked at her. He was sure it would be another joke, but Veyra took a deep breath.
“My mom was promoted in the military… she became a Duxia. So… she’ll have to take care of territories far from here. What I mean is… we’re moving in a month. Even though I don’t want to… and I tried talking to her.”
Ethan’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. He understood—yet he kept smiling.
“Hey… as long as you keep in touch with me, we’ll still be able to talk a lot.”
Veyra blinked a few times. She thought he would be sad… but he wasn’t. He had always been like that. Her heart filled with happiness because he was who he was.
“Of course. I’ll always call you using my mom’s radio.”
Days passed. Ethan remained the cheerful boy he always was, and Veyra, the playful Vargr.
But in the last days of the month, Ethan began acting strangely—quieter, more distant.
Then the big day arrived.
Altira made a point of speaking with the orphanage headmistress to allow Ethan to go to the space dock to say goodbye.
The dock was enormous, full of people working and advanced technology. There were cargo ships, transport ships… and even a battleship. It was the first time Ethan had seen so many new things at once.
They stopped in front of the ship Andromeda, where Veyra would board.
“I’ll miss you, boy,” Altira said.
She hugged him tightly, kissed his forehead, and passed her hand from top to bottom—a Vargr blessing for a good future.
“I hope we meet again someday.”
Joah approached, handing him a small package.
“I made this for you, Ethan. It’s your favorite cookies. And there’s an extra surprise… my special recipe. I’ll want to taste yours someday.”
Veyra approached slowly.
“Are you okay? You’ve been acting strange… not talking much.”
Ethan smiled.
“It’s because I wanted to give you this.”
He pulled a silver hoop earring from his pocket, decorated with small engraved wolves.
“I asked the headmistress to let me help more at the orphanage… and I saved some money to buy this for you.”
Veyra took the earring carefully.
“It’s very beautiful, Ethan…”
She admired it as if it were the most precious gift in the universe.
“I also have something for you.”
She pulled out a necklace with a tooth attached to it.
“Dad helped me make it. It’s one of my teeth… it was treated so it won’t decay. It’s so you’ll always remember me, okay?”
Ethan smiled and put the necklace around his neck.
“Thank you very much… for everything. I’ll miss you.”
He hugged her tightly. Both of them cried.
Altira called her daughter.
“I have to go now…”
“I hope we meet again, Ethan…”
“See you later, Veyra…”
The family boarded the ship. Ethan stayed behind, crying… but he wiped away his tears.
He remembered something important:
He needed to reach her someday.
And so… the ship departed.
Notes:
A lot has changed for Veyra and Ethan... but what does the future hold for them? Thank you so much for reading. Feel free to comment and give your feedback.
Until the next chapter! 🌟"Sorry if there are any grammatical errors."