Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Twilight
Chapter 1 : Veneration
ven⋅er⋅a⋅tion [ven-uh-rey-shuhn] - a feeling of awe, respect, etc.; reverence.
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You must know that everybody had an animal that they most act like. Right?
That is completely true. Maybe you're sly like a fox, chatter like a chipmunk. Or maybe you're meek, like a mouse.
Now imagine a world where everybody walked around with everybody knowing just what type of a person they are. Of course, to know this, you would need proof. And this proof would, of course, come in the form of your 'spirit animal', as they are known. Tier In Geist, they say. It means 'Animal In Spirit'. Anyways, back to the proof. People would be able to see your spirit animal.
How would they see it, you ask?
Well, you would have both the ears and the tail of your animal, and of course you may make an animal-like sound every once in a while.
Imagining this world yet? Sounds fun, doesn't it?
Myself, as well as everybody else, live in this world. And let me tell you, it is a bit more complicated than it sounds.
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We are human, we just don't appear completely human. Or, at least, your opinion on what 'human' is. In this world, it is perfectly normal to be walking around with floppy dog ears on top of your head, and don't forget the big, bushy tail. This is our normal. We don't have people without them.
Now, what is everyone's deepest desire? To find the one they love of course.
It makes it so much easier, having our animal qualities shown to everyone.
For example, if you are a fox – we categorize people by their spirit animals – and you see a hot guy/girl (whatever your preference is), you automatically look to see what animal they are. Not a fox? Well, then, they are definitely not your soul mate; might as well not even bother.
Another thing is it is not enough to simply 'fall in love'. No, soul mates have that classic connection. It comes in four simple steps.
The first step is Distance. Once you are within a mile of your soul mate, you start feeling a tugging in your chest. That is your spirit trying to tell you where to go, basically. Very useful when you wish to know where your mate is.
Next is First Sight. Obviously, when you first see your soul mate, you will feel an instant need to be closer to them. It fills a part of you that you didn't even know was missing before.
Third step is Alliance. Once you touch, it could be brushing past each other in crowded place, but you feel a pull, and it causes a strange feeling of need. You feel instantly desperate, as if you can't live without the others touch. And, you can't. If one were to lose their mates, they would surely die. No mated person could survive without the constant closeness of their beloved one.
The final step is Recognition. It is not simply enough to feel that connection. No, we have to realize and tell ourselves that this is our mate. It has been said that there are some people who shove aside the first three steps, merely thinking that it is a coincidence, because their soul mate does not meet their standards. Without the fourth step, people can go, to put it nicely, insane. And they have.
Now, of course, all of us are protective of our mates. Certain people even more so, but that is simply their spiritual characteristics coming into play again.
Two people with different spirit animals have never properly mated before.
But, there's a first time for everything, right?
I thought you would think so.
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The Cullen family was composed of seven members; in these seven members, were three completely mated pairs. The eldest couple (the parents), Carlisle and Esme (both 23), both had the characteristics of a common woodland deer, being very gentle and calm. Emmett (20) and Rosalie (19) were next. They resembled bears; Emmett, because he was rambunctious and wild, and Rosalie because she was amazingly protective of her family, much like female bears. Jasper and Alice (both 19), the final pair; both resembled foxes, being sly, secretive, and good with technique – though, it was more so Jasper with the last one.
The last member was Edward. Forever 17, he resembled a lion, because of his pride, fierceness, love of running, strength, intelligence... lion was a perfect match for him. Edward had yet to find his mate; very rarely did they find another lion that could possibly be his. When they did, neither of them felt that connection that all pairs described. Edward would smile, get to know them, but accept that she was not his mate.
Edward had given up trying to find 'the one' in Forks, Washington. There was not a single lion in town, so it was a hopeless case all along.
He tried not to let himself hope too much when he heard that a new girl, his age, was starting next week. It wasn't a high chance that she was a lion, after all.
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Charlie Swan and Renee Martin (now Dwyer) were a rare type of 'mate'. Now, another thing I must explain. In our world, we live forever – many stopping around the age of 20 or so. It is impossible to overpopulate, however, because we have diseases, and wars. Plus, it helps that only every 200 years can children be born.
Now, Renee and Charlie mutually agreed to get together once the last mating season occurred, despite him being a raccoon and her being a rabbit. They both wanted a child, but had no idea when they would find their mate. So, they got together, and had a baby girl together, than separated. Renee was perfectly fine with this – Charlie had learned to love Renee, but was fully aware that they were not soul mates.
Their daughter, Isabella Marie Swan – or Bella, as she preferred – was a lamb through and through. She was clumsy, innocent, shy, meek, had soft curly hair, big doe-like eyes, soft pink cheeks... even without her lovely little ears and tail, you would probably guess that she was a lamb. She was very small, much smaller than what was average. Everyone had the urge to protect her; she seemed so soft and fragile.
When Bella was four, Renee had left Forks with her, wanted to go out and find her true mate. She headed for Phoenix, Arizona and by chance met one Phillip Dwyer in the middle of the produce aisle, who just happened to have a set of rabbit ears, complete with a little cotton tail. It was a perfect match, and Phil completely understood her reason for having Bella, and treated her like his own daughter. Bella liked him, but knew he would never replace her father. Charlie was very happy for Renee. He had yet to find his mate, but he was okay on his own for now.
It took Bella 12 years, but by the time she was 16 and had frozen at her permanent age, she wanted to head back to Forks – get to know this man who was her father. She had never really visited him before; he would come up for a week or two, but Bella was too shy to really talk to him much. Despite this, they both loved each other greatly.
Charlie was thrilled when his only daughter called to tell him that she was going to come live with him. What father in his right mind wouldn't be?
So, Bella packed herself up, waved farewell to her mother and step-father, and boarded a plane to Forks Washington : The Wettest Place In The Continental US. Her father met her when she made her way through the gates on the other side. It took them only just over an hour to drive from Port Angeles to Forks, and then they were home. Nothing had changed since Bella had left, except Charlie had of course changed her crib to a bed, and toy box to a dresser.
A week passed quickly in Forks, with nothing to do except settle in and unpack (Charlie had spent too many years setting his self up in a routine of going to work every day. He was Chief of Police to the good people of Forks) and clean up the house a bit. It only took her two nights of take out to realize that her father had never learned how to cook; that was a job she didn't mind doing. It also only took her two nights to determine which places she would have to avoid, for fear of tripping over a loose floorboard or a table leg.
Before she knew it, it was Sunday evening; marking her first week away from Phoenix. She had emailed her mom a couple times, assuring her that she was fine and that she was okay with living in Forks. Her and Charlie were still a little awkward around each other, but had set up a nice unspoken rule that small talk was not needed; Renee had always wanted to fill every last second with some nonsense babbling about this or that. Bella and Charlie were more the quiet type, and so they both had mutual agreements that they wouldn't speak unless it was necessary.
The next morning, Bella would be heading to her first day at Forks High School.
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All the students at school were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the newest topic of gossip. Even the Cullen children seemed to be excited, though Edward just took it in stride. By being excited, it made him hope that this one would be a lion, though it wasn't very likely.
Currently, all the students were hovering around in the parking lot, not even trying to hide their constant glances towards the entrance. The Cullen children were all gathered around their car, hiding their excitement better than the other children.
Strangely, Edward had been feeling this little tugging sensation in his chest, but had put it off. It seemed to only be growing, by the second, however.
In the next second, you could have dropped a pin as they all straightened up and turned to watch the previously unseen car enter the lot. Nobody could see who was driving the beauty as of yet, so they glanced over the car. It was a deep red, 1972 Chevrolet Camaro, with the standard black racing stripes. A real classic.
Every student collectively held their breath as the driver's side door opened. A tiny girl slipped out, seeming to be clinging to the car as if her life depended on it. Edward felt a sharp tug in her direction. He remembered what his family had told him. Distance. Against what he wanted, he let himself hope that this person was indeed his mate.
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Bella knew everybody was staring at her. She was still clinging to the roof of her car, hoping not to fall in front of everybody.
When she was a while away from the school, she had started feeling something bringing her in that direction. It had been distracting her for a while, but she had managed to finish the drive with no problems. Once she had gained her balance, she finally decided to answer this pull, and looked up in the direction it was telling her to. What she saw took her breath away.
He had the deepest green eyes she had ever seen, as well as the most beautiful colour of hair. It was an odd bronze colour, and seemed to be completely messy. He at least 6'2", almost a full 2 feet taller than herself. He was absolutely beautiful. Looking at him, she felt this intense want, no need, to be as close to him as possible.
The tugging sensation did not go away with her glance. It intensified.
One thought ran through her mind. Is he my mate?
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Those brown eyes are what did him in. When she glanced up at him, with a slight blush on her cheeks, turning them a beautiful pink colour, he found himself unable to glance away from her eyes. They were so deep, a warm, chocolate brown colour. They seemed to have bits of gold thrown in as well. She was small, a good couple inches less than 5 feet. He guessed around 4'6" or so, maybe a little taller. She looked so soft and fragile, he wanted to pick her up and carry her away from all the potential dangers that were out there.
Another thing he noticed was her long, mahogany hair. Her curls looked so soft, that he felt the desire to feel them to see if they were really as... touchable as they looked. He wanted to run his hands through her hair, brushing it between his fingers.
Altogether, the word he used to describe her (besides beautiful, goddess-like, gorgeous, adorable, cute, radiant – though those were also words he used with her in mind) was warm. He wanted her next to him, and now he was almost positive this was his mate. First Sight.
As she continued to look at him, he took a deep breath, and made his way over towards her.
Both Edward and Bella had yet to notice what spirit animal the other had.
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Bella did nothing but continue looking into his eyes as he walked gracefully towards her. Usually, she would be somewhat jealous of anybody who could walk without tripping, but it was just another part of him that made him even more beautiful.
From her mother's description on soul mates, Bella had a feeling that this is exactly what they were. She had found her soul mate, and it had only taken her first time through high school to do it.
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The entire student body, apart from Edward, had noticed that Bella was a lamb. They seemed to think it suited her, but were all shocked when they noticed Edward, the lion, walking towards her much like many of them had seen before with previous mated pairs. Edward's family were bewildered, but noticed the same look of intense desire and need in Edward's eyes. They knew that this was his mate, and from the look on the new girl's face, he was hers as well. They were bewildered as to how they could be mates, being different spirit animals. This had never happened before.
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Being next to Bella seemed like heaven to Edward. There seemed to be a sort of electricity in the air between them.
Together, they both took deep breaths of air, both finding an amazing scent in the air.
Bella smelled like strawberries, lavender, and freesia. Edward found the scent captivating, thoughts running through his head of how he wanted to do nothing but inhale that scent for the rest of his long life.
Edward smelled like what Bella could only describe as sunshine. It reminded her of early morning dew, warm air, grass, and so many other things... just sunshine. She had no other way of describing the most amazing scent she had ever come in contact with.
Edward smoothly held out his hand, noticing that Bella was trying to keep her balance by holding the car still. Bella glanced at it, and looking back into his eyes, reached her hand out.
They both felt what could only be called a click. It was like every part of their body had just shifted, firmly connecting them to each other. Alliance.
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Bella was ecstatic. Her mate was standing right in front of her, and they were holding hands. She had yet to learn his name, but knew that she would stay with him forever.
Bella and Edward both smiled at the same time; a true sign of Recognition.
Bella whispered something, that if Edward had not had the ears of a lion, he wouldn't have heard her.
"My name is Bella." Her voice sounded like hundreds of little tinkling bells; beautiful music. Bella, he mused. Beautiful. He completely agreed with that statement.
"Edward." He said back. Bella smiled a little bigger. Edward. She liked it, a lot. It seemed perfect for him.
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They were now completely mated, and they had both neglected to notice the other's spirit animal.
Until that point.
As if previously rehearsed, both glanced upwards, towards the others ears. They were shocked, and didn't understand. They must have stood there for well over a minute, just trying to understand.
Edward was thinking that she really was as fragile as she looked. He could hurt her so easily, being stronger than her. The thought of her in pain made him mentally flinch. No, he would never let harm come to her.
Bella, meanwhile, wasn't worried about that. She was merely trying to understand, but accepted that they were soul mates. She was fine with him being so different from her. They were already mated, why try to work against it. Obviously they were meant to be.
She looked back into his eyes, waiting for him to either accept it or try to fight their connection. She was relieved when he looked back at her, and all she saw was the same desire she had noticed earlier.
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Edward could already feel his protectiveness coming out, now realizing just how fragile his Bella was. Lions are also known to be possessive, and Bella knew this and was fine with it. She felt perfectly safe with him, and he only said a word to her.
The need intensified suddenly, and before Bella even had time to blink, Edward had her wrapped in his arms. He felt complete for the first time in his life. She definitely belonged there, as much as Alice did in Jasper's arms, Rosalie in Emmett's, Esme in Carlisle's. There was no doubting their connection now.
Bella cuddled into him, feeling completely relaxed and safe. Though his arms felt almost like an iron cage surrounding her, she knew that Edward would never let harm come to her. She simply wished to feel his arms around her tighter, and got her wish when he almost crushed her to him, being careful not to hurt her all the while.
Edward was right; she was warm, soft, delicate – divine. They both silently agreed – she belonged completely to him, and he was equally devoted to her.
Meeting each other's eyes again, chocolate meeting emerald, they both whispered the same line.
"So the Lion fell in love with the Lamb."
Neither of them had ever smiled as big as they did at that moment.
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AN/ So? Good? Bad?
Please let me know! I feel horrible for starting another FanFic, but as promised at the beginning of my story After Twilight Comes The Night, I am still going to be updating each story at least once by the end of this month!
If this is the first story of mine you have read, maybe you should read some more of my FanFic's. *hint hint* :)
Review!