There had been a time of perfect peace - perfect isolation. It was not lonely - she was not isolated in spirit from her gentle Goddess. No, true isolation came with mortal form - mortal cares - the noise of the mortal world drowning out the soothing voice of the peaceful Mother.

Shadows and echoes came to her - as if from far off. The shell did more than protect her growing form - it shielded her soul from the cares of mortality. Nothing mattered but the soft touch of the Goddess’s ... not words, but feelings. A sense of love, peace, and acceptance. The shadows that echoed with inconceivable words meant nothing to her.

At first, it was the shadow of her flesh’s mother that was most present. It came and went... came and went. Distantly, floating within the egg yet also in the far-off realm of her spiritual home, she knew it was her mother. Yet the mother of her flesh was nothing to her then - it was the soul that mattered, shaped as it was by her Mother of peace.

Between her fleshly mother’s comings and goings, she reflected on her past lives, the ones that had brought her soul to this. She had struggled out of the darkness as all were destined to do. Slowly, painfully she had come to find peace. It was not easy, for each new life was led in complete blindness of what had come before. Mistakes were repeated. Always she strove, however, because a distant part of her - a part as distant as her flesh was now - remembered, vaguely, that she was reaching... for something. In this place she could see it all, and she tried to choose what would serve her best as the new life approached - which shadows would her flesh remember?

The shadow of her flesh’s mother stopped coming. This disturbed her, filled her with uncertainty. Why was this rebirth taking so long? The fleshly mother never disappeared first. What would she be? The echoes stopped too, and she found solace in her gentle Goddess. The flesh was pulling her - the time would be soon. Her fleshly mother’s shadow ceased to concern her. She knew Kadiya would provide - she would not leave her daughter bereft.

A new shadow entered. New echoes flitted through her mind. She saw that it was much smaller in comparison to her flesh’s mother and did not know what to make of it. She sensed it belonged to a being much younger than herself - one who’s soul had not progressed far. The flesh of her body pulled at her more. Suddenly, she didn’t want to leave. She called out desperately to be allowed to stay. Hadn’t she worked enough, suffered enough?

No, there was more to be done. More to be learned. More to teach. Kadiya was gentle but firm with her bewildered daughter.

What is that new shadow? She begged to know. Kadiya’s answer was distant when it came - the flesh’s call was insistent and strong. Her will was weak and flimsy in comparison.

Desperately, she tried to hold onto the warning, the memory she now knew was the most important, but too late, tragically too late. The flesh was strong and her memories were washed away. They were nothing but shadows.

She was reborn. All that mattered was her body’s concerns.

Disoriented, wobbling on unsure legs, the silver hatchling crawled from the broken egg. Half in, half out, she collapsed, panting. Unwieldy wings weighed down on her, she struggled to lift them. It was useless.

Eyes unused to even the dim light of the cave watered. She tried to clench them shut but a perverse need to see overtook her. Trying to ignore the pain, she twisted her serpentine neck. Every movement brought pain. Her body did not want to move. It longed to be floating again...

That was not my body... The thought nagged her, but she did not understand.

Finally she caught her breath. She gathered her energy to stand - but where was she going? - Did it matter? She stood and took a few steps. Fell again. She realized she was struggling towards a spot that was lighter than the others - but the light hurts, her mind protested. Her body ignored her.

A smell assaulted her nose. It took her a moment to interpret. Food, her stomach told her mind. She was hungry. She must eat.

Again she lifted up her shaking body. Again, she took a few hesitant steps before she fell to the ground, flanks heaving. The smell lured her - yet it vaguely revolted her. She did not know what it meant.

She reached the mouth of the cave after many agonizing hours of struggle. It was dark, but a fire illumed the scene. A form hovered at the edge of the fire, casting a strange shadow.

A feeling of familiarity… and something else came over her at the sight. She did not know what the latter meant so she latched onto the first. It was familiar, it must be safe.

It moved toward her and she did not back away. It dropped a small corpse in front of her and quickly moved away. The hatchling fell on it ravenously, her body knew instinctively what to do with it. A corner of her mind protested weakly, but it was no use.

When she was finished, it spoke.

“I am Kregor Tejas’dhu.” He paused, waiting. She did not know what to do. What was a Kregor Tejas’dhu?

“What is your name? Can you speak?” His voice was tinged with impatient anxiety.

A name? Do I have a name? What is it?

“I can choose one for you.” He stated while the thoughts ran through her mind. NO! She did not want to be named. She had a name, but what was it?

“Sssshadra… the Ssskydansscer.” She said suddenly, but with certainty. She felt triumphant. I am Shadra! Her mind exalted.

“It is a pleasure, Shadra Skydancer.” He said, his voice silky smooth and friendly.

Shadra smiled a broad, toothy smile.

Was that a shiver? Why would he shiver? She asked him, slowly, the words coming almost unwillingly. Her tongue didn’t like to make them any more than her mind wanted to provide them.

“Just the cold.” Kregor responded quickly.

Cold? What is cold? Was she cold?