Light of the Fallen |
Would you be willing to write a story about a coyotekin and a starkin falling in love? Genders and pronouns don't matter, as long as the coyote is sweet and courtly and treats the star like royalty.
The lavender moon rose slowly over the hazy horizon. A thick fog settled over the valley, illuminated in pastel hues both from above, by the celestial bodies of the night, and below, by the bioluminescent life beneath it. Silhouettes danced amidst the vapors and trees, the creatures of the nocturnal out to play. Bats called to one another in songlike tones, cicada set the pace, and the wind whistled softly through hollow oaks and punctured firs, living flutes for the night orchestra.
One such creature, a simple coyote, desired something other than the ritual merriment, and ne slipped quietly out of the valley to climb to the mountaintop, where the heavens and the earth touched. Here, above the fog, lay not only a spectacular view, but the gathering place of the stars. Ne came here nightly in admiration of their elegance and luster, content to hide in the shadows and not disturb their grace.
On this evening, however, there was but one star on the peak. Fey wept softly, feir tears glimmering as pure as crystals on the soil. The coyote’s heart tore at the sorrow of such a lovely creature, and ne approached fem quietly.
“Evening, mix,” ne opened, bowing nis head, “may I inquire as to what is wrong?”
The star paused, attempting to wipe feir eyes, “I… I suppose.”
Ne sat beside fem, careful to leave space between them, and asked softly, “What is it then?”
“I…” fey began, “am a fallen star. Every thirteen years, when the lavender moon is closest to the earth, a star is chosen to fall and light its path. I have fallen, and so I cannot go back.”
“So,” ne began, trying to understand, “you have lost your home?”
Fey stared at nym, puzzled at nis terminology. “Home? I would not call it a home, really.” Fey looked over the valley, watching the fog pour in like a waterfall. “It is just the only place I have ever known.”
Ne rose to nis feet, motioning for fem to follow, “Then you will know this place as well.”
Fey hesitantly stood and followed. With nowhere left to go, there was nothing to lose.
The coyote led them down the lush mountainside, allowing frequent breaks so that fey could rest. Ne explained the various flora and their uses, warning about poisons and pitfalls, and identifying places of particular beauty and wonder. Fey took this all in, amazed at the difference between the view from the surface and that from above.
The young star stood there, gazing at the sky. It looked so dreary compared to the glittering life around them. Fey couldn't see how any being would desire the heavens to this place.
"Mix," the coyote softly dissipated feir thoughts, "there's one last place I want to show you before we leave the mountain." They stood before a cave, its maw black as pitch. "Do you trust me?"
Feir heart fluttered in mild panic, but fey kept feir resolve. "I have no one else to trust."
Ne led the two deep into the cavern, brushing aside cobwebs so feir feet would stay clean. The star's soft light illuminated the walls around them, revealing pearlescent insects who scurried and shined, giving the illusion of a night sky all around them. Fey found it enchanting and reminiscent of her home.
Rounding one more corner, ne brought them to a stop.
"Here," ne said, "is my home."
The room was dimly lit by an apparent skylight, an astounding feature to have so far underground. Fey could see the lavender moon; it seemed so distant through the little window. A dingy sofa draped in pelts took the center of the room, and fey supposed these were the remnants of nis hunts. Ne, however, was nowhere to be seen.
With a small sigh, fey sat on the sofa, running feir slim fingers through a soft hare. Fey had never touched a hare before; perhaps the coyote was this soft as well. Asking might be rude, as earth creatures and starkin seemed to have entirely different styles of life, so fey continued to sit, pondering the fluff that grew on feir newfound companion as fey stroked the pelts around fem.
"Excuse me, mix," the coyote yipped from an adjoining room, "come into here, if you would. "
The star tentatively agreed, leaving the soft furs on the couch to enter into another shadowy room. This appeared to be a bedroom, freshly cleaned, with a small table and bed spread with more pelts. There was also a shelf containing various glimmering geodes opposite a window.
"I think you'll like this," ne said, placing nis paws upon the window sill. "Look out."
Fey did so, and gasped in amazement. Before them lay a grand subterranean paradise. A cascading waterfall fell all the way from the surface, letting in light enough to illuminate the reflective strains of ore that covered the walls. The entire area was otherworldly, even the very air seemed to sparkle.
"Do you think you could know this place?" Ne asked softly.
"I think I could know it very well," fey responded and very gingerly put out feir hand and pet nis head. It was just as soft as fey'd imagined.
The lavender moon rose slowly over the hazy horizon. A thick fog settled over the valley, illuminated in pastel hues both from above, by the celestial bodies of the night, and below, by the bioluminescent life beneath it. Silhouettes danced amidst the vapors and trees, the creatures of the nocturnal out to play. Bats called to one another in songlike tones, cicada set the pace, and the wind whistled softly through hollow oaks and punctured firs, living flutes for the night orchestra.
One such creature, a simple coyote, desired something other than the ritual merriment, and ne slipped quietly out of the valley to climb to the mountaintop, where the heavens and the earth touched. Here, above the fog, lay not only a spectacular view, but the gathering place of the stars. Ne came here nightly in admiration of their elegance and luster, content to hide in the shadows and not disturb their grace.
On this evening, however, there was but one star on the peak. Fey wept softly, feir tears glimmering as pure as crystals on the soil. The coyote’s heart tore at the sorrow of such a lovely creature, and ne approached fem quietly.
“Evening, mix,” ne opened, bowing nis head, “may I inquire as to what is wrong?”
The star paused, attempting to wipe feir eyes, “I… I suppose.”
Ne sat beside fem, careful to leave space between them, and asked softly, “What is it then?”
“I…” fey began, “am a fallen star. Every thirteen years, when the lavender moon is closest to the earth, a star is chosen to fall and light its path. I have fallen, and so I cannot go back.”
“So,” ne began, trying to understand, “you have lost your home?”
Fey stared at nym, puzzled at nis terminology. “Home? I would not call it a home, really.” Fey looked over the valley, watching the fog pour in like a waterfall. “It is just the only place I have ever known.”
Ne rose to nis feet, motioning for fem to follow, “Then you will know this place as well.”
Fey hesitantly stood and followed. With nowhere left to go, there was nothing to lose.
The coyote led them down the lush mountainside, allowing frequent breaks so that fey could rest. Ne explained the various flora and their uses, warning about poisons and pitfalls, and identifying places of particular beauty and wonder. Fey took this all in, amazed at the difference between the view from the surface and that from above.
The young star stood there, gazing at the sky. It looked so dreary compared to the glittering life around them. Fey couldn't see how any being would desire the heavens to this place.
"Mix," the coyote softly dissipated feir thoughts, "there's one last place I want to show you before we leave the mountain." They stood before a cave, its maw black as pitch. "Do you trust me?"
Feir heart fluttered in mild panic, but fey kept feir resolve. "I have no one else to trust."
Ne led the two deep into the cavern, brushing aside cobwebs so feir feet would stay clean. The star's soft light illuminated the walls around them, revealing pearlescent insects who scurried and shined, giving the illusion of a night sky all around them. Fey found it enchanting and reminiscent of her home.
Rounding one more corner, ne brought them to a stop.
"Here," ne said, "is my home."
The room was dimly lit by an apparent skylight, an astounding feature to have so far underground. Fey could see the lavender moon; it seemed so distant through the little window. A dingy sofa draped in pelts took the center of the room, and fey supposed these were the remnants of nis hunts. Ne, however, was nowhere to be seen.
With a small sigh, fey sat on the sofa, running feir slim fingers through a soft hare. Fey had never touched a hare before; perhaps the coyote was this soft as well. Asking might be rude, as earth creatures and starkin seemed to have entirely different styles of life, so fey continued to sit, pondering the fluff that grew on feir newfound companion as fey stroked the pelts around fem.
"Excuse me, mix," the coyote yipped from an adjoining room, "come into here, if you would. "
The star tentatively agreed, leaving the soft furs on the couch to enter into another shadowy room. This appeared to be a bedroom, freshly cleaned, with a small table and bed spread with more pelts. There was also a shelf containing various glimmering geodes opposite a window.
"I think you'll like this," ne said, placing nis paws upon the window sill. "Look out."
Fey did so, and gasped in amazement. Before them lay a grand subterranean paradise. A cascading waterfall fell all the way from the surface, letting in light enough to illuminate the reflective strains of ore that covered the walls. The entire area was otherworldly, even the very air seemed to sparkle.
"Do you think you could know this place?" Ne asked softly.
"I think I could know it very well," fey responded and very gingerly put out feir hand and pet nis head. It was just as soft as fey'd imagined.