Spirit of the Aurora

The air was cold and crisp as Aliyah soared over Aldlight on the back of Eteri. The draken gently flapped her wings so they rose higher into the wispy clouds. Aliyah had always loved the solstice but this was the first one since her transformation. She could feel Amirlyn’s power sparkling throughout the dark on this long night. It made her feel almost like she did when it first happened. She lay back in the saddle and gazed up at the stars, her breath condensing into their own clouds above her face. The festivities had already begun below her, but Aliyah just needed a moment to herself tonight.

As she looked skyward, flickers of purple and green appeared across the sky. It moved quickly and soon tongues of colour were dancing between the stars. Aliyah had only ever seen paintings of this spectacle before. She gasped. It was the Aurora! She sat up as Eteri flew faster with excitement. She twisted her head back to look to Aliyah for permission, and Aliyah gave it with a flick of the reins. Soon they were darting among the Aurora, its light so much brighter above the clouds. It felt like magic!

Suddenly, Eteri came to an abrupt halt. Just in front of them was a small floating creature that looked like it had broken off the aurora itself. It had a cheeky demeanour as it bobbed up and down in the air. Just as suddenly there were two more, darting behind and around Aliyah’s head and under Eteri’s wings. They stopped, and turned to face the same way. It felt like they wanted to play!

They darted off, and Aliyah and Eteri followed. They dove and turned and darted and dashed in a sort-of game of airborne tag with the three aurora spirits. Their appearance constantly flickered from transparent to opaque and green, pink purple in turn. Sometimes Aliyah would lose sight of them in the sky, but Eteri would soon spot them and then they were off again. The pure joy from soaring in the sky cleared Aliyah’s head. This was why she loved flying with Eteri.

And then they were gone. She looked all around as Eteri slowly turned in a circle but the aurora creatures were gone. Aliyah noticed that they had been leading them back, closer to Aldlight. She could feel the shining citie’s light and just about see the woolyne moving in the streets, chatting and laughing and dancing. Maybe it was about time she found something to drink, a snack to eat from the late night stalls and joined in the real festival. It was all for Amirlyn, after all. Her drakern shook out her feathers and had calmed down from the chase. Actually, it was about time to turn Eteri in, as they were entered into the drakern race tomorrow. She needed to be on top form.

With a nudge of her knees, Aliyah signalled to descend down to the stables where she was boarding for the time being. It wouldn't be long before they were off travelling again, but Aliyah felt she had to at least stay until the solstice, to show her thanks to Amirlyn. Once landed, she removed the saddle and tack and hung it carefully in the storeroom. She gave Eteri a soft stroke on her face and she nudged Aliyah back with her beak. 

“Goodnight Eteri, sleep well.” Aliyah said. Eteri cooed back and snuggled up in the hay, wrapping her blue wings around herself. Bolting the stable door shut tight, Aliyah went to find some warm festival food before turning in to bed herself.