Beneath the Stars

The sky was a masterpiece that night – no hint of clouds, and with only a sliver of moon to light the darkness, the stars shined their brightest. Cian sat alone beneath the sky, decorated by sparks of light too numerous to begin counting. Clover rested peacefully nearby, close enough that she could call to him, if need be. Her belly was already beginning to grow with the new life she carried, though they had yet to share the news of impending siblings with the children.

Below the stars, the giant sought peace within his weary mind. The stars were just the way they had always been, since he was a pup. They were there before any of his ancestors, and would be shining still when all of his descendants were gone. He thought of his mother and the folk stories she had shared in secret when he was a pup, away from the judgment of his sire – some of the happiest moments of his youth.

His children came and went as they pleased, and his role as protector was nearly unnecessary now that they were growing up. Even the younger two, just shy of being a year old, were often exploring away from their parents. Cian tried not to worry, told himself it was all fine, they would be safe on their own. They were raised to be strong and independent. Cian was very proud of each of his offspring, from Summit, the oldest, to Soraya, the youngest (for now, anyway). But that didn’t make it any easier to watch them grow and live the lives that they chose. He would always fret over their safety, even if they were very far away.

Memories of little Daisy infiltrated his mind when he was alone beneath the stars. There had been no signs of her for months, but Cian still held onto the hope that she was still out there. He wanted to protect her, but he had failed to do so, and their family felt incomplete without Daisy. A deep sigh escaped his lungs, tears welling in his fiery eyes. ”Maybe you’re looking at the same stars tonight,” he murmured aloud.



@Fern

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Fern Haven Eithne

The dark furred girl moved between the trees in near silence, the sky above her was dark, glittering with thousands of stars. Nights like tonight, the girl waited in anticipation to see one fall, blazing with a streak of light in it's wake. She felt like they were special somehow. Sometimes, she liked to imagine that the shooting stars were the spirits of new pups, falling to the earth to meet their new parents. She knew her siblings would have lit up the sky, but she often wondered if she ever could, with such dark fur, she was used to slipping into the background of the night.

As she neared their home, Fern spotted a large shape sitting alone in the darkness. She didn't need the light shed by the stars to know who it was. She heard him speak, her own green eyes looking up into the sky, she knew who he spoke of, as she often wondered the exact same thing. The night-furred girl approached her father quietly, softly humming to announce her presence before pressing the side of her muzzle to his leg in a gentle kiss. "I'm certain she is, Pa." Fern murmured back, aware that any of the family could be asleep nearby, "She's an Eithne child. I'm sure she's out there on some wild adventure." She wasn't certain that was true, but it was a thought that often brought her comfort when she, like her father now, sat under the stars alone. "The stars return to Earth... So I'd imagine Daisy can return to us just the same." A small sigh escaped a shadowed maw and she looked up at her father, green eyes shining with hope.

And no, I won't give you a little twirl

@Cian

template © bean, art credit claerie

The crimson-hued brute seemed startled by Fern’s unexpected appearance, and more surprised still to find that his daughter had overheard his words. An ear flicked backward as he attempted to hide his surprise. ”Hi Little One. Can’t sleep?” She spoke of Daisy and adventures, and Cian wondered if she really believed it. Of all of his children, Daisy was the least likely to seek out adventures, but just maybe… Brilliant emerald eyes looked up at him with such hope that Cian could only smile and nod in agreement. ”I’ll never stop believing.” His voice was deep, but still gentle.


Fern’s comment about stars returning to earth caught his imagination. It reminded the wolf of stories his mother had told him in the tragically brief time he had been able to spend with her. ”Do you know how stars got there to begin with?” Craning his head back to admire the glittering stars, Cian continued: ”My mother, your grandmother, she died before she could meet you. She was a Highlander. She looked just like me, actually, and like Soraya. She would tell me old stories that her mother told her, and her mother before her, for many generations back. Some call them fairytales, but she really believed in them.” Warm tears welled in the corners of his topaz orbs. ”And who knows? Maybe she was right.”


”Before we’re born, we are the stars. We don’t remember it because when we arrive here on Earth, we start with a clean slate. No memories, just pure light. Pure innocence. Just look at new pups when they’re born.” A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat, but then the smile on his muzzle diminished slowly as he kept telling the legend as he was told. ”And when we die, we become stars again. That way, we can watch our loved ones for all time.”


Fiery eyes narrowed slightly as he looked over the stars – too many to begin to count. Which ones were his ancestors? Did Daisy dwell among them? A silent tear slipped down his cheek before he could catch it. Clearing his throat, he looked down at his ebony daughter again. Seeing her sweet face and shining green eyes brought the smile back to his pale muzzle. ”Your grandmother would have adored you, Little One.”



@Fern

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck