[Gift] Catching stars

There was barely any snow on the ground as the sky was clear from any clouds. It caused the wind to bite even more as the five raptors huddled together by the side of the small cottage they lived in. Despite the winds the five feathered raptors were quite comfortable. They all took turns switching places so that the center was always warm and cozy for them. There was something about this night that made the small family find themselves sitting under the stars watching the sky. Perhaps the biting cold wind gave them energy to do something more than sit inside the cottage. The cottage, despite the fact that it was not air tight, could get rather stuffy with five of them living in there at the same time.

“Why is it so cold outside dad?” Wärechaw asked as she looked over at Öreis, her yellow raptor dad. “When there was snow on the ground it felt so much warmer.” She tilted her head and both of her two siblings, Ashqua and Moswuiro also looked around the ground. It was true that it had been warmer when there was no snow around. But that didn’t make much sense. If there was more snow it should have been colder.

Öreis too seemed to look confused at the question. He didn’t know why it was colder now than it had been the other days.

“It could be due to the wind I suppose.” He was letting his gaze travel thoughtfully around the area before it landed on the green raptor Chrail. Chrail was so much wiser than he was himself. Chrail always had answers to the hard questions. Headstrong and fantastic. “Do you know dear?” Öreis asked. He reached his head over slightly and Chrail responded to the action by reaching his own head over to the yellow raptor and nudging him back. Causing all their children between them to groan and joke about how disgusting their parents were. 

“Oh, I think our children think we're weird.” Öreis responded to the children. The three children all squirmed between them. Pretending to get away. 

“That can’t be, doesn’t you all love when we are being all lovely and dovely?” Chrail gasped in a fake shocked response.

All three of the children together responded with a resounding and loud “No.” before laughing as Chrail pretended to be hurt by their words.

“Öreis, our children are so cruel. Maybe they don’t actually want to find out why it’s so cold tonight after all?” Chrail turned his head away pretending to be sad. He had to hide his face to not give himself away with the big smile he had on his lips. He loved joking around with all the kids. 

“Yes we do!” Wärechaw said as the other two nodded enthusiastically. Chrail still had to turn his head away from them as he pretended to still be hurt. Even if the laughter trickled into his voice.

“Nah, I don’t think they want to, Öreis. What should I do?” Öreis himself was laughing as he watched the panic and shock on their children's faces when they realised that their dad might not actually tell them the secret to the cold.

“Tell us! Tell us!” Moswuiro shouted and almost stood up in excitement. Both Wärechaw and Ashqua nodded. But before Chrail could try and explain the phenomenon where depending on the dry or wetness of the air Öreis had exclaimed beside them in amazement.

“Look, look!” Öreis’s words seemed to echo out over the empty field in front of them as the rest of the family looked over at him. He was looking up at the sky. Stars seemed to twinkle in his eyes as he couldn’t take his eyes off the sky. Chrail, Moswuiro, Ashqua and Wärechaw all turned their gazes up towards the sky as well. At first it was just the regular sky. “Wait for it. I am sure it will happen again.” Öreis almost whispered as if whatever they were waiting on could get scared away from a loud voice. They could practically feel how the rest of their family together waited in anticipation. And then it happened. Across the dark sky, filled with twinkling stars that shone bright there was a quick streak of white that crossed it by. 

“LOOK!” Wärechaw yelled out. 

“ANOTHER!” Ashqua added. All three of the children stood up. They instinctively wanted to get closer to the sky to see it more clearly. 

“The stars! They’re falling!” Moswuiro yelled out in astonishment. More and more stars started falling. They were faster. It seemed as if the entire sky was filled with stars falling at this point.

“Wow.” Öreis added to the children's exclaims of wonder. They had lived in this world for years now. Was this something that normally happens? How could they possibly have missed it before? Had they been holed up in the cottage so much that they missed this? Could he miss such wonders just because he preferred the safety of four walls.

The three children had all stood up and began running on the field. They didn’t venture too far. Both Chrail and Öries could still see them thanks to the moon's light bouncing off the little snow that covered some spots. It bounced and made the entire field seem lit, despite the darkness that normally loomed over this area during the winter months. 

“ANOTHER!”

“OVER HERE AS WELL!” Wärechaw was shouting as she ran. Did they think they could catch a falling star? Öreis chuckled.

“If you catch one of them you get to make a wish!” Chrail yelled out over the field.

“REALLY?!” Ashqua responded. “Wärechaw! Moswuiro! Did you hear that! If we catch one of them falling we get to make a wish! Help me catch… THAT ONE!” They tried so hard to catch one of the falling stars. It was an impossible ordeal. 

“You better head out there and help them.” Öries said with a jokingly stern voice. “It is your fault. You put the idea in their heads that they could catch it.” 

“You are right. You are right.” Chrail stood up and stretched before he headed out on the field as well. “I will help you kids!” He yelled out.

All three of them cheered as their dad started helping them.

“But! If I catch one I will wish to cuddle with Öreis all the time!” 

The field was filled with the children telling him he was not allowed to wish that and that they would catch the star before him. Occasionally he would just take off running as he yelled that he almost had one. Wärechaw, Moswuiro and Ashqua all would sprint after him and he would pretend that the star had managed to disappear before he got it. 

“Hurry hurry! If dad catches it we will always have to see them cuddle!” Wärechaw tried to encourage her siblings to hurry and try and catch one. Öreis couldn’t help but to laugh as he was quite comfortable against the wall of the cottage, watching the rest of his family hunt for stars that would never truly reach earth. But in that moment there were very little worries that could break this peaceful moment. Almost all of his family was collected in one space. He rose carefully. Stretching out his legs before joining the rest of his family in the star catching game. Exclaiming that he too would wish for something that would clearly embarrass their children. The stars fell for hours above them. Even far longer than the family had energy to try and hunt the stars. In the end all of them had to abandon the star hunt but Wärechaw, Ashqua and Moswuiro were all confidently saying that they were just inches away from catching a star. And they had only lost it for some stupid, made up reason.