[Gift] Star theories

After Öreis had been the first one to exit the water and shaken off all the coldness he watched from the shore as Chrail, Wärechaw, Ashqua and Moswuiro continue their bath despite how cold it actually was. But Öreis felt a bit more at ease now. They weren’t the only dinosaurs there. There were actually quite a few that had gathered to do this. Öreis and Chrail had not lived out in the real world for that long. Maybe this was something they did every year. The Polar plunge. He looked around the area. So many dinosaurs. All gathered. No fighting. It was so unlike their lives in the facility.

He was sitting down, letting his feathers dry up, as another dinosaur sat down beside him. She introduced herself as Sera. Another raptor just like them with feathers. But unlike his mostly brightly-colored family she was a sandy light brown. 

“This your first year here?” Öreis asked as he watched his family. The sun was setting and it was slowly becoming evening. 

“Yes. I heard from a couple of travellers about this thing everyone was doing. It apparently isn’t the first year but it is the first year it is this popular from what I could tell.” 

They kept their conversation going as Öreis family was splashing around, Chrail was the first one to get up from the water and he was soon joined by Ashqua, Wärechaw and Moswuiro as well. They all stood a decent length away from anyone just relaxing and shook as much water out of their feathers and onto each other instead. 

“Your family is absolutely amazing.” Sera said, a nostalgic tone playing in her voice as she spoke about family.

“Yes they are.” Chrail was running away from the three children who were all trying their best to shake more water on their dad as they laughed. “I think we’re getting ready to leave. Where are you heading?”

Sera shook her head at his question. “I am just wandering around right now. I have nowhere to go back to at this moment.”

“You can join us.” Öreis had been talking to Sera for a while and he felt comfortable in her company. She was older than both him and Chrail and she had a very kind and motherly energy around her. She looked over at all the other dinosaurs around the lake. As the sun was setting more and more of them had left the area to head home before the real cold set in. That biting night frost.

“I will take you up on that offer. At least for a while.” Sera answered. Öreis rose from his seat as Wärechaw, Ashqua, Moswuiro and Chrail all joined up with them.

“This is Sera.” Öreis introduced the sand coloured raptor. “And these are my children, Wärechaw, Ashqua and Moswuiro.” They all nodded as they were introduced one by one. “And this is my partner Chrail.”

“Happy to meet you.” Chrail also nodded his head when he was introduced.

“Sera will be joining us on part of our journey back. Are you all ready?” 

“Yes Papa!” Ashqua was the first one to respond to the question. He was also the one that seemed to shake the most as they all stood still so he was probably, like Öreis, the one who wanted to go home the most. 

“Then let’s not waste any time if everyone are ready.” Chrail started walking. Letting both Öreis and Sera catch up to him with ease as their children ran up ahead of them.

They had barely walked before the sun had completely set across the horizon. It wasn’t too dark for them as they walked back towards their home again. The sky along with all the bright stars had a massive fullmoon in it. 

“Look Papa! Look at the stars!” Ashqua yelled out from up ahead of them. 

“Do you remember when we were chasing the falling stars?” Moswuiro added as all three of them ran ahead of them in the open field. 

“I remember!” Öreis added, neither Wärechaw, Ashqua nor Moswuiro seemed to hear his response as they had begun to mimic the way the had chased the falling stars. Their eyes glued to the stars above them. 

“I don’t know if you saw it. The falling stars that happened a while back. We had a really nice time watching it and this one over here-” Öreis shoved Chrail’s side- “somehow managed to convince them that if they caught one falling they could get whatever they wanted.” Sera chuckled as she let her gaze travel up to the stars.

“Did they manage to catch any?” 

“Almost.” Chrail laughed as he answered her question. “But no, we didn’t manage to catch any.” 

“Not for lack of trying though.” Öreis laughed as he thought back at that fond memory.

“Well, I would have been surprised if you all had caught one. If you ever do, you have to tell me what it is.” She said as her gaze travelled from star to star. As if she was searching for something special in between the lights.

“Absolutely.” Öreis answered as the steps of three children joined their side.

“Papa. Dad.” Ashqua slid to a stop right in front of the green raptor Chrail who he referred to as Dad. 

“Sera, Sera. What do you believe the stars are?” Moswuiro asked as she slid right into her brother in front of her. Wärechaw not far behind them as he also slid into his siblings on the snow, causing the three raptors to fall over. All three of them turned to look at the stars above them.

“Ashqua said they’re probably made of gas. But I think they’re like fireflies in the sky.” Wärechaw pointed her claws up at the sky they were watching.

“They can’t be!” Ashqua yelled out. “Fireflies don’t shine that bright.”

“Maybe they’re super big and bright fireflies!” Moswuiro added, defending her brother. 

Sera laughed at the three siblings laying on the ground, watching the stars.

“I think all of your theories are fantastic and probable. I have no clue myself.” Sera moved her gaze from the three again to watch the sky. Some of them flickering out and in. “I have never dwelled too much on what they are. Just that they are.” Öreis watched the sand coloured raptor as she spoke. Chrail watched the stars together with the rest.

“I think perhaps they are souls of those we’ve lost. Or other places like ours.” Sera sat down onto the slightly snowy ground. Öreis, the only one not watching the sky, also turned his head towards it. 

“I could see that.” He added as he watched the stars draw pictures above him. Invisible lines between them creating an image. 

“I like the firefly theory best.” Moswuiro added quietly. 

“They’re not fireflies!” Ashqua yelled back at him. 

“So what? They’re just farts in the air. That doesn’t sound better than fireflies!” Moswuiro answered Ashqua back, sticking her tongue out as she did. 

“We may never find out.” Sera’s words were soft as she kept her head tilted to the sky. “But until we do know. Maybe all our theories are true. Maybe we just chose to believe in whatever theory makes us happy.”