This was written for my Creative Writing class last semester! -Tesh : )

Higher

The Stars are beautiful tonight. Each speck of light shines brightly in the clear orange and pink and violet sky. I can see all the Constellations— The Elder's Bow, The Seda Crest, and the Great Spirits.

I sit on my treetop home's porch, my knees tucked under my chin. I glance to my left. I can see the Stars reflected in my sister Karielle's sky blue eyes.

“Mama did a great job tonight,” she whispers.

“Yes,” I reply.

Soon we see a shimmer coming towards us, then a shape. It is Mama, her translucent wings fluttering rapidly. She alights onto the porch and smiles at us. “Come inside,” she says. “It's time for bed, my Lunar Lights.” We smile back at hearing our nickname.

We reluctantly stand and follow Mama inside. She slips her silver bag off her shoulder and carefully stores it away. She will need it for the daybreak hours later.

My mother has been Bearer of the Stars for twelve years, since I was born. The duty has been passed down from generation to generation in my family and my mama has done an excellent job— that is what other Seda clan members say, even the Elder. Every night I watch Mama shoulder her special bag. As she flies away, I cannot help but think, I wish that was me.

I enter the bedroom I share with Karielle. “Good night, Althea,” she says sleepily. I say good night as well, but do not drift into dreamland as my sister does immediately.

My older sister is an aspiring Artisan. She receives praises for her skills by the Seda clan, and even other neighboring clans. I watch her happily paint, or work clay with her delicate fingers, or make earthenware dishes, and think to myself, I wish that was me.

My mama wants me to be a Healer. I admit I have a knack for it, but I feel like I should be doing something else. I want to fly, higher and higher with the wind in my hair and the Stars on my shoulder. It would be wonderful.

I drift off into dreamland, hoping tomorrow will be a good day.

--x--

“It's time for lessons!” Mama calls.

“Okay!” we call back.

Preparing for my healing lessons is easy— I only use my magical abilities. As for Karielle, it is harder because she has so many art supplies to take care of.

“Althea, I need help!” Karielle stands in our bedroom, a pile of art supplies precariously stacked in her arms. It looks like she will drop something any minute. I relieve her of some of her burden and help her carry the items into the family room. Then without a thank you she starts arranging and rearranging her supplies.

“You're welcome,” I mutter. My sister does not hear me.

There is a knock on the door when we are ready. Our tutors Rose and Cynthia enter our home, and Mama greets them with hugs. My sister and I move to opposite ends of the family room so that we can proceed with our lessons undisturbed.

Healer Rose, my kind tutor, says, “All right, Althea. We're going to try more advanced healing today.” She opens her palm, where a small butterfly with lavender wings rests. The poor creature's wing is broken. “Just continue to do what I've been teaching you, okay? Concentrate and let the magic work for you.”

“Okay.” I close my eyes. A spark of jade green light flares within my heart and flows through my body to illuminate my wings. After the light intensifies on the tip of my finger, I open my eyes and point at the butterfly. The light skips across its wing, sealing it.

“Very good!” says Rose with a smile. I grin back.

I turn to see if Mama was watching. She isn't. Instead, Mama is sitting with Cynthia and Karielle, watching Karielle sculpt delicate clay replicas of flowers. All three are laughing.

I turn away and grip the soft cloth of my deerskin dress. Figures.

Of course being an Artisan is much more exciting than being a Healer. Of course Mama loves Karielle more than me.

--x--

The next day, I watch Karielle with envy as Mama praises her newest masterpiece, a painting. My sister walks over to me and asks me if I'd like to it.

“Go look at your perfect painting by yourself,” I say flatly.

My sister retorts by saying, “Fine!” She storms off to our bedroom and does not come out for a while.

At dinnertime, Mama cooks the meat that a hunter delivered to us. I help her as she slices rapidly with a large knife to make stew. “Althea, can you hand me the spices?” she says, her numerous cooking tasks distracting her. I go to fetch them.

“Ah!” Mama suddenly cries out. My eyes widen when I see the splash of red on her pale hand. She doubles over and falls to her knees. Her cut is deep.

“Mama!” I exclaim. I rush over and immediately heal her.

“Mama!” Karielle shouts, hurrying over to us.

However, the blood continues to drip from Mama's hand. Her face grows paler.

“Oh no, oh no,” I whisper, panicking. “Come on...” I put all my energy into the magic poring from my fingertips for a good two minutes.

“You can do it, Althea,” says Karielle. Her encouraging words surprise me.

Finally the blood-flow ceases. “Are you all right, Mama?” I say worriedly.

“Y-Yes,” she replies weakly. But she has lost a lot of blood. “I-I don't think I can go out tonight.”

“I can do it!” Karielle says.

I glower at my sister as she talks to Mama about the Bearer of the Stars' duties. I heal Mama's wound, but Karielle gets do Mama's job? It is not fair!

--x--

The evening slowly melts into nighttime. The Stars will be out tonight, carried by my sister. My sister, and not me.

Karielle shoulders Mama's bag and turns to me as Mama looks on. “I'm off!” she says.

“Have fun,” I say, not looking at her.

I hear her leave as I wander around the house aimlessly. I stop suddenly when I walk by and see the painting covered by a sheet. Curious, I lift the sheet. I gasp.

I see myself. And Karielle. We have our arms around each other, and we are laughing. Karielle is waving to the viewer, and my eyes... Karielle had used glittering blue paint, so my eyes sparkle.

A tear comes to my eye. It is a beautiful painting.

“Althea.”

I look over my shoulder. Karielle and Mama stand before me.

“Come,” Mama says.

I do not fully comprehend until Mama touches each of us lightly between the eyes. A gossamer strand of magic spirals down from above and swirls into each of our hearts.

“I've given both of you my power, just for tonight, so you can do my duty.”

“Are you sure you can do this?” I ask.

Mama nods. “Yes, since you are my next of kin.”

“Thank you, Mama!” I say.

My sister and I step outside. We clasp hands. “Are you ready?” Karielle asks.

I nod, and say, “I'm sorry for being rude these past few days. And you made a wonderful painting.”

Karielle smiles. “It's all right. Thank you, sister.”

We flutter our wings and rise higher and higher before shooting off into the night.

--x--

Our hair streams behind us in jade green waves as we soar upwards. We conjure shimmering fields around ourselves so we will not be cold. Karielle streaks past me and I flutter my wings faster to keep up with her. It becomes a race to see who can go highest. We twirl, loop, and dive. Finally, we slow to a halt, panting. “You win,” we say at the same time, and then we laugh.

Still giggling, I pull out a Star. It floats slightly above my hands, an orb of iridescent forever-changing colors. Red to Orange. Orange to Yellow. Yellow to Green. Green to Blue to Violet. The delicate Star is warm and bright and I am filled with wonder.

I release it by raising it above my head. It floats for a moment and then zooms to its designated spot in the sky. Karielle carefully checks if I did it correctly, and gives me the thumbs-up. She releases a Star the same way. Once we get the hang of it, we become more comfortable and start having fun.

Together we release stars and make our own Constellations, our favorite one being The Lunar Lights. Together we fly higher and higher with the wind in our hair and the stars on our shoulders and warmth in our hearts.