Star Light, Star Bright

(Co-written with Kris)

Climb to as close as the stars as you can be

Wait until the entire celestial body is before you

Burn the offering, repeat our prayer, focus your light

And then wait for the star to fall

The dream the night before had been odd, but Mari had no reason to doubt the words of her Godmother. She had come the night before, seemingly very pleased with Mari’s recent performance.  Each gift from her Godmother felt a bit like a trial, and Mari could only hope she was doing well. 

So Mari had climbed to the top of the hill near the river. Wasn’t quite a mountain, but it was private, and elevated enough to see Quillpond asleep below. In a small brass brazier she had lit a fire underneath. She filled it with charcoal, a few spare pieces of incense from Forge. Above her the night sky stretched across infinitely.

Slowly she repeated the words her Godmother had spoken. From her fingertips, like a ripple, intricate glyphs and runes of gold and silver surrounded the area beneath her chaining together to create a small ornate circle. Mari had been trained to be disciplined, to focus; she could do this. She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

Grummen picked his way quietly through the treeline to the clearing, quietly might be too strong a word, but certainly less noisily than usual. Mari had asked if he knew where to find certain herbs when she’d come to see Forge about a brazier. Grummen had been confused about why she would ask Forge about tailoring, but eventually figured out the mistake. Making sure they were talking about the same plant had been an exercise in frustration, hilarity and food references, but he was fairly certain he’d found what she was looking for. “Found Plants” he rumbled softly. 

Mari opened her eyes slowly, although her gaze seemed to move almost past Grummen as she chanted. She seemed grateful though, lifting one hand to receive the herbs before throwing them upon the fire, that almost instantaneously burned up, like a sparkler.  Her free hand gestured to the spot across from her, inviting her friend to sit if he'd like. She was glad she had to concentrate, otherwise she might have thought of how entirely bizarre this scenario was, but there was no time as both her hands rose to calm the sparks and have them come together and swirl above the brazier. 

Grummen plunked onto the ground across from her and watched the proceedings with interest, the metallic inlay of his scars glittered in the shower of sparks. He was fairly certain those herbs didn’t normally burn like that, but his friend hurled starlight at her foes...and sometimes at trees....the unusual had become somewhat expected where she was concerned. 

It was a while they sat there, her chanting and him staring at the show of lights and sparks. It was slow but gradually building before the sparks became a bright light,  almost too bright to look upon. Mari's voice rose as she felt the light and energy, before it echoed across the hill and the river, the ball of light shooting into the air, higher and higher before Mari could not see it any more. The circle faded and then it was just her, her friend and the fire. She watched the sky for a few moments before letting out a small sigh. "I guess we wait'' She said before gently falling back to lay in the cool grass looking at the stars above "or I do. You don't have to stay, I might not have even done it right…"

“Grummen Stay” he grunted. He could wait, Mari was full of surprises.

Mari smiled, her eyes still watching the sky. "I'm glad" She said.  For a while it was them and the stars, Mari thinking about everything they had experienced in just these past few days. It almost felt like three years ago, where something dangerous came to her home and changed everything. Although she supposed now as she glanced at her friend , she was stronger and also not alone. The thought was comforting and almost distracted her from the shooting star that blazed across the sky.  Excited, she sat up pointing. "Grummen, look! Make a wish! "

Grummen looked up, closed his eyes and wished. 

Yet the star moved...oddly. It streaked quickly, until the point where it was supposed to move past them. It was then she saw that the object was much closer and was now falling, no, charging. Mari immediately moved to her feet, preparing to step back before suddenly the star pushed straight into Mari, sending her falling towards the edge of the hill.

Grummen lunged at the creature clearly attacking his friend and missed. He stopped just short of Mari and as he reached out to pull her back into the fight the glowing ball flared a blinding light and he felt something slam into his shoulder. Both of them went tumbling down the hill. As his head cleared at the bottom, Mari was getting to her feet and the creature was whirling around them. Grummen tried to grab it again and it dodged him, he started to see red. It darted towards Mari again and he grabbed it out of the air. His arms began to burn, the scale pattern of scars glowed like starlight and began to burn. Grummen roared as it slipped out of his grasp, but it’s escape was pointless, it was flying towards Mari and she would end the miserable creature.

Mari tried to get her bearings, understand what on earth was going on. That was when finally the light pushed itself into her again, before exploding into sparks, revealing a creature.  Mari flinched expecting burns or biting or something but instead she felt vibrating. She looked down and saw something small, covered in violet scales that shimmered with silver and gold flecks in them, and shaking. Yet it turned its head, hissing towards her friend, clinging protective to her. She watched as Grummen reared again. Instinctively the young half elf pulled the creature protectively against her. "Grummen,  stop! Please! It's a friend!  We don't have to fight!" She tried to get a distance between the two of them.

Grummen stopped, the fury drained out of him, replaced with confusion. Mari walked back and held up the creature. “See” The creature licked his nose. Grummen glared at it. The creature chirped happily at him. This did nothing to improve his disposition.

Mari couldn't help but giggle, and the creature trilled, clearly pleased with himself. Mari glanced towards it "now...what are you supposed to be?" She asked

Friend! 

Mari's eyes widened a bit and noticed Grummen’s confusion as well. He wasn't quite speaking in words, more concepts that could be understood by both of them. The creature physically appeared to be a small dragon, roughly the size of a cat,with a small spike on his tail. He climbed onto Mari's shoulder, perching before nuzzling against her cheek. Her eyes widened slightly before turning her head surprised. The creature nodded excitedly and Mari turned to Grummen.

"Grummen, this is Orion. Orion, this is Grummen. Orion is my familiar,  who's been sent by my Godmother! Isn't this amazing!" Mari glanced up Grummen, violet eyes brimming with excitement.

Grummen sighed deeply. Mari’s excitement was infectious, he almost felt bad for disliking this creature which brought his friend so much joy.. Almost. “Glad Mari have pet,” He managed to sound sincere despite himself. And muttered something to himself Mari recognized it as the language she presumed was his first. 

Mari watched as Orion reared himself slightly, and flicked his tail in indignation.

"Easy, easy the two of you, Orion is not going to burn my house down" Mari said, pressing her hand to her temple before her eyes widened "oh...Orion can understand you...wait, Orion can understand you!" 

She noted her friend's confused expression. " Orion speaks your language. Orion can talk to me. That means...if you want, you don't have to talk to me in common anymore, or you don't always have to find the common words. I mean,  I like talking to you, but this could make it easier?"

Grummen looked disparagingly at the small lizard which trilled at him happily. It had been a long time since he’d been able to talk to anyone in his own language. On the other hand, talking to his best..only? At least best, friend through a tiny dragon was not something he was ready for. “Maybe...Later” Grummen grunted out haltingly clearly torn on the subject.

Mari watched him carefully but nodded. She understood it was a lot to let someone know you, really know you. Yet soon her usual enthusiasm came back, now with  a small bit of mischief dancing in her expression. "Later" she agreed "Let's get back to stargazing". 

Suddenly Grummen was briefly tapped before Mari and Orion darted back up to the hill. "Race you to the top!" She called, her laughter filling the night.