A Song of the Stars

A single brown leaf was swept up as a soft breeze weaved through the branches. The sun had set much earlier than usual; it would soon be time to leave.

“Wake up, my darling! I have something to show you.” A songbird chirped. Lapis opened her eyes and stretched her wings.

“What is it, mother?”

“Follow me.” replied the songbird while hopping out of the hollow. She then leaped off the branch and took flight. Lapis was hesitant to jump though she had flown several times before. She looked up to see her mother flying towards the top of the canopy. Lapis was unsure if she could fly that high. She looked down at the forest floor where she had fallen on her first flight. Before she could make her decision, a strong gust of wind came up behind her, pushing her off the branch. She fell towards the ground and opened her wings; she fluttered vigorously to avoid colliding with the ground once more.

After she found her bearings, she tried to remember the basics: flap, flap, glide, flap, flap, glide. She turned up towards the dense canopy, repeating the instructions in her head. A small beam of light caught her attention; she had nearly reached the top. With a final burst of energy, Lapis pushed through the gap and landed on some dry leaves.

“Fantastic job!” the songbird trilled. “I knew you were ready.”

Lapis felt exhausted yet proud of her flight. “What is it you wanted to show me?”

The songbird looked up at the clear sky, brightly illuminated by thousands of stars. “I want to teach you an ancient song, one that has helped us find our way since the beginning.

“Leaving for winter, your back to the North. Follow star clusters, your travels set forth. Many moons later, when spring has begun, follow the North Star. Soon, your journey is done.”

The songbird looked back at Lapis, “You see, darling, it is almost time to go. Have you noticed the changes in the forest? Those changes mean the cold days are soon.”

Lapis was uneasy about leaving; she had never left the group of trees around her hollow, “When do we have to go?”

“Some birds are already gone. I think it would be best if we leave tomorrow night.” Lapis was shocked by her mother’s response, “Are you sure I can make it?”

“If we wait much longer, we may not make it in time. Besides, I will be with you the whole time. You have nothing to fear. Now, let’s go back to the nest and get some sleep.”

Lapis hardly slept; she couldn’t shake off the anxious feelings and worry of failure. She laid awake watching the sun rise and set. As dusk grew near, she stood up and began to pace. Her mother slept the entire day soundly, unaware of how distraught her fledgling was. The moon began to rise, and stars peeked through the veil of dark blue sky. The songbird rose from her sleep and fluffed up her feathers.

“Good evening, dear, are you ready to go now?”

Lapis stopped pacing and looked at her mother. “I don’t feel well,”

“Nobody ever does on their first migration. You’ll do great.” Lapis let out a small sigh and walked out onto the branch, “I’m ready, I guess.”

“The first thing we do is find the North Star and fly away from it. Let’s go back to the canopy.”

The flight was easier on Lapis; however, she was already tired from the lack of sleep.

“The North Star is the brightest star in the sky. No matter where you are, you can find it and it will guide you.” The songbird spread open her wings. The wind twisted between her feathers. She dove from the tops of the trees towards the Southern constellation. Lapis closely followed and used her mother as a shield from the cold wind.

Lapis was beginning to fall behind; she needed to find somewhere to rest. “Mother! I need to stop! I am going into the forest!”

She flew through the treetops, down into the understory to look for a hollow to hide in. She never heard her mother’s calls warning her to stay on the treetops. Lapis was unaware of the creatures that lurk in unfamiliar forests, but her mother knew all too well. She landed on a small branch and tucked in her wings.

The songbird frantically called for her daughter, swerving around trees as fast as she could. Lapis heard the call and responded, “I am right here!” A twig fell from above Lapis that same moment. She looked up to see the ghostly face of a barn owl about to strike. Lapis screamed for her mother, narrowly missing the owl’s talons as she fell off the branch. The songbird arrived in time to distract the owl.

“Lapis, I need you to go now! Follow the star cluster, and I will meet you there!”

Lapis watched her mother fly around the owl in an attempt to confuse it. She obeyed her mother’s orders and left the forest immediately. Once above the trees, she tried to get back on course. She surveyed the horizon and saw in the distance a very dense cluster of stars. She was fatigued and cold, but she needed to make it to the cluster. She needed her mother.

Lapis felt as if she had flown for an eternity. She was so close to the cluster, she could see how large the stars really were. She flew into a forest she had never seen before. The trees were bright and rectangular and the forest floor was barren and grey. The cluster was so bright that she couldn’t see the night sky. She couldn’t hear other songbirds.

She tried to land on one of the rectangular trees, but she hit the reflective sky. She fell to the ground, breaking her wing on impact. She was dazed and unable to move; she saw blinding lights and heard movement all around. She waited for her mother, but her mother never came. It was almost dawn. She was beginning to lose hope. She tried to stand up and call for her one last time. Lapis collapsed forward, landing in a puddle, unable to lift herself. She closed her eyes, and with her last few breaths, she sang her mother’s song.

“Leaving for winter, your back to the North. Follow star clusters your travels set forth. Many moons later, when spring has begun, follow the North Star. Soon, your journey is done.”