Midnight Wings: Selene

# Prologue

“Tell us a story, mom!”

The gray she-kit, Dusk, blinked up at Amaris.

“Yes, story, story!” The other kits chanted.

“Alright, alright.” Amaris chuckled. “I’ll tell you a story, if you settle down and go to sleep right after.”

“Deal.” Dusk said promptly.

Twilight nodded, a serious look on the dark gray, almost black, kit’s expression.

Tweener nodded eagerly, excitement in the gray-and-white tomkit’s eyes.

Amaris turned towards the third kit, a yellow she-kit. “Dawn?”

“Is it a true story?” Dawn asked hesitantly.

“That will be up to you.” Amaris smiled.

“Aw.” Dawn said grumpily. “That’s not an answer.”

Amaris shrugged. “It was a story my mother told me when I was your age. How would I know?”

Dawn looked at the ground. “I dunno.”

“Stop talking, Dawn. I wanna hear the story.” Dusk pawed at her.

“Okay.” Dawn sighed and settled into position.

Amaris took a deep breath and began the story.

# The story

*Selene awoke when the moon was just beginning to cast its light upon the night sky. There was a soft feeling on her gray-pink nose. She pawed at it, and down drifted a dark gray feather, the same color as the evening sky. She picked it up in her mouth, and a feeling of warmth spread throughout Selene’s whole body, and she purred. She stuck in behind her ear. This felt right to the smoky gray she-cat. She climbed down from her perch on the windowsill and padded into the long stretch of land that led up to the sleeping quarters of her humans, the little bell on her sunny, yellow collar jingling softly.*

*She heard raised voices from her two humans, and she could sense anger, sadness, and desperation from their tones, and she could smell salty, wet tears streaming down from the female human’s face.*

*She turned around before she stepped through the doorway and found herself heading towards the second window, the one in the room in which her meals were served.*

*It was open. Just a crack, but wide enough for Selene to squeeze through. She jumped onto the windowsill and squished her way outside.*

*The sound of birdsong began as soon as her silver-tipped paw touched the cool grass, as if greeting her.*

*“Hello, to you as well.” She murmured.*

*She nipped off the sunny yellow collar with the bell on it, somehow knowing this was necessary. Then, she stepped into the forest.*

*She didn’t quite know where she was going, but it was as if there was a voice whispering in her ear, guiding her steps. Eventually, she ended up a few cat-lengths away from a clear pool of water, in which there was a dark gray, almost black cat standing in front of, dipping his head towards the pool.*

*When the cat heard Selene approaching, he whirled around and, after a brief look of panic, cleared his throat and sat up straight. “I am sorry, but this pool is not safe for drinking. It has been poisoned with Twolegstuff.” He said formally.*

*Selene tilted her head. “Weren’t you about to drink?” She meowed with a tone of slight confusion.*

*“N-no, I w-was— inspecting the quality of the water! Wait… can I see that feather by your ear?” The cat cautiously stepped up towards Selene.*

*Selene blinked. She had almost forgotten the feather was there. It felt so natural to her. “Sure.”*

*He walked beside her and sniffed the feather. He started, his amber-blue eyes wide with surprise. “Well, uh, I don’t know what this means. I-I’ll call Midnight’flight. She’s much more knowledgeable about this kind of stuff than I am.”*

*He walked away and made a sound similar to that of an eagle's cry. Strange, it almost sounded like he was saying ”Midnightflight, i request your assistance!”*

*A black eagle swooped down and landed on a branch. The eagle made another cry, and, yet again, it sounded like the eagle was saying ”What do you require, Midnighttalon?”*

*The cat nodded his head in Selene’s direction.*

*The eagle looked surprised. “By Midnightwing!” The eagle exclaimed. “Talon, do you know what this means?”*

*“I-I apologize for interrupting, but… would someone please let me know what is going on?” Selene asked quietly.*

*“Oh! I am terribly sorry.” The eagle swooped down and gave a little bow. “I am Midnightflight, currently the leader of the Midnightwing Flock. What are you called?”*

*“I-I am called Selene.” Selene stammered.*

*The eagle dipped her head. “Greetings, Selene. Are you aware of what is happening?”*

*“No. That is why I asked.” Selene meowed.*

*“We are the Midnightwing Flock. We are a group of creatures selected by the spirit of Midnightwing to protect the night from the Sol Serpent, a creature that seeks to devour the night and make it day for the rest of time. Every blue moon, a new creature is chosen to join us. They are gifted of Midnightwing’s feathers, and it guides them to the flock. Look at the moon, little one.” Midnightflight turned her head towards the natural satellite.*

*Selene turned her gaze towards the moon. It was full. Although the moon wasn’t quite blue, she could feel it was a blue moon.*

*“Selene, would you like to join the Midnightwing flock?” Midnightflight asked.*

*“We don’t just fight off the Sol Serpent. We have cool night flights. And during the day, you can just turn back into a cat and live your normal life.” Midnighttalon added.*

*Selene smiled brightly. “Yes.”*

*“Alright. First, we must pick an alias. A flock name. Would you like to choose?” Midnightflight asked.*

*Selene paused, considering. “How about… Moonfeather?”*

*Midnightflight smiled, as much as an eagle can smile. “A fine name. Now, put the feather on your nose, close your eyes, and touch the pool with your nose.”*

*Selene did, and she felt changes occur, both on her inside and outside.*

*“You may open your eyes now.”*

*Moonfeather opened her eyes and looked at herself. She nearly gasped. She was now a silver owl.*

*Midnighttalon, who was now a gray-black falcon, grinned a bird grin. “Let’s fly!”*

*And so they did.*

*Moonfeather, Midnightflight, and Midnighttalon soared throughout the night, enjoying the winds and thermals.*

*When they stopped, the soft light of dawn was beginning to show through the black veil of the night.*

*The three landed back at the clear pool of water.*

*“Dawn is approaching.” Midnightflight cawed. “You two should return to your homes.”*

*Midnighttalon nodded and began to turn into the cat Moonfeather had seen when she had first met him.*

*Moonfeather turned back into her cat form as well, her silver-gray long fur slowing extending from the feathers and smoothing down.*

*“As for you, Moonfeather.” Midnightflight cawed when Selene had finished.*

*“Yes?” Selene questioned.*

*“Here.” Midnightflight touched Selene’s neck with one of her sooty wings.*

*A midnight-blue collar appeared, on the same part of her neck in which Selene wore her old, sunny yellow collar.*

*The collar had a small black opal gemstone hanging from where the bell on her other collar was. Engraved in it was the word ‘Selene’.*

*“I saw you leave the sun-colored collar behind.” Midnightflight said simply.*

*“Thank you. It’s beautiful.” Selene pawed the gemstone. It was cool to the touch.*

*“You are most welcome.” Midnightflight replied, with a smile.*

*Selene dipped her head.*

*“Dusk tomorrow?” Midnightflight questioned.*

*Midnighttalon slapped the ground. “I’ll be there.”*

*“I will, as well.” Selene meowed. “If the Twolegs haven’t closed all the windows and doors so I never get out again, of course.”*

*Midnighttalon grinned mischievously. “If they try anything, give me a call. I’ll… make sure they don’t.” He rubbed his paws together.*

*Selene smiled. “If I ever speak with you outside of the Flock, what should I call you?”*

*“Loki. That’s what I’m known as to the kittypets in my part of the Twoleg nest.” Midnighttalon laughed. “See you later!”*

*“May the night bless your path and help your paws to the right one.” Midnightflight cawed.*

*“Enjoy your day!” Selene called as she bounded back to her Twolegplace.*

# Epilogue

All the kits were asleep now, their tiny chests rising and falling in gentle breaths.

Except for Twilight.

The dark gray kit had his eyes fixed on the moon. It was full.

Then, as Amaris herself found herself starting to fall under the curtain of sleep, she thought she could see an ebony feather drifting down from the star-covered sky and landing softly on Twilight’s nose.