Chasing Moonlight

Hoshiko sighed as she stared at the night sky. Normally on a clear, breezy night like tonight she’d have her telescope out to spend hours and hours studying the stars. But all her friends had been so excited for the bug-catching contest, she had gotten caught up in their enthusiasm and signed up as well. 

The first hour or so had been exciting, turning over rocks, shaking branches, and combing trees as everyone tried to find their quarry. Her friends’ jockeying jokes and tinkling laughter amongst the leaves had made it a fun group activity. What a rambunctious time! But somehow over the last 2 hours, as she searched behind one bush and then the next, she had strayed from the group. The warm lights and low hum of the festival were lost far behind, and she instead was surrounded by a still, perfectly silent forest. The grass stems and tree leaves were bathed in sharp moonlight, pure white and cold. She couldn’t tell if the chill she felt was in the air or in her blood, as low rustles like the wind among the leaves made her fur stand on end. She knew these forests were generally quite safe, but there’s always something about being lost and alone in the woods that causes your spirit to quake. A branch cracked behind her and she whipped around, but nothing was there.

Hoshiko gave her head a firm shake, pushing the fear back. She had been out on her own plenty of nights before for stargazing. She had been fine before and was going to be fine again, she assured herself. Normally she was perfectly comfortable on her own, but today it was probably just because all these woods were surrounding her, closing off her view of the sky and making her feel claustrophobic. She knew the ground was the best place to find several of the bugs she needed for the hunt, but she couldn’t take being trapped like this any more! She spread her wings and raced up, out of the dark depths of the forest. As the branches rushed past and the floor fell away, the foliage thinned and the leaves turned from black to grey to white in the brightening light. After what felt like too long, she exploded out of the top of the forest’s canopy. She slowed to a hover, leaves that had joined her journey swirling around her. 

Ahhhhhhh. Yes. Trapped no more. Being surrounded by sky and stars sent a huge wave of relief over her. This sky was her home. She scanned the heavens, naming her favourite constellations in her head as her eyes crossed over them, before turning her attention back down to the ground.

Amidst the silver-lit leaves stretching for miles and miles, she spotted a warm yellow glow some distance away. That must be the festival! She had certainly wandered a fair ways, but now that she was above the trees she should have no issue getting back. Her friends might tease her a bit for getting lost, but she comforted herself with the fact that her mistake would soon be forgotten amidst the bustle of the contest. Before heading back, she took one last glance at the area she had risen out of. It truly was a shame she wasn’t able to find a bug. 

Unless… she squinted hard. That little sparkle of moonlight seemed a bit too shiny to be a leaf. She gently flew closer, careful not to disturb the air too much with the flaps from her wings. Yes!!!! Perching on a twig was a Crystalline Branch Bug! The moonlight warped through its translucent body and its shadow rippled on the leaves below it. After spending a few seconds admiring it, Hoshiko held her breath and slowly stretched her bug box out next to the twig. Then with a swift motion, she knocked the bug off the stick and into her box. Ew, that left a little goo trail. She quickly closed the lid and held it up to the light to examine her prize. Despite the goo, the bug seemed to otherwise be okay. A new excitement lifted her spirits and energized her wings as she flew back to find her friends. Wait until they see what she had found!