Swimming Through Stars - A Snow Draik's Big Dream

     Like most who dwell in the Valley she was a very joyous and helpful Neopet too. You’d probably see her corralling a herd of Raindorf away from the Slushie Shop’s Coco Whip display shelf. Or skating through the sliding paths of the Ice Caves after grabbing a keychain from the Snowager’s treasure trove. She’d often also visit Taelia with a fresh batch of chocolate treats, keeping her company as the Snow Faerie brews medicinal hot cocoa for any lost traveller found on Terror Mountain.

     But this little Snow Draik had a big dream. Much bigger than the candied treat-sweetened dreams that you would find in the denizens of Happy Valley…

     *****

     Taelia managed to shove the igloo door shut tight, despite the blizzard outside’s stubborn force against it. As she lifted her woollen hood to take a deep breath, she turned to see the watery wings and tail of a Neopet white as snow sitting and staring out one of her windows. Undoubtedly Constance was searching for a piece of sky hidden amongst the foul weather.

     “It’s getting close to dusk, little one.” The Snow Faerie spoke with a firm yet resigned tone. Constance’s presence in her home was starting to become a common occurrence as of late. Taelia did not mind the company of good Neopets, but she did wonder if Constance had spent more time in her snowy palace at the mountain peak in the past month than the Draik’s cosy cottage in Happy Valley.

     “If you had left sooner you’d in the Valley just in time for the Bruce ice-skating competition, instead of getting caught in this storm. Now it looks like I’ll have to set up another bed in the infirmary tonight, won’t I?”

     The Draik made no response, instead choosing to look forlornly for any break of colour in the clouds, instead of the grey wall of falling snow before her. Taelia found this odd. Actually, now that she thinks about it, no. Not odd at all. Not for a daydreamer like Constance. She knew why she was here. The Snow Queen did not approve of her actions, but she had given up on discouraging them.

     “If you must insist upon going on another nightly adventure Little One, then you might as well make this one a little more productive,” Taelia sighed with a calculating look, seeing the Draik’s sudden flickering of her tail betray their now piqued interest. “Whilst you are down there, you can deliver a token of mine to Isca. She has been waiting long enough for this errand, so you would be doing me a huge favour.”

     Taelia pressed a small blue gem with silver wings into Constance’s palm. It was not often that Taelia would entrust a Neopet with one of her magical trinkets, so Constance knew this was an important honour.

     Taelia then beckoned her into the private study. After pushing a hidden button underneath her desk, a rather old but well-kept bookshelf slowly opened behind the two of them. The secret door revealed a cavernous tunnel of water. Unexpectedly warm and salty air billowing from the pool which is very unusual for any body of water near the peak of the mountain.

     “Make sure you return before lights out. I’ll make sure to keep your cocoa and Grilled Ummagine warm for when you return. You’ll need plenty of energy after such a long swim as you’re about to take, Little One.”

     Constance wanted to hug her host in thanks, but the Snow Faerie had already left the room to tend to more of her unexpected overnight guests. So she tied her long aurora-coloured hair away from her face before diving into the cavern.

     The untouched Maractite ore glowed a bright light blue along the cavern walls as Constance dove deeper and deeper into the abyss. Now a deep dive the size of Terror Mountain would usually be quite the tiring swim for our average Mountain Neopet. But not for our Constance. In fact, this watery Draik was quite a strong swimmer, moving faster through the salty seawater than what most Draiks could do flying through the open air. So it didn’t take long for her to get through the icy mountain caves before finally reaching out into the open ocean water.

     *****

     Isca thanked the Constance for the Taelia’s Token, saying that it should help her sister Caylis with her recent nightmares. The Snow Draik swimming to the surface was no longer an uncommon sight for the Maraquan guards and citizens, though the young Aisha did wish she visited during the day when there would be fewer pirates and sea witches roaming the ocean.

     Despite being able to breathe underwater, Constance still took a deep breath as she broke the surface. She thanked her lucky stars that unlike on Terror Mountain, the sky was clear as glass. She floated onto her back to look up at the blanket of stars, stretched from horizon to horizon until it encapsulated the entire Neopia. From The Sleeper to The Hunter, Constance could see every single constellation turning the black-as-night sky into a vibrant waterfall of violets and cerulean. Even the spaceships rocketing to and from the Virtupets Space Station was a sight to behold.

     Suddenly a reddish-blue shining comet flew through the sky. Unlike other comets though, Constance noticed that this one was able to stop and turn as it wished. Sometimes it even looked so shoot out its own comets and stars in large bursts, breaking apart the floating rocky debris. This strange flying pattern had grabbed Constance’s full attention. She stared in wonder as the comet moved so freely and gracefully. Almost like it was swimming through the stars.

     The Snow Draik used her wings to jump out and float just a few feet above the water. Sure enough, the ocean’s surface was still enough that it became a rich glazed mirror to the sea of stars above. Constance decided to indulge the childish thought that intruded on her mind. She darted in and out of the water, pretending she was like the strange comet above. She rocketed past the Space Station, she danced around The Dancer, she played limbo with The Wave. Space was now hers to swim through as she pleased.

     “Constance!” The Draik was shaken from her dream state by Isca calling her name, “We’re only a couple hours away from midnight. Taelia will be wondering where you are.”

     Constance looked up to the stars. The strange comet has disappeared now. With a sigh and a warm nod to the kind Aisha, Constance dived under the surface for the long swim home.

     It was a silly dream, and a very big one indeed for such a small Neopet. Wishing on stars were for children, right? And yet on that night, maybe that wishing star was looking down on her as if to say that her dreams weren’t as silly as you might think…

     The End.