Despite being hidden by the leaves, the Sun makes sure to let you know that He has risen. The trunks of the trees glow in golden, as the grass below bathes in puddles of light; birds sing their songs and the river mumbles from far away. Its murmur is soothing and you find it weird, for that very murmur almost killed you just one day prior.

For a moment, everything stays still and you do too, hidden in your healthy wing. The boy is laying down on his sleeping spot, but he is awake. He is just waiting still, like you.

It doesn’t take long for you to be ready for your journey once more.

The kid puts out the fire and gives you a small pat on the back, before fixing the bag on his shoulder. He looks around a bit, before deciding on a direction.

You follow the kid, while he leads you out of the forest.

A vast plain stretches in front of you, touching the horizon with its grassy fingers. The sky still dons the colors of the rising sun: streaks of pink and yellow soften the world above. You briefly bid goodbye to the last star, who disappears shortly after.

A gust of wind moves the world, as your friend looks around, eyes squinted. He must be trying to find a direction to follow. And he finds it, for he points somewhere far away. You squint your eyes and grow alarmed when you spot smoke emerging. But there is no terror in the air, no yells or screams, and the animals are calm. It is a controlled fire.

You remember seeing similar things in your starry travels. A human abode. Unlike those of the Star Menders whose biggest den had a roof made of glass, most of humans lived in simpler places. Their dens were usually built with rocks and wood, but you knew that they would make do with the materials they would find in their lands. They were far more intricate and complex than the burrows the animals lived in: small sections of the walls would be covered in glass sheets and a moving wooden plank would indicate the place where you were supposed to enter.

The boy points in that direction, and you shiver.

You are not sure how humanity would react seeing a walking fallen star. You knew of fallen stars who would descend on earth and walk among the cobbled roads under the golden artificial lights, but they were always secretive, maybe relegated to old legends and myths.

But seeing one, out in the open, without the safety of hiding?

You shake your head.

The kid's eyes widen as he tilts his head in confusion.

It is very dangerous. But you have no idea on how to relay it to your friend.

Then, your eyes fall down on his fire weapon. You take it and point it at yourself, before pointing at the village. The kid squints his eyes, before he understands.

He takes back the weapon and shakes his head. He then raises his hand towards you, before he starts rummaging in his bag. His hand swirls in its insides for a few moments, before he shakes his head and turns back towards the village.

He then kneels down and creates lines on the dirt with his finger.

The Star Menders’ symbol. Are they beyond the village?

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You squint your eyes, trying to look for one of their observatories, to no avail.

The kid points at a faraway point again and smiles.

He is your friend. He has saved your life twice, now. He would not hurt you. You finally nod, before he takes your claw and leads you to the nest of stone and wood.

You remember watching the humans from above, in their daily struggles and personal joys alike. You have always wished to look at them closer, but stars were forbidden to show themselves while the Sun shone true, therefore you never could.

And, right now, you feel a twisted sense of gratitude at your wing.

As you expected, when you and your friend step inside the humans’ den, people of all sizes turn their heads to look at you. You have never seen so many colorful eyes. Some are of the color of tree barks, others are the colors of the sky during the lights of the day. Some are the colors of spring rivers like your friend’s, while others are darker, like your feathers.

It is so fascinating. Humans are so colorful, you almost feel pity for your kind that cannot partake in such a feast for their eyes, with Mother Moon hiding such vibrant sights to allow for sleep. You briefly wonder why humans wear such colorful things on their bodies, when they are so unique and distinct from one another.

Your friend grabs your claw and drags you away from the crowd that is encircling you. You do not mind their curiosity. They do not seem to have weapons on them and, deep down, you know that your friend will keep you safe if needed.

But you are being dragged nonetheless, under the towering buildings of stone and wood, under the windows opened by curious children, under the eyes of the men.

Your friend finally stops in an alley far away from everything else. The air is silent here, such a stark contrast from the noise from the streets you were in before. The air also lacks the pungent smell of herbs and spices, and instead you smell only moss and humidity.

Your friend places his hands on your shoulders and pulls you downwards, forcing you to sit down. You are not sure of the reason for such gesture, but you do feel a bit offended, and not even when he sits down next to you the feeling subsides.

But the boy sits still, not uttering a sound that could convey an apology, and instead rummages through his leather pouch and fishes out some food, for you and him.

You accept the dried meat and munch on it while scooping it from your beak with your tongue as you look at the end of the alley and the people passing through. Some children stop and point at you, but their mothers pull them away. You do not smell fear in the air and you are glad for that.

Fear is a powerful emotion that can lead down to dark paths. You have seen it in the hearts of men, how worry and the will to defend those dear to them can lead to fear and then violence.

So you do not wish for men to feel fear.

You briefly wonder if stars have given people words about future events to quell such feelings. The night is scary for beings who cannot see properly, a world once so known, now thrown in the darkness and full of dangers. So the stars offered a friendly voice and an ally up above their heads.

Do not be scared, children of men, they said. We will guide you.

And so you did.