Sahara's Skyfire Celebration

   Sahara's room was dark as she lay in her bed, her burnt red eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her large desert ears twitched towards the window, where she could hear laughter and music echoing in the distance. The Xeros were celebrating the Skyfire Celebration, but Sahara didn't go to the window to perform her normal watching. She was terrified. This would be her first year of celebration without her parents.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖☾𖤓☽.𖥔 ݁ ˖

   She remembered the years she spent celebrating with them as if it were yesterday. Sahara tripped over plants in the desert while her mother guided her, holding one paw and instructing her to keep the other paw over her eyes. "Mamaaa," she cried. "I can't see anything! Can't you just give me the lantern so I can peek through?" When she heard her mother's loud laugh in response, she just pouted in frustration.

   "My Sahara," she cooed, pressing her thumb on the back of her paw. "I promise you will not be lost in my hands. "We're almost there."

   Sahara grumbled and nodded. They eventually stopped walking, and her mother directed her to sit on a rock. She felt the warmth of a lantern and slid forward, brushing into a figure who let out a quiet 'oof.'

   "Sorry, in your spot," her father laughed, bringing Sahara up into his lap. After a few moments of listening to clinking sounds and metal chimes, her father patted her head. "Alright, now you can open them."

   Sahara's eyes took a second to adjust, but they widened in astonishment when she saw her mother adorned in magnificent shimmering arrangements, her warm red fur peaking through. Her wrists and ankles were adorned with beautiful sapphire bracelets, as well as gold rings set with sparkling Skyfire Stones. Her gold necklaces with sapphire collars also featured Skyfire stones. To top it all off, she was wearing a stunning mask with a crown of spikes that sparkled alongside the dangling sapphires and Skyfire stones on either side. She sparkled like the stars, and Sahara was captivated.

   As her mother bowed and began to dance, her father blew out the lantern and began tapping his claws on the glass, providing her with rhythm as she harmonized a song. She carried a stout stick with long, deep blue, twin transparent ribbons that made the stars glitter and the Skyfire stones twinkle every time they passed in front. This moment was beautiful for Sahara because it was her unique time with them and the stars. This only made her heart heavier as she grew older.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖☾𖤓☽.𖥔 ݁ ˖

   Her parents' busy work schedules forced them to abandon the family tradition. Her grandparents stepped in to care for her during these frequent absences, but as it happened so often, she rarely gets to see them.

   Tears collected and poured down her cheeks as she sniffled, pushing them away with her arm. It wasn't because she couldn't enjoy it with her grandparents...she was scared that this holiday would lose its luster and become a relic of her childhood.

   Before her tears could flow any further, she jolted at the sound of soft tapping on her door. She hastily wiped her face, sat up, and cleared her throat with a hoarse, "Yes?! What- What's up?"

   "It's me, dear," her grandmother said, creaking the door slightly to be heard properly. "Your grandfather and I closed up shop. Would you like to join us? I understand how difficult this holiday is for you.

   Sahara frowned and lowered her ears, reflexively wrapping her tail over her leg. "I don't know..."

   "It's fine, take your time. We still need to prepare a food basket, and your grandfather has lost his glasses again," she quipped jokingly, hoping to garner a laugh from Sahara. Although she was not handed one, she could see a twitch of a smile in the darkness of the room. "I'll be waiting for you downstairs, ok?"

   Sahara's thoughts were racing as her grandmother began to walk away, and her words were stuck in her mouth. Until she exclaimed, "Wait! Can you help me in find something?"

   The footsteps came to a halt and returned to the door, opening it to reveal her. "Of course, sweetheart. What are you looking for?"

   "Did... did mom or dad leave anything behind? After they moved out?"

   "Oh, I think so!" she responded, nodding and motioning for her to follow her. "In the guest room closet, they left a couple baskets of things they thought would be too much for one trip."

   Sahara instantly got out of bed and followed her. When she entered the guest bedroom, she saw it was as desolate as she had imagined. Only a bed, desk, and nightstand adorned it, with a single full-length mirror at the window. Her grandmother pointed to the closet and opened it for her. She watched Sahara approach it, looking through for anything relevant to what her mother wore that night.

   After a while of tossing materials and equipment aside, her eyes caught the familiar soft glowing and found the Skyfire Celebration attire. Her grandmother smiled and began talking about how she helped her parents make them, but Sahara's mind was more preoccupied with the garments.

   Although the jewelry and mask were dusty and several diamonds chipped, they appeared brand new. Her mother's ribbon wand, on the other hand, appeared to be worse for wear. The wooden handle was severely decayed, and the fabric frayed at the base.

   Her grandmother observed her sad expression and reassured her by patting her head. "I suppose I have some extra wood downstairs, sweetie. How about you try it on? I am sure you can fit it," and then she pattered out of the room.

   Sahara, now alone, began putting on the garments. She moved on to the necklaces, bracelets, and mask before picking up the wand and checking herself in the mirror. It was a little loose, probably from overstretching, but it fit nicely; the stonew faintly glowing along her body. She struck a tiny graceful position, and her heart swelled as memories simmered in the back of her mind. When her grandmother returned, she noticed her wiping her eyes and said, "Are you ok, Grandma?" Sahara queried, worriedly looking back at her.

   "Of course," she comforted, walking over to offer her a suitable piece of wood. "I'm just happy, darling. "You look stunning."

   Sahara gave an uneasy smile and gazed at the wood. She retracted her index finger's claw and carved out a well-shaped hole, removing the ribbons from its previous base and inserting them into the new one. "There," she said. "Good as new."

   Her grandma smiled as she clasped her paws in hers. "I am sure you'll have a terrific time tonight, sweetie. You'll be feeling better in no time.

   Sahara simply smiled and hugged her, her eyes welling up with tears. "Come on. We better start moving before Grandpa tries to stroll there without his glasses."