That night he had a very strange dream again. He dreamt that he was climbing
a mountain. It was very slippery because it was raining. The sky was dark and
grey. He had been climbing for days when he finally reached the very top of
the mountain. On top of it was a golden temple. He pushed open the solid gold
doors and saw…
Tattan opened his eyes. The sun was streaking through his window and fell
across the wings. The wings sparkled and glowed. They seemed to be absorbing
the sunlight, which made them glow even brighter. Tattan got out of bed and
headed to the kitchen. Kannon was making breakfast for him. She smiled when
he came in.
"Good morning friend," she said. "After breakfast I thought we should head
into the central part of the village."
"All right," said Tattan. He really wanted to see what this village was like.
He ate his breakfast quickly and was soon following an icy path into the village.
Tattan slipped and fell several times on the icy path. He noticed that Kannon
never slipped once.
"How do you do it?" he asked.
"Do what?"
"Walk without slipping," said Tattan while taking another fall.
"You need to balance yourself," Kanon said. "Even out your weight."
Tattan tried to even out his weight. He managed five steps before slipping
again.
Kannon laughed. "Don't worry," she said. "Even the villagers have trouble
walking on the icy paths and they live here. Why don't you fly beside me and
you can try walking on the way back home."
Tattan decided that this was a very good suggestion. He spread his wings apart
and flew beside Kannon. When they reached the central part of the village Tattan's
jaw dropped. "Kannon," he said. "They live in…"
"That's right Tattan. The central part of the villagers live in igloos."
Tattan had heard this from Celia but he didn't believe it. But now here in
front of him were twenty igloos in various sizes. In the centre of the town
was a big fire.
"That's the festival fire," explained Kannon. "All of the major festivities
are held around this fire."
Tattan enjoyed spending his time in the central part of the village. He watched
several young Kyriis play with small ice blocks. Tattan and Kannon went back
to Kannon's house for lunch. Tattan even managed to get halfway to the house
without slipping once. For lunch, the two had bread topped with Frostberry Jam.
"Kannon?" asked Tattan. "Why are the followers Kyriis?"
"They would have been Shoyrus but I'll let you find out later when you read
about the village history.
Tattan read about history all afternoon. He discovered that a group of explorers
had come up on the mountain to see Kondach. They were a mix of Shoyrus and Kyriis.
The Shoyrus all froze but the Kyriis lived on.
Tattan left the next morning towards Kondach's mountain. "Here I go," he said
as he begun to climb."
"There's no turning back now," he said. He reached up and grabbed the rocks.
Tattan had begun the climb that he had travelled so far for.
Tattan placed his foot on another rock. He began climbing at a medium pace.
He had become quite good at climbing and probably would have gone faster if
it hadn't been raining. Tattan felt as if the sky really was crying with Kondach.
The rain was pouring down heavily causing him to loose his footing every so
often.
"This is extremely hard," said Tattan as he struggled to secure his footing
on the rock. He had brought his bag and the cloth bag with the wings. He left
Celia's bag at Kannon's so that his load would be lighter. He climbed for a
very long time. He was very tired but every time he saw a cave he just went
past it. He felt like Celia was climbing along right beside him like she always
did. Celia and Tattan side by side…
"Okay, I think it's time I had a rest," he said. Thinking of Celia was painful.
He climbed until he found a cave. He headed inside and managed to get a fire
going. He dried himself off and ate some food. He couldn't tell the time because
the big grey storm clouds had covered the sun. Tattan poked his head outside
of the cave and looked up the mountain. He guessed that he was probably about
halfway up the mountain. He smiled and went back into the cave. He looked over
at the wings, which were glowing, brightly by the fire. Tattan had placed them
by the fire because they could draw energy from the light. The darkness of the
cloud seemed to have caused them to lose magic. Tattan decided to keep climbing.
He was packing up his things when noticed something glowing in the corner of
the cave. He crawled over to the glow and discovered that it was a necklace.
The necklace was glowing just like the wings, it also seemed to be attracted
to the light. Tattan picked up the necklace and inspected it. It was shaped
like a sun and had the letter M engraved in it. Tattan slowly picked it up and
placed it around his neck. It had a nice warm glow to it.
"This looks like it might have belonged to Moko," said Tattan. "I'm sure Kondach
would appreciate having it returned to him.
Tattan had been climbing the mountain again. The rain still poured heavily
but Tattan was as dry as could be. The necklace seemed to be repelling the rain.
Tattan kept up is climb. It was getting dark but Tattan didn't care. He was
climbing when suddenly the ground leveled out. He couldn't believe it he had
reached the top of the mountain! Tattan scrambled up and looked down toward
the ground. He did it he really did it…
He turned around and saw the great golden temple from his dreams. His draw
dropped, he was standing in front of the house that Kondach lived in. Tattan
headed up toward to gleaming golden doors. He looked for a handle but couldn't
find one.
"That's odd," he said. "How am I supposed to open the door." He looked the
door over on one door was a picture of a sun on the other was a picture of a
moon.
"Perhaps these symbols have something to…Ouch!" the sun necklace was burning
his skin. He quickly pulled it off a held it by the string. It had gone a brilliant
shade of Yellow, Tattan could barely look at it. He looked at the door again,
he saw two small indents of a sun and a moon.
"That's it!" he said. He slowly placed the sun necklace into its place, but
where was the moon necklace? He didn't have to worry slowly the great golden
doors opened. Tattan stepped inside and they closed behind him. The great hallway
in which Tattan stood was made of solid gold. There were great golden pillars
that reached up to the high ceiling, that was dotted with little gold stars.
Tattan began to walk across the hall. He walked until he cam to a large room
at the end of the hall. Statues of gold Shoyrus lined the room. Several of
then looked like they were dancing. In the centre of the room was a golden throne.
To the left was a great balcony that seemed to reach up and over the clouds.
To his right was a large painting, of a very pretty Shoyru. He walked closer
to it. He knew for sure that it was a painting of Moko.
"Yes that was my daughter," came a wispy sort of voice.
Tattan turned around slowly. It front of him stood a white Shoyru with a long
silver beard and a pair of glasses. It was Kondach….
"Welcome to my home Tattan," Kondach said with an aged smile.
"H-h- how did you know my name?" Tattan replied he was feeling very nervous.
"I have know of you for a long time, even when you were young," Kondach replied.
Tattan looked at Kondach's neck it had a necklace shaped like a golden moon
and engraved with a K.
"You have travelled very far to reach me," came Kondach's wispy voice again.
"Yes," said Tattan. "I have come to return these." Tattan presented Kondach
with the wings, which were glowing very brightly. The wings made the white cloth
look grey
Kondach stared at the wings for a long time before he slowly took them from
Tattan. "Tattan," he said. "Do you know how much this means to me?"
"Yes I do," replied Tattan. "As soon as Celia and I found them we knew we
had to bring them back."
"You are so young, yet you risked your life to do something so kind," said
Kondach he looked like he was going to cry. "I would be honoured to offer you
any wish you want."
Tattan shook his head. "I didn't bring them back to be rewarded, I brought
them back to make you happy and because it was the right thing to do."
"You are very wise Tattan, very few people have that kind of gift. I thank
you with all of my heart." Kondach smiled again. "If you care to leave you will
notice that the rains have parted and I do believe that Kannon is cooking up
some dinner. I also believe she has a surprise for you.""
"Thank you," said Tattan with a bow. He headed back toward the doors. He took
one last look at Kondach before heading outside. "That was so cool," said Tattan
his boyish face smiled with pride. He spread his wings apart and flew back down
the mountain until he came to the Rock Bridge. He raced across the ice without
slipping. He ran to the village. When he arrived every Kyrii was out by the
Festival Fire. They all clapped when he came running. He smiled but kept on
running until he reached Kannon's house. He knocked on the door until Kannon
opened it smiled and gave him a warm hug. He couldn't help it he grinned too.
"You did it Tattan," she said. "I knew you would. Come, come dinner is ready."
Tattan wolfed down his dinner and had Iceflower tea with Kannon. When he finished
she told him to follow her to the library.
"I've already been recording your story," she said. "I had a bit of help while
you were gone." She pushed open the library door and saw Celia sitting on a
chair by the fire. Celia stood up and smiled. Tattan raced over to her and gave
her a big hug. Tattan began to cry.
"Careful Tattan you're crushing my wing," she said.
Tattan let go of her he was still crying. "Sorry," he said while wiping away
a tear. "I thought you were gone for good."
"So did I," Celia said. "I was falling and I hit something but I just passed
out."
Kannon stepped forward. "I found Celia knocked out while I was on one of my
hikes during the day that you left. I knew that she was the one you had been
talking about Tattan. I lay next to her and touched her head. She was very cold
but she was breathing. I picked her up and brought her home. I bandaged her
wing and tended to her cuts. She awoke not long after that. She told me who
she was and I told her where you were. She needed something to do so she helped
my start recording you story."
"Wow, I can't believe it," said Tattan.
"We'll stay until my wing heals then fly home," said Celia. "Besides, Kannon
needs to finish recording the rest of the story."
"Okay," said Tattan. "We'll stay until your healed, but not a second later...
I want to go home."
"Me too Tattan," said Celia. "Me too."
***
It had been months since Tattan and Celia had left the village. Everyday Marle
would go outside at the crack of dawn and wait until lunch. She missed Tattan
so much that it ate up her heart. Yet everyday she got up and waited and waited
and waited…
Today was no exception. Marle was up before dawn today. She was making some
breakfast before heading to the outskirts of the village. She walked slowly
towards the outskirts and saw two Shoyrus standing side by side. At first she
thought it was Tattan but then she noticed that it was Harla and Myra.
"Good morning," said Myra.
"Good morning," replied Marle.
"I brought some toast," said Harla pointing to a basket.
"Thank you," said Marle. She had already eaten but she was still extremely
hungry.
The three of them sat down on the ground and ate toast with Crumbleberry Jam.
Marle was taking a bite of her toast when she heard Myra say, "who's that coming
up over the hill?"
Marle looked up and saw the two Shoyrus flying towards them. She Jumped up
and realised that it was Celia and…
"Tattan!" Marle yelled racing towards the two. She grabbed Tattan in a tight
hug.
Celia landed in front of Harla and was soon locked in a tight hug as well.
"Come on mum, your killing me!" said Tattan. His mum released him from his
hug, tears were streaming down her face.
"I thought you were never coming home."
"Of course I would, mum. I would never leave you"
"Oh, Tattan come and have some toast," said his mum.
Later that day there was a festival. They named that day the Day of the Returning.
Tattan and Celia had never been so happy in their entire lives.
Tattan couldn't help but smile all day long. He had done it. He had really
done it.
The End | 
