There once was a tsuklaw who said, “I’ll show the world!” Indeed she did show the world, but not without sacrifice.

You see, Starwing lived in a time whence the Gods had not yet allotted the tsuklaws magic. The creatures were already happy and satisfied with life. Every one of them except Starwing of course.

“I want to fly like a bird” said she, watching the birds perform aerial acrobatics.

“That’s pebble-brained, why would you want to? We have all we need here on the ground!” said every other tsuklaw.

Starwing felt much dejected. The gryphons were only slightly bigger than the tsuklaws (for that’s how the gryphon species began) and they could fly! Why in Kelv and Eta’s name couldn’t she?

Well she lacked wings for one. So stumped she was, she pondered and pondered. She asked the birds and a few tried to help her succeed in theory and practice, but to no avail.

Starwing pondered and pondered. She prayed to the Gods, but no aid came.

So dejected she felt, she ran to the forest and into a glade where she wailed her heart out, “I’ll never fly!”

The cries of tsuklaw are low, yet they are mournful so all whom hear them feel a pang of their sorrow.

“Why do you cry, young claw foot?” asked a voice.

“Who is that?” asked Starwing.

“Just a humble terbaculo” and so they were. But rather than attack the young tsuklaw, the terbaculo sat and looked at the tsuklaw in earnest.

Now this was at a time when the terbaculo had just learned the art of flight. Looking at this strange wolf-like creature with wings, she gasped, “You have wings!”

“That I do, now why the cries?”

“You see I want to fly and I’ve pondered and pondered it, but I still can’t find an answer!”

“Hmm” the terbaculo thought, “You know the most golden of hearts always reach their desires?”

Starwing shook her head.

“Would you like to hear of how the tazen got its wings and became the terbaculo?”

Starwing nodded in awe.

“Well,” began the terbaculo, “Many years ago, there lived a tazen by the name of Korrai. She too wanted to fly, you see, she was the slowest in her pack and she received no respect whatsoever! One day she had enough, and sought out a fast creature to hunt all on her own. She spotted a rabbit and gave chase, but the rabbit escaped. Korrai didn’t notice, she was much too focused on running, the feel of wind on her face, the blue of the sky above. Then quite suddenly, her paws left the ground! She looked to her right, to her left and saw sparkling white wings! A gift from the gods!”

Starwing was in awe, “Would this work for me as well?”

“I believe you are golden of heart.” the terbaculo winked and disappeared.

Enlightened, Starwing ran at full speed, feeling the crisp air soothe her lungs, hearing the song of birds, seeing the blue of the sky. She closed her eyes and gave a loud laugh. Like their cries, their laughs are silent, but unlike their cries, their laughs fill listeners with joy.

Starwing felt her claws leave the ground. So delighted she was! She stretched out her legs, feeling the air.

Alas, she had not grown wings. She had leapt directly off a cliff.

She left delighted, her dream met. It didn’t matter that she had no wings, she heard the sky sing. For her desire, she gave the price of her life.

Yet her golden heart shone. The Gods granted her life and upon waking she found Korrai had given her wings!

For never letting go of your dreams we give you this gift, the trees rustled as a wind carried the loving voices.

And from that day Starwing became known as Rising Star for the birds that had seen her plummet said, “Her happiness shone like a star and her fall was fast, but she hit the ground and soon was up and in the sky!”