Star hopped up and down, quivering with excitement.  It was finally time to visit her mother again.  She knew it'd only been a month since their last encounter, but it felt like forever.

"As soon as the sun rises," Warcry had said.  Star sat on her windowsill, talons twitching, as the sun began its painfully slow pursuit up the sky.  Saturn had just left for home not half an hour ago.  As usual, it hurt to see her go, but she was too excited to notice. The sun finally detached itself from the jagged horizon, and Star flew down the stairs, her talons barely skimming the steps.

"Quietly," Warcry hissed as she skidded to a messy stop. "We mustn't wake Fierce." They'd never told Fierce—or let him find out—about their jail visits. Fierce didn't like Aura, as much as he didn't like Warcry and Star. Chances were, he'd rat them out, and then it would be impossible to ever visit Aura again.

Silently as possible, they both took off and spiralled down, down, down, to the bottom of the canyon.

The prisons were on the very lowest and coldest level of the NightWing canyons. Above them were the practically homeless dragons. Below them was nothing but rock. Star and Warcry landed, flinging dust into the air. Star kept her eyes low, squinting. Being nocturnal, NightWing eyes were naturally sensitive to light, but Star's light pink-coloured eyes seemed extra affected. They moved silently, Star behind Warcry, pressed against the canyon wall. Only someone looking straight down from their house could see them. The prisoners in the cells didn't look up. They were either asleep, or they assumed it was a guard or something making the noise. Better yet, maybe they just didn't hear them. Warcry crouched next to the same window they'd been going to for years.

"Aura," he called quietly. "Aura?"

"Mother?" Star asked, reaching into the darkness. Soon gentle talons took hers.

"Stargazer," Aura breathed, her face appearing through the bars. "My wonderful daughter. It's so great to see you again. And Warcry, my love." Aura reached for Warcry, and Star shifted out of the way.

"I've missed you," Warcry said.

"And I, you," Aura agreed. "Now Star, tell me what's new about yourself."

"A new dragonet moved here," Star responded, smiling. "Her name is Saturn."

"This dragonet," Aura said. "Is she kind to you?"

"Yes, very. She's my best friend." Aura smiled.

"Saturn's been over at our cave every night this week. They're really close," Warcry put in.

"Is that so? What's she like, Star?" Aura asked.

"Oh, she's beautiful," Star replied.  "Her scales are this amazing shade of dark green, and she has star speckles all over her body, not just under her wings.  Her eyes are like emeralds, and—"

"Star," Aura interrupted, laughing.  "I meant her personality."

"Oh," Star said, blushing.  "Well, she's really bold.  And daring.  And fun.  The opposite of me, really."

"She sounds delightfully troublesome," Aura snickered, and Star laughed.  "So, how's Fierce?"

"Mean," Star said right away.

"He's... not friendly, for sure," Warcry said carefully.  "Doesn't listen to a thing I say.  He got into a fight the other day at school."

"Moons," Aura gasped.  "Is he okay?"

"His face got scratched up pretty bad.  He won't tell me who it was, and the principal said it's already been taken care of."  Aura shook her head, and then looked up hopefully.

"Do you think he might want to see me?" She asked.  "Maybe I could—"

"Aura," Warcry interrupted calmly.  "It's too dangerous to bring him here.  He'd just tell someone, and we'd never see you again."

She sighed.  "You're right.  Hey, it's getting bright.  You guys should leave."  Warcry and Aura clasped talons through the bars.

"Goodbye," Warcry murmured. 

Star squeezed her head through the bars (which she wouldn't be able to do for much longer) and kissed Aura on the forehead.  "Bye, Mum!" She said, twisting and pulling her head back through.

"Bye," Aura whispered, and they took off.  "See you next month."

What a thing for a mother to have to tell her daughter.