Dance of Auroris

Hidden behind the veil of the clouds, I waited to make my debut. I was extremely nervous, as today marks the most honoring moment of my life...

The solar's beams would decide my lifelong mate.

I was so anxious to learn who'd be mine, would it be the male of my dreams? Or would it be the one who laughed when I fell while I was first learning how to fly?

The solar didn't care about such things. It only cared about who'd be the perfect partner for my dance, and the females of my tribe always happily took whoever it chose for them. So I should be happy too... right?

My stomach tossed, and I barely felt the aching muscles on my back as I flapped my wings to keep me in place. My turbulent thoughts demanded all of my attention. I'd been waiting for an hour now, but the solar hadn't risen yet, so I'd have to wait a bit longer. Truth be told, I was glad it wasn't up yet.

I wasn't ready.

I told my mother, aunt, and all my sisters of my worries, but they laughed and told me to stop being so dramatic. They were all mated already and shared their stories about how the solar chose their mates, even though I was there for each one of my sisters. None of them seemed to share my nervousness beforehand. Instead, they were eager, and could barely contain themselves in the moments before they soared through the clouds and demonstrated their talented wings as they performed the Dance of Auroris.

They also mistook my distress for feeling insecure about my display, which was far from the truth. I'd been told by every female in our tribe that they envied my golden feathers. Most had white, soft blues, pinks, or lavender. My father told me males never cared about such things. Every female's plumes were pretty much similar... until me. We weren't sure how my feathers became gold, nearly capturing the solar's radiance, and although he wouldn't admit it, I knew males did care about such things. They just couldn't say it aloud since they knew they should be happy with whomever they got. But I heard enough whispers from both males and females saying that whoever ended up being my mate would feel as though he'd mated the solar goddess herself. And that... terrified me. I was no goddess, far from it.

As for my dance, I'd trained tirelessly day and night for the past annuai, making sure my performance would be memorable. I knew how to make the solar reflect off my feathers in a way that'd make them shimmer like a flame. I knew every beat to the song, every pause, every drawn-out note, and I choreographed my piece to match every chord.

Some females used props to make their dances more entertaining, like ribbons, flowers, or glitter. But I decided not to include anything extra. I didn't want to take attention away from my gilded wings. Though I did have something special planned for my grand finale...

A memory surfaces, back to a few rotations ago when Irria gave her debut. She made it rain fresh purple and blue petals when she first arrived, which I found achingly beautiful. They portrayed her own unique feathers. Her primaries were a beautiful languid lilac while her secondaries were a glacier blue. She wasn't the only female to have dual hues, but it was rare, and it was coveted. When her mate was chosen, he nearly didn't realize it. He was too enchanted by her grace. Once he did realize it, he fell to his knees and wept. It made me cry, and I spent that night begging the solar to select the male who looked at me that way.

The memory was interrupted by the loud sound of a horn, signaling the solar was about to peek over the horizon. My palms grew sweaty as I watched through the thick clouds as the morning light created a soft, heavenly glow. Any minute now, I thought to myself.

A swish came from behind me, and I turned to find my mother, aunt, and sisters all gathering. "Ready, Aurous?" My mother asked with tears swimming in her eyes. I wish I could share her sentiments, or at the very least, view this "phenomenal" tradition from her perspective. But my gut twisted uncomfortably at the idea that I only got this one chance to find my mate. Would we be compatible like my aunt and her mate? Would I just simply tolerate them, as my mother and father do with each other? Or would I barely ever speak to him, ignoring him like he didn't exist as my eldest sister Tissa does with her mate? (Which she still hadn't told us why).

My thoughts returned to Irria again- to the way her mate watched her- and my heart coiled so tightly it felt like a wrung-out rag. She'd be here today. She promised me she'd perform the opening to my debut with all the other mated females in our tribe who were able. It felt like an immense honor for her to be here for me, even though I knew it was simply the standard.

"Ready," I choked out, the lie clung to the back of my throat like bile, and I had to swallow a few times to try and clear it.

My mother could hear the uncertainty in my voice. Her already soft, compassionate features softened even more in sympathy as she held my face lovingly and kissed my forehead. The affection made my heart throb. She then turned and looked at the rest of the females in our family. "Alright ladies, let's go bless my youngest daughter with our mated prosperity and make her debut a successful one." They all followed my mom as she tucked in her opal wings and dove where the hopeful males would be waiting.

All but Vesta left, my sister closest in age to me. She stopped and turned to look over her dusty rose-colored wings at me. "You got this Auri. Your performance is going to make him eat his heart out." She winked and I laughed. Her mate had his hands full with her, but he didn't seem to mind. He was completely devoted to her and appeared to adore her mischief, though he'd deny it if questioned and would call her stubborn instead. They were a playful couple, and if there were ever any two individuals who were made for each other, it was them. I ignored the pang in my chest and watched as she disappeared into the clouds.

Not long after, music started up, and I recognized it as the intro to the Dance of Auroris. I caught myself swaying to the song, having memorized the synchronized opening sequence, and come tomorrow, I'd be able to take part in it. But first, I had to perform my solo. Only the one debuting could perform their composed part in the dance since it was meant to be intimate and a demonstration of my reverence for the tradition. The solar would then select the male who'd be best suited for a duo- the other half to complete the dance.

My fingers began to shake. This would be the first time any male has ever seen me fly, aside from my father. What if I got overconfident and made a mistake? What if I lose balance mid-twirl? Or pulled a muscle?

Not helping, Auri.

I shook those thoughts from my head and returned my focus to the music. It was coming up on my single. I'd fly out unescorted, and by the time it finished... I'd be mated.

I inhaled a long, deep breath to ease the tension weighing me down. It wouldn't look very refined of me if I was as stiff as a board, and I wanted to show my mate my elegance, whoever he may be.

The fall of the music indicated that my part was coming up, and I flapped my wings, climbing as high as I knew was needed. As soon as the note in the music hit a rest, I turned off my thoughts and exhaled. Then, I fell from the sky.

I pulled my wings tight against me to help pick up speed. I'd never heard of any female who plummeted to the ground as their arrival segment. We performed over the ocean as a precaution, yet even then it was too risky. However, I trusted my wings, my balance, my concentration, and my discipline. But most importantly- my control. I wanted to show my mate all those things too, as that was how respect was earned among my kind.

The leveled pause in the song was only a few seconds long, but enough time for me to break through the clouds like a bullet, passing the females who all hung in the clouds as they ended their part.

There was a collection of gasps from onlookers, mostly from males, and my pulse spiked in anticipation of how impressed they'd be. It was that thought that brought the first smile to my face in days.

I was close to the water now, and just as rehearsed, as soon as the next chord struck, I threw open my wings. The speed and force with which I did it broke the sound barrier, creating a loud crack that was perfectly in tune with the song. As it did, the water split into two giant waves on each side of me, and I levitated in the middle with my wings spread wide, making the water look like an extension of my feathers. I didn't need to see it to know if it worked. The crowd's surprised shouts gave me my answer.

I felt my smile grow, and the water skimmed my feathers as the waves sank back down into the ocean. Droplets sprayed the hopeful males with each beat of my wings. I tried not to look at them, but I was tempted. I wanted to know which males from our tribe were vying to be my suitors.

The music began to increase in tempo, and my mind went calm as I let the music sweep me into its embrace. I hit every cue, every twirl, and every pause flawlessly. When the music hit a long lull, I spread my wings to their full potential, which kept me suspended in the air for the entire duration of its drawn-out breath. This was the easier part of my routine. Or to me, it seemed like the easier part. To everyone else, it probably seemed like an insurmountable challenge. It was a display of my skills, and I was basically conveying that I could use every muscle to support my weight against gravity without breaking a sweat. To be fair, it wasn't a lot of weight.

Halfway through my solo, my breaths were still even, which shocked me since I was using a lot of energy and my heart was anything but steady. A fleeting thought entered my mind as I briefly wondered if there were any males staring at me in wonder and awe. If they were desperately pleading and bargaining with the solar to choose them to be my mate. I wasn't the most beautiful female in the tribe, but I didn't think I was ugly either. Honestly, I tried not to compare myself to other females. But it seemed almost instinctual, that we tend to look for ourselves in others, and sometimes I couldn't help it.

I was so caught up in the dance as well as my thoughts that I almost didn't notice the approaching ending to my solo. But a sudden warmth brought me back to the present, and I stole a glance at the cloudy horizon to see the vibrant fiery-orange glow of the solar growing.

My stomach vaulted into my throat. Soon, the clouds would perform their small yet no less important bit and part like a curtain so the solar's spotlight could reveal my mate. From the corner of my vision, I noticed the males shuffling along the towering cliffside, getting close to the edge of their individual alcoves so they'd be selected. My throat tightened. I'd seen males do this before- for the females they considered to be the most fascinating.

I growled at myself in annoyance for once again becoming distracted. I almost missed an important cue in the song! It was another stunt that'd stun the audience, or more specifically, my mate, and I certainly didn't want to mess this part up.

I rose above the males, making sure I'd be aligned with the solar once it emerged, and started to turn. At first, I spun slowly, keeping pace with the melody. I'd gradually accelerated as the song was reaching its climax. I sensed it before I saw the break in the clouds.

This was it.

It felt like the whole world held its breath in this final moment. As if the most important thing in the universe was waiting for the solar to make its decision. All I wanted to do was stop and watch who it chose for me. But I kept spinning faster, picking up wind as I went, and my heart clenched with love I didn't know I had until this moment. No, that wasn't true. It was always there. I just denied it. Too scared to hope that I might actually find love.

But why else would I put so much thought into my finale- the moment when my mate would be presented to me? I centered my whole performance around this. I'd been planning it since the very first Dance of Auroris I ever watched. I was barely four annaui. Come to think of it, it might've been why it was so significant to me who ended up as my mate... because I'd been waiting for this moment almost my entire life, and if he didn't appreciate it, it'd ruin me.

The overcast opened further. My breathing stopped. Everything grew quiet, despite the music still playing, and the first ray of light from the day's solar speared through the sky like it couldn't wait another second to reach its destination. And if I was being completely honest with myself, I couldn't either.

The second it landed on its target, I stopped spinning and threw my wings open again, only this time, instead of water, gold burst out of me. The feathers I'd been collecting every time I molted since I was four flew out in an aureate vortex, aiming for my mate.

I hadn't practiced with my real feathers, worried that I might damage them, so I wasn't sure how the outcome would look once I did the real thing. It took a second for my brain to catch up, but once it did, I wasn't disappointed.

My lips parted as I watched thousands of my flaming plumes dance around him, flittering and sparkling as the solar's bright light reflected off them. The rest of the world disappeared. There was just him and I, with gold magic connecting us, bonding us for life.

The first thing I noticed, which was perhaps the most important in my opinion, was his gray eyes. He was staring at me with a gaze that was so intense, I could only describe it as absolute rapture. It was just as I prayed.

The moment was breathtaking.

It only took another second before I realized who I was looking at. Radriel. The "Midnight Warrior" was what our tribe called him because of his obsidian-colored feathers. He didn't talk much. He was closed off, and he was older. Not too old, though. From the moment of their maturity, males have five annuai to find a mate, and based on rumor, he was nearing the cut-off.

A surge of panic entered my bloodstream as I processed this information.

The Midnight Warrior? Why would the solar choose him? The question vanished as quickly as it appeared. The way he was looking at me... he looked devastated, yet beholden. And the way my feathers fluttered around him, kissing his skin like they knew he belonged to me... It was everything I ever dreamt of.

A thought came from the recess of my mind, silencing all the others. This was his last chance for a mate. He'd probably been yearning for one for annuai, just as I'd been yearning for the look he was giving me. The solar granted both of our wishes.

It wasn't unheard of that a male went unmated, but it was unusual. There were hundreds of females that debuted every annuai, but sometimes it wasn't enough. It all depended on the ratio within the tribe, and even if there was a balance between the groups, males still sometimes went unmated. Females never did. The solar would never forgive it.

I looked at Radriel again, a little less alarmed this time at the idea that he was mine. I took in his dark wings that seemed to absorb the solar's gold gleams as if they were the abyss instead of feathers. The dark to my light. The thought came out of nowhere, and my heart jolted in my chest with its truth. Strange how the solar works.

My eyes roamed over his physique, appreciating his toned muscles and tan skin, indicating he took flight often. Of course, he did. Warriors would do perimeter flights daily to keep our humble island safe. Movement caught my attention, and my gaze dipped to watch as he twirled a single gold feather between his fingers. He... he saved one of my regimes. When did he catch one?

I startled when the beat picked up again, and the world came rushing back so quickly that it left me dizzy. I finally heard the murmurs from the crowd. They sounded shocked and disbelieving. Honestly, I couldn't believe it either, but I wasn't displeased with the solar's choice, even if the male in question was formidable. I rather found his rough demeanor charming as it softened just for me.

Without breaking my gaze, Radriel pocketed my feather, careful not to fray it, then stretched out his massive, striking dark wings, and with one impressive beat he was equal with me. I swallowed. This was the part where we'd perform the Dance of Auroris together, completing the union. He cautiously drew closer, and a look of surprise crossed his features as I met him the rest of the way without any hesitation. That was all the consent needed to show I approved the solar's decision. I'd only ever heard of one female ever rejecting her mate, and both she and he were mateless for the rest of their lives. The solar never bestowed them another chance.

His lips quirked as I dared to move even closer to him, and then we started to circle one another. The silence between us felt stifling, and although we weren't meant to talk until after, I couldn't wait. I licked my lips. "Are you... happy with me as your mate?" I asked, and hated how pathetic I sounded. Couldn't I have thought of a better icebreaker?

"Happy?" He breathed, and the corner of his mouth twitched a little. My insides melted at the deep timbre of his voice as he continued. "I had never truly understood the meaning of appreciation until this moment. You're the most remarkable little creature I've ever seen. I'm undeserving of you, as was every other male that stood and watched as you gifted us with your performance. Strong, brave little thing you are." This time he was unable to hold back his smile, but it faded just as quickly, and sorrow replaced it. "I long stopped hoping I'd be chosen by the solar, and almost didn't come today. But when you broke through the clouds with your grand entrance, my chest caved. It was a sight I'm glad I didn't miss. You're everything I didn't realize I wanted, needed, yet the solar knew. So, 'happy' isn't the word I'd use. It doesn't even compare. There are no words in our vocabulary that can accurately express what I'm feeling. But I can spend my life showing you."

A delighted sigh escaped me. I didn't think a male as intimidating as him was capable of being romantic. Mine, I thought to myself. My fingers itched to reach out and touch him. Not yet. Not until the dance is over.

We continued to circle one another as the unchosen males took flight and joined the mated females. They all flew around us in celebration.

I smiled at them, trying to commit this moment to memory. I didn't want to miss a single thing about my debut.