“Watch me fly, watch me fly!”, Snow shouted happily. Raleigh watched as the doe’s flying was a little wonky. “Look down, look down!”, he called to Snow, who looked down and lost her concentration and fell from the sky, crashing into Ourania and Scape. Raleigh burst out laughing, “You three look ridiculous!”, he jeered, taking his turn to fly.

“Oh are you alright?”, Celeste asked, running to see if she could help the others in the crash. While Ignis Divine and Tusse were in flight, Zergarikiaka helped Ourania to her feet while Celeste helped Scape and Snow. Raleigh had walked off, going to tell others about what he had just seen. “Forget him.”, Zerg spoke, “Let’s keep practicing. We need to get all of this right.”

With Ignis Divine and Tusse landed, the seven deer (without Raleigh) began to discuss tips and tricks for their flight. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, the plans were going just fine. In the distance, a lone doe sat, watching the deer and their amazing flying. She dreamed of what they were doing, and she was willing to learn.

Halafax approached the crowd as they broke up and continued to practice flying. Tusse turned to see the doe there. “Hello, can we help you?”, he asked Halafax. The doe smiled, “I’d like to learn how to fly…”, she spoke. The others turned and looked toward her. “Sorry…”, Zergarikiaka said, “But we’re practicing for a big event tomorrow. We don’t really have the time to teach you.” “But…”, Halafax didn’t understand. “Listen, it’s nothing personal, but we’re behind on our rehearsal. We need all the practice we can get before tomorrow.”, Tusse spoke.

“Hey what about in the next few days, we meet you here and teach you how it’s done?”, Celeste asked. Halafax was eager to learn how to fly today, but with a sigh, she nodded, “Okay…but can I still watch you practice? You look like you’re having a lot of fun.”, she asked.

“No, no observers!”, Raleigh returned, shouting at Halafax. “Get out of here, loser! You don’t deserve to see me fly!” He ran toward the doe, his antlers pointed at her. Scape got inbetween the two, lowering his antlers at Raleigh, who skidded to a halt when he saw the ‘cop’ get in the way. “Knock it off. She can watch if she wants to.”, Scape barked at Raleigh.

“No, it’s okay…”, Halafax sighed, “I won’t trouble you anymore.” She walked off, her head down, until they were out of sight. She walked to the Pond, sitting and looking at her reflection in the fridgid water. Her seemingly bleeding eyes, her two sets of ears…maybe she was getting in the way by asking them to teach her. She let out a sigh, and felt unwanted.

“Come on, I’ll teach you how to fly.”, someone spoke nearby. Halafax looked to see Ourania standing there, a kind smile on her face. “You will? But I thought you had to practice…”, Halafax began to say, when the other doe shook her head, “I’ve gotten my part down. The others need the practice.”

Halafax smiled, and approaching, she nodded happily. Ourania taught her the basics of flying, and after a few tries, Halafax was able to fly. She wasn’t the best at it, but she was doing better than most first-time flyers. “You got it! You got it!”, Ourania called to her. Halafax was flying very well, and when she landed, she noticed Scape, Zergarikiaka, Snow, Ignis Divine, Celeste, and Tusse approaching. “Wow! Did you see her? She was wonderful!”, Snow cried out. Scape nodded, “We may need her for the head of the sleigh.”, he spoke. Nearby, Raleigh heard this. He was the head of the sleigh, and he stepped in once again, “No way! I’m leading this parade!”

“Enough Raleigh! We can have room for one more!”, Tusse spoke. “Hmph! She’ll just mess it all up! All of our hard work!”, Raleigh replied. “All of our hard work? You’ve been slacking off!”, Ignis Divine shouted. “Stop, everyone! It’s the Twin Gods’ event. If they would like…err…”, Scape began, turning to the doe, “What was your name again?” “Halafax.”, the doe replied. “Right. If they would like Halafax to participate in the event, then we will let her.”, Scape finished his sentence.

As he said those words, Auriea appeared before them. “Whoa! There’s a god here!”, Celeste exclaimed. “Where? I don’t see…”, Snow began, but then noticed the god-doe there. “Oh! Auriea!”, she cried. Auriea smiled, “So Halafax would like to be part of the flight? Well I approve then. And she will lead the sleigh too.”, she spoke at once. “But…”, Raleigh began, but he didn’t speak another word. It was settled.

The other deer all bowed to the god, who bowed back and turned into a dove, flying away at once. “Come on, everyone! We don’t have any more time to waste! Let’s keep practicing, you too Halafax!”, Zergarikiaka hustled, running back to the flying grounds. The others followed behind, Raleigh being last. He continued to slack off during the practice runs.

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Christmas Eve arrived, and the deer gathered around Twin Gods Hill for a special event. As the countless deer clamored and looked around curiously, the sky darkened, and flowers burst into the sky. As this was going on, Michael and Auriea appeared before them, their statues levetating and spinning. “Hello everyone, and welcome to a special celebration!”, the gods called aloud. The deer all smiled and bowed to them, and as they did, in the distance, the flight team was getting ready for the event. They were all attached to a great wooden sleigh, the ropes that held them together were lined with bells that jingled with every movement. The deer were paired together into two rows – Tusse and Snow; Celeste and Ignis Divine; Ourania and Zergarikiaka; Scape and Raleigh, and before them was Halafax, who stood central to the rows. Her heart was racing, she was so very excited for this.

“Don’t mess this up!”, Raleigh yelled. “We’ll be fine. Everyone ready?”, Scape asked. “Ready here!”, Ignis Divine said. “Ready!”, Ourania called. “Snow and I are ready!”, Tusse yelled from the back. Celeste nodded her head. “Ready! What’s our cue?”, Zergarikiaka asked. “The Twin Gods will place an idol nearby!”, Scape called back.

As he said that, the idol hit the ground before them. “Alright everyone, let’s go!”, Halafax shouted. The deer began their run, the bells jingling wildly. Soon, they had lifted off from a hill, and were on their way toward the festival. The flying deer did everything well, they were in perfect harmony, all except for Raleigh, who was already becoming tired. “Raleigh, pick up the pace!”, yelled Zergarikiaka, who was being pulled down by the slacking deer. They soon were flying over the many other deer, who cheered and laughed as the sleigh circled around the Twin Gods’ hill, landing in a ring around the god-deer. They stepped onto the sleigh, and spoke together, “Now dash away! On Tusse, on Snow! On Celeste and Ignis Divine! On Ourania and Zergarikiaka! On Scape and Raleigh! And most of all, on Halafax!” The flying deer were quick to launch into the sky, the sleigh zipping around the hovering Twin Gods statues. The deer on the ground gasped in amazement as the gods rode the sleigh, and the sound of the bells was ringing louder than their cheers. The flying deer ascended into the sky, vanishing over the clouds, which at once began to snow upon the ground.

Nearby, the sleigh landed away from the festival. The flying deer all laughed and cheered, they did everything well. The Twin Gods stepped down from the sleigh, which dissapated, the ropes and bells vanishing from around the flight team. It was only a manifestation of the Twin Gods’ abiogenesis powers.

The celebration went on through the night, as Halafax was invited with the others to a special treat – a feast prepared by the Twin Gods themselves. All but Raleigh attended, who slipped away and went to sleep for the night. The event was over, but the fun for them would last for the next hour.

And Halafax had never felt more accepted. Her mind continued to repeat the words, ”I flew! I really flew!”