(Trade-ish thing for Trigger_Mortis. Info here)

The young stag couldn't sleep. He wandered around the Forest, looking for someone to talk to, someone who also shared the night. He listened for others, anyone awake...

Silence. The entire Forest was asleep tonight. He lowered his head, he was wide awake but his mind wandered. He could wake someone up, but he was too respectful for that.

"The Gods! The Twin Gods are always awake...", Tails said to himself, "...aren't they?"

He scurried to the hill, the two marble statues towered before him. Tails fell to his knees, praying to the gods. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't ask for such a selfish thing, but...", Tails began.

"My child, you have no need to explain. We know.", the gods spoke. Tails opened his eyes to see Michael and Auriea appear before him. Tails kept on his knees, bowing his head. Auriea smiled, "You've proven your devotion. Now have your friend of the night."

Tails rose to his hooves, and looking around, he tilted his head curiously, "I don't see anyone.", he admitted.

Michael and Auriea looked to the sky. "The night is clear, and your friend lives in the stars.", Micheal spoke to him. Tails looked up to the stars, tilting his head once again. What do they mean by that?, he questioned in his mind.

The stars were dimmer than normal, but among them were five stars that shimmered brighter than all the others. "Watch, your friend is coming.", Michael said. And as he spoke the words, a form appeared from the stars, running toward them and finally landing on the solid ground.

Tails could not believe his eyes. Before him was a ram, his shape defined by several glistening stars. The ram's eyes glowed a brilliant red, and his frame was more of a blue. The horns from his head were very similar to Tails' antlers. "What is your name?", Tails asked the starry ram.

The ram bowed and spoke in a strangely soothing voice, "Aries is my name." The name was familiar to Tails, where did he hear it from?

The gods knew he pondered about Aries' name. "A long time ago, humans named all the stars. Cancer, Orion, Capricorn, Aries...the names were passed down for many years to the deer, for we look to the sky ourselves and find those same stars that make shapes together. With a little of our magic, the guardians of the sky have come to life.", Auriea spoke.

And as she said that, other starry friends appeared before their eyes. The whale Cetus drifted through the sky, swimming happily. Following him were Pisces, the two fish, who were good friends with the whale. Taurus the bull stomped his hooves, dancing just like the deer do. Even Perseus, who was a human hero, stood and bowed to the deer. There were countless others that appeared in the sky, even Michael and Auriea watched them all curiously.

"They're always in the sky for you, Tails. Just ask them to come play and they will.", Michael said, and with that, the two gods bowed respectfully and returned to their shrine on the hill.

Aries smiled at Tails, "So what would you like to do tonight?", he spoke. Tails thought for a moment, and then said, "I've always heard that hide and seek is a fun game.", he replied.

The starry ram nodded, "Go hide then, and I'll count to fifty. I've never played it myself but it sounds intriguing!", Aries replied.

Tails happily ran off, looking back to make sure Aries wasn't peeking. The young stag went straight for the old Ruins, leaping over the old stones and hiding in the ditch in the center. He giggled with excitement, Aries will never find me here!, he thought.

As he waited, a nameless stag approached and tilted his head curiously, "What are you doing in there?", he asked. Tails looked up to see the deer there, and at once he replied, "Playing hide and seek! Please, you'll give away my hiding spot!"

The older deer looked around, "Playing hide and seek with who? I don't see anyone around."

Before Tails could reply, the Ruins were becoming more illuminated. Aries had already found him, and was sitting on the old stone walls looking down at his friend with a smile, "That was easy.", the starry ram spoke.

Tails, irritated, replied, "Well this nameless gave me away! That wasn't fair!"

The nameless looked around, "Who are you talking to? There's nobody else here.", he asked.

Aries dropped down into the ditch with Tails, and nodding, said, "Don't get upset about it. It's just a game, and this guy here cannot see me or the other sky guardians. Why don't you play with him since he is up tonight? I'll be waiting tomorrow to have some fun." As they were speaking, the nameless began to wander off, unsure what to really think about the deer in the hole.

"But I'd rather...", Tails began, but then he remembered earlier in the night, he was looking for anyone to hang out with. Reluctantly, he lowered his head, "I understand. He's somebody that cannot sleep tonight just like myself. I feel bad for telling him to go away."

"Well go play with him then!", Aries replied, and nudging Tails with his horns, he encouraged the deer to run and catch up with the nameless. "See you tomorrow, Aries! And you're hiding next time!", Tails called out. The ram bowed and vanished in reply.

Tails finally caught up with the nameless deer, and said, "Hey you can't sleep either?" The nameless shook his head, and Tails smiled, "Let's go find some blackberries in the birch forest. I've got a craving for them tonight."

The nameless nodded, "Sure, that would be great.", he replied.

---------------------------------

Tails sat up. Morning. He must have fallen asleep sometime.

The birch trees surrounded him, and he saw the blackberry vines nearby. Maybe having the snack was all he needed to fall asleep.

He remembered having a nice chat with the nameless deer. He never realized how friendly they were.

Still, he already was missing Aries, and looking to the sky, he could not see the stars shimmering.

"We're always here, night and day.", he heard Aries speak in his mind, "But know that you have real friends to be found in the Endless Forest. Enjoy time with them before you seek us."

Tails smiled, "Of course.", he replied.

End