Another Literacy Festival Short Story - my last one in school. This one is inspired by multiple things; the stimulus image, which was a girl in a forest, holding an orb of light in her palms; a virtual reality experience that we had during the festival, where we pat and rode a magical beast that looked like a dragon/lion creature; and the song by Lindsey Stirling by the same name, First Light. If you would like an image of the creature, I have one, you can ask.

Wind howls through the thick trunks of the dying oaks, dark storm clouds cover the vast blue sky, making the ground pitch black and frigid. In a small pile of dried, fallen leaves lays a young girl, quietly crying to herself. She whimpers in fear at each passing gale, terrified of what may meet her. She had been in the dark forest for what seemed like forever, alone and without shelter. A sudden flash of lightning causes her to scream, a sound that echoes around her.

As her voice fades into the dark, a faint ball of pale blue light illuminates the area around it. From dampened, closed eyelids, the girl notices the light, and as she stares, a crash of thunder fills the air. She doesn't flinch. She doesn't scream. She only watches with curious eyes at the light. Slowly, she pushes herself to her feet, reaching out a hand. Before she can make contact with the light, however, it flies away, as if a bird fleeing from a predator.

"Wait!" She calls, forcing her legs to give chase. Her bruised, bare feet crunch up leaves and twigs as she runs. Her arms wave and push away low hanging branches that get in her way. With no warning, the light swerves to the right, causing the girl to fumble. "Stop!" She calls again, however she knows it to be no use. She picks herself back out of the dead debris, forcing herself to continue, following the light as fast as she can go. She sees it slow slightly, and pushes herself faster, launching herself forward with her arms out.

She lands with a small thud, and she takes a moment to regain the breath she lost, before opening her eyes. In her grasp, between her hands, she sees the faint glow of the light. Smiling at herself, she pushes herself to her knees, peering at the light shining through her fingers. She sits for a moment, before hearing a rustling in the bush near her. She scans around, searching for the source, when a creature emerges. The girl cries out, however doesn't try and run. Instead, she tries to observe the creature, who now kneels on the ground beside her, watching. It appears only the size of a large cat, with furry paws and a slightly stretched neck. Strong ears rest on its round head, and a thin tail splits into two.

"You're... the Mihaji..." She mumbles, recognising the thought to be mythicised animal. The Mihaji leans close to the girl, before noticing the light still in her palms. Cautiously, the girl stands and holds her closed hands out, recognising the light as part of the creature's extraordinary abilities. After a short pause, the Mihaji lets out a few clicking noises, and the light in the girl's hands springs out. She instinctively reaches out for it, however before she can, it is quick to fly around her, encasing her in its faint, blue glow. Another few clicks come from the Mihaji, and the glow dies down to nothing.

As the girl glances around her, curious as to what happened, the skies above her brighten. Grey clouds turn a beautiful shade of gold, and each dark and decaying oak becomes lighter and full of foliage. The howling winds cease, and the bitter chill makes way for pleasant, warmer temperatures. Nearby, the girl sees apparitions of pale blue appear. Fantastic creatures she never thought she'd see; small birds with four wings, magnificently coloured reptiles of all shapes, and those that look like the Mihaji, only smaller, with three legs and shorter tails.

Astounded by this new world around her, the girl goes to run in, to explore and find more about these animals. Before she does, she gazes behind her, planning to thank the Mihaji. However, to her surprise, the mystic creature had vanished, as if breath in the wind. Nowhere to be seen, and never to be seen again. Not until another of worth shows.