The Parting Birds by Dagstjarna  

The Parting Birds

"It was November- the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the parks and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul." - L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

510 F. A, the Havens of Sirion

It was the first full moon after the autumn equinox, and a time for parties. Elwing fell asleep in her mother’s arms beside the bonfire as the festivities lasted well into the night, and woke to her father carrying her inside and tucking her into bed. He laid down beside her, smelling of autumn and woodsmoke. 

“Would you like me to tell you a story?” He asked. 

Elwing nodded, nestling up to him so she would hear his voice rumble in his chest while he talked.

“When the Sun first rose,” he began. “It dazzled the world, and all the people were amazed by her beauty and might. She fills the sky with light, melts the glaciers and swells the great rivers, guides the migrations of birds, chases away mists, and sends the shadows of the world scurrying back into their holes! This is very impressive, but it’s also pretty hard work, trekking across the sky every day, thawing all the icicles, waking every one up, and the like. So just like you and me, every night she goes home and sleeps. And what does everyone need to sleep?” Dior asked her. 

“Hm. A bed?” Elwing suggested. 

“Yes, that’s true,” Dior nodded. “But what you also need is a blanket! 

     “Now, for the first few months the sun slept under this or that, but as the days grew chillier, she began to wish she had a nice thick blanket to keep warm with. As autumn came, she saw how the falling leaves made a thick blanket on the floor of the forest, and thought, “perfect! I’ll make a blanket just like that.” 

She spun her wool and dyed it the colors of the leaves, and wove it all together, until she had a great big red blanket for winter. Every night in winter she sleeps under her big red blanket. That's why the sunset and sunrise in winter are often very red, as well as bright maple orange and clear aspen yellow- the big red blanket turns the sky its color as the Sun tumbles out of bed in the morning and tucks in at night.” 

Elwing considered this. 

“That’s a good story, Ada,” she decided. 

“Thank you,” he smiled. “My father used to tell it to me on autumn night just like this. I miss him very much.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Time to sleep now,” he said. “Goodnight, love.” 

Elwing floated down into dreams to the crackle of the hearth, and the sigh of wind in the trees.