[Stormbird]

marumi name : Luneth
prompt : Befalling Luneth's first birthday, the moon was shining it's brightest, and brought a glow to her wings, showering them in a forever supply of glitter and sparkles. As if a gift from the moon itself.

[Vanrouge]

Mark!

[Rylf]

Mark

[Hawk WillowWatcher]

marumi name :Lunaru
prompt :Lunaru looked to the stars. Tonight was their metamorphosis. ‘Twas a full moon that night. The sky was full of stars. Lunaru felt the light and spun the cocoon. Just then a comet flew by. With the power of the moon and comet their cocoon glowed. They were of the stars now and their wings showed it.

[Screemnigcheesepuff]

Maru Name: Sylvia

Prompt: As a young Maru Sylvia loved to explore new areas, however as she grew older and matured a little she preferred to find a more consistent place to live. Sylvia eventually decided to settle with a flock of sheep roaming the hillsides, this allowed her to explore whilst also having a bit more stability. The longer she spent with this flock the more she bonded with them and grew protective of them.

It was after a few years living a harmonious life with these sheep that a terrible storm struck. Winds started whipping up in the middle of the night as frigid rain was lashing down, and the thick dark clouds blocked out even the faintest light from the moon. Up until the unforeseen storm Sylvia and her flock had been sleeping peacefully in the middle of a meadow, and they were now startled into wakefulness.

Desperate to find some shelter Sylvia darted to a nearby cave she had found exploring the day before, but in her rush she failed to realise how disoriented her flock was. Screeching to a stop in the cave, panting and still half asleep, she finally noticed that none of her friends had followed her. There was only one thing to do, Sylvia would have to brave the relentless storm to find her friends.

The first few sheep were simple to find, still in the meadow, and with Sylvia’s guidance they easily made it to the cave. However there were still many sheep who had not made it back to flock and she was determined to find them all before the night was out. So Sylvia began to search, batting against the wind and rain lashing down, making it difficult to keep her eyes open. Some she found nearby, but still more were lost, so she took to the sky hoping to cover more ground.

As she flew, the rain soaked into her wool making it hard to stay aloft, and clouds differed, faint moon glow peaked through. This light reflected off her wings as helped illuminate her search, and not soon after all the members of her flock her found. Exhausted, Sylvia lead them to the cave, and was amazed when her wings continued to glow even without the moonlight. The storm raged on outside but this family was safe as sylvia’s wings would forever remain a beacon so they couldn’t lose their way.

[nimmy]

marumi name : actias //part of the Luna moth’s scientific name//
prompt :

Others would often tease Actias for his soft and fragile appearance. He would respond to this harshly and often end up in explosive physical outbreaks with these perpetrators. He felt a longing to be away from this tension, a time for great adventure was upon him.

Setting out with no where specific in mind, Actias traveled at night, following the light of the moon. After many weeks of travel he came across a rather foreign land, an expansive desert. He sighed, knowing his journey had come to a close.

Plodding back he felt defeated. Actias let out a squeak of surprise as he was thrown to the ground. Embarrassed by the squeal that escaped him, he glared at the stranger.

A fawn-like maru cowered. “I’m sorry, I was trying to catch up with that firefly!” she breathed out hurriedly, gesturing with her snout towards the firefly before them. “I’m Faline, and I’m not out here bug hunting if that’s what you’re worried about.” she stated wide-eyed, nodding towards his glorious wings in acknowledgment.

Actias could not help but chuckle. “Nice to meet you,” he sighed, “I was attempting to catch up to the moon,” he spoke rather defeated, looking longingly into the sky.

Faline had a sparkle in her eyes, “well, you’re in luck, here the moon comes to us,” she said happily, bounding off back towards the forest.

Upon arriving Faline gestured for Actias to walk to the calm water’s edge. It was a meager excuse for a pond, but the water here was so still it perfectly enraptured the moon into its abyss.

He went to the water’s edge, whispering, “I want to thank you for your beauty and guidance,” a tear escaped, hitting the surface and causing a ripple. The moon wavered before him before becoming a shimmering mist. Surrounding him, it blanketed Actias in a soothing warmth.

Looking down towards the water his wings had a warm glow. “Thank you,” he whispered to the moon that was surely listening.

- - -

The two marus left there that day the best of friends, Actias has yet to return to his homeland. Spending his days alongside Faline. They enjoy visiting the moon on the nights of clear skies on the calm waters. Actias feels the moon sent the firefly that night that led Faline to him, and then him to the moon itself.

[396 words]

[hellevi]

marumi name : nilavi
prompt :

child of the moon, bestowed with everlasting shimmer in exchange for a profound loneliness.

nilavi was born to a tight-knit and rare clan of marumi. tucked away deep in the mountains, these marumi bare thick wool that helps them to cope with the harshness of the weather. they are often white or cream, pale in color to help them blend in with the often-snowy surroundings.

but as the years crawled on, their numbers dwindled, as did the abundance of harvest from the land they dwelled on. food sources became scarce, and the weather only grew crueler by the year. soon, these sheep-like marumi found themselves struggling to survive as their mountainous home became more and more unsparing.

nilavi couldn't stand to see her kin struggling in such a way. every night, when the rest of her clan was asleep, she would sneak out into the moonlight and cry to none other than the moon. she doubted that her pleas would ever be heard, but that didn't stop her. she prayed that something would change, hoped for her clan to pull through, begged for the land to be kinder to them.

it was on one of these nights that nilavi was partaking in her nightly ritual when she was met with a luna moth. the moth landed ever so gently on her nose, batting its wings slowly as the two held the other's gaze. it was in that moment that the moth took off into the sky, heading directly towards the moon, when a pair of moth wings sprouted from nilavi's back.

almost as if nilavi's life was destined to turn out this way, the initial shock was quickly overcome with the instinct to ascend into the sky and follow after the luna moth. as the earth became smaller beneath her, glitter began to softly tumble away from her wings.

she followed the moth up into the night sky, stopping in the pale light of moon where she could gaze down on her clan from above. from then on, the harvest was bountiful and the marumi no longer struggled.

nilavi could only watch from overhead, never to be in the presence of her kin again: the sacrifice she had made for the rest of her family. she could live with this loneliness, she thought, if it meant that her family thrive. forevermore, it was just her, the moth, and the moon. [400 words exactly :p]

[0ceanButterfly]

marumi name :Iridessa
prompt :
Marumi are known to coexist with the fae. The two species have lived in harmony for hundreds of years in peace. Every first full moon of a season there is a huge festival held for the whole month celebrating as the faerie courts change rulers for the season, and also to celebrate the peace that has thrived amongst the maru and fae. Because there is a new fae that rules for the season every year, it is tradition for the ruling fae court queen to choose a special Marumi as their trusted companion to help them keep the land healthy and happy during their ruling season, and Iridessa was lucky enough to be chosen as the fall celebration began. The new queen of the fall court hand chose her, and as a show of their bond, sprinkled her in pixie-dust so everyone would know.

[Andromeda]

marumi name : Galateia
prompt :

Galateia was born from her milky white egg on the night of a waxing moon. Her life was not fated to be prophetic, like those born on the full moon, nor lonely and dull, like those born on the new moon. However, it was fated to burst forth in a show of life that strives to exceed its boundaries.

Her damp wings took far too long to unfurl and her dense fur made graceful flight difficult. Though fly she did, clumsily and with wings whose tips were still drooping. She kept up with the others the best she could, and they accepted her with love despite her lack of ability. She soon became aware that the bright green wings of her peers glowed with a sheen of lilac, violet, indigo, and deep blue when the moon cast its pearly rays upon them. While her wings, heavy and always feeling soggy, were matte.

No longer able to withstand her own gloomy disposition at the way her current physical state had effected her, Galateia flew to the Moon-Maiden; a Marumi with long, opalescent, silky wings who communed with the moon and shared her blessings with the flight.

The Moon-Maiden told Galateia that her heavy wings were meant to endure a long journey to find their glimmer. Only then, would she finally experience the true way of flight. Galateia, of course, protested at the unfairness, and was met with a scowl.

"Such is the fate of a Marumi of the waxing moon, you must chase that which will fulfill your life. Much unlike those born under the full moon, who a fulfilling life is handed to," Moon-Maiden chuckled; some sort of inside joke with fate that perhaps the moon had shared with her.

Galateia took the sky in an instant and flew far from the glen, far from the familiar trees and stones and fields of flowers. She made for the ocean and took the salty spray straight to her wings. It crusted her fur and made flying more difficult, though the full moon danced on the waves.

It was then that she realized. The salt crystallized in a thin layer on her wings and when the moonlight caught them, they shimmered like a million diamonds. The layer of salt stiffened her wings which allowed her to glide, rather than try to flap them, and suddenly, she was far above the sea.

Plenilune.

[400]

[Exitium]

marumi name : Glacia
prompt : Glacia comes from a long line of cheese makers. This is important, as she decided to branch off and go into politics for the betterment of their nation, instead of following after generations of cheese makers. She adores the craft, but her calling was the office. One day, after passing policies for the future youth to prosper, Glacia wandered out to watch the sunset from her favorite cliff. A shooting star passed through the sky, and as she wished upon the star, her wings began to sparkle! It was a sign, to her, that she was going to continue bettering the people of Malvania- their nation of Marumi.