A blast of light shot across the sky.

In the black of the night, the star was seen by Clara Rane.

Clara raced across the forest, eyes gleaming and pulled her legs as far as they would allow her to. Trees blurred past her and the only sound her panting breath. She smiled uncontrollably as she neared the sight of the crash, pulling out a glass vial.

Just one sample, that's all I need.

It wasn’t that the stars were uncommon, they were taken by the Village leader, Clementine Highborne. Claiming to use the stars for a good purpose. Extracting them for their stardust, known for its healing properties, but as far as Clara had seen, no progress had been made.

Clara felt the radiating warmth of the star, the glow seeping through the cracks of the forest. A large crater appeared before her, nearby trees slightly singed. She slid down the crater, holding the vial tightly.
Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, hands clammy, stars radiated immense heat. She procured her leather satchel and seized a small fine knife. With a steady hand she scraped the star, gathering tiny bits of dust, dropping them into the vial.
“Maybe I should get a small piece,” She murmured. “While I’m here.”
A piece of the star was chipped off quickly and put into the vial, along with the stardust.

“Over here! We should be able to make it before it transforms.”

Transform?

Clara didn’t have anytime to wonder about that, the voice was close by, she had to move. She started to climb up the crater, making sure the vial was secure, until a bright light ignited.

The flash of light blinded her for a good 5 seconds, eyes burning. A glowing figure of white lay where the star once was. Clara breathed. The figure looked of a human that ascended from the heavens. A star in the shape of an earthly being.

“Ms Highborne, I saw the transformation flash.”
“Well then get going, before it escapes!” Called out another voice, incredulous, Clara imagined the look of disdain on her face.

“H-Human?”

The star didn’t even sound like a person. Its voice sang and glowed, if that could even happen. Clara eyed to where she heard Ms Highborne and back to the being before her. Stars, what was she doing? She hurried to the star and had to stop herself from gaping.
“You’re a star, Ms Highborne over there wants you for some reason. You need to come with me.” She pointed to a convenient placed towering tree. “I don’t know what she wants you for, but it’s probably not good, so please just follow me.”

The star blinked.
“Can you even understand me?” Clara huffed and grasped the stars hand and immediately let go. An embarrassing yelped escaped her, surprised at her blazing touch.

”Just try to climb up that tree-“

”There!”

The shout echoed through the trees, snapping Clara out of her daze.

Clementine Highborne’s voice: “Clara Rane! Step away from it!”

Clara’s pulse spiked. She grabbed the star’s wrist again, ignoring the burning sting this time. “Move. Now.”

The star stumbled after her, its steps unsteady, as if learning how legs worked. Its glow dimmed with each movement, flickering like a candle in a storm. They reached the base of the towering tree. Clara shoved the being toward the roots. “Climb. Please.”

The being tilted its head, eyes shimmering like molten silver. “I… do not climb.”

“Oh stars above--fine, then hide behind it!”

The being obeyed, slipping behind the trunk just as Clementine and her hunters burst into the crater clearing. Clara pressed herself flat against the bark, heart hammering.

“Where is it?” Clementine demanded.

A hunter pointed at the crater. “It transformed, ma’am. The flash was unmistakable.”

Clementine’s eyes narrowed. “Then it’s still close. Spread out.”

Boots scattered through the underbrush.

Clara dared a breath.

Then a whisper drifted beside her ear, soft, melodic, and impossibly sad. “They hunt me.”

Clara nearly jumped out of her skin. The being stood inches away, its glow now faint enough to blend with moonlight. Up close, it looked… human. Almost. Its hair shimmered like starlight caught in motion, and its skin held faint constellations beneath the surface like veins under its eye-sockets.

“What are you?” Clara whispered.

The being blinked slowly. “I was a star. I am… something else now.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I do not have one.” Its gaze lifted to the sky, longing etched into every line of its face. “I fell. I should not have fallen.”

Clara swallowed. “Do stars normally turn into… people?”

“No.” A pause. “Only angels do.”

Clara’s breath hitched. “Angels?”

The being nodded, expression unreadable. “A star is an angel’s vessel. When the vessel breaks, the angel is cast down.”

“Cast down? Why?”

The being’s glow dimmed further. “Because I disobeyed.”

Before Clara could ask more, a branch snapped nearby.

Clementine’s voice rang out. “Fan out! It can’t have gone far!”

The angel’s eyes widened. “They will take me. They will bind me. I cannot return if they bind me.”

Clara didn’t know what that meant, but she knew the fear in his voice was human. “Okay,” she whispered, grabbing his hand again. “Then we run.”

“But I burn you.”

“I’ll live.” She tugged him forward, weaving between trees, ducking under branches, feet pounding against the forest floor. The angel followed, his glow flickering wildly with each step.

Behind them, Clementine shouted, “There! Movement!”

Clara didn’t look back. They burst through a thicket and into a narrow ravine. Clara skidded to a stop, chest heaving. “We can hide here.”

The angel looked at her, silver eyes softening. “You help me. Why?”

“Because Clementine doesn’t want you for healing stardust,” Clara said. “She wants power. And I’m not letting her get it.”

The angel studied her for a long moment. “You are strange.”

“Thanks.” A faint smile touched his lips.

“What’s your name?” Clara asked.

The angel hesitated. “I had one. Long ago. But it is not for mortal tongues.”

Clara rolled her eyes. “Great. I’ll call you… Gabriel.”

His expression twisted. “That is heresy.”

“Too late.”

He sighed, a sound like wind through chimes. “Very well. But if I must endure this name, then you must endure something in return.”

Clara frowned. “What?”

He lifted a hand, placing two fingers lightly against her forehead. His touch was warm, and a pulse of light rippled through her.

Clara gasped. “What did you do?”

“Bound our fates,” the angel said softly. “So I may trust you.”

Clara stared at him, stunned. “You what?”

Before he could answer, a voice echoed through the ravine.

“Clara Rane! Come out now!”