The Aeronaut's Daughter

The Mysterious Zeppelin

Lyra and (M/C) had walked for miles along the coast and there was still no sign of Cittagatze. 

"We should rest," (M/C) panted. 

Lyra nodded. They sat down together on some rocks and (M/C) wiped the sweat off his head. 

"I'll do a little scout in the air," Pan said flying up in his seagull form. 

"Don't go far," Lyra advised.

Pan flew up a little but not too far. 

"If only I were a witch," she sighed. 

"A witches daemon can go far away from them?" (M/C) said. 

"Yes,"

"How come?"

"It's some ritual they do. It allows the separation without breaking the soul,"

"Cool,"

"I thought we would have found CIttagatze by now,"

"Me too. If only there were a way we could find help or anything to help us find it,"

"Lyra!" Pan's voice cried from the sky. 

The pair looked up as Pan dived towards them, flapping frantically in front of Lyra. "You two have gotta see this!" 

He guided them towards some rocks which they climbed up off the beach. The moment they reached the top, the children felt their lips parting as they were shocked by the sight of a giant zeppelin half-buried in a forest. 

"Blimey," Lyra breathed. 

"What's a zeppelin doing in the middle of the forest?" wondered (M/C). 

"It must have crashed," Lyra said. "Let's take a look. Maybe there's something we could use to find our way back,"

"Good idea," 

Together the trio walked carefully into the forest towards the enormous wreckage. As they got closer, Lyra could see tiles losing colour, wires hanging out of holes and the low but audible echoing of old pieces of metal. As they approached it, they saw a hole leading inside. 

"You think someone's in there?" Pan wondered.

"Only one way to find out," shrugged Lyra. "Turn into a firefly Pan,"

Pan reluctantly obeyed and became a firefly and flew into the dark; he lit up, laminating the inside. 

"He is incredible," (M/C) said as they walked slowly inside. "At least you never have to separate from him and he can change into so many forms,"

"Sadly his time is coming," a remorseful Lyra lamented. 

"'His time'?"

"When he has to settle at the moment of puberty,"

"You mean he can't change forever?"

"Nope. I don't want him to settle. I want him to change forever. But...that's just the nature of daemons in my world,"

"What will he settle as?"

"That depends. The permanent forms of daemons are meant to reflect what kind of person I am,"

"Maybe he'll reflect your ambiguous nature," 

Lyra looked at him, a little offended. 

"What I mean is, you're many things Lyra," (M/C) spoke his heart out. " You're scheming and clever, devoted and big-hearted. You're many things. Whatever form Pan takes forever, that'll show how special you are,"