Authors Note

In the story, it looks like Lucy and Carla are a type of common bird but they are actually Alpine Chough, a type of bird that can fly very high. Most birds can not fly to the height of a cirrus cloud. Also the facts about the clouds are all true, only the fairies are fake.

This is a really bad idea! Are you sure we should fly right into a cloud just to meet the fairies?

Yes, it will be fun and we will learn more about different types of clouds!

I’m still pretty skeptical but I can’t really change my mind now, when we are about 6,500 feet in the air and hurling toward a stratus cloud. So, I just sigh as we soar into the cloud.

Inside the cloud I can just barely see about 3 dozen small shapes buzzing around. Suddenly, I hear a small voice near my ear, “Hello, and welcome to our home stratus cloud. A tour guide will be with you and your friend in a moment.”

Then another fairy comes and announces that he will be our tour guide. The guide first gestures to the gray cloud we are in, “There are dozens of stratus fairies, my people inside these clouds, they make their home here. We live in the clouds and in return, us fairies give clouds personalities!” I am pretty amazed at this, clouds with personalities?

Carla is just as astonished, “What exactly are these personalities you fairies give clouds?” She asks.

“Stratus fairies are pretty gloomy but not too somber or dismal, this is reflected in stratus clouds as light mist or rain sometimes falls from stratus clouds."

"Also, fun fact here, when stratus clouds appear, they usually cover the entire sky!” We nod and smile but it’s getting a bit boring so we fly out and start soaring in a random direction, before long when we are about 6,500 feet high and 18,000 feet high, we come to a huge mass of gray altocumulus clouds. This time there is no conversation between Carla and I, we plunge in.

Inside a altocumulus fairy approaches us.

Hello! How are you two dragobirds doing? I’m Alte, and welcome to my home cloud! Altocumulus clouds usually form in groups, so 4 or 5 altocumulus fairies from different clouds being friends is quite common.

He continues talking. "My people are also very friendly so cumulonimbus fairies like to chase us. Don’t come back to this area in the afternoon, it won’t be pretty” His voice trails off but both Carla and I understand, cumulonimbus fairies are violent and mean, that’s reflected in cumulonimbus clouds. Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderstorm clouds, they are also associated with heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning, and even tornadoes. We have both got the warning we quickly leave and start flying again.

Soon we arrive at a puffy cumulus cloud. A fairy greets us, “Hello, and welcome. I don’t mean to be unfriendly but you two should leave soon, a thunderstorm is happening nearby. Cumulonimbus fairies will soon be rushing out to find a new home because thunderstorms in cumulonimbus clouds force the cumulonimbus fairies to flee and find a new home cloud, the only ones they can use are our clouds. We are fair-weather fairies and our clouds are fair-weather clouds but if cumulonimbus fairies come they can turn us into to dangerous cumulonimbus fairies, I suggest you leave quickly.” Carla and I both nod, we definitely don’t want to risk running into a pack of cumulonimbus fairies.

We start flying again, but without realizing it we fly higher and higher, soon when we are soaring above 18,000 feet in the air, we fly under a fish scale shaped cloud, “It’s a cirrocumulus cloud!” I exclaim. We fly into it and see that a party has been going on, we cautiously walk forward, a fairy comes over.

Hey dragobirds, I’m Amica! Welcome to my home cloud! Also just saying, the party may seem weird but in cold weather, us cirrocumulus fairies are happy and friendly, of course, this reflects in cirrocumulus clouds and they predict fair weather. In tropical regions, cirrocumulus clouds may predict a approaching hurricane, this is because we are generally pretty unfriendly in tropical weather. As you guys know, it’s currently winter so there are lots of parties these days.

Amica walks back to the dance floor and starts to dance. Carla and I fly out, not wanting to intrude.

Hey Carla, look! A nimbostratus cloud!

Let’s go!

Soon when we are about 7,000 feet high, I see a dark gray cloud above me, it’s a nimbostratus cloud!

What are you two doing here? This is my home cloud so get out!

Hey chill, we just want some info on nimbostratus clouds.

Fine whatever, nimbostratus clouds are what most people know as rain clouds. Nimbostratus clouds often produce light to moderate precipitation.

Well? Is that info good enough for you? Get out!

Soon we see a huge cloud between 6,500 feet and 18,000 feet high.

That’s probably an altostratus cloud, let’s go!