The North Lights represent?

The North Lights, or the Wawahtew in Cree, is a symbol for home for both Xavier and Elijah. There are several times during the novel where either Elijah or Xavier see the lights and they are reminded of home. One of the instances where Xavier sees the lights of a night battle in the distance, they remind him of the North Lights back home. However, he knows that these lights are a twisted rendition of the true North Lights and that makes him long for home even more. Elijah sees the North Lights when he has climbed on top of the statue of the Virgin Mary in one of the towns they are stationed in. When he sees them, he is reminded of home but quickly puts that thought behind him as he does not want to think of home.