Submission (#1035) Approved

  A bright hot sun washed warm light over Ahza, rising into the sky and letting it’s residents know it was well enough past time to awake for the day. Elinin and kittoms alike began to stir and start their days but one little kit in particular had a mission. 

    Taiki gave a yawn as he stretched and flicked his sleek ears, his matching tail swishing behind him as he stood. His adventure in the region was nearly over as he knew he’d be returning home in just a few days when the caravan left to make their way on the return journey. He was very excited to be able to go back to his little home nestled in blossoms but for today--he had one last thing to accomplish before finally saying goodbye to the sandy dunes and shimmering oasis he had become so accustomed to these last few weeks. 

    Awake in just a few minutes, he began his trek into town, saying thank you to the caravan Elinin who we’re allowing him to sleep near them at night. They could only shake their heads at the rambunctious boy as they knew very well he might be gone until sunfall came again as he usually was. There was just so much to explore! 

    Darting through the streets, his paws carried him forward quickly as he wanted to be one of the first to his destination but as he got closer, he seemed to not be the only one with the idea. Though he could see vibrant colored bazaar tents and stalls up ahead there seemed to be so many other bodies between him and his destination. Did everyone have someone to buy today? “Excuse me! Can I--hey! I just want to g-go over there-” his voice was easily covered up by the bustling of the market, the little kit having to slink to the sand covered streets and shuffling along on his belly to get past some of the taller Elinin that didn’t seem to hear the small kittom all by himself this morning. 

    Finally breaking through the outer crowd and into the markets where the stalls actually we’re the boy fluffed himself and shook--trying to shake all the dust and sand he could from his usual clean and sleek fur. Content with just a single shake, he trotted forward, his peachy colored eyes darting over each colorful stand one after another. “There’s so much ah-” he was dazzled by it all. Things we’re sold back home sure but there was something special about the bazaar here with all the fabrics and tall buildings to cast shade on the shoppers below. 

    So busy looking around and trying to peek up where he could, the kit was clueless when he collided with a few others. Most simply kept moving but one just as small as him squeaked when the two clashed in the street causing Tai to give a small “Oof!” as a response, falling back on his butt. “S-Sorry...” he managed to get out, using a paw to rub his head a bit and fix the little tuft of fluff sticking out there. “Do you ever watch where you're going?” a very delicate voice demanded an answer, causing Tai to shake his head in an honest no and give a happy flick of his tail. “Not really no. Hello Mint.” 

    He jumped back up, watching as the light green kittom in front of him was placing little wrapped candies back into her satchel. A few papers we’re still littered around so he began to pick them up in his mouth, carefully dragging them over to her which she seemed grateful for. “Shouldn’t you be heading back home?” Mint asked, all her things finally back in her stachel that seemed heavy with...was it gifts? “We head back tomorrow. Today I’m looking for a present for....” he trailed off, looking about and noticing how high the sun had gotten over the desert now. He was so distracted exploring he hadn’t done much actual shopping. “I’m going to run out of time!” he exclaimed, beginning to walk swiftly past his friend. “It was nice to see you again!” Tai thought he heard a quick ‘wait’ behind him but he was determined now. He didn’t want to return without a gift for Velia--she deserved something nice after they had been apart for a few weeks. 

    A few rows away, he stood on a crate, looking at the shiny shells the storekeeper had. They would be perfect if he could just find the right one. His eyes scanned over each one, reaching out to touch the spirals and smooth objects here and there but something was missing, he wasn’t sure what. However before he could decide, he felt a nip on his ear and he yelped, his eyes going to the crate next to him to see a squinting Mint with a much lighter satchel. “You didn’t wait so I did a few deliveries. Now what are you looking for?” she asked him, gazing at the sea shells that must have been brought all the way from Palu'au'. “A gift for my friend, she’s super pretty and nice and she always finds the shiny things and brings them to our treasure box. Oh oh oh and she’s really fluffy and has the BIGGEST ears I’ve ever seen!” Tai chattered happily, stretching his arms so wide he nearly fell off his crate. “SO BIG!” he tried to empathize, causing Mint to giggle at his excitement. “You should write her a letter. A love letter!” she told him back, plucking up a shell that sparkled like stars. 

    “Love letter?” he gulped, blinking at her and looking down at the shells--a vibrant purple one catching his eye. Velia was super pretty yeah but love? He didn’t love her! It was silly and something for adults but he couldn’t help but feel a small flutter in his stomach thinking of her terrible singing he often put up with just because she seemed to enjoy singing off key so much. “We’re friends. I’ll write her a friend letter.” he mumbled, finally picking up a shell he had settled on and exchanging to purchase it. “Thank you sir!” he lept down and Mint rolled her lavender eyes, shaking her head as she leapt down after him and trotted beside him. “I delivered love letters all day today. People like them, it's romantic.” she confirmed with a nod of her head, very sure of herself. “B-But we’re just friends.” he assured her, the young kit boy feeling flustered as he tucked his shell away wrapped carefully in pink paper into his own nearly empty satchel. “Suuuuure.” she sung, the two kits finally able to break away from the bazaar as the sun began to dip back down. 

    Had they really spent all day inside the colorful tents and stalls? It seemed that way as they began to watch people head home the two of them coming to a stop where a few roads meet. “Think about it Tai. Good luck on your trip tomorrow.” Mint moved forward, nuzzling his cheek with her nose and closing her eyes with a chirp of a goodbye. Tai felt his body tense up, his cheeks matching his rosy fur color but luckily most was hidden in his thick black mane. “Bye!” he told her, watching the soft green kittom walk off into the city. 

    There wasn’t much time left in the day so he headed towards the caravan, thinking about Vealie as well as Mint--the strange purple eyed kit had opened up some since their first meeting when he came to make his lantern in Ahza and he honestly knew he would miss her. 

    Nodding hello to some of the Elinin who were already settling in for bed around the campfires, Tai found a little pillow and flopped down, sliding his satchel off in the process. Digging through to see the shell one more time as night began to blanket the dessert, he noticed something else within his bag. Tilting his head with interest, he plucked it up and noticed his name scrawled across it, blinking in surprise. It seemed to be for him though so the easily excited kittom unfolded the parchment to see a letter addressed to him in pretty handwriting, the contents inside causing his fur to bristle and his eyes to get larger and larger with each sentence until they were as big as the peaches they were colored after. Suddenly shy, he stuffed the letter away and buried his face in his paws, squeezing his eyes shut tight. 

    Mint had wrote him a letter and the words inside caused the boy to blush terribly, his mind drifting to his fluffy purple and pink friend. “Maybe I’ll write one on the way back....” he mumbled to himself, eventually closing his eyes for his final sleep in the sandy region he had become so accustomed to.