Rows of sunlight broke through the window in Solar Flare's bedroom, begging Solar Flare to awaken to the dawn of the new day. The crisp melody of birds in the trees outside sung a song that reminded the young kittom of a rainbow after a summer rain. They just laid there, face down in their pillow on their bed as the kittoms in the daycare begun to stir. The world begged Solar Flare to join it in its frolic but Solar Flare resisted the call with such vigour that they actually rolled out of their bed and hit the floor with a thunk.
"Mmph," they said, the sound slipping out of the kittom's muzzle as they pushed their small body off the floor and attempted to crawl back into the cave that they called their bed.
The sight of something purple stirring outside of the window had caught Solar Flare's attention before they had made it back into bed. Begrudgingly, the kittom carried their weight over to the window and looked out upon the world. Small vines that grew on the stone face of the exterior wall hung delicately down over a section of the window, blowing repeatedly into Solar Flare's face as they tried to peer out the window. The soft smell of flowers mixed with pollen-filled up their nose as they leaned back onto their hind legs with a hint of disappointment. What they had hoped to see had passed by without catching their vision further, and an audible sigh came out of the small, fiery body that was Solar Flare.
The trees in the corner of the yard were green with a colourful array of flowers covering the base. In the distance, pink trees seemed to highlight the horizon. There were simply so many trees here that Solar Flare had a hard time differing shapes and colours outside of the ocean of pink leaves. This sight was all that the kittom knew, and that seemed to cause the kittom to fidget. Was the whole world pink? Solar Flare had no reason to believe anything otherwise if children from other areas of Eyre hadn't often been brought to the daycare while their parents attended to other needs.
Solar Flare always felt like those kittoms were a little high strung. They would arrive full of tales of lands far away, and Solar Flare would internally retract (and sometimes physically). There was so much they didn't know about the world but there didn't ever seem to be anything they could do to change it. How could they? They were under the care of the daycare, and that was something that didn't change. They didn't have anyone coming to pick them up after a short trip, and that always made Solar Flare ping with jealousy that revealed itself as a fiery temper that often caused tantrums.
The daycare was nice enough but Solar Flare didn't want to grow up here. What would they even do? The small kittom hummed and hawed at the thought. What did they want to do? Right now Solar Flare wanted to travel. They wanted to experience the world more than anything, and before Solar Flare realized what was happening they had already begun to move away from the window. Their little paws padded across the wood floor, out their bedroom, and down the hallway. They walked by a room where Pastel and Cookie often played but today they weren't there to take their frustration out on.
Solar Flare continued down the hall until they made it to the door. It was open, and the sound of kittoms flooded their ears. Of course, outside everyone was playing in the morning dew. The birds were singing their songs as some kittoms danced, and Solar Flare looked around expectantly. There was no sight of the purple blur that had flashed across the window earlier. Pink trees covered this side of the yard with small green bushes brushing around the bases of the trees covering any foliage there. The bushes did their best to brighten the world with their own blooms though.
A little stone pathway lined the way in front of Solar Flare as they ran around the yard. Cookie and Pastel were doing something in the corner today, and Solar Flare turned their nose up before hurrying off in the opposite direction. There was something about that sweet friendship that rubbed Solar Flare the wrong way, a tinge that burned inside of their body egging them on. Jealousy? Fear? Longing? They were so happy and yet Solar Flare couldn't understand why. Or maybe it was the question of why: Why did Cookie and Pastel have it?
A frown went across Solar Flare's face as they left the yard and ran down the pathway toward the town square. Why? What was missing? They felt like something was missing from them, a puzzle piece missing from the picture. Did Solar Flare even know what the puzzle built anymore? Did they ever? They made it to the town square and just sat in the middle next to the fountain before climbing up onto the ledge of it and laying down, allowing their tail to fall into the water of the stone-lined basin.
Adventurers came through here often, and sometimes even Nobles. There was an inn nearby, and there were plenty of places to pick up supplies. Today was no different. Paws strode across the stone path with confidence and purpose. Solar Flare's eyes followed them as they walked back and forth. Their eyes darted to a stone building across the fountain that had a cute wooden sign that said something Solar Flare couldn't read and then below it said 'Inn'. Vines grew on this building more than the others, and on the vines grew many white and red flowers.
A rather large elnin appeared in the doorway with a saddlebag across their back. They had a tattered scarf across their neck and determined eyes. The door slammed behind them, startling Solar Flare but the elnin continued on course as if nothing had happened.
How could they be unfazed? Solar Flare thought, rolling over the fountain's ledge as their body followed their eyes. They hit the ground with a small thud but no one paid too much attention to the playing of a kittom, although there was definitely a coo from the human innkeeper. If Solar Flare had looked over they would have seen a tall brunette with their tanned hands on their face, their lips pursed and their eyes wide. It was definitely a cute sight to watch the kittom roll around until they had sat upright again, trying to look dignified.
The human disappeared into the inn, and the elnin Solar Flare had been watching was not out of sight. Solar Flare heaved a sigh and pressed their back against the cold stone face of the fountain. A tinge of longing hit them like a fey in the dark. There was something about this. There was something about this that rung in Solar Flare's small ears like a bell.
Solar Flare looked up to the sky. It was clear and blue. It seemed to reflect back Solar Flare's own eyes. A desire like nothing Solar Flare had thought before. They might have thought before that they didn't belong here, or that they wanted to know more, but the thought of leaving the daycare? It was so bold! Leaving the pink trees in the valley, the green fields covered in flowers, the small stone pathways from the town to the daycare, the river in the back by the woods. How do you leave home? How do you leave all you've known? How will you know you'll find what you seek? Solar Flare was afraid but they ran all the way back to the daycare. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but Solar Flare had a fire burning within.
Solar Flare made a resolution right there under the blue sky, a binding pact with their own soul. They would find a way to see what else was under the blue sky they all called home.
