Submission (#1548) Approved

Keahi hums to himself as he walks down the small side street that leads back to the inn that him and his family were staying at during their stop in Il’durahn. His mother, well foster mother really, but she was the only mother he’d ever known, so mother, Evenne had dragged the family out on a trip to seek out some rare ingredients and new recipes to serve at their small inn in Palu’au.

Keahi actually really enjoyed their time so far is Bellmoril. The riot of reds and yellows and oranges in the forests surrounding the city were absolutely beautiful, such a difference of the endless blues of tropical Palu’au, and Keahi honestly kind of preferred it. Even here in the city those brightly colored leaves were found everywhere.

There were natural areas found around the city in the form of small parks, meant to allow places for peace and contemplation, a must for the large number of scholars that lived in the city. Shocks of fiery hued foliage could be seen from pretty much any vantage point within the city, and where the trees and shrubbery were not present, decorations in the form of wreaths and garlands festooning doors and walls and lampposts, many of them charmed to be everlasting by the local mages.

Keahi slowly made his way down the cobblestone street, stopping briefly as he passed a small bakery, the scent of apple pie wafting out of the open window, the small shrubbery in a window box a rare green in a city of sunset colors. He almost goes in, but he knows Evenne will fuss if he ruins his dinner. He huffs. Not that she’d notice. She was always too preoccupied with Kaia, Koa, and Kau’i, who seemed content to learn about the family business, and live the rest of their lives in Palu’au. Keahi wanted something else. Something more. He just never felt like he belong in his family. He’d always be grateful to them for taking him in as a tiny kittom, but he’d always felt like an outsider. He just wanted to fly away sometimes. He was too scared to strike out on his own, afraid of being alone for very long, afraid that if he left for too long they wouldn’t want him back. 

But one day. One day he’d be as free as a bird.  He’d travel and be brave.

That was probably his favorite thing about Bellmoril actually. There were so many birds here. Keahi could watch them for hours, feathers flitting here and there. To be so free, to go anywhere, he envied it. 

A small piece of fluff catches his eye, caught in the window box. 

A feather, small and brown, and fluffy. 

He had to have it. Everyone laughed at him, but he had to keep every feather he’d come across. He had quite the collection, all colors and sizes, from every region he’d visited in his life, from the sea birds of his native palu’au to brightly colored cardinals who made Bellmoril their home. He kept his favourites, but here in Bellmoril he’d started to fashion some of them into nice quills for the local academics, for a little pocket money. 

And well, he’d also given a few pretty ones to a new Elnin he’d met. He wasn’t sure what to make of the Faenin who refused to give him her name, instead telling him to call her Mischief and Misery. Which was way too much of a mouthful, so Chief it was. She was cruel, listened to no rules, and did as she pleased. And she could fly. 

Keahi was absolutely enamoured with her. He wasn’t sure why he kept giving the faenin the prettiest feathers, but she tucked each one into the nest that was her hair, and she kept wearing them. Maybe it was a bribe, maybe he wanted her to notice him.

Maybe he wanted her to take him with her.

This wasn’t the point. He shakes himself. He wanted that feather. He scuffs a paw at a tuft of golden grass that had poked up in between the stones of the street as he thinks. Maybe he can jump and reach?

He scoots forward and stretches, but he’s just too small. He can reach the bottom of the box, and he props himself up with one paw on the red painted wood as he strains as far as he can. Finally he huffs, and glances around to see if anyone is watching. No one. He jumps, paw reaching. Almost. He can almost reach. Just a little more. He had to add this feather to his collection.  Now that he was closer, he could see a brown speckled pattern, and he could swear he had nothing quite like it. He briefly wondered what kind of bird it came from, it was too small to be made into a quill, so it would be just for him. He jumps one more time, scrabbling at the window box in his effort to reach the feather.

Crack. 

The window box comes loose, and crashes to the ground. Dirt flies everywhere, spreading across the ground and coating Keahi in a layer of brown soil. He coughs and spits, trying to get the dirt that had gotten his mouth out. Gross! He looks around, wide eyed, and backs up, stepping on one of the uprooted plants in the process. 

The door to the bakery flies open, a frazzled looking elnin running out. Keahi shrinks back as the elnin catches sight of him, an angry look crossing their face. 

“What are you doing?!”

Keahi trembles. “I- Uh, I, um. I’m s-sorry, I was just- I just wanted- there was a feather and- I just- I’m really sorry!”

Keahi can feel himself start to shake. He always messed things up. Why was he such a mess?

The baker looks at him critically, anger slowly fading as they take in the cowering dirt covered kitten in front of them. They sigh and walk over. “Help me clean this up, and I’ll let you off the hook. You need to be more careful, child.”

Keahi nods frantically, trying to prop the window box up against the wall. It’s too heavy, and the other elnin has to step in and help him. They sigh again. “Never mind kid. I’ll get it. Just go home and get cleaned up.”

Keahi wilts and nods shakily. He mutters in a small voice. “I-I’m sorry again.”

The baker waves him off.

Keahi goes to leave when a small piece of fluff catches his attention one more time.

The feather! Keahi debate with himself for a moment, before quickly snatching it up in his mouth before slinking off with his tail tucked between his legs.

Maybe it was wrong of him, but now that he had the feather, the mess was totally worth it.