Submission (#1831) Approved

Sabet trotted along the cliff’s edge, leaping over streams and the dense, green foliage that curled at his paws. He skidded to a stop when he came upon what seemed to be the edge of the world- floating high above Eyre. He had made it- out of Ahza and into Kyendi. Sabet’s tail swept over the grass gently, a purr rumbling within him as he took in the breezes sweeping upward, ruffling his mane everso.

His ears rotated, honing in on a bubbling stream just up a winding cliff. Sabet turned to follow its harmony- a melody so rare and foreign to him, he couldn’t help but feel spirited and entranced. While standing at the stream’s edge, Sabet bent forward and swatted the water, jumping back from the splash he created. He jittered with excitement and darted up the rocky terrain, upstream and through the mist.

Sabet paused when he picked up a hollow, roaring sound. He crouched and gingerly made his way closer to this sound that drummed in his ears. He gasped when he discovered a cascading waterfall. Sabet gazed upwards, following the rushing water but couldn’t see where the waterfall began due to the thick fog settling around him.

He whipped around and continued to bound through Kyendi, enjoying how soft the foliage felt and how smooth the stone was. Sabet kept running and running until he reached a location full of ruins and small shelter made up of the same material with a lichen curtain. He huddled behind it and tapped his shadow. His pomu peeled away from it, grasping rolled up parchment and then presenting it to Sabet.

Sabet craned his neck and scanned the map he had bought from a local vendor back in Ahza. It was of Kyendi but.. Since he had never traveled to Kyendi before, he admitted how utterly lost he was and confirmed this with a drawn out sigh. He looked at his little friend before plopping down on the ancient rock, his head resting in his paws.

“I wouldn’t suppose you know where we are, do you?” sighed Sabet, his energy depleting with the thought of being lost.

Sabet’s pomu placed the map on the forest floor and smoothed it out before scanning it, taking in the coordinates and all the places his friend visited. The pomu spun around and stopped of one foot, balancing itself gleefully before saluting Sabet.

Sabet uttered another sign, understanding that his pomu had no idea either. He shut his eyes, attempting to remember all the landmarks he had stumbled upon after arriving on shore on the boat he had booked. He recalls seeing the eldertree from above though he couldn’t make out if it was the eldertree or not. At least, not from afar.

Sabet traced what he thought was the route he had taken upon his arrival with his paw and stopped on one of the floating islands. “Am I here?” postulated the kittom, his voice hushed. He gazed up, his eyes searching for the faintest of light filtering through the mist. Sabet felt worry washing over him, noticing how dusk was falling upon Eyre and how the miasma would thicken. He looked to his little friend for solace but gasped when he had seen his pomu had gone to sleep, its body pulsating a faint, golden light.

Sabet needed to remind himself of what pomus were capable of at this time of the season and that his little friend, in this state, could actually benefit him in the night. He felt warmed by the very thought and left his shelter. The kittom scavenged the area, gathering leaves and vines. He picked up some flowers as well, influenced by what his pomu loved to hoard. Sabet returned to his shelter, shouldering the lichen apart and entered before dropping his supplies to the ground.

Sabet worked diligently, folding the leaves and wrapping the entirety of what is now a glowing crystal with vine to hold it together. He decorated the outside with dainty flora and used the vine so that he could keep his crystallized pomu near. As the lantern floated, Sabet was comforted by the light his pomu provided while hibernating and was ready to set off on locating a city.

Since all pomu hibernated at this time of the season, Sabet did not have any trouble following the twinkling lights that floated in the distance. He had reached a tall point and looked out before weaving his way through the forest, over ruins, and across streams until he reached Ilrian. Sabet purred, happy to find civilization. With all the floating pomu lanterns, it was as though a festival had come through. Elnin alike were bustling about, joyously discussing their lanterns.

Sabet was amazed by all the designs and then looked at his own, just as excited for he had put a lot of heart into his creation. It wasn’t quite made of paper, but of leaves and vines. He mingled among the city goers, visiting shops and explaining how he had lost himself in the woods. It was a lot of fun to meet new faces and discuss Kyendi’s biome compared to Ahza’s. He was even excited to meet elnin who had traveled from Ahza just like him.

Sabet broke away from the hustle and bustle of the city and took his time to stop at a couple local shops to purchase a few more trinkets. He trotted to the outskirts and seated himself beside a body of water before pulling his lantern close. Sabet spread a few bells as well as other glittery items on the ground and carefully picked up one piece at a time.

Sabet continued to decorate his lantern, adding much more to it than what the forest could offer like bells as well as ribbon and a paper casing. The leaves and vines were not holding up as well as he had hoped for and settled for changing up his craft. The paper he chose was purple and the ribbon hanging from the bottom alternated between gold and blue. The miniature golden bells faintly jingled at the top with a bushel of leaves ‘sprouting’ out of the cluster of bells.

With a ribbon now holding the lantern to him, fastened to the edge of his tail before the thickest part, Sabet waved it around; seeing how the lantern bobbed before floating back into place. He smiled at his creation and placed the flowers he had found from his journey on his lantern before finally allowing it to float. Satisfied, the kittom stood confidently and made his way back to the fray of bustling nins in Ilrian.

He felt this urge to continue fiddling with his creation but held back, wanting to enjoy what Kyendi brought forth at this time of year. Sabet bounded through the crowd, the bells jingling on his lantern. He continued to mingle, happy to show off more of his lantern now that he had added more glamour to it and helped himself to some local cuisine recommended by travelers and the like. The kittom was glad to have made it out of the forest and looks forward to continuing his adventure through Eyre the following days.