Submission (#268) Approved

Koa stared out the window. It was raining and the droplets were causing the pink petals on the tree outside to sway gently in a almost hypnotizing pattern. He wanted to go out, but the miasma was too thick. His caretaker, Evenne, had gone out from the inn in which they there staying the winter to pick up some supplies, and she should be back anytime now.
Koa breathed in deeply, the floral aroma of the flowering field and trees just across the street coming to him strongly. He glanced down at the floor and saw some petals that had been trodden on and sighed again.  He really REALLY wanted to get out this inn. It was a rather nice Inn, all things considered. The rooms were nice, and the owners always had fresh flowers about, gathered by the various adventurers that passed through, as kind of an odd job kind of thing. It was also rather bright and airy, light colors on the walls and high ceilings with rafters that Keahi was still trying to convince to climb out on.
So all in all not a bad place to bed down for the winter. He just missed being outdoors. He honestly wasn’t too fussed about it when he could go out whenever he wanted but not have the freedom to go out made him miss it all the more. He wanted to walk the cobbled streets of Elenion and climb the beautiful pink trees he could make out from the rain splattered window, just there, across the street. If he looked closely, he could even make out the rainbow-colored patches that signified the faerie shrouds that Elenion was known for.
Koa sighed for a third time, and flopped over, the window falling out of sight. He lay on his back and wiggled trying to get comfortable. He stared up. Hanging from the rafters about were dried flowers and plants of al kinds. He had been told that the Inn Keepers wife was very into making tea and dried the plants up above in preparation for making various blends. He’d met the woman once or twice, but hadn’t had a chance to try any, not that he particularly cared. He wasn’t much of tea person. Or Coffee person for that matter, unlike Keahi who drank it whenever he could get away with it, even though Evenne definitely didn’t approve of the already rambunctious kittom getting even more caffeine.  Kaia though, loved tea, and had ended up in several tasting sessions, much to her delight. According to her, the tea was quite good, a plus to living in an area to fertile and abundant with plant life.
“Koa? What are you doing?”
Speaking of.
Kaia peered at him curiously.
“Why are you laying in the middle of the hallway?”
Koa slowly rolled over and stood up.
“S’bored.” He replied, shrugging carelessly. He stopped a moment to stretch out, feeling a few joints pop as he did so. He glanced out the window again, to see the rain had lightened up, and in fact, the sun had started to come out. The light caused the rain to become glints of light, and the flowers and trees outside to almost resembles bit of pink and rainbow tinsel. However beautiful this scenery was, Koa was finally almost glad to be inside. that’s the part about rain he hated, when you got to the end and the sun came out, and then everything just go so stinkin humid with was impossible. He’s fine to miss out on that thanks.
Kaia follows his gaze out the window and gasps, a delighted smile on her face. She bounds up to place her paws against the window and practically smashes her face up against the glass of the window.
“Koa! It’s so pretty! I wish I could paint it, just the way I see it now.”
Kaia kept staring out the window looking very excited. Koa smiled softly. Kaia was very artistic and loved arts and crafts of all kinds but was particularly fond of drawing and painting. He had no doubt that she’d have rushed up stairs to grab her paints if she hadn’t used up most of them.
For a moment the two of them stood in silence as they watch the sun shower outside. Suddenly Kaia let out a squeal.
“Mama!”
Koa squinted. Coming around a flowering bush was the vividly colored form of his Foster mom, Evenne. She was carrying a large basket filled with colorful flowers. Koa went to glance at Kaia, but she was already racing for the entrance. He shook is head and then trotted after her. By the time that he got to the door Kaia had been joined by another kittom, a pink-purple one, Keahi. Keahi grinned at Koa.
“Yo! I heard Kaia so I guess Evenne’s on her way back right?”
Koa nodded. He glanced towards Kaia again, to see that she had stuck her head out the door, shoving one of the flowers that had trailed out of the raised beds along the front of the house out of her face. Keahi had also stepped forward though he wasn’t quite as eager as Kaia. Koa inhaled deeply. Being this close to the outside, the miasma was quite strong, oppressive even, but he could help but savor the smell of the rain and freshness, and a strong sweet floral sent from the surrounding flowers.
Finally, Evenne came up to the door, spying her kittoms. She grinned and bounced lightly on her toes, obviously excited about something.  The flowers in her basket were tied into large bundles, separated by color. She had gone out for food, so why she had the flowers was a mystery.
” Mom! Mom! What’s with the flowers? Where is the food?” Kaia exclaimed.
Evenne grinned mischievously “Lets go inside and I’ll show you!” She bent down to nudge at Kaia and Keahi, turning them around. Koa backed up to give them and stood to the side to let them pass, following behind as the others walked off.
Evenne took a left, and Koa realized they were headed towards the Atrium of the inn. It was pretty small, just large enough for a single tree and a few flower beds. But what was truly spectacular was that the Inn keeper’s wife, the same one as with the tea, also had a bit of a green thumb and had managed to get the fairie shrouds to grow on the tree.
They rounded the corner and Koa saw the pink foliage through the glass walls that separated the atrium from the rest of the inn, and the bright sunshine coming through and reflecting.
Evenne went ahead and opened the door to the atrium and went inside, dropping the basket on the ground.
“Sheesh, that was heavy.” She said, stretching out. She grinned at them again. “So, I had an idea when I was passing the stalls at the market.”
She started to unpack the basket. First the flowers, all colors, Then some bowls, a grinding stone, a jug of water, and a roll of paper. At the very bottom was some fresh fruits and vegetables that Faerindell was known for, available even in the winter months. She nudged the bowls, water, flowers, paper, and grinding stone together.
“So I had the idea, why don’t have an art day? I’ve heard its possible to grind up the flower petals to make a kind of paint? So, I thought to myself, that sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon. And here we are!”
Kaia squeaked, and then bounced around happily while Keahi just looked at everything with an impish look on his face. Evenne seemed quite happy with herself.
Koa, on the other hand, just smiled softly, content to hang back. Still, he couldn’t help but think that this would be quite the mess.