The sun was beating down on Hark with such an intensity that the small, grey striped kittom moaned with exhaustion as they flopped onto the ground with a hopeless acceptance of fate. The weather in Ahza was such a drastic change compared to their homeland of Faerindell that the kittom was at odds with the situation. The ground was hot... The air was hot... Everything was hot! They had dreamed of coming to Ahza but a part of them really missed Faerindell.
Well, it seemed more that they missed someone in Faerindell.
Hark rolled over, the sand embedding itself into the kittom's fur as they tossed and turned. Hark really missed their little brother, Sprig. They called him 'little brother' with a liberal sense, given that the two of them were from the same litter of kittoms. The little white kittom with peach and blue spots would always be his little brother though. He sought to actively protect the kittom from everything.
It was a bit lonely here in Ahza without Sprig. Hark sighed a little, rolling over onto their other side with enthusiasm. It was as if a light had suddenly switched on inside of their head. They had an idea! They shot up off the sand and quickly retrieved their saddle pack. If Sprig couldn't be here, Hark would just have to bring Ahza to them! Sprig would know how awesome this place was, and how much Hark missed them!
The first thing the kittom did was grab a jar from their saddle pack. They dropped it onto the sand and with great focus Hark put their paw onto the jar to create the pressure that allowed it to sink it into the sand. Moving the jar back and forth, the jar eventually filled up with sand until Hark was satisfied. Popping a cork into the jar, Hark studied the contents with pride. This way Sprig could walk on the same sand that Hark did!
Next on the list of things was nearby! Hark didn't have to walk very far before they set their saddle pack down and grabbed another small jar from inside it. They held it up to the sun, watching it glitter and sparkle before they put it into the river. It quickly filled up, and Hark was able to put a cork into that as well. This river ran through all of Ahza, and it would connect the two of them together as the river did for Ahza.
The most obvious things were collected but that didn't seem like enough of an expression of love. They walked along the river until they gave across some cactus. One of the cactus had just finished blooming and had dropped the flower onto the ground. It was pink with red edging and a beautiful golden center. Hark couldn't help but feel like Sprig would just love the colours of it. They scooped it up and went to put it inside of their pack as well before pausing. There was a small cloth inside, and Hark decided to carefully wrap the flower up first. This might help it survive shipment!
At this point in the day Hark was feeling pretty good about themselves but they were also hot, tired, and hungry. It didn't make for a good combination, and given the chance to eat was something they jumped at. It was a small meal, but it was unique to the region and quite delicious. It was a durable food, holding up to the temperatures and conditions of the desert quite well. As Hark finished eating, they realized what would make for the perfect item to finish off their gift.
How awesome would it be if Sprig could eat the same meal as them? The thought made Hark beam. Purchasing an extra portion, they wrapped it up in a little cloth and headed on their way. It proved easy to package after the adventure of obtaining the items, but they tried to ensure a safe journey for the items by wrapping everything up in the pomu crystal lantern cloth they had from earlier in the season. Hopefully, Sprig liked the design!
Hark didn't know how long packages took to ship but Hark still imagined Sprig opening the package, the little curiosity on his face as they did so. How much would his face light up when they saw the flower? Hark imagined it would make some nice paint for their little brother, and the joy of that idea made suffering through the heat all the more bearable.
