Submission (#326) Approved

The sun was barely on the horizon, a glimmer of golden light but a sliver against the sand dunes in the distance. It was early in the morning, a time before the blazing heat of the desert crashed down upon everynin like a river of lava. The cool breeze swept in from the river brought in a surprising chill. What would have been a dream come true during the day caused the grey and white kittom to shiver slightly, their shoal tail swishing back and forth in an attempt to generate heat.

Hark would have preferred to sleep in but the early morning temperatures of the desert were much more pleasant than the afternoon temperatures. They had discovered the joy of afternoon sleeping, passing the sun by with a dream or two! It made getting up early easier, and Hark decided to spend some time today exploring the dunes outside of the village.

Geared up with a small saddlebag, Hark made their way out into the rising sun. The sand around their paws tickled their toe beans slightly as they walked. As they walked along the sand, the bottom of their fur fin dragged along the sand and created a line behind them that functioned like a bread trail.

The evergreen trees of the desert that Hark typically used as shade during the afternoon bordered the nearby oasis, thriving in the water wonderland that was located in what was basically the backyard of the river village. Sometimes they held festivals here in the oasis, and the presence of that was evident by permanent lanterns that hung from the branches of the tree like a string of lights.

Hark stared upward into the tree branches, looking back and forth while studying the beautifully patterned and brightly coloured lanterns in the light of the rising sun. Although they were unlit, the sun’s rays hit them in a way that caused them to glow, almost sparkle, in the light. It made Hark think of the Starfaire Festivals back in Faerindell with Sprig.

Hark wondered what the Starfaire Festival would be like in the Ahza, what it would be like without their family around... without Sprig around. There were probably a lot of regional dishes that Hark had never tried before, and that excited the kittom. They knew that the summer was coming and that only spurred Hark on to search the area more thoroughly.

The ground around the oasis was a lot more grassy than the sand around the village. The water and plant life here was abundant, and it spread through and across the sand like a weed anywhere else. A small excitement spurred within Hark as they stepped onto the grass, moving through the taller blades with enthusiasm in each step. It was dry but feeling the textural difference of something other than sand was exhilarating.

There were blooming cactus plants nearby. Some were tall, much taller than Hark was. Hark imagined that even if they were to stack several Kittoms on top of them, they still wouldn’t be able to reach the top. Of course, some of the cactus were much shorter. Some of them were wider, and some were really flat. Some had more of a fur than a needle, and some looked almost naked in comparison. All of them had bright colours adorning them in the form of blooming flowers and buds, something that didn’t always happen.

It wasn’t unusual for Hark to see cactus but to see them all blooming was new. More interesting were the smaller plants on the ground, barely noticeable compared to the height of the cactus. They were small, with little firm leaves and bright colours for some. They were different varieties and unique designs. Hark didn’t know what they were but they had never seen succulents before.

The kittom poked them cautiously with their paw, feeling the firm body of the plants with interest. Digging one of the plants out of the ground, Hark put it into their bag for further questioning later. Someone in the village would be able to tell them exactly what they were, or so they hoped so! Until then, Hark continued to explore their surroundings.

They splashed around in the oasis water and explored the plant life that thrived in the shallows. The water was crystal clear and protected by the shade of the evergreen trees surrounding it. Cactus grew all around, and the succulents spread like their own sort of weed. The lanterns didn’t grow here but they felt like they belonged, and it assured Hark that foreign objects could find their place in a new environment and belong there. Home didn’t have to be where you came from. Home was where you made it.