Submission (#3524) Approved

It was a long way from home, but Mizuki was hoping the trip would be worth it. Having spent most of his days in the snowy lands of Strynhalde, he should have predicted his elder's advice when he mentioned growing bored of the landscape. 

'Go see the world,' they said.
'Gather inspiration from the other regions, and then you'll appreciate Stryhalde even more,' they promised.

At present, Mizuki thought they were full of sparkle-poo. All he had encountered while traveling with his caravan was increasingly warm weather, strange, exotic foods and elnin who were more than happy to tell him about their grand adventures. While he didn't necessarily mind their stories, the more that he heard the more they made the one he was currently on seem... lackluster. 

As they reached Bellmoril proper, Mizuki couldn't help but feel hot. The orange trees--and all the warm colors about in general--only made him feel hotter than he already was. His big, poofy, fur felt heavy and he knew that were his hair made of heavier stuff (like some unfortunate creatures he'd encountered) he guessed he'd be a puddle on the floor. 

"Are you alright, little one?" One of the elders asked, turning to look at him--the last, lingering kittom on the carriage. He gave a slow blink, as he pondered just how truthful he wanted to be.

"I'm OK," he lied, dragging himself to his feet and disembarking, making his way past the concerned adult with his little head held high. 

There weren't a lot of others around, thankfully, and he welcomed the quiet peacefullness Bellmoril offered him in welcome. Strynhalde was similar, save for the cold gusts that ran through--and of course the miles and miles of snow. More than less than satisfied, Mizuki nudged a few fallen leaves with his foot. The frown on his face did nothing to convert the offending landscape into snow. Instead it only made him feel tired before he'd even made it to town.

The walk wasn't very far, but he kept getting left behind the others headed to town. The kind elnin from before kept checking on him, and though it could have gotten annoying he found himself welcoming it by her fourth inquiry. And he accepted her offer to ride amongst her long slender tail right away. It did little for the warmth he felt, but at least his aching paws--usually cushioned by the refreshing snow and ice of home--a much-craved break.

"I understand what it's like to deal with regional changes, young'n," she chucked at one point, "You spend so long in one region--your body learning and adapting there, and it makes the next a challenge for sure. But it's worth it, believe me."

Mizuki lifted an eyebrow, rolling his chubby body about to look at her--or the back of her head anyway. 

"If you think this heat is rough, you should see the sands of Azha. My oh my, the heat is rough there. Oh or Zevija." 

"Palu's pretty warm too, dear," another Elnin offered with a grin, and Mizuki frowned.

Were all the regions going to be so... hot?


With a sigh he sank further into the tail flowing about him, staring into the shimmering metal strands amongst them. As if reading his mind, the woman asked, "Have you ever been to Ealei, boy?"

He really didn't want to answer, but... "No."

His voice was dry and soft from underuse, but she seemed to hear him just fine. "You should see that place too. Or Enmir."

"Tons of water," the other Elnin interjected.

"Haha, yes, tons of water. But I'm sure your favorite kind of water is snow, hm?"

Mizuki blushed, glancing to one side. But he had to be truthful--he nodded. "I only really like snow."

"So what made you come this far out?"

"To... see the trees," Mizuki glanced up at them--there were plenty around. There were probably plenty in town too. "I didn't think there would be so many of them. Or that it would be so warm here."

"It's really not that warm." The third-wheel earned a deadpan stare from both Mizuki and his Adult chaperone, at which he shrugged and apologized. "Sorry, but if he's complaining about the heat, he probably doesn't like the water either. Best you learn how to swim too if you go."

Following a roll of his eyes, Mizuki fitted him with a tiny kitten glare and then dislodged himself from his chaperone's tail.

"Offended enough to walk, are we?" Mizuki heard, but chose to ignore it. Instead he focused on what he came to see. What someone described to him as trees made of fire. They were orange like fire sure, and maybe warm, but overall he'd let his imagination hype them up too much. But he scopped up a few leaves anyway, fully intending to take them back home for science.

But then there was an omenous rumble. One that he was sure he'd never heard before.

As he looked up through the trees, he realized the sunlight that was at their backs all the way to Bellmoril had vanished, replaced by thick heavy clouds. Back home, heavy clouds meant snow, but they were never accomanyed by such a terrible noise. What would the clouds mean here?

Cautiously he stole a glance at the two adults with him. Though they seemed to notice he'd fallen behind once more and lagged back, they were preoccupied talking about regions and conflicting interpretations of regions. Had they even heard the drums in the sky? Did they even care?

Stuffing the leaves into his mane--for lack of anywhere else to put them--Mizuki hastened to catch up, worry plastered on his face. He caught up just in time too; just as he was able to dive into that tail once more, snow came rocketing from the sky en masse. Big heavy glops of wet snow! That wasn't even cold!

Mizuki stuck out a paw, hoping for snowflakes but instead got a slightly-cool, wet splash of a mess! "YYEEEEGH...." he bellowed, wiping his paw on the tail around him, oblivious to the discomfort it spawned. Not wanting anything to do with it, he burrowed deeper in the hair, clinging tight as everyone hurried into town to escape the 'rain'.  His chaperone tried to convince him that rains normally weren't frequent, nor as heavy as the sheets pouring down and slapping the windows and doors. But it was terrifying to the little kittom, who could only sometimes brave venturing close to the window of their temporary lodgings. 

"I miss the snow." he breathed softly, watching hot orange leaves swim away in a storm like he'd never seen.