Submission (#3818) Approved

When they'd first decided to go to Silveil, it hadn't really been her idea, though in hindsight, perhaps it should have; Misfit said she looked like she fit there, in the night washed region, among the glows of the mushrooms and other vegetation. She couldn't quite say she disagreed, to be honest. The sky was something that, while it didn't quite remind her of her coat, was at least a simulacrum of it, to a degree. Either way, with the miasma season come and gone, and the cleaning done away with, they'd both decided some travelling was once more in order (something the grown ups they had touched back upon had rolled their eyes about - it wasn't like the amount of travelling the two kittoms did was particularly small).

Silveil had become the destination of choice for no other reason than the fact neither of them had been to the place, and the fact Misfit seemed drawn to it. It didn't take a lot of brain power to realize the how or why he was drawn to it, but so far, it had managed to escape the forefront of Aislinn's mind. Something which had made her siblings back home snort over, much to the lion fish's elnin's chagrin.

It was customary to spend time with your close ones during the season, and traveling had just seemed like the best thing to spend said time doing; if the aesthetics of the luminescent forest were enjoyed, then that was but a bonus, or Aislinn thought so anyways.

Even now, walking along the lake, waiting to see her friend breach the surface was fun, almost like a game of hide and seek with no stakes attached to it. The fauna swimming and illuminating the waters from underneath was honestly a sight to behold, and Aislinn kept scanning the surface for shadows that would indicate her friend's body moving among the jellyfish and other bioluminescent creatures and flora, to no avail. She figured that she'd spot him soon enough, for though fast, Misfit was impatient, and would not remain hidden for long.

Sure enough, a head popped out of the water near shore to her right, and she lowered herself to the ground there, grinning as her friend jumped out of the water, "How is it tonight?"

"Warm!" he replied as he shook himself out, ridding himself of any excess water before joining her by her side, flopping his body alongside hers for warmth, "Wish you'd join me in there some time. Bet you'd be a great swimmer, Aislinn."

She found herself wrinkling her nose somewhat before leaning against him for comfort. The water had never been quite her thing. Not before she'd met the lionfish elnin, and not since. Not ever, really, if she was honest with herself. The sensation of getting her long pelt wet was just not within her top most enjoyed feelings, and no amount of cajoling from her friend would change that, she was sure of it, "Nahhh... but that's okay. You swim enough for the both of us as it is. Did you see the bottom of the lake though? Is it as pretty as the forest?"

"Oh, yeah, the plants AND the creatures; they all glow there, it's great! Reminds me of Victor, don't you think?"

Aislinn thought back to the older fish elnin, whom had taken an interest on Misfit the moment he'd seen him; the white elnin's pelt glowed in the dark in places, and when he swam underwater, you could always see him from a long distance away thanks to the bioluminescence of his markings, "Barnaby has that that," she said softly, "Have you ever seen him outside at night? His tail glows. It's very pretty."

Something about that phrase made Misfit turn and look at his own tail, lifting it up off the ground slightly, looking at it from the right and then the left side before allowing it to drop on the ground again, seemingly deep in thought.

The silence descended, but only for a bit before she realized her friend had managed to get himself lost in his thoughts once more; a dangerous affair for sure, "I like your tail too, Misfit. I know I haven't told you, but I also think it's pretty. Very unique, even if it doesn't glow like Barnaby's, I promise."

The words seemed to perk him up instantly, and the drooping nature of his body changed drastically before he turned to look at her almost shyly, "Really?"

"Yes, really, of course, you dumbo. Why wouldn't I think so? Have I ever given you the impression I don't think you're pretty? I've never used the word, but then again, didn't really think you'd want me to use it when describing you!" After all, she'd heard from other kittoms that many male presenting ones didn't particularly like to be described as such, but what did she know? "You're very pretty. I like the purple of your eyes, and your stripes, and I think your tail is lovely too. Very you. I wouldn't change you for the world. You're my best friend, and I love you just the way you are, Misfit."

It was hard to tell in the dark, but she could have sworn he blushed at her words, lowering his head to ground to watch the sky and the stars in silence, interrupted only by the splish splash of an errant creature breaching the water of the lake.