Submission (#4273) Approved

Cairo was never one for parties or festivities with the "common folk". At least, that's what his parents decided. He had standards to uphold, greater responsibilities to attend to. But that's all in the past by now. In truth, the bright lights and cheers always occupied the young kittom's mind. Making him wonder what it was like to play amongst the crowd. To get lost in the merriment and the spirit of good cheer. He could never indulge back then and it honestly made him restless. For a kittom with such a creative spirit, it was almost tortuous to be locked up like he was back home. 

Now that he had left his family behind, Cairo was free to indulge in all his fantasies about such events. And it was during his time in Ealei that Feyhallow season was here. 

The countless trees that rose up from the clear waters were illuminated even in the dark this time of the year, piercing even the thickest canopies. Citizens of the small colonies had already begun decorating their homes. They strung up lights and lanterns crafted by large, colourful leaves and shaped them to resemble various spooky figures. Each one was adorned in a haphazard arrangement yet the sentiment behind them was unbound. It created a breathless sight when the moon was high, all of which were reflected in the glimmering waters that sat at the base of every tree. Some of the more mischievous individuals strung together vague shapes to float down the streams in order to hint at some otherworldly shadow lurking below the surface. And while beautiful, everyone would make a collaborative effort to deliver the eeriness of Feyhallow. When it got quieter, the once serene landscape of Ealei quickly shifted into something more sinister under the ambient lanterns and webbing elnin and kittoms alike had hung up. Chirps and skittering of wildlife lurked in the darkness cast under the leaves and twisted around the countless roots. There were few that dared to disturb such silence, especially with such ominous decorations sitting around. What a truly spooky sight to behold in the depths of the night. 

Though it could never truly last for little could be done about the good cheer that soon followed given the hospitality and kindness residents of this continent shared. The merrier folk of Ealei had their bails and buckets full of sweets at the ready, welcoming any stranger that made it past their ghostly decorations. The festivities would resume regardless of the time of day as everyone shared in the joy of pumpkin carving or the construction of new seasonal ornaments. Cairo was one who indulged in as many activities with the people of Ealei as possible. He would turn every corner, climb every trunk, and skip along every lake to find new games to play. You name it, and this young kittom likely participated. Though he had little skills for any of it given his closed off past at home, that did little to dampen his passion to learn it all. 

He’d get messy gutting and carving pumpkins, making a mess of not only himself but his new friends as well. But none of them ever minded, instead laughing at his enthusiasm and clumsiness. His final product wasn’t pretty, but Cairo was proud. He was allowed to light a small candle inside it and put it on display at the entrance of the small treehouse colony he stayed at. There were plenty of snacks and sweets to dig into once he was done, and it gave him a chance to bond with other kittoms around his age. There weren’t many who could resist a good piece of candy. The decorations he tried to make were as crude as his pumpkin, but the heart was there. And again, he was allowed to drape his poorly threaded web on the thick branches of their homes. He could even light a lantern which was, admittedly, made by a more skilled individual just to keep everyone safe. Try or fail, each moment was a precious memory added to this little kittom’s life. 

And at the end of it all, he would sing a song to commemorate the time he was provided and the joy he got to enjoy for the first time.