Greywind breathed heavily. The air around him was filled with noise and life. Buzzing insects, the grass beneath his paws, the rushing of endless waterfalls, the thousand leaves in the dense forest surrounding him. The white elnin was running down a path, right on the edge, with the old forest on his right, while to his left the ground would suddenly drop and reveal nothing but misty air and clouds. He was on one of the Sunshard Isles, high up in the air, thanks to the sunshard crystals beneath the bedrock - and it was so very different than his home back in Strynhalde. Already he missed the silent and vast winterlands that always managed to calm him.
Greywind let out a faint growl and slowed down.
Tried to collect himself.
All day he had been exploring in the overgrown forest, trying to find something between the broken ruins and sudden rivers, hidden in the dark, that would force him to find a way around. He was exhausted from the search and he deeply regretted taking this mission.
He yearned for the cold, while he gazed over the horizon. Far in the distance he could see the tall mountain range...He forgot what they called them, but he had to admit that it was impressive. Unlike the snow-covered mountains in his homeland, Kyendis mountains were surrounded by fog and clouds, forming an ever moving ocean around them. The setting sun tinted the whole region in bright orange and pink, while the shadows of the forest became almost alive and seemed even darker and more obscure in the wind.
The first few stars appeared all over the purple sky and announced quietly that it would be night time soon.
Greywind closed his eyes and turned his face towards the wind, enjoying the cooler evening breeze. After being stuck in the dense forest all day that almost made him feel like he was suffocating, it felt like he could finally breathe again. Overlooking Kyendis forests that were stretching all across the plain eased his mind a little.
He decided to get going, so he could reach the village before nightfall. A small meal and a warm place to rest was all he wanted for now.
As he followed the path further, now no longer trying to outrun his own thoughts, he watched the shadows on the mountains changing. Seeing the colors of the sky from so far up was a special experience, he couldn't deny that. He definitely liked the air around the Isles a lot more than being trapped down there in the forests. A growing part of him wanted to abandon the mission and just return home tomorrow...
Lost in his thoughts and exhausted from the day, Greywind became distracted.
So he barely noticed when his paws stepped on something that wasn't just grass. Just as he slowly realized that something was different, he heard faint rustling from the canopy above his head. Before he had a chance to look up, blood-curling screams pierced his ears. His whole body tensed up, sensing impending and imminent doom.
Four very energetic and reckless kittoms hurled themselves from a big branch above him, while a fifth one slipped and got tangled up in the vines of the tree, rendering him useless for the prank. The litte black kittom with blue glowing markings sighed in defeat, while his Pomu tried to help him untangle the vines. The rest of the kittoms landed left and right and in front of Greywind, with one of them hitting his back and bouncing off from there. It rolled over the grass and vanished beneath some giant tropical leaves. Greywind yelped and jumped three feet backwards as the sudden shower of kittoms descended upon him. He stumbled and was instantly off balance, as he noticed full of horror that his hind paws stepped into nothingness and he was much too close to the edge of the floating Isle. He snarled and dug his claws into the ground and the edge of the island, trying to get a better grip, while hoisting himself back up onto safe ground. His chest was moving rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. Suddenly he just felt utter disgust for the floating Isles and he wanted to be as far away from them as possible. Without hesitation he jumped back onto solid ground and came only to a halt when he was a few feet away from the edge.
By this point the kittoms realised that their prank had almost gone horribly wrong and they exchanged anxious glances, just as Greywind glared at them with ice cold eyes.
"- What was the plan here, you brainless peas?! This was incredibly reckless and dangerous!" His voice was a growl and he towered over the remaining kittoms. They all winced at the harsh scolding. The little leader of the pack, a bright kittom with shimmering fur and little colorful rings, took a step back and then yelled "RETREAT!" - which caused the others and herself to dart away into the forest before Greywind had the chance to react. Baffled and angry he just saw the last little bit of blue tail disappear behind a big tree. He looked up and saw that the other kittom that was trapped before in the vines, was gone as well.
"... these little idiots..." Greywind shook his head and took a few deep breaths. What the hell was that? What had gotten into the kittoms all of the sudden? Had the folks in Kyendi all lost their minds? He started to have serious doubts, until he saw a pumpkin lantern out of the corner of his eye - half hidden between tall grass. Curiously he stepped forward and took a look at it. As he paid more attention, he could see more decorations scattered near the edge of the forest. Candles, carved pumpkins, little self-made masks, clearly meant for the kittoms who took off in a hurry. It slowly crossed his mind that these was decoration for the Feyhallow festivals, which had been over for a few days by now. Were they taking down the decoration? Greywind looked around and found the object he stepped on before. As he walked closer, he could identify it as a huge poster that advertised the Feyhallow festivities in the nearby village.
He looked up to the tree and then back down to the poster, as it dawned on him that the little rascals were probably taking down the poster and then had the brilliant idea once they were already up there, hidden in the tree, to spook the next traveler.
Of course.
The white elnin was more than unimpressed with how things had unfolded. His heart was still beating faster than it should've. He growled quietly, while dragging the poster off the path and leaving it near the forest. He glanced at the decoration once again... and suddenly had an idea.
[- later that night -]
The quiet nightly chatter of the village washed over the sleeping pile of kittoms. They were all a little big mess of tangled up paws, tails and legs, sleeping between big pillows and blankets - peacefully oblivious about everything, as they were all dreaming of chasing cotton candy rabbits. The faint moonlight painted the big bedroom in blue and silver light. It was dark and cool, the window let in the soft voices and a fresh breeze of cool air. And suddenly something else.
A big shadow jumped through the window and landed without a sound next to them; his jellybean paws soften the landing, as he placed a mysterious bag next to the wall. Greywind looked at the pile of kittoms while silently circling them in anticipation. His bright eyes and horns glinted malevolently in the moonlight as he swept silently around each little troublemaker, noting with satisfaction that each one of them was in a deep slumber.
Perfect.
It would make things so much better, and without any further hesitation, he began.
[...]
Shimmer was sitting in the room next door, hunched over books, quills and treasure maps. She was planning a trip for the next week, something that wouldn't overwhelm the kittoms too much while still maintaining all the fun. The dark elnin tilted her head a little and as she moved around, the candlelight reflected off her shimmering mermaid markings. So far she was pleased with the ideas she came up with.
"Yes, this all looks great so far", she quietly said to herself. "Maybe tomorrow I can go and look up some mo-" Her voice was suddenly cut off by multiple screams, originating from the bedroom with the kittoms.
Her blood run cold and she instantly jumped up, to see what was going on. She almost crashed into the bedroom door and pushed it open, deeply worried that something happened to the little ones. But then she came to an abrupt halt in the door way, while trying to understand the situation before her.
The kittoms had all woken up and their screams had subdued to cries now, as they all huddled and cuddled together in fear in the middle of the pillows. Someone had placed all the little self-made masks around them in a circle and then put red and blue glowing candles behind them, making them light up in weird ways. The flames bathed the whole bedroom in ominous and vivid light and bizarre shadows danced over the walls.
Shimmer was baffled.
How was this possible; how did she miss this?
Who would do such a thing?
What kind of person would play such a cruel prank on innocent-?
Her thoughts were drowned out by sudden high, clear laughter coming from outside the window. It was cold and full of conceit. Before she could react or do anything at all, she saw a white shadow jump from the tree and disappear into the darkness.
All that stayed with her was the bone-chilling laughter.
And a single silver bell on the windowsill, glittering in the moonlight.
A spiteful lesson had been taught tonight.
