Submission (#4779) Approved

The snow that drifted down, the frost on Miyu’s breath everytime she exhaled, and the icy stone beneath her feet were the most obvious signs that Ayameko and her were not at home. Or, more importantly, she was not home. The warm sands of palu’au would certainly be more welcoming than this region ever could be. Who cares if she’s heard there’s worse ? Who cares about the beautiful blue trees that seemed to have been inflicted with frostbite, the snowflakes that fluttered down, desperate to land somewhere their individual patterns could be admired before being swallowed up by their own kind. Who cares about the flowers that blossom through the cracks in the mountain, a sign of resilience and yet looking so dainty and fragile with their snow white petals that shimmered like ice. She looked ahead to the pink kittom that she had been traveling with all this time, and her brows furrowed in frustration. Who cares about Ayameko ? Why did Miyu even choose to come along anyways ? Now, with the miasma season upon them, Miyu was stuck with the kittom for even longer ! A grumble escaped her lips at the mere thought, and while she wouldn’t care if she hurt Aya’s feelings, a part of her heart does prick at the worry whether the other heard her or not.

Finding a mountain village was easier than Miyu had thought, although it should have been with the clear cut paths that have been created via cutting winds and paw pads earnestly using the path to find their way home ( or to someplace new ). Upon eyeing the village, she rushed ahead of Ayameko to feel the slight rush of pride at being there before the other kittom could. She even threw in a little trip for good measure, and a laugh bubbled up for a moment before she suppressed it down. Of  course, the moment she entered the village she had little choice but to stop and wait, having no idea where she was or where they were to go. But, surely, Ayameko couldn’t know either, right ? So Miyu isn’t stupid or anything !

“ you’ve travelled, so you know what an inn is, right ? Well, find one ! “ Miyu huffed once Ayameko had caught up. Ayameko chose to ignore the rude tone, simply nodding her head and looking at the various homes that rested in the mountain caves. They were well lit and almost welcoming, though Miyu still felt like Palu’au was much warmer, both literally and figuratively. The homes of strynhalde fit the architecture of a frozen wonderland quite well, incorporating intricate designs reminiscent of the winds that carried the cold, and blue lanterns that, despite the cool tones, seemed to exhibit warmth. 

Miyu looked up at her pomu then, resting within an anima of blue hue for hibernation. She missed her one companion on this journey deeply ( Ayameko doesn’t count ), and she immediately began to look over the details of the lantern she painstakingly decorated for her familiar. A lantern of glass to proudly display her pomu’s crystal, roundly shaped so she could feel the smooth edge when she touched it. Countless billowing streams of green, each with their own significance that she loved to watch flutter in the wind as the lantern floated by her side. The way the green blended into the blue sky and yet clashed with the warm sands of Palu’au always brought her joy, and while she surely liked strynhalde’s blues and whites less, she did find the colour experience to be just as beautiful.

 Miyu was suddenly brought out of her observations with a prod from Ayameko, lightly shaking the green kittom and gesturing towards a building that practically screamed inn. Entering, the two approached the nearest elnin and Ayameko spoke up first. “ We’d like one shared room to settle into miasma season. “

Miyu looked offended, but Ayameko knew her well enough to turn around and go, “ it’s so you can watch over me, right ? “ Of course that’s right, but that doesn’t mean you have to make it sound like I want to share a room with you. Miyu glanced at the older elnin, but they seemed unbothered by the situation and simply lead the two kittoms to where they would stay. It was a nice room, with cool grey tones of the stone. Then, as the elnin lit the fireplace with ease, the room seemed to turn into a warmer hue. It was. . . comforting. Miyu needed only to glance at the window to the outside snow filled landscape before turning back, dissatisfied and ready to make a plan of how to avoid Ayameko until they could once again go on their journey. It didn’t take her long, however, to notice that Ayameko continued to stare out the window. There was an. . . expression on the other’s face, one of sadness, and yet stern. Almost as if she couldn’t figure out how to feel, and yet in the end she was lonely. A twinge hit Miyu’s heart upon noticing the expression reflected by the other in the window, but she puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away to collect some blankets to snuggle up into. Well, at first she did ; Miyu kept looking over at Ayameko, who seemed entranced in her own loneliness, and that twinge did not dissipate. A look of concern had grown to rest upon the green kittom’s face, if only Aya were to turn around and notice.

Catching her expression, Miyu swiftly shook her head and rolled her eyes. “ Come over here, dummy ! Make yourself useful and. . . “ she thought for a moment, unsure of how to keep the other distracted. “ find more blankets ! Lets make a blanket fort or something. “ She chose to ignore the surprise on Aya’s face, instead barking more commands and grinning as her not-really-a-companion did as she was told. Miyu began to work, holding up blankets to become a canopy and bunching the blankets together to become a bed ; she even let Aya apply her own touch to the fort, too.

The moment the fort was done, Miyu grabbed Aya’s arm. Her face was flushed, having lost all spunk she previously had now that their little abode was finished, but she dragged Ayameko into the center to lay down, and settled down herself. She curled up close to the other without a word, and for a moment it almost seemed like Ayameko was just another close companion. . . which she totally isn’t usually.