Submission (#5643) Approved

Regional Affinity: Bellmoril
Elnin: Feng (ELN2570) and Galileo (ELN1640)
Special Guest: Feng's Pomu Havok, and Galileo's Pomu Starshot(+1EC?)
1800 Words (+2EC)

I know I'm terrible at descriptions, I really hope I'm getting better! >.<; Please lemme know if I need to add more for Regional Affinity in Bellmoril!

Feng didn't have very many 'friends' per se. He kind of had acquaintances, his family and those who looked after him. But could he really say that he was close to any of them?

As the kittom watched elnin bustling about town, he noticed more than a handful of them interacting with each other. Buying each other gifts from the enchanted shops, or offering each other golden leaves and flowers from the Bellmoril forests nearby. Feng wasn't here alone, but he did feel pretty lonely--or maybe he was just jealous that he hadn't been given a present yet. Not that there was anything to celebrate--it wasn't his birthday or anything, and nothing of note had happened recently.

With a grumpy huff he buried himself further into the hefty collection of orange, red, and yellow fallen leaves around him. Someone had worked hard to collect all of these leaves into a pile, in an attempt to clear the streets, but to Feng it was the perfect hiding place. His fur, save for his cheeks were of similar color. Camoflauge, indeed!

He wanted  to pretend that he was nestled there in preperation for an ambush, but he couldn't lie to himself...

Galileo had come all the way to Bellmoril with him, but after their romp in the woods Galileo insisted on some time to wander about town. Alone. As a ... friend... Feng knew he couldn't be overly possessive or obsessed about Galileo's whereabouts, but he was becoming more self-conscious the longer he was left on his own. Were the older Elnin looking at him as though he were some lost waif? A rowdy ragamuffin with overgrown claws and fangs? Did those kittom that went by--the ones that quickened their pace--find him intimidating? Or dd his reputation for challenging others to races precede him? (If that's the case they should come back and race him, the potential cowards.) 

At least the scenery was more calming than some of the other places he'd been. While he loved his home in Ealei, there were bridges and wooden ports everywhere, wood creaking and swaying constantly. The neverending lapping of water on tree roots and rocks. But here, ther was the gentle sway of sunset foliage... the sharp-pointed mountains watching over him from a distance. The quiet comings and goings of a town firmly rooted to the ground. It was almost like a second home... but despite his complaints it couldn't keep him from being homesick. Which is usually why he only ventured these trips with his fr--

With his fellow kittoms--

With Galileo and Mizuki. A pang shot though him that he couldn't quite pinpoint...

Thankfully, his ears picked up the familiar sounds of Gallileo's feet; he tended to walk delicately, especially when walking down the stone-paved streets of Il'durahn. At least he didn't have to worry about his toes clacking everywhere like Feng's feet did. 

"YAH!" Feng leapt from his hiding place, skidding to a halt in front of Galileo. As expected,  the grey kittom stared at him unamused, shaking his head.

"Nice try, but your ears were sticking out of the pile the whole time. I knew you were there." Galileo smirked, setting down the small bundle he'd gotten from town. With a huff he plopped down by Feng, paws now free to push his friend into a sitting position. Feng didn't resist, though he did grumble. At least the ground here was comfy. Not quite the harsh stone of the city, but not quite the damp, squishy ground they usually found in the orange and yellow clearings nearby. 

"I can never scare you. Either you're made of stone, or you're just really good at hiding when you're afraid." 

Galileo paused, thinking before he shook his head. "No, not quite... I guess I've just been friends with you long enough to know your tricks."

Friends? Feng sat up, eying Galileo carefully. It hadn't occured to him that Galileo might consider him that. A friend. Was that how it worked? Was Feng supposed to call him a friend back now? He wanted to, but he was... unsure. What constituted friendship to him?

"Uh..." Galileo must have been left in silence for too long; he awkwardly rubbed a paw behind his ear and changed the subject. "I found out there's a festival to happen here soon. What do you say we make plans to come back? I overheard some of the adults planning for a caravan arond that time. Maybe we can hitch a ride!"

Future plans... did Galileo really enjoy his company that much? 

"There was a flier that mentioned a race... maybe we could enter!"

And he knew that he liked racing--even wanted to encourage him to race. Galileo never won races against him, but at the same time it seemed like he was usually up for joining him in running full tilt though town or the forest like a pair of idiots. Sometimes Galileo even convinced Mizuki to join them--the slowest and most reluctant of the three of them. And yet when Galileo lost, he was usually laughing, both amused and baffled by Feng's 'endless energy from nowhere'.

"... Feng?"

Galileo also got him a little bandana when they first got to Bellmoril; one with a little orange and red flame on it. Feng had given it to Havok for safe keeping, almost without a thought. Maybe that's why Galileo frowned afterward? Had he been expecting him to put it on?

"Helloooooooo?"

As  if he could read Feng's mind, Havok appeared from his shadow! The small, dark bundle of fuzz stared up at him, rubbing its two mismatched horns (that mimicked his). Feng opened his mouth but Havok already seemed to know. His two tiny feathered arms went plunging into the shadows, rummaging with clear determination! With anticipation, Feng watched his pomu dig, only slightly annoyed when Havok produced everything he wasn't looking for. Some berries... the jacks he got from some kid in Ealei... the thingie he'd gotten from his mother... but no bandana. But there were a few things he saw that Galileo... his friend... might like. That book that someone gave him that Feng knew he'd never read. (Galileo liked books...) Some more berries--this time straight from Ealei, Galileo's favorites. Oh, and  there were a couple of nice feather pens, that Feng remembered getting for Galileo the last time they were here. But... why had he never given them to him--

"POMU!"

Feng was pulled out of his thoughts by not one but two Pomu standing before him. Havok, of course, holding a bundle of fabric that nearly engulfed him in size--but there was another pomu there with him. One with purple diamonds on its face, streaked across one side. This one was holding what looked to be a... sandwich?

"I've been trying to talk to you for like..." Galileo's voice got his attention next, and Feng noticed that Galileo'd moved to sit next to him at some point. "Well, I don't know how long. But I figured maybe you were hungry? And that's what you were having Havok search for?"

"Ah.. No..." Feng, for once found himself unsure what to say to his friend. Maybe even his... best friend. "I was just thinking... about us."

"Oh no. Thinking what?" Galileo sounded like he appreciated that they were sitting alone on the outskirts of town, where only the stone pavement, red and golden trees and mountains could hear them.

"Just thinking about how much we're... friends?" Feng fielded, and Galileo gave a confused blink. Feeling the need to elaborate, Feng went on. "I mean, it's hard for me to make friends, and yet here you are. What makes us friends?"

Fed up with waiting, Havok tossed Feng's bandana at him and gave an indignant squeek before diving for his shadow. Seemingly a bad influence, this caused Galileo's pomu to launch the sandwich it was holding at him too. And before he could even growl they were both gone. Galileo chuckled, picking up the bandana and fishing sandwich parts out of Feng's fur as he finally answered, "I'm not super sure. Ah--before you get upset, listen. I'm not really sure exactly, but I just like hanging out with you. You can... be a bit of a bully sometimes, especially to Mizuki, but I know you're an alright guy. And originally, I talked to you because you were--" he paused, then shook his head, "--we were both lonely. I didn't know that we'd become friends so quickly."

Feng's eyes and heart felt weird. Like it wanted to spray water violently and vulnerably, so... he didn't. But it kinda hurt. So his voice squeaked when he choked out, "Oh I see that's cool."

Galileo's laughter rang in his ears, and he squinted when the fellow kittom pat him solidly on the shoulder. "For real! I like you...  I mean, you can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but I'd rather that than you be afraid to speak your mind. And usually you're the type of kittom to blurt the first thing that comes to that fluffy brain of yours."

"Hff. Now who's the bully?"

"Not me!"

They both laughed, shoving some leaves at each other. And when Feng went to finally put on this bandana he'd been given, he found that Galileo had leaned over to help secure it around his neck. 

"See? I knew that would look good on you! I was worried when you didn't try it on..." Galileo grinned, his stiff tail wiggling happily behind him. And Feng's tail? It wagged too.

Here, in the forested region that he came to often with Galileo, he felt comfortable. Safe. And like he could really open up with Galileo if he let himself. Whatever part of his friendship Galileo didn't want, he was free to cast out amongst the burning, golden Bellmoril forest. Bury in the mountains nearby or stomp into dust. But that was strangely OK with Feng now. He felt that he probably wouldn't even hold it against him if Galileo made fun of him for opening up or admitting just how much he appreciated his company. Feng was sure that despite it all he'd just feel grateful for the time he'd shared with Galileo up to that point. Cherish the though that he had someone who cared for him, even a little bit. Thankful that he wasn't as alone as he felt only moments ago. Maybe that was what his friendship with Galileo meant to him after all. 

He took a small breath, and pat Galileo solidly on the shoulder...

"I've got a long overdue gift for you too, my friend."

"It'd better not be those berries you've been holding onto in your shadow for months."

"A different gift then."