Nestled just outside Silveil City is a cozy village of dark, wooden cabins, each one within its own bundle of trees and slightly overgrown with persistent forest flora. A tall, large sign that reads "ROOMS FOR RENT" looms over the skyline with red and yellow lanterns to illuminate it. Fireflies flutter aimlessly about while twinkling mushrooms of all colors scatter throughout the grass, sometimes forming curiously perfect circles. The Silveil trees tangle up into one another with the tips sometimes looking as if curled fingers are reaching up to pick stars out of the sky. As beautiful and alluring as it may all be, inexperienced travelers are advised to keep to the outskirts if not visiting the city.
Lupin's role as a noble means spending days in various regions across Eyre, especially during the seasons of high miasma exposure. However, it wasn't unusual for him to come back to his kits with fresh cuts and bandages around his paws from the exhaustingly long walks. This day was no different. Lupin slogged up the cabin's dirt path and unlocked the door. Before he could put down his bags he was pounced on by his two daughters, Venette and Luci. Seeing his little family after a strenuous day always gave him a second wind. Belial came to greet Lupin and plucked the little ones off of him and gave him a peck on the cheek. The noble pair switched off their duties to make sure there was always someone around to protect and raise the two kits. Lupin pulled out a few containers filled with a variety of foraged foods and handed them off to Belial.
"Got a light?" Belial teased as he gestured at Lupin's witchlight. Lupin smirked and walked over to the firebox. A glorious woosh sounded as the fire went blue, then green, then finally a familiar yellow-ish orange atop the logs. Belial readied a pot and carefully sifted through the containers to make up a quick stew. Each ingredient made a delightful plunk into the broth he had saved from a few nights prior.
Hours passed and their tummies settled from being full of food. The logs had reduced to embers and the heat within the cabin had slowly faded. Lupin threw a blanket over a passed out Belial. A day of kittom wrangling will do that to a parent. However, the night continued on for the other three Elnin. No other cabins had been rented out that week, leaving the area even more quiet and isolated than usual.
"There's nothing to do here, dad," Venette grumbled as she rolled around on the living room rug, "I hate visiting Silveil! Luci and I never get to leave the cabin or even see the city. It's always too this or too that for us to explore." She grabbed a pillow from the couch, smushed her face into it, and let out a long, dramatic sigh. A large pile of colored chalk and crumpled scribbles littered the floor around her.
Luci twiddled her paws nervously and asked, "How much longer do we have to stay here?" Her eyes glued to the window across the room as if she anticipated a sinister face to show itself peering back in at her. The forever twilight forest was nothing like the bright, tropical beaches she had preferred to visit. The trees twisted and eerily scratched at the glass with each gust of wind and the distant glowing flora just looked like a bunch of unblinking eyes. It was difficult for Luci to conjure up an appreciation for the unique region because she could never view it in daylight. Every aspect of it remained under a dark blanket of mystery.
"We'll only be here one more day," Lupin assured as he patted Luci's head, "but I suppose I can show you two a bit more of Silveil while we're here." Venette's eyes widened into saucers while Luci flattened herself to the wall a little more.
"Do you mean you're finally taking us into the city?" Venette gasped. She had always romanticized Silveil and admired that only the most grown up of Elnin could meander through. Being off limits to a young kittom such as herself only made it more enticing. Lupin walked over to one of his patchy bags and rummaged through it for a split second. Venette's smile quickly vanished as Lupin pulled out a thick, green book and patted the top of it with a hearty thump. An intricate, golden border and the words Sunless in Silveil caught the candlelight and gleamed when moved around.
"I always pack this when I know I have business here," he said as he set the book down onto the rug next to Venette, "It holds all the information an avid explorer like myself may need to know. How do you suppose I knew which mushrooms were safe to turn into soup yesterday? I leave the gambling to the city dwellers," Lupin laughed, "There's something serene about being in between the city and the deep forest. These cabins provide a sweet spot where we can peacefully observe the most stunning aspects of nature this region has to offer. You're going to be an explorer too someday, won't you?" he smiled at Venette. She sheepishly looked down at her paws and then at the book. She knew if she ever had a chance of convincing Lupin to take her to more restricted destinations then she'd have a lot more reading to do beforehand. Luci curled up on a blanket nearby and tried to rest to get to the next day sooner. Venette took her time thumbing through the pages of the ornate book. She gave extra long pauses for descriptions with sketched pictures alongside them.
"Do you ever see these when you're traveling, dad?" Venette asked as she pointed to a whimsical dandelion that resembled a tiny, exploding sun.
"I may have come across those a few times. They react strongly to touch, oddly enough. My tail brushed one and it made a soft woomph sound and all the seeds blew out and into the wind. They're actually a brilliant bright blue like my anima," he recalled.
"Sorta like this too?" Venette asked while lifting up her blue chalk piece.
"A little brighter but yes, that's pretty close," Lupin replied, "Why don't you color the picture a little so we can both remember that?" Venette beamed and gleefully colored in the dandelion. The night went on in a similar fashion and soon the two fell asleep on the rug together. The book remained open on a page covered in chalk dust and toe bean prints.
