Submission (#5873) Approved

He wasn't quite sure how long it had been since he gazed upon the orange trees of Bellmoril. It felt like a lifetime ago, now. Cain wasn't quite sure what led him here, but he felt obligated. He felt compelled to. Walking through the main pathways, he noticed how surreal everything was. The last time he traveled to these lands, he was just a kittom. A kittom with bright wide eyes and ambition. Curious and eager. There were so many things he wanted to learn about the world, but now that he was older and wiser, he wasn't quite sure what to make of anything. So much had happened to change his perspective.

His arm started to ache horribly.

The village was quiet. Smoke billowed from the chimneys and lights hung from each roof. Windows were dim, only lit by candles as the sun dipped below the horizon. Cain glanced around as he walked through, recalling all of the memories he had here. The village he stayed in when the miasma rolled around. He remembered making a friend, one he wished to return to someday.

Today, actually. Starfall was about to begin.

Although no one was walking along the paths, he could feel the stares of the residents. They all glanced through their windows as a large djinn walked through their quiet little village. Hushed whispers as they questioned what such a beast could want. Cain however was just after one thing.

He knocked lightly upon a door, standing back silently as he waited. He wondered if she had grown since they first met, but even if they hadn't he wanted to see her. All he remembered was that she was a quiet girl, a bit reclusive that only started to come out of her shell because of him. Cain wondered if she changed at all. He had, but only because of his stark transformation.

His arm ached and pulsed.

The door creaked open slightly, only enough for November's eye to peer through and her voice to meekly ask who was there.

"Hey! It's me, Cain. Remember?" he said as he gave a wide smile.

"Cain?" November replied as she opened the door wider. "You've changed so much."

The kittom was comparatively small to him now, forcing him to kneel on his knee. "Yeah, I have. I see you haven't though, not that it's a bad thing. I just... wanted to see you."

November walked ever closer, reaching her hand out to see if he was real. She had never seen any of the subtypes before, not fae nor fiend. How could her friend have changed so much? She wished she had changed in all this time, but...

"Are you here for Starfall?" she asked, retracting her hand just before reaching him.

"I am," he smiled, standing. "Would you like to join me?"

November hesitated at first, not sure what to think of her friend's new looks. She didn't want to worry the village, but perhaps this was a chance to show he meant no harm. They needed to catch up too after all. "Yeah, I'd love to."

The entire pathway was strung with little lantern lights and decorations the villagers had conjured. Cain felt at home here, he felt safe for once. For a while now, he felt aimless and strange, as if the world itself was unfamiliar to him. Here, he felt grounded and understood life more than he had for months. He wondered if it had to do with reuniting with November. Perhaps, he thought as he gripped his arm.

"This is a good place," she said, sitting down at a clearing, propped up by a rock veined with moss and lichen. Cain sat next to her, eyes glancing up toward the sky, ready to view the small fireworks show. Even though they were friends, things felt awkward. He didn't know what to say, what he could say. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but also so much he needed to keep.

"They're beginning," November pointed as the sky lit up with different colored lights. Cain felt himself relax again, but still gripped his arm as it ached deeply.

"Is it alright if I stay awhile?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Of course... You got a lot of tell me, don't you?"

"Yeah..." Cain smiled softly as he finally relaxed against the rock to watch the show. "I do."

But first, the Starfall festival.

Once the firework spectacle was finished, November offered to take Cain back home where she had baked some fresh food. Of course, she had too much for just herself, but it was traditional fare for this time of year. Cain wasn't sure how long it had been since he had traditional food. He didn't quite remember what Bellmoril had to offer, but he knew it was delicious and that November went the extra mile for the special occasion. He didn't quite understand how she could bake so much for just herself. He would have to make sure to eat as much as he could so none would go to waste.

"Almost feels like home in here," Cain mentioned as he entered her abode. He remembered spending some of the rainy days here, snuggled up in a blanket fort while the hearth smoldered. He was a bit too big for that anymore.

"It is home," she replied, handing him a cup of fruit juice that had been freshly squeezed that morning in preparation for the festival. "Tell me all that happened while you were away." 

Cain chuckled as he sat down, taking a sip of his drink. "Where should I begin?"