Submission (#6668) Approved

You remember your last conversation with Salamandra well. 

"How do you deal with grief?"

You've been thinking about the question for awhile, since the thoughts have been steadily gnawing at your inner mind. You think of Salva, briefly, when you finally have mustered the courage to answer. Salamandra, up until this point, had been lazing about. Stretched out comfortably upon some of the warming rocks in the hot springs that you've been fortunate enough to have room and board at. She turns her molten gaze in your direction, claws rythmicaly tapping along the stone, and gives a non-commital hum in response to your question. For a moment you think you won't be afforded an answer, that's something you've grown used to in your time with the noble Elnin. 

"You don't." She answers, eventually, and the reponse has you snapping your head in her direction. She seems somewhat lost in thought before continuing,

"You simply grow larger around it. The grief is still there, still apart of you, but you've grown larger with time and just simply don't notice it as much." Salamandra finishes her statement with a flourish, hopping down from her makeshift lounge, and steadily beggining to stride out. Before she leaves, she glances over her shoulder at you with a thoughtful expression.

"...regret, however, can make the grief grow just as strong."

Lanhe walks through Erith by himself, mulling over his conversation from earlier in the day. There's plenty of townfolk out and about, moreso than normal thanks to the holiday spirit that seems to linger around every corner. Even if he wanted to, Lanhe simply can't shake it (seriously, there's glitter in his coat even now!). In an effort to ditch the glitz, glam, and glitter, he takes a sudden turn down a nearby alleyway. However, now he's on a street he simply doesn't recognize. Normally, he's out and about with his guide and mentor, but now he's simply all on his own. The area is nice, however, and not crowded much to his thanks. But there are still some shops and Lanhe is about to begin his journey home when the light of the sun manages to bring his attention to something out of the corner of his eye. He changes his direction to the source of his distraction and stares. Salva comes to his mind again and he does his best to shake the thought...but Salamandra's words from earlier ring true. Lanhe sighs and reaches for his waistcoat, feeling the coin pouch tucked safely within his clothes. He knows he has some to spare...and the gift isn't all that expensive. Oh well, he can worry about the implications of his impulse purchase sometime later.

"Peng, you're not helping at all." Later that night Lanhe has been busy wrapping the gift. The inn-keeper was nice enough to donate some supplies and some nice quality paper and ribbon. Then problem, however, is that his pomu is like a kittom in a candy store. Peng chirps and continues their onslaught of terror upon the ribbon rival they have found, and Lanhe lets out a sigh of exasperation.
He turns his attention back to his job wrapping the gift. The small box had been giving him some slight issues but he's finally managed to wrap it delicately enough. He snatches up the ribbon that Peng had been victoriously carrying around. And his pomu lets out a squawk of indignation.

Satisfied with his work, Lanhe admires the toils of his hard work from afar. The blue box is safely wrapped in red paper with a golden ribbon. Fitting colors for a region such of Zevija, and Lanhe makes a note to thank the inn-keeper later for their donation. Finally, Lanhe makes his way to the front and ready to head out and deliver his gift, but leaves a care package at the front that he's sure will make its way to Salamandra eventually. His token of thanks for all the hard work and advice the adult Elnin has given him, free of charge (but not free of torment for the small kittom). He gives a small wave and makes his way outside into the warm sunlight. Lanhe takes a deep breath, the air is humid, something he likes a lot more than the dry, desert heat from Azha. He knows that Salva had arrived in the town of Erith just the other night. Perhaps some divine intervention, but Lanhe knows that the other kittom has always had a sixth-sense for the whereabouts of her green friend. At least this time Lanhe thinks that he can get the jump on the other kittom. The shocked expression of Salva will be the greatest gift that he could ask for, certainly.

The intel he got from the inn-keeper is accurate, and before he can back out (but not be a chicken) he's knocking on another door. He hears a loud thud followed by an exclamation, ("I'm coming!~!!!") and Lanhe definitely knows now that he's at the right room.

"How can I-.....LANHE?" He was also right about that, the shocked look on Salva's face is perfect and makes the journey here certainly worth it. But he was not expecting to be jumped on by the smaller kittom at his arrival. He does his best to steady the extra weight, but against his best effort he's falling to the floor with them. He lets out a groan but yet, he's not that annoyed at the sound of laughter coming from his...friend.

"This is for you." He holds up the box from his pocket, and watches sparkles light up in Salva's eyes. Maybe the shocked expression isn't the only gift that he's been given back from this exchange. He does, however, try and tune out the whining about how unfair he's being.