Submission (#6917) Approved
User
Prompt
Submitted
1 March 2024, 11:32:54 PST (4 months ago)
Processed
14 March 2024, 18:15:40 PDT (3 months ago) by wintry-chan
Comments
Resonance quest Act 2- Adventurer- Act of Bravery
1 Ahza AP please
1 Ahza AP please
Content
RQ- B 0 - Lost Kittom Rescue
It had been some days since the caravan in which Fu and Loki travelled had crossed into Ahza. After passing through the mountains on the border, Fu mused and thought on the scenery, as though passing through the teeth of a great creature only to be greeted by the searing heat of the sun. It bathed down on her white coat through the window of the caravan as she took the curtain in her paws and drew it sharply.
“My reading light!” Cried Loki, who eyed Fu with contempt momentarily before softening his gaze. Realising the situation, he shut his tome and padded over towards his friend and regarded her with compassion. “I- I didn’t mean that.” His tone both apologetic and matter of fact, he uncorked a bottle of water and offered it to his sweltering companion.
While Loki felt her discomfort, there was little he could do or say other than try to keep Fu comfortable until they reached Bejali. The carriage jostled and swayed, wooden walls furnished with soft cushions and stacks of books which rumbled against the desert roads. The soft breeze whistling brought only dry heat and dust, with little comfort such as the fresh breaths of Strynhalde Fu was accustomed to.
Fu took the bottle and drank deeply as light from the blue curtain corners rippled and danced in the water within the glass, it was cool and fresh and the sensation moved through her, calming her nerves like a little dose of her icy home. She turned to loki and mumbled thanks, her eyes lidded and heavy as she accustomed herself to the much hotter climate.
As she languished, the sun began to sink lower in the sky, the caravan master spied a jewel which shone against the evening sand and guided his charges over towards it for the night.
It was an Oasis, perfect to replenish and recuperate. Palms jutted upwards as the water’s sheen took on an amber hue in the evening sun as wooden wagons warbled towards the water’s edge. Soon nin began to take on water and set up camp, while Fu and Loki found that the low sun afforded an excursion from the overbearing confines of the wagon.
Fu felt Sand under her paws for the first time and she eyed the grainy surface with confusion, but without the sun bearing down upon it she found the surface to be no different to a packed snowfall. Against the backdrop of calls from the wading birds further out, Loki smiled as she headed to the water’s edge and cooled off as the caravan settled in to the evening ambience of the Ahzan desert.
Soon there was a roaring campfire and the sound of music lulled from one of the carriages and all seemed well as the nin began to cook, converse and carouse, but not all was well.
As Fu lounged by the edge of the water eyeing a mysterious skull, basking in the cool evening air and eyeing the first stars as they began their nightly march over the barren basin, a commotion was overheard.
Fu’s white ears pricked as she heard the caravan master in heated discussion with a grey and white Elnin with a long tail, a stranger from a caravan across the oasis who’s campfire and lights blinked in the mirror surface of the distant waters.
Angling an ear towards the heated conversation, she managed to discern enough to know that the situation was worse than she thought. “Look, I only need a moment of your time. Have you seen a kittom? Blue and purple? Some white patches? She’s gone and wandered off, Sir I only need a couple of your nin to help me look-“ The stranger implored, his tail beating firmly against the sand.
The caravan master spoke with concern, but dismissed him, stating that whi;e this was serious he could spare few nin, but he would keep an eye out. As the stranger headed out her way, Fu stepped hastily towards him and in front of him, blocking the Elnin’s path. “I heard you have a missing kittom.” Fu stated, her eyes hard and focused, but betraying her worry as she inquired to the stranger.
Incredulous but happy for any help he could get, the Elnin smiled warmly, catching an agitated twitch in his paw and replying to the white Kittom; “Well well, what do we have here? A little detective! Why yes, I’m looking for a little lady, about your age actually, blue with lots of coloured markings, habit of wandering off”.
The Elnin was grey with orange spots andwhite undertones, had red eyes and horns with a warm smile. His long hair covered one eye which drooped into shades of purple while a long, straight tail curled behind him, twitching with an air of excitement.
Fu tilted her head as she shifted her gaze towards Loki, who reclined in the door of the wagon, lost in his book. She knew all too well the worry of looking after another. She shifted her gaze back upwards towards the red horned nin and blinked. “First, who are you?” She inquired.
The elnin chuckled, shuttering his one visible eye for a moment before replying to the curious kittom. “My my! How rude of me. Name’s Spike, and the little marshmallow I’m looking for’s Cassie. I was taking her to Kyendi but we got a little out of our way. Rascal likes running off looking for herbs, she saw the greenery around here and she was away. Should fix her up with a bell or something” Smiled Spike.
Fu glanced once more towards Loki and the caravan before back to Spike. “I am Fu. Tracking is something I can do. I’ll help.” She replied with confidence. Spike grinned and followed her gaze to the caravan. “I’ll go have a talk with them and let them know, you should go tell your friend too. Seems like they don’t want you wandering off either, miss detective” he winked.
Spike and Fu each had words with the caravan master and Loki respectively, who responded with concern, but they promised not to venture out of sight of the campfires and be back before nightfall set in proper. It seemed the two caravan masters knew each other, so Fu and Spike were allowed to set out and search.
“So what’s this ‘Marshmallow’ like?” Fu questioned. Her nose and ears beginning to search in the evening desert air. “Obsessed with all things herb, wants to work with hot drinks. I was taking her to my mother who owns a shop. She said something about Ahzan desert pomegranate and I lost her not long after. Kids today” Spike huffed.
Fu’s pupils widened as she took in the low evening light and set her gaze upon a dense patch of vegetation, close to some palms. Her thoughts drifted momentarily to Loki and guiding him towards various curiosities. “I think I know where to start.” Her words had barely reached Spike’s ears before she began to bound towards the dense patch of greenery.
“Kittoms, Can’t stay still for long!” Spike complained, his white paws finding purchase in the amber sand as he took off after the white kittom. But she was onto something. Fu’s ears swivelled as the sound of rustling leaves caught her attention and her lidded eyes locked onto a tuft of white vanishing under a large frond. Her paws gained traction in the loose sand as she bounded towards the lost kittom.
Spike watched with glee as Fu pulled back a low frond to reveal a blue pastel streaked kittom digging in the sand. Completely oblivious to the presence of her would-be rescuers. “Cassie!” Yelled Spike with a breath of relief. “My mother will have my tail if I lost you in this desert! Why’d you have to run off like that?” He cried out.
“Oh! Mr. Spike! And-“ Cassie began to reply, but was cut short. As she turned to look, her gaze was met with a pair of blue, lidded eyes staring at her in the evening gloom.
Cassie squealed and rolled over, surprised by the blue and white kittom right next to her. “How uncouth! You aren’t Mr. Spike! You startled me, Miss!” She squeaked. Fu simply sighed and turned her head towards the fast approaching Spike, gesturing lazily with her paw before turning pack to the pastel kittom. “Noisy one, aren’t you. I’m used to it. Posh, too.” She retorted.
The response stirred Cassie into a series of chirps and stutters as she remembered her meeting with Satsuki in the forest, but she quickly caught herself. “Ahem- I see you are with Mr. Spike. I was going to be along presently, but these delectable desert pomegranates were just the gift for Miss Ichiko! I-“ She began, but was swiftly interjected by Fu, somewhat indelicately.
“Ran off and got lost, worried a lot of nin too. Be more careful.” Fu Chided.
Cassie’s nose wrinkled as she opened her mouth, raising a paw to respond, but words did not follow. Fu hardened her eyes a little provoking a further chirp from the now embarrassed kittom as Spike caught up with the two youngsters.
“Now now, miss detective, you did a great job, but I’m sure Cassie didn’t mean to cause trouble. She’s just doing her thing, but Fu here has a point, Cassie. I heard what was said. Please be more careful, okay?” Reassured Spike with a soft smile.
Cassie purred and chirped softly before emerging fully from the fronds, clutching two or three pomegranates which seemed to be encased in softly glowing scales. “Apologies Mr. Spike, Miss Detective, was it? I had read about these, they only grow near Desert oases and I believed them to be a fine gift, they glow softly at night, but the heat of the day makes it unbearable for one to forage for them” she said eloquently. Fu felt a pang of kinship upon hearing this, her cold expression cracking into a smile as she shuttered her eyes for a moment, recalling her own discomfort.
“We need to be getting back. I have another noisy one back at the caravan to think about if I’m late” Fu groaned.
With that, the three nin headed back. Fu’s return was met with much relief from the caravan master and from Loki, who was both relieved and concerned that there were now more stars in the sky than he’d expected there to be before her return.
As the sound of desert insects began to sing around the oasis, the two caravans held a wonderful celebration for Cassie’s return. The flames of the campfires danced and music resonated, while Cassie made pomegranate tea for everyone to celebrate. Spike told stories of his adventures to the kittoms which lasted long into the evening.
In the morning, both caravans provisioned themselves and readied for the next journey into the desert, but the memories of that evening by the oasis would stay with them for many many moons to come.
Rewards
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Characters
ELN056: Spike
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ELN2280: Cassie
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MYO-ELN711: ᛚᛟᚲᛁ
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MYO-ELN712: Fu
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| AP (Ahza) (Currencies) | 1 |
Add-Ons
These items have been removed from the submitter's inventory and will be refunded if the request is rejected or consumed if it is approved.
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SylSyl12's Bank
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