Submission (#7022) Approved

AP region: Silveil
Elnin AP is for: Nolatari (https://worldofeyre.com/character/MYO-ELN247)
Supporting cast: Kai (https://worldofeyre.com/character/ELN1972) and Saoirse (https://worldofeyre.com/character/ELN2107)

     "WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" Kai came hurtling down the corridor, a large white crystal tight within his paws. "MUUUUUMMMMMYYYYY!!!" The thudding of his feet almost made a framed picture fall off the wall and he rounded the corner, narrowly missing his sister who was carrying in a bushel of glowing mushrooms she had been gathering in the garden just outside.

    "Hey! watch it!" Saoirse moved the basket quickly out of the way before adding her voice to the calamity, "Muuuum! Kai is running through the house!"

     Nolatari came through the doorway out of the back room where she had been clearing out a few things. Usually she had her pomu to help but he was currently snoozing in crystal form safely tucked within the finely gilded lantern which floated behind her. The dark navy blue of the fabric almost blocked most of the pomu-crystal's light but small, carefully placed holes and slashes let out a slight glow so that the lantern looked like it was covered in constellations. A gold trim trimmed the top and bottom with the Delnaria family motif and also had a loop at the bottom where a ribbon was tied, attached to her belt to keep the lantern close to her. "What is going on? One, it is too early in the morning to be yelling like that. Two: There is no running in the house, that is how kittoms get hurt. Three..." Nolatari knelt close to where Kai stood, a distraught look on his face, "What is ever the matter Little Snowdrop?" She used his nickname to hopefully help calm him down.

     The small, pale kittom reached up his paws to show a white crystal firmly wrapped in his grasp. "I... woke... up..." He gasped between sobs as he talked. "And Snowball... was like thiiisssss." Kai almost dissolved back into tears as he completed his sentence.

     Saoirse stifled a giggle at this which earned her a sharp look from her mother. She was older and paid attention in classes so knew what was going on. Still... she was a little jealous of Kai as he had discovered his pomu already while she had not. With a flounce of her dress Saoirse decided to stow the mushroom basket for now and head back out to the dark, twilight filled forest of Silveil to see if she could find any more luminescent flowers to bring home and replant in the garden.

     "Oh sweetheart..." Nol scooped up her youngest and sat down with him on her lap. "Remember, how I have a lantern to carry my pomu? Well, this is why. Snowball is just sleeping, he'll come back out when the paeonies bloom at the turn of spring. I promise you that." She tousled his hair lovingly before tapping him on the nose as his sobs had turned into hiccups. "Now, lets see about calming down first. Here, take three deep breaths...." Nol breathed with him three times, seeing his death grip on his pomu-crystal soften up.

     Kai, finally calm, looked up towards his mother's lantern and wrinkled his nose. "Does my lantern have to look like yours?" He vaguely remembered seeing other lanterns out in the lake village but just assumed they were a new fashion thing. It made sense to him because he could see how the lavish fashions of Silveil City could creep into the more quiet village life that he was living in. Lavish just wasn't his thing however, that was more his sister's purview.

     Nolatari chuckled lightly before gesturing around the room, the drying herbs and spices up in the rafters, stew steaming in the fireplace, the sweet glowing mushrooms from the forest around them illuminating the room from the basket they were brought in from. "People use designs that are close to them, they don't have to be super fancy. Why don't you go outside and take a look around at the forest for inspiration. I know you like being out in nature, I am sure you would find something there. Then, when you are ready, we can build the lantern together."

     "Can I make it look like a bunny?" Kai slid off his mother's lap and looked around the room, now thinking of ideas, no longer upset. "Or maybe like those flowers that already look like paper lanterns."

     Standing up and brushing the wrinkles out of her skirt Nol patted her son's head, "A bunny might be a little beyond your skills for your first lantern but I can help you if you really want a bunny-shaped lantern." She paused as an idea came to her. "Maybe we can get all the family together to all make lanterns. They will need them sooner or later and I am sure your siblings have quite a boundless fountain of ideas. You can help out each other also."

     Kai wrinkled his nose at first, he had liked the idea of having something he could share with his mother, and only him. However, just as quickly he nodded in agreement. His siblings were always coming up with the most outlandish ideas. Saoirse was the fashion expert, but even Zinnia was an artist, and Lark was really good at crafting things (and making messes but he wasn't going to worry about that right now. "Ok, making lanterns together sounds like fun. Can we doing it outside under the stars if the lights are bright enough?"

     With a smile, Nol agreed. "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea my Little Snowdrop."