Submission (#7981) Approved

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Submitted
22 June 2025, 14:25:32 PDT (1 month ago)
Processed
23 June 2025, 17:47:57 PDT (1 month ago) by LeechiPeachy

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Region: Enmir
Words: 1194

Content

The marsh buzzed with life and thick, warm air pressed in from all sides, heavy with the scent of moss, damp earth, and blooming water-lilies. The endless croaking of frogs mingled with the high-pitched whine of insects and the occasional snap of some hidden creature in the underbrush. Ferns taller than either of the kittoms arched over the narrow footpath, which was really more suggestion than road; often swallowed up entirely by roots or disappearing beneath murky water. Little glowing dots of fireflies darted through the air, a playfully chaotic display of blinking lights - was it guiding them or leading to misfortune? 

Driftwood ran ahead, his blue fur streaked with mud and his tail flicking wildly behind him.

"Red! Did you see that frog? It was this big!" he shouted, holding his paws out with dramatic exaggeration before immediately losing interest and veering toward a clump of reeds. “No wait - did you see this beetle? It's shiny! Oh, wait, no, it's biting me! AH!”

Behind him, Red trudged along the path with slow, deliberate steps, trying not to sink too far into the muck. His expression was unreadable, but the flick of one ear betrayed his irritation … or maybe it was just a mosquito.

"Stop yelling," Red muttered, not even glancing at Driftwood. "You're going to scare off every glowing fish in a ten-mile radius."

Driftwood looked over his shoulder with a grin and one paw lifted dramatically in mock offense. “Excuse me, I am luring them in with my charm. I’m basically a glowing fish magnet.”

Red snorted. "You're a loud swamp rat."

“I’m adorable, actually. Ask literally anyone.” Driftwood spun a little as he ran, not minding the splash of green-tinged water that doused his legs.

They were deep in Enmir now. The land here breathed differently … heavy and slow, at least in the heart of the forests. Thick canopies of trees sprawled overhead, gnarled branches twisted like claws, draped in curtains of moss that swayed in the occasional breeze. Rivers slithered through the forest floor like veins, shallow in some places, wide and deceptive in others. The water gleamed with slicks of pollen and drifting petals, but here and there, hidden under lily pads and shadows, they glowed.

Tiny, luminous fish drifted lazily through the current.

“Wait,” Red said suddenly, halting mid-step. “There.”

Driftwood skidded to a stop. “See? I told you I was a fish magnet.”

“Sure, sure… Easy now.” Red squinted ahead, eyes narrowed. “There’s one. Near the roots. Stay quiet this time.”

The blue kittom crouched instinctively beside him, his tail wagging in excitement. Ahead, near the knotted base of a tree half-submerged in the water, something flickered, like a piece of starlight had sunk into the swamp.

A glowing fish.

It shimmered with soft silver light, casting tiny ripples of illumination across the waters surface. The air around it seemed charged, like the static before a summer storm. It was beautiful.

“Okay,” Driftwood whispered. “I’ll distract it. You grab the bowl!”

“Don’t distract the fish,” Red sighed, but Driftwood had already moved, creeping slowly around the other side of the tree, paws squelching in the mud. Red rolled his eyes, set down the small glass bowl they’d borrowed from Leda, and waited.

Driftwood leaned over the edge of the roots, upside-down now. “Psst. Hey… little fish. Wanna come with us? We're fun. Got snacks. Very responsible travel guides.”

A moment of silence.

Then - splash.

Reds paw moved quick as lightning - the bowl dipped into the water and when he pulled it out, the fish was inside, swimming in slow, graceful circles.

“Got it,” he said, holding up the bowl with a small, satisfied nod.

Driftwood cheered and hopped onto the root beside him, peering into the glowing vessel. The light shimmered off his muddy cheeks.

“She’s so pretty,” he breathed and was in awe. 

“Yeah…,” Red agreed quietly.

They sat there for a moment, just the two of them, the bowl cradled between them. The glowing fish cast long, curling shadows across their faces, and the swamp noises hushed around them, as if the forest was holding its breath.

Eventually, Driftwood nudged Red with his shoulder. “You think she’s one of the blessed ones?”

Red didn’t answer immediately. He was still watching the fish, brow furrowed in thought. “Probably. The light storm yesterday passed over Enmir. If she’s glowing like this… she was definitely touched.”

“She’s one of the lucky ones,” Driftwood said softly.

Red gave him a look. “We’re delivering her to the ocean. She won’t survive long if we don’t.”

“Still,” Driftwood said, “She gets to go. That has to mean something.”

The red kittom glanced up at the sky. Pale sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, shimmering off spiderwebs and beads of moisture clinging to leaves. Time was ticking. They had to reach a river fork soon; one that led east, toward open seawater. 

“We should go,” he said finally. “It’s still a half-day’s walk.”

Driftwood hopped down, and helped Red down as well, who was still carrying the bowl, before they both continued their journey.
Every once in a while, Driftwood gazed at the glowing bowl now sloshing carefully in Reds grip. “I can carry her for a bit”, he suggested. 

“You’ll trip and drop her.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“You say that, and then you step on a frog.”

It was one time!

The marsh thickened as they walked, the undergrowth clawing at their legs and belly fur. They crossed narrow bridges made of tangled roots, balanced across rotted logs and skirted wide puddles covered in floating green duckweed. At one point, a swarm of biting gnats attacked Driftwoods face and he nearly dropped the bowl while shrieking - Red caught it without comment.

Despite the bickering, the two kittoms moved like they had traveled together forever. Driftwood complained, explored, and sang to the fish; Red watched every path, marked every turn, and checked their direction constantly. They made a strange but effective pair.

By the time they reached the river mouth that met the sea, the sun had dipped lower, casting long, pink rays across the waters surface. The air smelled different here… saltier, brighter. The breeze that came from the ocean was fresh and revitalising after such an adventure.

Driftwood stepped to the waters edge, the bowl balanced between his paws. The glowing fish floated calmly within, as if it somehow knew this was where it belonged.

“You ready?” he asked, looking over at Red.

The red kittom nodded once.

Together, they stepped into the shallows, just enough for the water to cover their paws. The glowing fish blinked slowly in the bowl and Driftwood gently tilted it until the water spilled out.

The fish slipped free; circled them once and then swam toward the open sea.

They watched it go until it was a distant speck in the waves, one among hundreds, maybe thousands. Other elnin had come before them. Others would follow. But this one… this one was theirs.

“…Do you think she’ll make it?” Driftwood asked softly.

Red didn’t answer for a long moment. Then he said, “Yeah. I do.”

Driftwood leaned against him a little, quiet for once.

Rewards

Reward Amount
Elecite Coins 8

Characters

Thumbnail for ELN1215: Driftwood

ELN1215: Driftwood

Reward Amount
AP (Enmir) (Currencies) 1
Thumbnail for ELN1365: Red

ELN1365: Red

Reward Amount

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.

Item Source Notes Quantity

Llew's Bank

Currency Quantity