Submission (#8168) Approved

Kittom: Shiro
Words: 983

(I added Jirai into the kittom pile that is taking a nap with Sunleth for some flavor lore so I wouldn't have to invent a random kittom; he doesn't have his resonance yet but I am planning on doing the same act for him eventually; so I hope this is okay.)

Every breath Shiro took seemed laced with sweetness, like sipping pink honey through sunshine. Petals drifted lazily in the wind, carpeting the cobbled path as Cinder and Greywind walked beside him. The air in Faerindell tasted like flowers. Not just smelled, but tasted. 

"Are we really going to meet her?" Shiro whispered, his big red eyes darting between the endless fields of soft pink blossoms.

"Yes," Cinder replied with a warm smile. "Sunleth is expecting you."

Shiros paws fidgeted. "But she’s the Sylvan Queen. What if I mess up? What if I sneeze on her tail?"

Greywind glanced down at him with an unreadable expression. "Then you’ll have the honor of being the first in recorded history."

"That’s… not helping," Shiro muttered.

The path curved into a secluded glade; a place so beautiful that Shiro almost forgot how to breathe. Tall trees with blossoms like powdered coral arched overhead, sunlight spilling in golden waves. Countless butterflies drifted through the air, each a different color. In the center of the glade laid a large blanket woven from moss and silk, surrounded by cushions embroidered with vines and sunflowers. 

And there she was.

Sunleth.

Her fur shimmered with hues of bright teal and coral that seemed to shift like the surface of a sunlit stream. Her tail was long - impossibly long, trailing like a river of silk over the moss. She lay reclined upon a cushion, head lifted, eyes warm yet mysterious. A few other kittoms were already gathered, some nestled close to her, others giggling softly among themselves.

"Welcome," Sunleth said, her voice flowing like a calm breeze. "You have traveled far."

Shiro’s mouth went dry. He bowed; well, he tried. It came out more like a clumsy dip. "H-hello, Your… um… Petal-ness?"

Cinder choked on a laugh and quickly turned it into a cough while Greywind gave Shiro a subtle shove toward the group.

Sunleths lips curved in the faintest smile. "You may call me Sunleth, little one."

Shiros paws carried him forward almost against his will. The other kittoms turned to watch, their eyes curious but kind. A beige one with a little flower crown scooted over. "You can sit here. I’m Jirai."

"I’m Shiro," he said, settling down. "You’re… uh… not nervous?"

Jirai shrugged. "She’s the Queen, but she’s so nice. Watch; she’ll put you to sleep in no time."

"Is… that good?" Shiro whispered.

"Yes," Jirai giggled. "It’s magic."

Sunleth rose gracefully, moving toward them with the kind of slow elegance that made every petal in the glade seem to pause mid-air. She lowered herself among the kittoms, curling her tail around the group like a living river.

"Close your eyes," she murmured, "and let the blossoms carry your breath away."

Cinder leaned down to Shiro. "We’ll be back after sunset," he whispered. "Just relax, alright?"

Greywind added, "You’re in the safest place in Faerindell." His voice was steady, the kind that made Shiros chest feel anchored.

They stepped away, their silhouettes disappearing down the path, leaving Shiro with the soft murmur of the other kittoms and the quiet, steady heartbeat of the glade.

Sunleth laid beside them and the air itself seemed to grow warmer. Her presence wasn’t overwhelming - it was like lying in the sun after a chilly morning or wrapping up in a blanket that smelled faintly of home.

Shiros eyelids grew heavy.

"Think of nothing," Sunleth said softly. "And if thoughts come, let them drift like petals on water."

He didn’t mean to, but he let his head rest against her side. Her fur was impossibly soft and he could feel a hum beneath it, as if mana itself was flowing gently into him.

[...]

Shiro was running through Ealei again — manaberries bouncing in a basket, Cinder laughing as he tried to catch him before he tipped it over. He could smell the tart baking in the stone oven, hear Greywind’s dry voice telling him not to drown the fruit again.

Then the scene shifted; Yujis gentle smile, Subaru’s quiet nod, the steam of mint-leaf potion curling into the air. The reef crab scuttled across his paw again, but this time it paused to wave at him. Shiro waved back, giggling.

He ran through fields where every flower turned to watch him pass and their petals lifted off to follow him like confetti. In the distance, Cinder and Greywind stood side by side, waiting at the end of a path that stretched across every place he’d ever seen.

There was no rush, no fear, only the joy of moving, the peace of knowing where he was headed.

[...]

When Shiro stirred, the light had shifted to that soft golden-pink that comes just before evening. He blinked slowly, realizing he was still curled against Sunleths side. The other kittoms were beginning to wake too, stretching and yawning in little waves.

Jirai nudged him. "Good nap?"

Shiro nodded, still half-dreaming. "I dreamed… about everything. All the good things."

Sunleths eyes opened, shimmering like dew on leaves. "You carry much light within you, little one. It will serve you well."

Shiros chest felt warm, though he wasn’t sure if it was from her words or just… her.

Cinders voice called gently from the path. "Shiro? Ready to head back?"

He turned to find Cinder and Greywind waiting under the flowering archway. Shiro got to his paws slowly, not wanting to disturb the quiet.

"Thank you, Sunleth," he said, his voice soft but sure.

She inclined her head, her long tail curling once before settling back around the remaining kittoms. "Go well, Shiro. Carry the blossoms with you."

As he trotted back toward Cinder and Greywind, the petals seemed to swirl up in the breeze, dancing alongside him. And though he was wide awake now, his heart still felt as though it was wrapped in that same gentle hum - the kind that would follow him through every step of the journey ahead.