Submission (#910) Approved

A lot had happened since Hark had seen the first light storm in Ahza. He had since then sailed from Ahza to Faerindell, and then from Faerindell to Bellmoril. The glorious autumn colours, the falling leaves, the cool crisp wind, and the mountains all around were quite a change from not only Ahza but Faerindell as well. During his time between Faerindell and Bellmoril, Hark had discovered a lot about the light storms. They weren't exclusive to Ahza! They were harder to see during the day (which made a lot of sense to him), and they were still mostly unexplainable when he asked adults about them. No one seemed to know much about them!

There were a lot of things Hark didn't understand about his trip though. Light storms were questionable but what was more questionable than that? Well, his little brother Sprig! Or... well, his little brother Sprig! Screw it! He refused to call him anything but his little brother, despite the fact that Sprig had just decided all on his own to go and grow up! The nerve! Sure, he was a nestling... and super cute, but did you know what was a step down from nestlings? KITTOMS! Do you know how hard it was to awe and cling to your LITTLE brother when your little brother was a nestling and you were a kittom? Everyone AWED at you. Hark was so offended by that.

The sun was setting fast on the horizon, making the red, yellow and orange leaves even more prominent than usual as the sun kissed all the surfaces around making them shine gold. The light hit the rainbow pennants strung across the city without hesitation, and the warm glow hugged the stone face of the surrounding buildings. Bellmoril had a very renaissance feel to it that was generally absent from both Ahza and Faerindell. It even settled onto Hark's flank, giving him a warm glow.

"Huff," Hark said inaudibly, his mind still focused on Sprig's betrayal as he walked over the stone pathways around the city. He was looking for the best place to view the light storm, should it appear tonight as well. He didn't know Bellmoril very well but he assumed a high venue would be preferable. At least then, if it didn't light storm, Hark would have a great view of the city.

He might have been focused on looking but that didn't mean Hark was completely blind. No, in fact, he moved out of the way of an incoming wagon and that's when he screamed. It was a giant chicken! It was a giant chicken pulling a wagon! What was going on?! Was he hallucinating? WHY? His eyes watched in disbelief and slight horror until he seen an elnin riding on the wagon, focused on his task. He was black and white, with a very warm undertone. He had gold markings that light up in the setting sun, and some neat horn coverings to match.

"This place is weird," he muttered, so grateful that the cart had passed him without any issues. Imagine if the rooster had tried to eat him?! Did chickens even do that?

It was almost dark when Hark had found a nice spot to wait. It was at the top of the city, overlooking the city and the surrounding area. He could see all of the buildings, the streets, pennants hanging throughout the area without measure, and the sea of red, orange, and yellow that surrounded the area. He could hardly believe that it always looked like this.

He wasn't used to the temperature yet he just pulled his limbs in close and huddled. He waited, and waited, looking for any sign of the light storm. That's when he saw it, squinting his eyes, it was falling all around him! It was just becoming easier to notice as the sun disappeared! It was similar to before, but this time the colours seemed to hang around more in the tones of light red, orange, and yellow. It was honestly the most perfect set of colours for this view, and Hark began to chase them around in an attempt to catch them.

What were they? It was the unanswered question.

He could see in the streets below, between hints of red and yellow treetops, that he wasn't the only elnin trying to figure it out. The streets were full of elnin when they had been previously less so.

Maybe this place wasn't so weird, after all.