Submission (#945) Approved

Fifth and final entry for Fianna!

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They were home! After months and months of traveling around Eyre with her beloved Grampy, they were finally home! Fianna breathed deeply, savouring the familiar scents of Salva, one of Enmir’s largest city and her home since kittomhood.

“Feels good to be back doesn’t it, Fianna?” said Grampy with a smile.

“I can’t wait to see Grammy again!”

“Yes, fair Citrinin…,” said Ardere wistfully. “How I have missed you,”

Fianna made a face. “Grampy!”

Ardere laughed and hefted his travelling bag. Within it were several rather interesting luminous specimens he had found on their travels as well as copies of various texts from the great libraries in Kyendi and Bellmoril. The older elnin was very much looking forward to analysing these voluminous chapters within the comfort of his own home. “Very well, I shall try not to get too wishy washy. Chin up, leg up and let’s go greet Grammy Citrinin!”

And that had been several days ago. Still stuffed from the never-ending flow of food that had awaited them since their return, Fianna lounged comfortably on her bed. Life was good but …something was missing.

The young kittom’s mind momentarily flashed back to her days at Miss Whimsy’s kindergarten and the fun that she has had with all of her friends there.

“I wonder how Rin and Rize are doing,” muttered Fianna to herself. “Probably out on daring adventures and treasure looting…,”

The kittom pouted. Why was she still the runt of the group? Still a kittom and still living with her grandparents?

“I bet Rin’s probably burning villages with his fire breath about now,” said Fianna to the room at large. Somewhere down the corridor, the comforting crackle of a burning log was accompanied by the smell of yet another delicious feast in the midst of cooking.

“I need to leave,”

A statement. A surety. An inevitable, unavoidable summon.

“Grampy!” exclaimed Fianna, sitting bolt upright and with a pounding heart. “Grampy!”

“What is it Fianna?” said Ardere bounding into his grandkittom’s room. “Is there a bug? Don’t worry, I can-,”

“Grampy, I need to leave and it cannot wait,” said Fianna in a small voice.

“Leave? Where to? If it is the sweetshop, that isn’t open till tomorrow,”

“No Grampy. I need to leave here. I have to go…somewhere,”

“Where?” said Ardere, exasperation beginning to creep into his usually level voice. “Fianna, we have only just returned. Once the season’s changed, we can go on another adventure,”

“I…have to go do this alone. Grampy…I… I know what is needed. If I am to grow,”

“Oh, Fianna…,” said Ardere, as realization dawned upon him. Sitting himself beside his granddaughter, Ardere gave his grandkittom a hug. “Your mother, she was a noble… so this…,”

“Yes, Grampy…,” said Fianna softly. “I think it is..,”

“I am very proud of you,” said Ardere, barely able to contain his emotions.

“It will be alright Grampy.  I can look after myself now,”

“Yes,” said Ardere, looking both proud and distressed at the same time. “By the will of Eyre, you will be safe,”

“I-I need to pack,” said Fianna, feeling all at once awkward and saddened. “I will travel light,”

“Right, right!” said Ardere as he stood up and wiped an errant tear off the corner of his eye. “I’ll have Grammy pack you some vittles,”

“Thank you, Grampy,”

Minutes later, the young kittom was standing at the doorstep of her home; her well-worn knapsack strapped snugly to her back. In it were the bare necessities. Warm clothes, a fire starting kit, a pack of hardy, long lasting food and some money to ease her travels along such roads where transport was attainable although Grampy, Grammy and Fianna knew that the roads she would be taking would be the ones few travelled.

“I will be off now, Grampy, Grammy,” said Fianna with as light a voice as she could manage. “I’ll see you once this is over,”

“We will be here, waiting,” promised Grampy as he watched his grandkittom leave. “Safely go and safely return,”

“I will,” promised Fianna.

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It had been a fortnight since her departure and the roads were getting sparser the further away from civilization she went. But her heart and mind were set. Straight as a compass and as unflinching as the mountains, the kittom carried on. This was something that she had to do. This was her destiny calling.

By midday, the roads had ceased to be anything more than a humble dirt path and as the kittom pushed further, even that gave way altogether. By then, dense canopies of trees were abound with only the sporadic rays of light cutting through the forest’s dense foliage. Fianna’s tiny paws made small rustling sounds amongst the fallen leaves. And yet, this was still not quite right. She would have to traverse deeper. Much deeper.

The call now was almost a thrum, a pleasant reverberating sensation amongst the cacophony of the forest. By then, Fianna had ceased to worry about her surroundings; instead letting her feet guide her to where she needed to be. A momentary flutter of wings broke her musings. Bluebirds. There were so many of them and far off into the distance, the merest glimpse of an antlered being; a familiar friend from a year ago.

Welcome wandering child

Into the woods so wild

And things aren’t as they seem

You have heard the call

Within the halls

Of the forest pure and green

Fianna giggled. “Still with the rhyming,” said the young kittom.

A bower soon appeared within her line of sight and a sense of serenity overcame the young kittom. Carelessly tossing her backpack aside, Fianna entered the enclosed space. The ground was soft and sweet smelling with dried grass and green vines grew amongst the walls of the bower.  

Fianna heaved a sigh of relieved. She was where she was meant to be. Where sunlight casted golden rays amongst the gently rustling leaves and the melodious sounds of the bluebirds overhead. Everything seemed like a dream. 

A pleasant dream where one can simply lose oneself in…