Down memory Lane (Cassie's Outdoor Sketching!)

It was midnight, Cassie arose as light filtered into the windows of the Cottage. She was always a light sleeper, especially around the time Cometfall came around, keeping her window open and eyes out for comets. She’s always had a fascination with the stars, especially given her namesake. The sound of hissing stars overheard finally stirred her, a gentle blink or two and she’s up. She yawns and waddles over to the window, watching wistfully as the stars above fade into the distance. She grabs a sketchbook and heads out, Mahina, her Keetadoar, Indu, her Depthol, and Aidana, her Boosha all arose with her. 

Mahina wasn’t too happy, stumbling out of the bed and nearly landing on the floor with a comical THUD as her wings fluttered and the air took a breeze underneath her. A gentle grumble left her before she yawned, getting nudged by both Indu and Aidana. All three pets shook and looked expectantly towards Cassie as she quietly rumbled through the sketchbooks lining the shelves. They turn back to see the other pets. Aidana squirmed trying to get back up to wake up the others before Cassie caught her. A gentle chuckle left her as she shook her head. “No, no, no little one. Let them sleep.” A sigh left Mahina, causing another chuckle to leave her as she picked up Aidana. “No you’re coming with me, if you get comfortable, you will wake up the others. Can’t have that now can I?”

Mahina sighed once more and shook herself, taking flight with Indu. Aidana was situated on Cassie’s back as she headed out. The rest of the Faians were sleeping as she quietly descended the steps and out to the cool air. She clinked against her gemstones and took off, padding down the stony street looking at the stars above. She smiled, feeling invigorated with the potential of seeing another shooting star tonight, much to the critters’ want for a warm bed and a quiet night. But alas, they decided to get up when she did. Cassie hummed as she walked off into the fields near Vence, towards the hills up north. It was the best place to watch the lovely comets streaking the night sky. 

She laid out a familiar starry blanket from her childhood, settling down before slowly bringing out her sketchbook. Times like this remind her of the past. Of why she did this, of why she gathered critters from all over and house them. 

The smells of cranberry and blueberries filled her young senses. This was around the time Cassie was first awoken, a young candle noodle found her way within the cuddle she was taken into. Everything was new and her flame wasn’t as strong or crystalized yet. All walks of life came from here, all sorts of subtypes as well. Ranging from Diamondbacks to Reindeers. Funny enough, Cassie thought herself to be a diamond back but that was solely because of the crystalized looking flame she had. Which, later she found out, wasn’t really a crystalized flame—no subtype had a crystalized flame. Then someone else told her that the subtypes aren’t born like that, they find something called a charm that grants them the funny looking traits! But others swear there’s young ones that have the traits within them. Much is unknown to Cassie at this point.

But that’s not what she’s remembering this for. She’s remembering this because it was her first Cometfall, she had gathered with her cuddle underneath the stars to see the shower that was reportedly to streak the sky that night. She was too hopped up on energy to sleep, there was no way on the two realms she was going to miss this for the world! The young noodle practically made circles around her pseudo-mother asking if the comets make wishes come true, or if Tortuvinas can truly pluck them out of the sky, and if there’s truly Creatures made out of comets? Her mother laughed and shook her head, “Now little starling, where do you get these ideas?” She joked. Cassie giggled loudly, “I heard them from the others! I was told that Comets turn into critters! They’re wishmakers!” It wasn’t sure if this was actually true or not. Not that it mattered to young Cassie. Her mother laughed and nodded, “Well if that were to be true, I hope you have your wishes slotted, because there will be plenty!” Cassie gave her a grin before speeding off and over the hills. She practically rolled down them with a giggle as she caught up with the rest of her cuddle. 

She stood vigilante in the utmost clearest spot of the valley as she waited for her mother, practically teeming with excitement. Cassie couldn’t wait any longer the moment her mother laid the starry blanket before her and settled down to begin sketching. She went off again, running circles around it as she chatted her mother’s ears off. The distant hiss of a star piercing the night sky sounded out, making Cassie stop dead in her tracks. She zoomed over to her mother and sat prettily before closing her eyes. She began wishing. By this point, she doesn’t remember what she wished for. Well, all except for one. 

“I wish for the comet to bring me a friend.” 

And the moment she said that, a comet came too close, snapping her out of her daze. Cassie gasped as the iridescent heliotropic colors trailed behind the white hot star. It was her time. Certainly! Cassie went off, bounding after the star coming to meet the ground. Her mother shouted her name out of pure fear. She shouldn’t be so close! Her childish wonder has given her too much hope, no matter, she couldn’t be dissuaded. She continued running, weaving through the adults as she went over the hill—she swore it grazed her head! Spoiler alert, it didn’t. She watched as the star landed with a large SPLASH in the pond before her. 

She wanted to touch it, certainly the water would cool it off! She bounded down the hill, her lungs burned with excitement as she pounded at the ground before her. The gentle tinkle of her jewelry and the distant shouts of her cuddle only invigorated her further. Eventually she came to the shore of the waters before her. It was oddly calm, too tranquil for a lake that housed a comet within its waters. That was until she heard a gentle cry, a pitiful young cry. Nervously Cassie shouted, “I’m coming! I’m coming!” Cassie at this point didn’t know how to swim yet, so of course, her mind thought her flame would go out if she dove into water. But with the continuous loud watery cries, Cassie had to swim or else whatever was within the waters was going to go out. 

“I’m coming! Don’t you worry!” She whimpered, psyching herself up before taking a swim, a gentle splash. She kept her head held high and out of the water. In the waters ahead she could see a bit of waves, before seeing something inky bob in the water, cry out and sink once more. With that, Cassie picked up her swimming and softly called out, “I’m here! I’m here!” As she swam where the creature was she looked down, the poor fluffy looking creature was being weighed down. So she dove, her flame only glowing brighter around the waters, waving side to side to reach this ball of black fur. With a desperate pawed grasp, her claw hooks onto the damp fur to gently pull this creature up. 

They both breached the waters, being able to breathe the lovely air up above. The creature held onto Cassie desperately as she swam onto the shore. She gasped with adrenaline in her veins before taking a good look at the pitiful creature before her. A singular horned Creature. With a pelt dark as night. They were beautiful, poor thing. She does this for critters like this.

“I wonder what happened to Nyx.” Cassie mumbles to herself out loud. 

The memory was cut short as she heard a familiar cry. A name came to her lips immediately as she looked up from her sketchbook. “Nyx?” But the cry was consistent, no familiarity within. She was stuck as Mahina had fallen asleep on her. She shouts again, “Hello?” The cries stop, then a desperate warble comes close as she watches a Jellyfishfish coming over the hill hoping to see their owner. Poor thing was teary eyed, no recognition within their face. She smiles, “Hello little one. What is wrong? Are you lost?” With the moment she asked if the Jellyfishfish was lost, the young one warbled sadly in confirmation. She watched lovingly as Indu grabbed a tissue from a bag that Cassie brought with them. The Depthol gave the napkin to the wailing Jellyfishfish. 

She hummed and gestured the Jellyfishfish close, “Oh you poor thing, you’ve come to the right people. We’ll find your companion.” She promised, “Just settle down with me, calm down and watch me draw Indu and the comets.” She smiled, the Jellyfishfish nervously settled within Cassie’s curled up form. A gentle swipe was given as Cassie turned back to Indu, who posed pointing towards a comet that grace the sky. Reminding her of why she does this. 

She’ll draw this Jellyfish fish next.