Submission (#100) Approved

814 words

Etherial shards: 1
Normal shards:
+4 (prompt)
+8 (800+ words)
+2 (medium companion)
+3 (other Wool)

= 17 shards
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The cold season arriving was nothing new. Nor was the bustle to and from by wool as they got ready for the colder weather, really. Everyone was busy storing food, getting lumber and just in general getting ready; this was nothing new. Kiru has little problem with any of it, given he was well off enough that he had not need to stress out over the change of weather, and his rather thick hide made it so he was much more comfortable during the winter months anyways as it was. Most people did not bother him, opting to leave him alone; he'd been told he was imposing, and did not have a very friendly disposition, though to be fair, he could not help the fact he was large, and he felt awkward smiling at people.

It always came off as a smirk, and it tended to discomfit people more than it made them feel comfortable around him anyways. It was better to look neutral, even if for all effects and purposes, people thought he looked mean. Last time he'd offered to help someone with some heavy burden, the wool had looked at him like he was threatening them and had hurried off without so much as a look back at him. No word whatsoever either, funnily enough.

A small chirp caught his attention and he turned his head to look at the Noctyre that had approached. He'd befriended the fellow a few months back during Hallow's eve, and the creature had remain with him since, not too far away at any given time, "What do you think about the cold, Asmar?" the creature tilted it's head and chirruped at him in response before perching on his shoulder as he continued to walk.

His plan was mostly to go find a nice place to watch the sky from, away from the hullabaloo of the town's folk, where the silence would give him peace. Not that he was particularly fond of being alone, granted, but neither did he seek anyone out. The small Noctyre would be company enough, he figured. As such, he sloped a hill, and was getting himself ready to sit down when he noticed he was not quite as alone as he'd previously thought himself to be.

A quick sniff of air here and there betrayed the presence of another, but rather than confront it, Kiru opted for ignoring it soundly. After all, there were two options here, either the person would leave, or they would come out and actually speak their minds, without forcing him to have to initiate the contact. The plan was fool proof, even if Asmar did keep chirruping with interest in the direction of whomever was hiding.

Letting out a sigh, Kiru climbed a small hill and sat down on a fallen log, waiting for the sunset to allow him the privilege of watching the stars, and it took the stranger a few more minutes of silence to finally uncover themselves.

Out of the thicket came a bright pink wool, with hair covering half their face, bright blue horns and bright blue eyes, "Hi!" it was as much of a chirp as that of his noctyre companion and something about it must have amused the animal, because it quickly took flight and went to her, leaving the perch on his shoulder in order to get to her. He watched the scene for a few moments, but didn't say anything, instead choosing to be quiet, which did not really seem to dissuade the wool at all. Catching the chirruping noctyre, she came closer to him, plopping herself down on the log with him, "Sorry; I happened to be gathering some herbs when I noticed you walk by," he didn't quite believe her, but again, decided against commenting, offering her a small shrug before he turned towards the sky, just in time to bask in the small, few, last rays of sun before it hid over the horizon, and with the darkness came another surprise; an aurora.

He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but catching an aurora had not been even in the first 20 possibilities he'd had in his mind.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" his companion commented, though like his, her eyes were on the lights above, watching the movement, "That's fine, no problem - hopefully you don't mind me filling in the silence?" this time she did turn to look at him, and when he shook his head in negative, she offered him a grin before returning her attention to the lights above.

They remain there for a good long while, and true to her word, she did fill in the silence every so often, with both thoughts and opinions as they watched the lights above.

Kiru found he didn't much mind the company, to be quite honest. A pleasant surprise to be sure.