The Misty, Purple Cat

Chapter One-Ninety - ✎ Art Contest Entry (and Story)

This was for _-Fang-_'s art contest, the theme being cute! I wanted to draw a cub-version of Herala (though in this, she is Helara) with her father, Lion's Fang! Fang, thanks for making the art contest! I needed the incentive to draw this. Helara and Lion's Fang are underwater, by the way. If the seaweed wasn't enough explanation (or it just doesn't even look like seaweed lol).
     Also, the rest of this is explaining and a story I wanted to write (that I want to have no impact on the art rating itself for the contest, I just wanted to write this).

     As for an explanation: many of you probably have no idea what/who Herala is, and I'd like to direct you to my friend, OwlStream, who made the species of Kibirds! They are a mix of a few real-world species and I do believe (correct me if I'm wrong) it was inspired by the Japanese Kitsune. Info about Kibirds is on Ev's deviantART, (FantasyBird) and info about my Kibird, Herala, can be found on mine, (Charizard-100).

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     Helara bounced after her father, Lion's Fang, through the water. She passed bits of seaweed, twitching as it brushed her belly fur, and occasionally shaking the sand from her paws. The red Kibird laughed, his voice deep, the water distorting it natural.

Sometimes, Helara looked up and saw only blackness, with little shining spots at the water's surface. Other times, like today, the surface was bright and one, large shining spot shone. Lion's Fang had told her the many little ones were stars and they only came out at night, and the large single one was called the sun and it only came out during the day. She never really understood what night and day meant, since she saw equal parts of it.

Sometimes, too, she would wonder to herself about what was beyond the water's surface. "Father," she asked, "what's up there?"

Turning his head but keeping his pace, Lion's Fang smiled at the purple Kibird cub. "That, Helara, is a land other Kibirds named Sora's Wing. It is a beautiful place."

"Why is it beautiful?" the little Kibird asked, bouncing through the water toward her father.

"There are many colors, little one. And it has many more Kibirds than our own little village. But they can't live where we live, because they need air."

"Can we ever go up there?"

Lion's Fang stopped walking, and when Helara caught up, she did, too. "When you're older," he said at last, his voice strained. "We don't need to go up there, though. Aren't you happy with where you are?"

"I want to go up there, Father. Will you promise? When I get my lantern pendant?"

Reluctantly, Lion's Fang nodded. "Alright. But when we do, you don't leave my side, you understand?"

"Yes!" Helara cried. "Thank you, Father! I promise."

Despite the unfavorable situation, Lion's Fang laughed. "You'll be an Explorer before I know it," he rumbled. "Come on, let's go back to Mother, okay?"

"Okay!" she chirped.

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Oct 29, 2016
     And this is my little settlement in Ev's world of Sora's Wing! Please take a look at the Kibird species, and if your artsy, try making your own!