Kaimana had requested Comet, magic pup extraordinaire, to meet her in Polaris that day.

She'd brought a few sticks, a few rocks, and one unit of dye. She figured that, since Polaris is where it was certain more of the dye could be made, that they should go testing paint in the same room in case they wanted to make more. Kaimana was already in a little bit of debt to Comet for the second unexpected unit of dye, but she figured if they had to make anymore it wouldn't be for Kaimana. It would be for a fun day of paint-testing! That would hopefully be as much a gift to Comet as it was to Kaimana.

Once she knew just how this dye could be used, what it looked like and what it added to the surface it was put on, she could use the other unit more efficiently. She could get ideas of what to use it for to begin with.

Kaimana sat beside the Spire as she waited for the pup's arrival, feeling its soothing thrum as she began to work on a rock. With just a single nail tip's worth of paint, she'd make a thin design on the smooth rock's surface. Perhaps this activity would calm her nerves a little. They were all uppity and excited -- well, as 'excited' as nerves could be for ever-placid Kaimana -- now that the rock was really starting to look more like a chrysalis.

Her design turned out... okay. She just wanted little swirls in a few places on the rock, something reminiscent of clouds or water. Her mind was still on Fornax, after all. The lines she'd managed to make were wobbly, and sometimes got too thin or had breaks in them where they weren't supposed to -- to put it simply, they were consistent in thickness. Ah well. There was still plenty left, and it was a rather peaceful way to spend her time.

@Comet

Comet was excited for this day! She had gone to bed early last night so she would have energy for the experimental painting session. Her paw steps were light and carefree as she trotted through Polaris towards the Spire. She had brought a few large leaves that might be useful for the painting.

When the pup saw the familiar figure in the distance, she broke into a run, occasionally tripping over the large leaves she carried in her jaws. By the time Comet arrived, the leaves were shredded, but mostly intact. Dropping the leaves, she walked over to where Kaimana was drawing something on a rock.

"Hello Kaimana!" Comet exclaimed cheerfully, "I brought some leaves." she motioned over to the pile of shredded greenery, and turned her attention to the swirl on the rock. "That's a nice drawing!"

@Kaimana

A reverent, monotonous giggle droned from the jaguar as she managed to catch Comet breaking out into the goofiest run. Was it really that exciting for them? It was quite frankly adorable, the way they stumbled over their own enthusiasm. Kaimana wondered about the ways the pup's mind might have possibly aggrandized this event -- had it added the potential for magic practice? For swimming lessons? What had it said to Comet that made the pup feel compelled to race and stumble towards her? Perhaps it hadn't been the effects of brain propaganda at all. Perhaps that was just Comet's energy combining with Polaris's. Or maybe Comet's soul was just the type to see and chase after the adventure in everything, with as much force as they could contain in that little fluffy body of theirs.

Speaking of Comet's physical form -- were they getting bigger? Were those... scars that she was seeing, scattered across their snowdrift pelt? Kaimana's giggling faded out like a song from the 80s as Comet came closer, but the jovial expression did not leave her face for an instant. "Hello Comet!" Her tail curled around her paws in a courteous manner. "So I see. Where did you find leaves so large?" It was a genuine question! She might've thought of another but Comet's attention had moved to her painted stone. "Why thank you, Comet! If you would like, you may have it. You can take anything we paint today back to your family if we manage to make something you really want to keep."

With that, Kaimana would nudge the strip of bark she'd set the Permafrost dye upon over towards Comet. Then, Kaimana would take just a dab of it and try to paint something else on another flat rock. This time, she would go for, hm... a face. Smiley and bright, but simplified in detail. She wasn't a full-blown artist after all.

It turned out much, much better than her first painted rock had. The face was distinct -- it was modeled after Comet's. She kept having to look at the pup for reference. She figured she might as well converse with the child instead of repeatedly stare at them while painting. "So, Comet. Now that I'm not in a rush, I'm wondering how you've been since we last saw each other?"

Hopefully nothing... horrifying had happened since their last reunion, but Kaimana didn't know what other kind of situation could result in such strange looking scars. There was probably other stuff besides whatever had caused those scars as well! Whatever it was, Kaimana wanted to hear about it. She hoped Comet would feel comfortable enough to say.

@Comet

A LIST OF WHAT'S BEEN MADE:
- 1 rock painted w/ water or wind-like design; mediocre quality [Post #1]
- 1 rock painted w/ smiling canine face; very good quality [Post #3]

"Eridanus." answered Comet, "You have to be small to fit through the bushes though, there is a lot of them there." The wide leafed plants had been largely undisturbed, as not many gembounds had the idea in their mind to dive headfirst into the first things they saw. A little reckless, perhaps, but that was what adventuring was all about!

"Okay!" she hid the worried tone in her voice. Take it back to her family. There had been some tension recently, and Comet had been worried about that. But she shook it away. Today was they day she would help Kaimana paint! Fun! Exciting! She turned her attention to the jaguar.

Comet watched as Kaimana took another flat rock and started painting on it. What was it? Oh, they kept looking at her, so they must be painting a portrait! The pup stood as still as she could, to try and be a good model for the painting.

"I've been... good." Not really, she hadn't been very well. Not with the battle with the cat and some other things that she preferred not to tell the jaguar. It wasn't that she didn't like her, but it was just a bad experience, and telling her about it would force her to relive it all over again. Comet would tell her about something else. The pup viewed Kaimana as a motherly figure. With both of her parents being fathers, she found that the jaguar was someone who was good to talk to.

"Well, there is something." Comet took a deep breath. "Daddy and renny have been sort of weird. I do not think they like each other anymore." She traced nervous circles into the ground.

@Kaimana

Ah, so the leaves had come from the plant room? Where Kaimana had gotten lost thanks to a wrong turn. And Comet had carried those leaves all the way here? Hilarious! She wondered if Comet had stumbled enough times to form a bruise anywhere. She hoped not, and she wasn't amused by the idea of the little friend getting hurt, but the image of a journey characterized entirely by fumbling around with massive leaves was just funny. The jaguar giggled yet again, briefly, at the thought.

And now they were painting. Comet was a very good model. Kaimana set her two rocks aside, tugged a leaf over to her designated work space, and slid a rock over to Comet. The pup began to talk, and the jaguar listened.

Their words made Kaimana's eyes narrow. For a moment, she began to analyze. Body language, tone... something about that response seemed off, very unlike Comet, but what? Kaimana only got a hint of understanding that something was probably bothering Comet. Fortunately, they elaborated a little more on the situation, so Kaimana didn't have to keep guessing what happened. But there was still something opaque in the waters of their demeanor. They looked... nervous? Sad? Clearly Comet was upset about this, and yet they had lied initially. Why? Why even be upset? "Why do you think that, Comet?"

@Comet

"Ummm..." Comet wondered if she was showing too much body language. She had to be energetic, cheerful! This was not a side of her that she liked to show others. She felt too exposed at the moment. But, this was Kaimana, and Comet knew that she was a trustworthy person to be around.

"Well, sometimes I see that when they talk renny seems a little sad or unhappy. It is the same with daddy too, and I don't know what will happen if they don't like each other anymore." she sniffled, "Because what if they don't want to live together anymore? I don't know who I will go with." Comet didn't say anymore, and stared at the ground.

@Kaimana

It seemed the jovialty of Comet's presence was proving ephemeral. Kaimana's eyes became sympathetic, sad to match Comet's sadness. She drew closer to the pup, careful to remain on the circumference of their personal space. She did not want to intrude now. She did not mean to probe too deep without permission.

Kaimana considered, in the moment, what she could do or say. Never before had she been approached with a situation like this, and she could only imagine how it felt. Did Comet... had Comet placed blame on their own self? It had to be a frightening reality to be faced with, having to wonder where you would end up in the future. Kaimana had never really wondered that herself when she was younger. She'd been preoccupied with other fears, with other concerns.

The jaguar knew she couldn't take this issue away. She didn't even know who Comet's parents were. All she had at the moment for any were a few stones, some sticks, some leaves, and some dye. Some really cool dye. She also had her words, herself, what social knowledge she could possess. "Oh Comet, I'm so sorry. That is... it hurts, doesn't it? And I'm sorry that it hurts. Is it alright if I give you a hug?" She wouldn't take another step forward without the pup's confirmation.

@Comet

Kaimana's reassuring words did not do much to help lift Comet's spirits, but nothing could, really. A hug sounded good just about now. Without warning, the pup threw herself against Kaimana's chest, feeling the calming warmth of the mother. Not only of the stone, but of Comet, too. She stayed there for a few moments, then pulled away.

What was she doing? Not only had she gotten them off track, she saw that the jaguar seemed sad too. This was supposed to be a happy day, one where she would help Kaimana paint things! She felt guilty that she had made her sad like that when this was a very special day.

Comet pricked up her ear, and puffed out her chest. She was okay! It was a great, exciting day for painting! She tried to convince herself. She forced a grin onto her face, but if anyone looked past her facade, they would be able to see her sad eyes. "So um, can I see the drawing?" Comet changed the subject.

@Kaimana

Comet pressed into Kaimana. The jaguar curled her tail around the little pup as much as she could. She breathed deep, in and out with steadiness, perhaps even languor -- she did this kind of thing in these situations, in the hopes that it was helpful. That the slow and consistent pace of her lungs could be soothing. When Comet pulled away, Kaimana withdrew her tail. Had it helped? That was all she was concerned about. Had it helped?

She listened to the intonation of Comet's voice, searched for specks of deeper emotion in those crystalline blue eyes. She looked for a faltering in that energy that usually pulsed from the pup as it did the Spire. And she caught it, those speckles of darkness lurking beneath the water's surface.

"Of course you may," and the jaguar slid the stone over. A smiling wolf pup shimmered on the surface of the stone, glistening like ice with a visible aura of cold breath drifting off from it. "It's-- thank you for confiding in me Comet. It's okay to talk as little or as much as you like about it. If painting helps you feel better, then we can paint our hearts out." She smiled. "And if talking helps you, we can do that too."

@Comet

Comet inhaled, then exhaled, matching her breaths with Kaimana's. The warm tail wrapped around her small body and the jaguar's calming breaths just felt so... good. She would've stayed that way forever, but forced herself to pull away.

The portrait that was on the rock-- was beautiful. Comet knew that she would keep it forever. She answered Kaimana with a nod, and pulled another rock towards herself to paint on. It felt good to have someone you could always confide in, and comfort you when you needed it most. But not wanting to ruin their day, she turned her attention away from the sad subject.

"Yes... let's paint." Painting was very helpful whenever you wanted to take your mind off of something, and that was exactly what Comet wanted at the moment. Dipping her tail into the dye, she sat on the rock and wagged her tail. It looked like some random splotches more than anything, and it was certainly not a masterpiece.

@Kaimana