attack on da festival of sun n shadow

im so proud ta be sham-la-tam today. in just four days' time since our freins completed da last trial, making da desert safe again, der tabaxi have already estabwished a settlement near da border of sand n grass.
today, da 14th of ouros, us travelers were taken ta see seamstresses fer new clothes. most of our stuff was torn or threadbare thin frum deez past months of training, n now our new gurments will refwect our successes! i of course wear da robes of my mentor, as a constant reminder of her as well as my new obwigations. sowwy bricky, but i also replace ma boots fer wraps. seeing da tabaxi so in tune wifh deir environment got me thinkin if it’s their ability ta feel da earth under deir feets. i want to practice dis, see if it helps me any. but my old boots are well-made, n i know bricky would appreciate if dey was repurposed. so, rolled n stuffed in ma bag they go. fer my last outward change, i wanted ta shave da sides of ma head. it took me all my life ta grow dis hair long as it is, n i wumber.. now dat i’ve left moonbright, i’ve done many tings n changed a whole lot. who will i be when i grow it long again?
 
dis night, we all meet fer dinner n admire how everyone looks! waow! at dis time we’re also informed of da “festival of sun n shadows” taking place tomorrow, a celebration of tabaxi unity n ceremony where we will receive our bands. we all look forward to da festivities, feeling accomplished fer all our hard werk.
til then, we had a night to ourselves. luna took some time ta help me harvest ma first blue ivy spore! in my excitement, luna hasta remind me ta put it away carefullyy. hehe good call~
bricky had an interesting request, asking if we could see if da strange tentacle is compatible wifh hims body liek da yeti eye was. i said tobias could barbeque it, but it belonged to ma frien so id support what he decides. so i end up helping tobias sew da ting onto bricky, but soon have ta reverse our werk – dis ting quickly becomes fiery hot, smoking n melting into bricky’s flesh! tobias cleaves it off of him, but finds hims holy fires dont harm it at all. instead, tobicat feels weaker as he keeps attacking wifh no effect. luna is taken by a memory, revealing dat dis is a vestige of da lava creature dat killed n cursed hims grandfather. drexla does a scan n confirms a curse has taken hold, showing as flaming claw-like scars on tobicat’s chest. befoar panic has time ta set in, ta my surprise bricky steps forward ta try n remove da curse. i guess if he can take a fear or memory he could also take a curse? we gotta try. drexla helps brace tobias as bricky gets ta werk. after a tense moment of silence, drexla says da mark has faded some. but bricky remains frozen fer a bit longer, n when he comes to he says he received somethin meant fer luna. he takes a moment to impart dis to her, a memory of her old adventuring party in zendra cove. back when pyruuhl started all dis trouble n da oceans were alive n boiling (gods, what a horror ta have seen).. bricky said luna looked nothing liek herself in dis vision, but not even luna has an answer fer dis.
as we get ready ta bed fer da night, bricky wants ta try imparting part of da vision to me. curious, i take hims hand. n after a moment.. woah, i see hebe! she is young, n moar agile dhan i knew her ta be. i hold on to dis image of her by keeping my eyes closed, even after bricky removes hims hand. she really was alive fer so long.. its crazy ta see how light she was, then ta see how heavy da weight of such a life became. when i open my eyes, i see my frunde all around me. they mustve seen im still not fully comfortable in her robes, fer dey give me lotsa nice werds about how dey suit me well n hebe woulda been proud ta see me liek dis. i shake off da mist in ma eyes n stand tall, thanking dem. i couldnta got here without ‘em.
 
in da morgen of da 15th, i wake ta chatter n laughter outside. ah! a basket of fruits n breads n meats is at da foot of my cot! i scarf down a couple’a apples, n sling it over ma shoulder n set off ta find my friens. outside, da whole settlement is transformed wifh festival decorations! pepols frum all waystations have gathered here n now, as music plays n young’ns run n play through da packed sandy streets.
i find bwicky n ede first, dhey gimme their baskets so it dont go ta waste (i gots 2 hangin on one arm, no sweat!). we approach da rest of our group, lured by da sounds of luna chastizin mr.v, but what fer? i stuff der contents of one basket in my pack fer later, n finish my breakfass while takin in da chatter. golkir left during da night on hims own!? luna cant believe v allowed dis, but v is confident in hims decision ta stay. ta compromise, all us travelers agree ta depart fer pirate killin as soon as tonight’s ceremony is done. we’ll find golkir n sarsoon, n make a master plan!
 
as we all make our way towards da center of town fer celebrations, we’re met by an elder i hadnt met befoar. drexla, v, n bricky know him from their last trial, introducing him to da rest of us as “elder zathar.” he tells us of all da things we can expect at dis festival: a new marketplace, games of strength at sun dune alley, n a memorial area fer meditation wifh da sands. sadly, some previous elders were taken by da dream demon befoar we killed ‘im, so zathar also tells us of der new elders’ names: jarassah of sapphire springs, n catharie of golden horizons.
v is ready ta split off n visit da memorial site, but i’ve been tuggin at bricky’s coat since da first mention of strength tests. bricky says yes we can go, but wants ta try somethin first. he puts hims hands on ma shoulders n i receive da same vision of hebe from yesterday, only much clearer. i can even hear her voice! same stern n commanding intensity, without the harsh gravel of age i remembur. waow, shes so fast! like lightning i see her zipping around the rooftops of zendra cove wifh her friends in der heat of battle.
im holding my hands tight to my chest when i open my eyes. bricky is unsure what to make of my tears at first, but a smile quickly overtakes my face n i tackle him wifh a big hug~ (tank you much, my friend. somehow i’ve been blessed ta deepen my knowing of hebe even after her death, n i couldntve done any of it wifhout you or luna.)
 
da mist in my eyes is stubborn, but wifh even moar pep in my step i lead us towards sun dune alley. da first stage we come across is full of dancers wifh spinny ribbons, one’a which dances ‘round da edge looking fer volunteers from der crowd. (oh! i know da perfect person!) i push bricky forward n wave fer elder catharie attention, n ohmagosh she picks him!! i giggle wifh satisfaction as bricky smiles at me wifh a playful glare. we watch as him n catharie battle it out wifh art n music. not being much of a dancer, bricky performs a song fer ev’ryone! da lyrics describe hims struggles, but da rhythm has ev’ryone clapping to der beat n rooting fer ma friend! in da end, da elder compliments hims unique sound n bestows her favor to him. i cheer wifh drexla, tobicat, n luna from der sidelines, “i knew you could do it!”
as we walk to da fighting pit, bricky fashions some flowers. others receive mourning lilies, but mine is diff’rent - petals arranged liek a star, n slightly fuzzy. bricky says dhey grow where he’s from.. its funny ta me how much dhey resemble da flowers i was named after. i proudly put it in my hair as i step into da ring of der fighting pit where a big loud man is goading fer moar challengers. i liek dis guy, fer ev’rytime i punch he laughs harder! i can tell no one’s hurt him today til i showed up heheh. i manage ta push elder jarassah outta da ring, n we enjoy a hearty laugh about it befoar he also bestows me a favor - a large wrestling belt wifh a gold centerpiece! no one else wantsta challenge me fer it, so i take my leave n skip off back to ma freunde.
tobias, drexla, n v participate in an archery contest, dhen ev’ryone ‘cept luna plays da sand climb game. ede doesnt do so well wifh it, bowing out early. da race is very close, wifh v n drexla making shenanigans ta get ahead. tobicat tries distracting me wifh snackz, but i had a big breakfass! outta my way! ultimately, drexla uses her grappling hook ta zip her towards da finishing flag, dizzying herself in da process. v might’a leaped to der finish if bricky hadn’t tackled ‘im, but drexla n me tie fer first place, wifh tobias close behind! we split da winnings, n i receive an ointment of fire resistance~
 
after tiring ourselves wifh activities, luna n i decide ta see about an herbalist at der market row. we manage ta find someone, n are able ta buy seeds as luna was smort to suggest as i can grow some in ma travel garden. da herbalist, seline, insisted on a free card reading so we bofh agreed. we each pulled two cards, one fer da past n one fer da future. luna’s cards showed past loss n future challenges. mine showed somethin holding me back, n a future in a box.. da tent is real tense already, dhen seline is shocked ta pull a card shes never seen befoar. (how, dis is yer deck right??) seline rushes us out, seeming moar disturbed than we are at dis reading. i tell luna dis is nothin new fer us, right? not to worry! but still, our festive air is tainted wifh unease now..
 
i havta warn someone of dat reading tho, i definitely dont wanna be sealed in no box again.. who better but brickyfrien? he protects me anyways, so maybe i can help. i scurry toward bricky, weaving through a few pairs’a legs ta find him. i ask ta be held so i can look’im in der eyes, n he obliges. try my best ta ‘splain in hims language, hoping it will stick my werds in hims “have-to” brain. (im sowwy frein, but if i can make it listen to me over dr.smiley i havta try..) but i dont do it gut at all, n even ede is lookin at me funny. ugh, im discourage about it, but i ‘splain ev’rythin in common fer all da group ta know. we look around at all da boxes lying in stacks round da settlement, but wifh vendors n supplies ev’rywhere nothin seems outta place. we promise ta keep a lookout, n make our way all together to da main stage fer da feast n ceremony.
edler zathar gives a nice speech declaring all da tabaxi tribes are united as one again, in part thanks to us travelers. we are welcomed officially as fellow sham-la-tam, part of der tabaxi family, n receive our earned bands! i quietly admire dem as we’re ushered to a table set fer feastin~ i’m barely through my second helping when i hear a familiar, grating voice - who der fuck invited miguel?? whatever, im happy he plays shows still i guess. i clap fer him, hoping ta hear a happy song fer once. he’s carried to da center stage on a wooden float by red kobolds, none’a which have tails anymoar. he deals gifts to da elders n capt’n v, n shouts fer da “real show” ta begin – dats when explosions went off all over town, destroying much of ev’rythin n knocking luna down! all our happiness, now chaos as ev’rythin is on fire. i look ‘round fer miguel, but da smoke is thick n hard ta navigate. v is quick ta act n jumps ta deactivate moar ‘splosives under da stage while tobias n drexla help luna up. i continue my search, my nose useless n burned wifh ash, dodging da fiery debris best i can. finally, i catch a glimpse of miguel taking cargo on a couple’a plains cats way out into da desert. i shout dis hoping drexla can hear me – she’s da only one who could track dem now!
i let out a gasp of relief as i see her owl flying not far after dem, n turn back into da slowly waning haze of smoke. thankfully dis land has wouter again, so da fires were put out quickly. i was sad to encounter enemy tabaxis among da kobolds, bombs strapped to demselves to do as much destroyin as possible. i dunno if itdve changed anythin, but i wish da tribes just told ‘em da truth from der start..
as we overcame dem n all things settled down, i reunited wifh ma friens again. all ‘cept ede, who according to da elders was seen chasing after miguel fer she saw da cargo he was carryin were kidnapped children! we have ta go quickly! v showed us hims “gift,” da severed hand of what looked liek sarsoon. at da bottom was a map, matching da direction drexla’s owl was headed and of ede’s trail of spilt black blood.. we were gone too long fer sarsoon, we cant wait we havta leave now fer ede n catch doze basterds!
befoar we can make our way ta grab our bags n find mounts, a rush of pepol pass us carrying someone on a stretcher – hunzah! no! she’s missing a leg, n bleeding all over from many bites taken from her arms n shoulders. its shameful, but im frozen in rage as tobias n luna tend to her wounds.. only four of her eleben person party has made it back alive. i vow dat none of our enemies will survive dis day, n den some.
once tobias can stablize hunzah, we are given three plains cats n all depart into da vast desert.
 
we come upon a short cliff, where below we can see a mess of kobolds standing ‘round small groupings of crates n boxes. one dragonborn among dem too. a sev'ral children were placed on top’a pillars of rock. cap'n V points Blige out ta us, da expwozions expert n member of hims rival pirate crew. drexla tracked ede to a hiding spot in der bushes below n checked on her. its a relief ta know she is ok fer now, n headed back to camp ta wait fer us.
drexla flits over, n we wait fer her move befoar we head down da clifface. hah! she picks up a box n drops it on some kobold heads hehee! inside is a young’n, left behind where Drexla took a box -- so lets be sure ta get da others!
making our way to der fight was tough, fer sneaky kobolds were hiding under da sand ready to ‘eplode us as we passed. let's go!
i do my best ta slash ma way through da other side of da field. i can see luna n v have their hands full on dis side, but da kobolds threaten ta harm da lil ones! i cleaved through a group’a three crusty kobolds ta stopp’em crushing a kid wifh a whole verficken pillar! da many expwozions are takin' a toll on me, but no choice fer now i just gotta keep goin. drexla shouts ta remind me of dat ointment we won, n i hurriedly fumble it outta my bag n apply it to ma face n arms. just den, blige jumped out from under da sand nearby n threw a bomb at me! befoar i could react, Bwicky is in fronna me n takes dis huge 'splosion in da back (no! if i was only moar prepared, he wouldnt havta do dis.. im so so so sorry frien) i thank him, but quickly havta leap around him n slash another kobold runnin toward us. da least i could do fer savin me liek dat, is keep him safe enuff ta fix him up.
taking a quick look around, luna is attacking a belt-device -- prob'ly another speshul bomb from blige. v is being targeted by dis very fast Blige guy, who keeps callin fer moar ko-bombs ta show up. tobias is down fer a moment, but v makes der effort ta help him up even while hes on fire! (i hope i live ta tell you, yer down to 50% lies, v.) at dis time, dat dragonborn started ta make a huge fireball in hims hands?! none of my freunde look very good, i dont think we could’a survived it. things felt dire, n all we could do was watch until a strange force came from nearby which banished da whole fireball in a snap! what – bricky, when could you do a thing liek dat?! amazing!!
we’re able ta press on, focusing on killin da last kobolds. two of’em rush me ‘splode, knocking me down til luna can reach me. when i come to, i see bricky is overcharged n holding an off-balance pillar best he can, but da child on top is in great damger. i get my bearings, n jump up ta grab da child befoar carefully leaping back down. da only ones left are trapped in crates still, too far fer us ta reach befoar da pillar falls onto dem. drexla was atop da rock, seemingly outta options til she used da angle of da falling pillar ta roll ATOM into da crates below– waow! dis means we managed ta get all da lil ones back alive!
luna was thankfully able ta zap dat device off’a her. last one standing is blige, dat real fast one gunning fer v. but that dont last fer long -- v used blige’s own tactic against him, hiding under da sand n attacking from behind! hah! he stabbed him good, n told him ta fuck off cuz we’re gonna win~!
in the post-battle quiet, v rummages through blige’s pockets. drexla, tobias, n luna gather der children n heal any smol wounds. bricky n i sense ede not far off, n we carry her back after finding her in a sleep-liek state. again i try ta speak ta bricky in inarian, but i fuck it up a second time! i tell him thank you fer takin hits fer me back there, it just hurts ta see hims back n arm all singed n smoldering from der blasts.. (i just hope hes choosing fer himself in those moments. if not, how could i not blame maself?) ill do my best to fix you up best i can, frien.
 
we set da young’ns on da plains cats n walk back to der shifting sands. its a long, quiet walk.
as da waystation comes into view, its comferting ta see tabaxi already rebuilding. there are some cheers fer our return, but also cries as not all da lil ones had parents waiting fer them. da elders declare we will have da tabaxi’s help when we fight der pirates, as we are family now n dere are losses to avenge (i think of hunzah, n all her lost warriors..)
tonight, tents are few so we decide ta all bed together. no one else says it aloud, but i fer one feel much safer so closely surrounded by all my family tonight. v n drexla sneak off ta do whatever, as is their way. i hear bricky n ede speaking, but try as i might i just cant understand.
v n drexla return as da rest of us discuss what ta do wifh ede, or what our options are if we wanted ta heal her n bricky befoar fighting moar pirates. we dont have much ideas, til v speaks up about “knowin a guy” – pfft, what “guy?” ‘parently he could get hims hands on real undabarian papers about dat promethium stuff? (wow, he would do dat fer bricky? is he just worried ‘bout not defeating der pirates or what.) bricky also seems shocked at da possibility, but accepts da offer. v steps outside fer a moment, n struts back in sayin we’ll have somethin in da mornin. (so fast?? what’s his deal?!)
 
as we finally bed down fer da night, i find it hard ta sleep wifh da thought of news in da mornin. i can’t imagine how my sleepless frien must feel 'bout it. in trying ta concentrate on da noises of outside – winds blowing over grass n sand, chirping of critters – i noticed dat ive become used to da low hum n constant whirring sounds of bricky’s insides (louder in comparison to ede). it has its own rhythm, clankier now in hims disrepair. my breafhs fall in sync wifh it, n each cycle begins ta feel liek im sinking deeper n deeper into da warm earth below. sleep finally finds me.