golden glow || prompt 1 - ki

Ki'buurrii lay stretched out on the sand in the shadow of a long-leafed tree by an oasis. The coolness of the shaded sand soothed their wings, sore from a long day's travel. The sun still hung high in the sky. It was a warm, comfortable presence, like the watchful and serene eye of a mother watching over her young. Ki's tail swished lazily as they watched a small, dark desert bird flitting about the greenery surrounding the oasis. They briefly considered the thought of hunting it, but they weren't in the mood for meat. Besides, they were far too comfortable to move any significant distance from where they lay.

Mind made up, they watched it fly about for a while longer. Tracking it as it fluttered from one tree to another, darting down to the ground to snatch an insect or two, how it hovered above the still water of the oasis for a drink, before retreating somewhere out of sight. Presumably back to its nest, hidden in the trees somewhere.

Once the bird was gone, Ki'buurrii sat up and reached into their pouch to retrieve an item they'd stored there earlier. From their pouch, they produced a fruit. It was mid-sized, and had a deep mulberry color to it with a gradient consisting of pinks, oranges, and yellows. The skin was firm, but not tough, and slightly fuzzy.  They'd picked it from a fruiting shrub just the day before, so it was still remarkably fresh. Perfect for a midday boost of energy.

The taste was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, with a richness and subtle tang to round it out and provide the flavor with a distinct fullness.  It was gone all too soon. As the finished the fruit off, Ki made a mental note to remember the location of the shrubs to share with any other Li'uhn they encountered on their travels. 

Getting to their feet, they made their way to the water's edge. Crouching down, they dipped their hands into the soothing water of the oasis, enjoying the refreshing feel of the water on their fur. They cupped some of it in their palms, bringing it up and splashing it into their face to wash the stickiness out from their fur.

Once clean, Ki leaned back onto their haunches, lost in thought. They stared at the waters of the oasis. The subtle ripples entranced them. The way the sunlight glinted off every little wave, how it flashed and sparkled and danced across the water's surface. It reminded them of another item they carried with them. 

Sitting down fully now in the sand at the pool's edge, Ki'buurrii reached into their pouch to bring out yet another trinket. Holding it between thumb and forefinger, they lifted the small shard up to the sky, allowing light from the sun to shine through it. They closed one eye and squinted at it. They rotated it, watching how different angles caused the light to play through it in different ways. 

Satisfied, they closed their hand around it and lowered it to their lap, cupping it in their palms. It was a small, faceted, translucent object with a gold-tinged fiery hue to it. Subtle sparkles of a brighter yellow contained in it caught the light as it shifted. Ki believed it to be some sort of gemstone, but had yet to find anyone to verify it for them. For all they knew, it could be a faux replica, or even a piece of strangely colored glass left over from the Ancients. 

Regardless of its true nature, it was an object very special to them. They'd found it one day while exploring a series of ruins nearly completely buried away by the sand. It had caught their eye as their tail displaced the sand drift it was hidden beneath, exposing it to the sun for the first time in who knew how long. The sudden flash of color had caught their attention before they passed it by completely. It's color, intensity, and the way it sparkled and shone reminded them of their beloved sun and the golden sands of the desert, so they had tucked it away in their pouch for safekeeping. It was a comforting reminder of many things in this world, and its presence helped them feel safer and more secure. Even if it really might turn out to just be a piece of glass. 

Ki gazed at it for a few moments longer, filled with warm feelings. After admiring the color one last time, they carefully returned it to its resting spot in their pouch. 

They rose to their feet and stretched. They flapped their wings a few times in an attempt to loosen up the muscles a bit more. Satisfied with their snack and their break by the oasis, Ki returned to the shade of the tree to curl up for a brief nap. They'd need as much rest as they could get before continuing their travels.