AUTUMN FESTIVAL BALL

Braid: Good evening, ladies and gentlelai. I'm so pleased you were all able to make it to the Autumn Festival Ball! I've worked hard to set up lovely autumn-themed decorations, and there's food and drink on every table. Please feel free to dance to your heart's content, and remember to keep track of your little ones! We'll be taking a little poll to see who everyone agrees should be this year's King and Queen, and maybe a prince or princess. So stick around, and please everyone, enjoy your Autumn Festival!

A small, brown Shinlai wandered his way in. Agate's little legs had some darker, faded stripes along with a set of rosettes and spots down his back and rump. His weeping tail nearly dragged the ground but it was evident somebody braided it for him. It had little metallic fall leaves and strings of beads woven into it. Each time he walked there were little skittering sounds from them as they clanked together. He wore a mask that he kept having to push up as it was held on by nothing more than a strap and it was too large for him. It was like an elongated skull with orange tribal-esque markings decorating its surface.

Down his back was a mane of orange fibers similar to yarn which were brushed out into a tuft of fake fur. It went all the way from the base of the mask to the end of his neck, completely concealing his tiny brown mohawk. His small ibex-like horns had cone shapes attached to them to make them appear like branches. Around his neck and heels were more beads accented with the blue feathers of a jay.

He seemed quite pleased with himself and had a bounce in his step. "Autumn ball!" he cheered.

Braid noticed the little one making his way into the ballroom and smiled. He didn't seem to have parents with him, but no matter. She rushed right along and greeted him. "Hello there. What's your name?"

He puffed out his chest proudly and looked up at her. The mask nearly fell from his face and he struggled to push it back up. "I'm Agate!" he said cheerfully. His fur stood on end, fluffed up from excitement. He shook his body a little which caused his tail to swish back and forth.

Ayla smiled as she got Ready for the autumn festival ball. She wanted colours that wound stand out against her own so of course she chose red orange and yellow the colours of fire and of fall. she wasn't sure if her outfit was too much or not but she was pleased with the way it looked. she strutted into the ball her head held high. she was alone of course. unsure if Tullia was going to be here or not and not having seen her parents in years she was used to the 'orphan' act. she looked around curious as to the other lai.

Gwyn was not a patient young shinlai, nor was she very good at following orders. She followed her own agenda. She was used to doing so and hadn't quite adapted to waiting for others or doing what someone else wanted. She still retained her 'free-spirited' mindset and tended to go ahead and do what she wished without asking. Whether Lilith had been concerned about her going right ahead in was not her major concern at the moment.

There were not many here yet. Mostly pups with the exception of an older shinlai who, when looked upon from a distance, seemed to have fish floating about her, but when Gwyn padded closer to the pups and the older shinlai, she could barely make out thin wires that were attached to bluish bands across her belly.

The pups around her looked more fancy than she. She had dressed as a chickadee, a small black and white bird that often flew through the trees. She had gathered, and whenever she could attempt to get away with it, stolen a feather or two before bundling them all together and attaching them to her tail. She had a black and white mask made out of bark that she had gone to allot of trouble to paint and carve out. She had attached it with a black ribbon and stuffed some feathers into it. It wasn't anything fancy, and it was obvious inexperienced paws had been working on it, but the young shinlai was immensely proud of it.

"Hey there," she said casually as she padded up to one of the pups who was wearing vibrant orange, red, and yellow wings. "Your costume looks really nice." The bright orange looked stunning against the younger shinlai's dark blue fur, and even Gwyn, despite her usually arrogant and self centered attitude, complimented her.

Ayla had turned when the other young lai had spoken to her "huh? oh thanks" she smiled politely. "i like yours too it's simple but pretty." she smiled and sat down making sure not to break the wings, the tail feathers or the branches of her costume.

she hadn't exactly thought everything out when she gathered things to make it but she was persistent, and with all the training practice with turkeys gathering the feathers where easy. as well as finding the branches.

A slender blue shinlai walked behind the smaller pale shinlai, giving her an encouraging nudge. "You look marvelous my dear, don't be shy." She smiled encouragingly as the small ghost-like shinlai made her way cautiously to the entrance to the ball and peered in nervously through pinkish eyes. She looked around, small ball of fire glowing softly in hues of red and orange, Hallow watching it carefully next to Rysh, the soft sound of the transparent fabric shifting with each gentle step she took.