[P] and i'm just a dead man walking tonight

[Kibou]

Novus was an interesting and wonderous place. It had deserts and mountains and swamps and burned down forests. Kibou, while not as well traveled as some, had seen a good bit of what Novus had to offer. He had always been so fascinated with the changing of the landscapes – so vastly different from one another. It puzzled him how such a small (in the grand scheme of the things) island could maintain such vastly different habitats. He supposed it was all due to the gods. How else can you have sweltering desert next to icy mountains?

Kibou thinks quietly for a moment about the question about what it’s like outside Denocte. Kibou doesn’t want to paint a terrible nor a perfect picture. “Dangerous…yet exciting!” There were so many things outside these boarders that wanted to kill him, and yet, he could not help the draw they had. “There’s a lot of different people too, none as interesting as the people here, though.” Kibou would always call Denocte home. Even if he was planning to leave for his training, he would always return. After all, his heart was nestled here in Denocte.

Cicatrix seems to approve of his plans to go to Terrastella and he can only hope his mother will be just as open and welcoming to the idea. He nods at the question before he elaborates. “I feel like helping people is the right thing to do, no matter what court they are from.” If Katniss had done anything right by her son, it would be the lesson she taught him about helping each other. They may be of different courts, but they were still all one people, all deserving of health and happiness.

When his new friend speaks of seeing him in Terrastella, he smiles. “I’d like that.” It was nice to know that someone believed in him, believed that he could be successful. It was nice and comforting. While he knew his mother would approve of his chosen path, he knew she would hate the distance it would bring them at first. At least maybe he could use Cicatrix as a way of convincing her that he would not truly be a lone the whole time.

Kibou doesn’t notice that they are drawing attention, he never does, but he does notice the way his companion seems to grow uncomfortable. He nods in understanding, knowing that their meeting is perhaps coming to a close. “I’d like that…to show you around the markets. I can show you the best vendors.” Kibou had spent a lot of his young life perusing the stalls of the markets. Most of the vendors knew him by name and many that he frequently knew what the cold wanted before he could even ask for it. “Perhaps tomorrow? A little earlier than tonight. I want to make sure I can show you everything before it gets too late.” Already the moon was rising high in the sky. He knew he had to get home before his mother began to worry. “Until next time.” He offers his new friend a soft smile before he begins to head through the crowd back towards the little hut he shared with his mother on the outskirts of town.

@Cicatrix – I figured this would be a good closer.