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It was the last night of the Firefly Festival, and Eloran had to admit, he was enchanted. He wasn't really one of the most imaginative or creative of creatures, and often what others called "art" went straight over his head. He knew beauty when he saw it, but generally that had less to do with the outer aspect and more with the inner aspect. Aside from the obvious examples of sunsets, ocean waves, and thunderstorms, of course. Major natural events always were beautiful, even when they were dangerous.

But at this moment, he was overwhelmed by many examples of what he could only call beautiful. Many large firefly lanterns were on display, as well as more intricate little ones. The one Eloran stood before was stunning. It was a hollow log, turned on its end. Many holes had been whittled into the dead shell, and bits of rocks, cloth, and other unnamable substances were laid over or stuffed into the oddly shaped holes. The result was a very large and very glittery sculpture of light, color, and movement. It was filled with so many fireflies, it must have taken several families all night every night to catch them all!

He then turned his gaze down to the small creation he held in his paw. He'd used twisted branches stuck together with sap, then a scrap piece of cloth over that. It was tucked in and stuck down in crevices, his attempt to make it resemble a flower. A lone firefly roamed the small space inside. His expression was somewhat defeated, as he'd made it painstakingly for his beloved, but now he was wondering if it was even worth presenting to her. Wasn't it rather paltry in light of the beauty all around him? He sat on his haunches with a sigh and looked around, slightly dejected. Maybe... maybe he just needed the opinion of a female. Yes, that might help.

Hopeful, he attempted to flag down the nearest female creature, a warm colored leopardess. "Pardon me, miss?"

Now that he'd begun, he felt a little timid about showing his handiwork to a stranger. Still, once begun, he might as well press on. It might have been amusing, this big, burly lion looking sheepish and uncertain as he held a delicate if roughly-made trinket in his paw.

"I was wondering if you might tell me what you think of this?" He held up the twig-and-cloth flower. It glowed dimly, but the soft light brought out the color of the cloth and the complex pattern of the framework. He gave it an anxious look, ears folded slightly. "I made it for my mate... but I don't know. Should maybe I get her something made by someone else?" He fastened his eyes on the face of the pretty red leopardess hopefully. Surely she'd have the right answer... or so he hoped.

He first perked up at her praise, then his whiskers drooped as she made a guess at what it was supposed to be. He winced inwardly, as this was exactly what he had worried about. Still, she'd said it was beautiful before she had known what it was... that had to count for something?

"Yes, it is a flower," he answered her ruefully. "I just worry that it is... not enough." He gave her a mournful look. "We are newly mated, though we are not young lovers. We both have had mates before this. It's just...," he trailed off and waved his free paw in a vague motion of anxiety, "I don't know yet always what will make her smile." He stared down at his little rough creation. "She is very beautiful, and I want something beautiful to give her."

He turned his face towards the places where many such trinkets, more cleverly and well made, were available for purchase. "Do you think she'd rather have one of those? Or... this and one of those too?" He cast her another worried glance. "I just can't tell, and I had hoped... perhaps, since you are of the same gender, you might have an idea of what she'd like?"

Eloran's brow wrinkled as the leopardess suggested making more of what he held in his paw. The very idea made him wilt, because it had taken much effort and error in order to create just the one flower. To make more was hugely daunting, and completely impossible as well. Tomorrow was when they would all be set free, so that he had no time for making more than perhaps one more.

But at her questioning about Madakata, he paused for thought. "She is more simple," he answered her slowly, "preferring quiet happiness to loud merrymaking." Perhaps she was right, he was looking at this the wrong way. He was worried about disappointing her, but he was getting to know her pretty well, and who she was would give him the clues he needed. His ears swiveled as he mused, fragile flower lamp still gingerly cupped in his paw. "She leaves the flamboyant things to others." Even though she had been queen, she had never been big on flashy, extravagant things.

Eloran gazed earnestly into the leopardess' face as she began speaking. He found it reassuring she seemed so very confident. He was certain that he too should have been confident, but how he felt about Madakata was too intense, too important, and he feared to disappoint her or cause her any further unhappiness. But how could a gift from his heart make her unhappy? He really should know better!

His heart eased, and perhaps that is why, as she rushed on to reassure him that Madakata would know it was a flower, his face convulsed with a surge of humor. It probably was pretty silly of him to worry about whether she'd know what it was meant to be, and this helpful lady had a point. It was a little something pretty, flower or not, and Madakata was going to love it.

He rose, beaming at the stranger who had saved his sanity with her kindness. "Thank you so very much for your help," he told her sincerely, leaning forward to give her the lightest of brushes with his whiskers as a gesture of chaste affection. "I need to go give this to her now!" Eagerly he tucked his creation into a pouch around his neck and, with a last glance and cheerful wave, went bounding off into the crowd.