BURNING LIKE THE SUN || BONFIRE + MASS MEET AND GREET

[jericho]

Sunhaven is growing faster than Jericho could've ever imagined.  It's only been a few weeks and sometimes when he finally gets into bed at nice he's struck with the magnitude of it all; this is his place.  He started this.  And it's becoming something greater, something bigger.  It truly isn't his place anymore, it belongs to all of them.  Everything is still so new and Jericho knows that their growing pains are only beginning, but even now, soppy as he is, the thought takes his breath away.  Though daunting as leading may be, the feline thinks about all who share his dream of what he wants Sunhaven to be and his heart warms.  He knows the burden will never be as heavier than his gratitude.  Yet as their numbers expand Jericho struggles to know everyone as well as he wants to.  There aren't enough hours in the day — strangers are always sitting at the border, new faces popping up around the seatown.  The Helion feels as though he's failing when he greets someone he does not yet know, but keeping up with each and every newcomer is seeming more and more an impossible task.  And yet he tries (and fails) nonetheless, for he cannot let them down.

The little tomcat has heard about the Hearthkeeper's little get-together, and thus pads lopsidedly across the shore in the direction from which he hears the crackling of a fire.  If he's being honest, this is a tad past his bedtime.  Jericho (and he must seem like an old man for this) tends to rise with the sun in the morning and fall with the moon at night; but for this, of course, he makes an exception.  The scent of seaspray and fire is warm and cozy — not exactly in a literal way, but it's the type of smell that just feels like home.  He notes the fish cooking over the open flames, and though the ginger tomcat himself isn't much of a meat-eater, it's a nice touch.  The other male has certainly worked hard on this, and even without sight it shows.  The tiny feline comes to a stop, having paused to admire the setting for a moment before his honey eyes flicker in the other's direction, only just staring beyond.  "Th-This is... very nice, Monroe.  Thank you," he speaks up softly, a gentle smile gracing his maw.  Jericho slowly seats himself, the summer air having turns cool since the sun's departure from the sky and ruffling his fur.  The fire casts him in a mellow glow, his ginger pelt bathed in gold as he shifts his weight in the sand.  He supposes he ought to introduce himself for those who show up next.  The Sunhavener clears his throat lightly and settles in.  "Um, well, I'm Jericho, and I'm the Helion here — or, ah, leader, if you will.  I have a garden shop and I... I really enjoy flowers and herbs.  I also like books but I, uh, c-can't exactly read because I'm blind."  The last bit is spoken rather sheepishly, but he gives a small, lighthearted laugh on the exhale.  He blinks, and his attention follows his tender unseeing gaze back to Monroe expectantly as they wait for any of the others to arrive.