Golden cages in the shapes of hourglasses hung along the shore of the river in the months of the solar spring, hooked to golden lines. Emerald parakeets with black chins chattered inside their pendulum homes, using their ruby beaks to scale the bars. It was the job of the harem’s children to carry the cages from the atrium to hang, and the job of their carers to make sure they did not drop them.

Umi was barely tall enough to help, but she made up height with eagerness and sparkling eyes. Priestess Calluna even had said that out of all the children, Umi had the straightest, tallest posture. Nothing had ever made Umi prouder.

-The Stars Went Out

The best of Camp Nano day one! I had some trouble connecting with my protagonist, but after some dialogue and childhood memories I think things are going a little better. I finally got a cover made, too–I tried my hand at Canva, which is an easy online image builder with basic editing. I recommend it highly.