Julian’s Mask

Julian’s mask was inspired by a little friend that joins him on walks through the forest. 

Short story:

It had only been a few weeks since Julian had settled into Aberion, and the exploration of its natural beauty had gone only slightly appreciated by the busy Xero. With more time on his paws now, there was nothing to stop him from finding what secrets the forest wished to share with him. While exploring one of the trails in the following days, the rustling of leaves would follow Julian’s every move. The sound came not from the ground, but from the trees above his head. After several attempts to see this creature, Julian assumed it wished its identity to be left a mystery. Though, as he was returning to the path back home, he finally got to see what company had chosen him. 

A teropita poked its head out from within the thick foliage of leaves, examining Julian further as he also observed the avian. When he tilted his head to the left, the teropita mimicked the movement. Wondering if this was just coincidence, Julian tilted his head to the right, and the teropita followed suit. 

Since then, Julian has never walked the forest alone.