Spottedleaf
Legacy Name: Spottedleaf

She colors only those designs she believes to have potential, and only after much consideration.

It is a fine morning to sit and look out her picture window at the rising sun. Spottedleaf sips her coffee, enjoying the rich blend of real Saherimos coffee with just a splash of vanilla creme. The sunrise is particularly lovely, gilding rooftops with a buttery golden hue that presents in her mind a whole new concept for a New Year's ball gown. She scribbles a few notes on the notepad she always keeps at hand but cannot let her attention be drawn away from more important matters.

Today could be the most important day of her life. This is the day she finally gets to present her best designs to the Board of Directors at Subeautique.

The grandfather clock in the corner chimes, her signal to take up her designer leather bag and go to work.

Braving the subway is a daily ordeal, but one she insists on facing. She will not pollute the world she loves by driving a car. She makes it a point to sit on the least disgusting seat she can find and cringes when a mortiking sneezes without covering his mouth. Despite her revulsion, she would never dishonor her dear grandmother with less than perfect manners. She holds out a tissue and he takes it with a word of thanks.

Common courtesy can be as rare as fashion sense in Subeta's most populated city.

She's almost ready to run from the train when it pulls up to her stop but manages to depart with some dignity. It is only half a block to Esmerelda's shop. Luckily, the streets are still quiet at such an early hour.

Esmerelda is putting out the first offerings of the day, muttering the usual complaints about useless assistants and a serious caffeine deficiency as Spottedleaf crosses behind the Cherrywood counter to the design studio beyond. She offers the would-be designer a small nod in recognition of the day. Quite a gesture from Subeta's most renowned fashionista.

Spottedleaf rifles through the mail on her desk, face drooping as she realizes the parcel she's looking for is not there. The lace in stock will work fine, but she had really hoped to add the exquisite Arctic Frost snowflake pattern to the trio of outfits she intended to show in her winter line.

They are not the main attraction. She tells herself this as she sets to work on a few last minute details. The pride of her creative genius is hidden from view beneath a garment bag. She cannot help darting glances at, nearly skewering her paw like a clumsy apprentice. She gives herself a good mental scolding and focuses fiercely on her work, refusing to glance up at the clock more frequently than every five minutes.

She picks at her lunch, barely tasting the delectable cherry almond pastry paired with her tropical smoothie. It's as if her creative link has been snipped with a giant scissors. She cannot focus on her designs and it makes her want to flip her desk over in frustration. Her creative release is not a whim, it's a need.

Her heart starts to pound as the staff from the display parlor come to wheel her displays to the conference room. The other low-end designers smile and wish her good luck in whispers, as she has done many times before. As she walks to the conference room, she must resist the urge to wipe her paws on her dress like a nervous child.

The board members are all there, staring at her with their bored eyes. How many dreams have they shattered over a plate of frosted cookies and mugs of steaming tea? Spottedleaf tries not to think about that as she starts with the spring line. These outfits are made to be airy and light with pastel highlights to offset the royal purple garments. Summer is golden sunshine with amber beads and rubies at the neckline. The gentleman in the center distracts her for just a moment, his loud crunching drawing a gentle elbow poke from his neighbor. Spottedleaf works hard to keep her face from showing her displeasure at the little crumbs spread over the surface of the table. She hates messes.

She moves through autumn's rich tones and winter's cool delights, coming at last to the critical moment. She does not play her audience nor whip the bag away, for she has never been one for such dramatics. She simply pulls back the cloth bag and lets her capstone dress speak for itself.

Layers of silver and cream give the illusion that the wearer has truly been clothed by the grace of the moon. Her audience is entranced, fingering the gown with reverence and firing off questions she is eager to answer. Of the six Board members present, not one attempts to feign indifference. Their vote to accept her as a full-fledged designer of Subeatique is unanimous.

Esmerelda places a lace-gloved hand on her shoulder as the others file out. "I knew you could do it, my dear. You have the talent for greatness and today you have taken your first step."

Spottedleaf whispers her thanks, staring at her masterpiece with a joy she cannot contain. Her smile is radiant and her eyes sparkle like the moon's starry companions.

CREDITS
Petpage Graphic Designer Layout Supervisor HPY
code assistance from Sorcerer
Original Magazine Concept by SongSparra
Editorial written by Journalist Pureflower
Pet art by Illustrator User not found: ahri
fonts created at flamingtext.com
background Image pexels.com
magazine template images http://bccrjournal.com
other Vogue images from kisspng.com
sketch images from https://lamodainstitute.in
Other photo images From pinterest.com modified by SongSparra