so be free |□| open, joining

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They were a very peculiar being. Not in a way of "oh, look at me, I'm so quirky!" but more so in a way that no one understood their methods and thoughts. They were always different, their ideas and fascinations were never appreciated by the masses. But Wondla, although fond of change, wasn't fond of changing themself so drastically as to reprogram their brain to fix themselves into someone more "ordinary." Instead, they expressed their strangeness openly, in as many ways as they could. The spherical plastic that encompassed their head is one of the ferret's many oddities. This odd helmet was not so much there for any issues, such as vision problems or allergies or protection, but simply there for their desire to see the world differently. So it was no wonder when the ferret at only five months old left the safety of their home. Gone were their parents and sibling and all those who didn't believe in them. They were free.

Through forests and jungles, they traveled, never quite satisfied with any of the places they had sheltered. They needed something grand, something truly suited for them and their passions. Somewhere they could gather supplies, where they could create. A place where all their dreams would be fulfilled. They were sure it was out there somewhere, just beyond the horizon. They just had to find it. A grin adorned the young ferret's features as they trekked on, their strange round accessory bouncing softly against their shoulders.

It was on the nth day of their journey that they noticed a change in the atmosphere. The scent of animals hung more heavily about the area they were currently approaching, it made them pause and wonder. This was something they had yet to discover on their journey, it made them a tad curious. Raising themselves onto their back legs, they looked around, observing the forest before them. Surely there was a reason so many creatures would gather in one place. The area in which they were standing was well-traveled from what they could tell, perhaps a local would be able to aid them on their quest for knowledge on this phenomenon.

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A small wicker basket was clutched between the tabby's jaws as he made his way back into the foul-smelling swamp. The dark, dank, humid swamp was the one place in Tanglewood that Alaric had originally despised; now, he was reluctantly and sluggishly coming to accept its presence, regardless of how the mere prospect of venturing into it made him turn up his nose.

It was, however, the best place to find herbs in the territory. A variety of them grew there, including a few "exotic" ones that tended to draw his attention. He had no real use for them outside of practicing his poultice-making, and those he chose not to use were usually donated to the actual medics so that they might be able to take care of any patients that he doubted they had—after all, injuries that required medical attention tended to be relatively uncommon in a group of this size.

Alaric had not ventured far into the swamp when he took notice of a ferret standing on its hind legs. It was not at all common for a ferret to show up around here, and those that did tended to be sentient. As such, he would assume that this one was the same. The tabby approached it, and with a somewhat monotonous tone, he would say, "You're on Tanglewood territory. What's your name and what business do you have here?" He didn't so much like having to go through with the name-and-business part of things, but he supposed it was necessary.

♔ don't do love, don't do friends

☆ HUNG PICTURES OF PATRON SAINTS UP ON MY WALL TO REMIND ME THAT I AM A FOOL. TELL ME WHERE I CAME FROM, WHAT I WILL ALWAYS BE: JUST A SPOILED LITTLE KID WHO WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL —

Aurum could understand the desire of wanting to leave your family and trek out on your own, even if his reasons for doing so and Wondla's reasons for doing so weren't quite the same. The lion had left his home because of abuse, leaving under the guise of going to retrieve his lost brother, when really all he wanted was an escape. When he had first reached Tanglewood, he had hardly thought the dank and dirty swamp would represent the freedom he was so desperately searching for, but he had been wrong. Tanglewood had become more than just a desolate place that he was forced to stay for Poet. Now it was his home, and he wouldn't trade that feeling of being where he belonged for anything. There had been a couple of rough times, especially as of late with the whole MAMA incident, but the angel knew that he could move past anything, and come out stronger on the other side. He had done it when Poet had left, he had done it when he had lost his eye, and he would do it now. And the first step of that was getting outside the house again.

When he had emerged from his home that morning, he hadn't exactly been sure what his plan was. He had already done most of his duties in the recent week, so he decided to just let himself wander, large golden paws carrying the lion out into the swamp. It wasn't exactly uncommon to see Aurum wandering around on patrol quite often, so the cross crossing paths of the swamp and the traps lingering around had essentially become second nature to him. When he came across the scent of not only Alaric, but also someone unidentifiable, the proxy found his interest piqued. He leaped from one log to another, flapping his golden and red wings a little before he emerged to stand beside Alaric, the size difference between the lion and the tabby quite amusing at first glance. Sitting back on his haunches, Aurum just tilted his head to one side, looking Wondla over in curiosity. Alaric had already asked the important questions, and the angel didn't want to overwhelm the other, but he couldn't help feeling curious about the helmetlike structure around the other's head. Was it for protection, or just aesthetics?

[div style="text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase; text-shadow: 0px 0px 2px #1B1B2F; font-size: 24px;"][color=#44437F]— AURUM

#psychosocial.

In the bizarre light of fellow abnormalities, a peculiarity ceased to be so peculiar after all. But rather, welcomed and accepted. If that wasn't a dream come true for an ostrasized outcast, then what was?

Well, the dream factor went down a notch when the reality of a humid, sweaty, muddy swamp infested with radioactive alligators struck.

And also haunted by a vengeful poltergeist. Not that he was currently out for blood but in the past -- he was rambling at this point. His daily maintenance of the swamp's traps commonly paused for an unfamiliar voice distantly calling to strangers. It was no different today. Plucking the taut rope of a snare, a rasped sigh escaped him. For a place boasting sanctuary for the odd freakshows within the animal kingdom, the expected routine swallowed everyone's lives.

The scrawny house cat picked his way across river stones, scarred pads callous to the muddled grime and slippery edges. As always, Aurum arrived on time, punctual yet silent for once. The other, Alaric if he remembered correctly, asked the standard questions. Name and business -- he preferred learning names over businesses anyway. Although business was interesting too.

Head tilting to the right as honey-brown eyes owlishly blinked, Beck found his voice hoarsely rasping, "What's that on your head?" A bandaged paw pointed to the accessory obscuring the newcomer's features, curiosity guiding the movement.