WISHING WELL — LANTERN WISHES

[coldblue]

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Amazingly, Coldblue is among the first to arrive upon hearing his father's words. While the youth still resents the captain for many reasons, he is doing his best to no longer be openly hostile. It is tough, though, when he sees what he interprets as irresponsible parenting in regards to Pincher promoting Goldie while she was still healing. What kind of loving, doting father perceives a promotion as a suitable response to a child who literally works herself to death to please him? Blue thinks that Pincher is undeserving of dear, sweet Goldie's love and devotion, but the boy pushes away that train of thought. He is tired of the barrier between himself and his father, mainly because it prevents him from fully integrating into clan life. He is done being the black sheep of the family.

The handsome young bengal spares his father only a curt nod as he creeps closer. He inspects each lantern with a careful eye, extremely concerned with picking one with the least physical deformities. It seems that he inherited his father's perfectionism, though he chooses to ignore that connection. Once he finds one that suits his fancy, the tomcat snatches up some utensils and retreats to the back of the group, hunching over his lantern so that no one can spy on his work. Coldblue is a private creature, one who scarcely even reveals his own emotions to himself, much less complete strangers. Hence, his decision to draw his three wishes. "Coldblue" is written in neat script at the very top of each panel, one on all four sides. It appeals to his sense of symmetry.

Carefully, he grasps a brush in his jaws and, with delicate brushstrokes, depicts a picture of what appears to a group of creatures all sitting close. "Wanted," he writes in teeny, tiny letters at the very bottom. Yes, all he truly wants to be accepted. By his family, by the crew. But everyone only loves Goldie, and Pinch for some reason, so he has always felt that he is on the outside of everything. He wants only to be wanted. The second picture is of several tools one might find on a ship. Beneath, he writes: "useful." Blue wishes not only to be accepted, but to find his place. His purpose. He hates seeing everyone he cares about get sick or injured and being able to do nothing about it. On the third panel is one that resembles Goldenluxury before she was struck by lightening. "Healthy," he writes beneath that one. Healthy in both mind and body. He is tired of seeing his wonderful sibling in such horrible situations. She does not deserve to be sick or wounded, and she does not deserve to distraught over their stupid father. All Blue wants is for her to be happy.

On the final panel, he does not draw a wish, but a family portrait beneath the cursive letters of his name. It depicts both Coldblue and Goldenluxury, sitting together on the ocean's edge. Aunt Rosemary lounges beside the siblings, looking elegant and powerful. Sand beneath their paws, sea grasses swaying on a dune behind them. In the background, two vaguely canine-shaped figures can be seen. It is supposed to be Pincher and Jacob, although Blue was careful to make them so vague that if anyone tried to bring up that point, he could easily deny it.