GO BY THE RIVER + BONFIRE BASH

[RED]

[align=center][div style="text-align:justify;width:55%;font-family:verdana;"]It had been a long time since Red had a second to relax. Considering the recent chaos, there was no time to waste - Tanglewood was perhaps at its most vulnerable right now, with their members missing and tensions rising among the populace, so it was rare to have even a second's repose. The aura of the town hung heavy like pollution, reaching its sickly tendrils out into the territory and infecting the place with its disease. The sight of smoke and a speck of fire on the horizon is a welcome one, for he's aware the shoreline remains mostly untouched and thus somebody must be having a good time down there. It was rare for anyone to spend much time on the beach these days, save for perhaps Feza and her midnight shenanigans. The whole scene is a bright spot on a dark horizon, a glow of an aura that seems to say that better times lie ahead.

The evening brings a slight summer breeze, rustling the tall grasses that border the dunes. The ocean breathes the smell of salt into the air, and the soft sound of music is a perfect match to the gentle rush of waves along the shore. Red feels... Peaceful, for perhaps the first time since he arrived here. It's nice.

The first thing he does is grab a beer, because for once his decision to have a few is a decision made in good taste. He wasn't much of a social drinker, but this warranted an exception; he could use a little bit of that peaceful numb, anyway. Then goes a bag of marshmallows into his other hand. Frankly, he's never had a s'more before, in spite of his human upbringing - snacking on one of the bags was good enough for him. The radio drones, wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up - "Yeah, it would be nice," he responds to himself, in idle exchange with the music.

From where he seats himself crosslegged in the sand, Red looks over at Leroy with a grin. It's a genuine one, in spite of their tenuous relationship. "Thanks, Leroy." A pause, like searching for a compliment to give the other is an archaeological dig, "...This is pretty cool."