Earth Day - Birthday

[Alan]

"Is this gonna be enough...?"

The hybrid sighed as he collapsed in a small heap upon the ground. He had just finished designing and erecting a sign out of clay and dirt reading "Alan's birthday party". Truth be told, the young one was beyond anxious.

"What if... what if nobody..."

He shook his head and stopped talking.

All he knew was that he was now a year old. Though for most cats that would mark a turning point toward adulthood, the somewhat larger dog father of his skewed his development some months later. He knew he felt young, anyway -- he had only been in Tanglewood for a few days, but it seemed like almost everyone was utterly settled as he imagined adults were.

Gathering up his strength after resting on the grassy floor, Alan stood back up and climbed onto a nearby dirt chair. He had set up a stone table and quite a few identical chairs, as well as a small rocky arena for hide-and-seek, tag, or other games of the sort. Finally, on the table were sets of grey cookies piled high atop a pair of clay plates. The cookies themselves were a crude sort of soft clay cookie, a bit of sugar and sweet spices thrown in to give some flavor to their chocolate-esque texture. A large stone bowl of clean water sat in the center of the table for easy serving with a set of matching stone cups.

It took twenty minutes for the boy to finally get himself psyched up to speak. Picking up his medium-high voice in a yell, he called out,

"Hey Tanglers! Anyone want some birthday cookies? I made them myself, y'know!"

He doubted a single soul besides his feline father even knew who he was. Still, it was worth a shot... especially after having worked so hard.

[wormwood.]

☆ 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 —

Although Aurum had never known Morgan nor Vignere – in the past, that is. He knew Vignere on some level now – he had never been one to leave a boy in need, or ignore a clanmate. Especially a new one. So, when the proxy heard Alan calling out to announce that he was serving birthday cookies, he was fairly quick to approach, heavy steps leading the lion over. He would need to mark this day on his calendar for the future at some point, considering he had begun to make it a habit to learn his fellow tanglers birthdays – specifically after he had realized he hadn't known Moth's birthday. Plus, a child's birthday was usually considerably more significant, since it marked another year of development and big changes. While Alan might've been somewhat skewed in age thanks to his hybridization, he was very much still a child to Aurum, who was used to the aging and development of his fellow lions. Hell, Aurum himself was only somewhat considered an adult, and he had been within Tanglewood for nearly a year now, after the kanye years he had lived on his own and with his pride.

Inspecting the setting that Alan had made for them all, Aurum felt a soft chuckle leave him, the corners of his muzzle turning up in a smile, "Hello Alan... this is very impressive, especially for someone your age. I'd be happy to have some cookies." The angel was a little bit hesitant to get in one of the chairs, unsure of how they would handle his considerable weight, but he still moved over to one, climbing up onto it and flattening his wings down against his back. He wasn't particularly eager to have the feeling of stone digging into sensitive feathers. Once he was comfortably positioned at the table, Aurum once again focused his attention on Alan, rumbling as he glanced at the little area set up for games, "So... I'm assuming these birthday cookies are for you? How old are you turning?" He wished he had some sort of gift for the hybrid, but it wasn't as if he could've predicted this happening so soon.

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

#psychosocial.

[Grimm]

[align=center][div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; width: 60%; text-align: justify; line-height:120%"]To speak of his prior experience concerning the conclusion of a year in the space of an individual life, and the subsequent festivities, was to find one of various holes within his limited knowledge. In the tally of mere weeks may he record the time he had seen pass, the passage of another separating the instance he occupied presently and that which saw him offer lacklustre celebration of his own mother's birthday. At the least some semblance of knowledge was present, enough attention was piqued at the call of another bearing the tone of a child.

Older. Of course, much older as it were, yet at ease the tentative beat of heart grown quickened at the prospect of unsuspected social interaction. For all the good such offered null had grown it when the slow progression of his unsure steps drew him into a close proximity where the hybrid had chosen to craft his own little party. Constant his presence, a beacon of light and warmth meant to offer safe harbour to all who passed, yet frigid grew the downward curl of forming frown. Family, if by a matter of choice, was Aurum though ash seemed present upon his tongue when he attempted to refer to him as such.

Maybe best would it be his presence was not among those assembled.

Moments passed in a slow trickle before the thought was brushed aside, the realization Winston was the second to arrive enough to quell his doubts. For at least a few minutes he could stay, surely, moss hued the eyes that turned to Alan. "Happy… birthday." Unease marred the tentative smile he offered, the tips of his claws working along the strands of grass, curling about the opaque crescents. Foolish seemed his staying now for he knew not even the name of the other, tuned out whitenoise the questions Aurum spoke.

[Alan]

Alan practically jumped in shock at the sound of his fellow Tanglers' steps. He turned his head to see Aurum - one of few fellows he had met -and mewled in joy.

"Aurum!"

he called, greeting the older Tangler with a smile. He fidgeted a little with his paws as he was complimented, feeling his face redden slightly. Watching Aurum climb up onto one of the chairs, Alan hopped onto a different one to get closer.

"Well... I... I, thanks, Aurum."

He stared intently at the lion, impressed by his appearance as well as by the fact that someone actually came.

"Um... my father told me I'm turning 1 year old."

His change in tone was noticeable, but he tried to hide it by floating a cookie each to himself and to Aurum.

Already fixated on the lion beside him, the hybrid hardly noticed the sound of another Tangler approaching until he heard the magic words.

"Oh!"

Alan quickly turned his head toward the new guest -- someone unfamiliar, it seemed. Still, he more than appreciated the company, so he let out a hearty 'arf'.

"Thanks so much! Hey, we've not met before, right? I'm Alan! What's your name?"

Jumping from bashfulness to excitement again, he wagged his tail as a third cookie floated in the air toward Winston.

"It's just the three of us... I've got a seat here for you, though."

He pointed at the dirt chair next to him, effectively putting himself in the middle of the rather small gathering.

[Ivan]

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— Бра́тья Карама́зовы

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Alan's parents were from a time in which Ivan did not exist in yet. They had little significance on his life. Politically, this place was rather dull, but Ivan decided that he liked the peacefulness of it all, though tried not to enjoy it too much. Crisis and big change builds character, an uneventful life invites sloth and weak-bellied souls.

He hadn't really been planning to stop by, mainly due to a sort of awkwardness and because Ivan himself might have not liked people he barely knew to show up at a birthday party. The thing about Tanglewood was that he was irritatingly related to nearly the whole group (and as it turns out, a whole bunch in the Typhoon as well) so even if he did not like them very much, he still had to show up because they'd be a cousin of some sort. How did they expect the population to grow, if everyone and their mother was related?

Out of some generosity, certainly not divine intervention for Ivan did not believe in such things, the young cat had a change of heart. Ivan trotted over to the small group, electing to stand closer to his brother Winston. One large ear twitched at the way the cookies flew through the air. Something flashed in his eyes and his brow furrowed, but it was gone in a second. "Hi, I'm Ivan. Happy birthday." He greeted in a raspy purr. A truly interesting person, he couldn't tell if Alan was a dog or a cat.

[wormwood.]

☆ 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 —

One year old. That was quite the landmark of a birthday, especially for someone who still seemed so young and sweet like Alan did. The proxy had little idea of if Alan was just so sheltered that was the type of adult he had grown into, or if his strange hybridization made him grow differently. Either way, the angel had the intent to congratulate the boy, happily accepting the cookie that was floated over to him and taking a bite out of it before he rumbled, "One year old, huh? That's a big one. If I had known ahead of time, I would've gotten you some big gift to celebrate... guess I'll just have to keep an eye out now." He smiled warmly before eating the rest of the cookie he had been given, glancing over at Winston and Ivan as they approached. Without his paws really free, he flicked his tail in greeting to them, glad to see the two of them heading out and trying to make friends with others. Alan might not have strictly been their age, but he sort of acted like he was.

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

#psychosocial.

[VIGENERE CIPHER.]