From dusk till dawn

[Sweetcherrie]

OOC: I would like to ask people to refrain from posting until the following people have posted:

 

Sweetcherrie

Mynx (will be posted by Sweetcherrie)

Venefyxatu

Cryptomancer

Gryphon

Salinye

Cyril Darkcloud

 

Thank you

 

 

Sweetcherrie had sat down first, but was now walking around tensely. They had prepared a day full of fun, and she just hoped her friend would like it. She had asked him to meet her here, and hoped that he would come. She jumped nervously when she heard the click of the door, and sighed with relief when Patham came in. She hurried over to him, glad that he had decided to come in his human form, and gave him a warm hug. “Congratulations! Ihopeyou’ll haveagoodbirthdaybutjusttomakesureyou’llhavethebestbirthdayevermeandsomeofyourot

herfriendshavepreparedsomesurprisesforyou.” She rambled in one breath.

 

Patham was trying to follow the incoherent Sweetcherrie, and put his hand on hers, “Would you please slow down, and explain that again?”

 

Sweetcherrie took a big breath and organised her thoughts, “With a group of people we have prepared some fun activities, but to not spoil the surprise I will just send you to the first person and that person will send you to the next. Dana waits for you at the side of the lake to give you the first surprise. I’ll walk with you to there.” She stuck her arm through his, and together they walked to the lake.

 

Dana saw them approach and hoped that her gift would work out well. Sweetcherrie had asked her to prepare this for the shape shifter, and she was glad to be of help. She only hoped that Patham would enjoy the session.

 

“Hiya, thank you for doing this.” Sweetcherrie said and hugged Dana upon arrival. She turned to Patham, “Dana will take you through a mediation session, and it will get you into a very clear and relaxed state. After this Dana will tell you where you can find the next person.” Sweetcherrie hugged Patham, “Have fun.”

 

Dana cleared her throat when Sweetcherrie walked away, “Right, now what we will do, is just a very light session, just enough to get you relaxed and clearing your mind. Sweetcherrie told me that she thought it would be fun and maybe also useful, you can always decide later if you want to continue meditation.” With these words she put her hand in the air, and a soft woollen blanket appeared in it. While she spread it out on the floor she started explaining the basics to Patham, “What we will do is a guided meditation, we will start with some breathing exercises and then I will talk you through the meditation itself.” She invited Patham to sit down facing the lake. The sun was kissing the horizon and the colours in the sky were ranging from deep blue till a fiery red. Crickets were chirping merrily and the calming sounds of the babbling water had a soothing effect.

 

“Now, if you can just find a comfortable position, but not too comfortable, we don’t want you to fall asleep. If you could please close your eyes, and take a few deep breathes. Just listen to my voice guiding you through” Patham nodded, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing to the counting of Dana’s hoarse voice. He felt his muscles relax and his thoughts slow down, just listening to the words.

 

“I'd like you to take a deep breath and visualize all the bad in you, you can see it maybe as a black cloud, now exhale this black cloud…..now try to visualize all the good as a white cloud, and inhale the white cloud…take another deep breath by exhaling more black light... and inhale white light.” Dana paused to give Patham the time to adjust to her voice, and to find his own pace. His breath was steady and deep, and his body position was relaxed. Dana kept in check with his heartbeat through the mana flows; it was a strong and regular heartbeat. She focused on his inner vision and because she didn’t want to intrude in his thought closed her own mind for what he was seeing.

 

“……when you are ready, bring your awareness back to the present and open your eyes."

 

Patham blinked a few times, it felt as if his body was floating slightly above the ground, and his head felt as if it had been filled with a bright, white light that glowed from all the good things inside it. He looked at Dana with a renewed point of view, and thanked her warmly for the session.

 

“You’re welcome,” she smiled, “but you need to go now, Mynx is waiting for you at the edge of the forest with the next session.” She helped Patham up and sent him on his way to the meet Mynx.

Edited May 30, 2005 by Sweetcherrie

[Sweetcherrie]

OOC: Written by Mynx, posted by Sweetcherrie by request since Mynx has been kidnapped by RL.

 

Mynx sat on a fallen log at the edge of the forest softly playing the flute she had just finished carving as she watched the tail ends of the sunset. For once, a somewhat pleasant tune came from the flute as the feline waited for Patham to finish his activity with Dana.

It was movement in the corner of her eye that attracted her attention to his arrival. At first, Mynx was confused as to why she hadn't heard him approach - even over the soft music her keen hearing should have picked it up - but then she clicked.

Owl facets, silly cat, she thought to herself, before putting away her flute and turning to smile widely at her approaching friend, noting by his somewhat relaxed expression that Dana's meditation must have gone well.

"Happy birthday!" she called out, "how was the meditation?"

"Good," Patham replied with a rueful smile as he held up a somewhat feathered forearm. "Still trying to get the hang of this changing thing though."

Mynx smiled. "You'll pick it up. 'sides, it'll be easier for both of us if we rely on animal forms and senses in the forest at this time of night."

Pausing as she deliberately failed to see the frown of confusion on Patham's face, Mynx tilted her head in speculation. "I suppose you can change with clothes?"

Patham nodded.

"You're lucky then," Mynx said as she began to remove her robe and most of the accessories she carried on her person.

 

"Well," the feline said as she opened her personal portal and placed her items and robe within it, "if you wouldn't mind changing into your owl form, I wanted to show you some things in the forest and it will be easier to see and hear and such with the animal senses. I suppose you could call it a gift of knowledge," she smiled at her friend.

"Um," Patham hesitated. "I'm not the best of fliers..."

"No problem," Mynx said as she stepped back from her still open portal. "Flying will come to you with time and practice and you can sit on my shoulder if you don't want to fly."

Closing her eyes in concentration, there was a pause before Mynx's form began to ripple, the human attributes leaving as the tiger form took precedent.

Watching as she shrugged off the rest of her clothes during the change, Patham soon found his friend in full tiger form, the only difference from a real tiger being the silver tiara still on her head and the fact that she was still able to speak.

"There's no real need for me to be in this form," Mynx explained as she picked up the scattered garments with her teeth and placed them in her portal before closing it with a claw, "I guess I just wanted to see if I still could change, and there are some things the tiger notices more about the forest than I do. Ready?"

Dismissing the idea that the large tiger sitting in front of him might possibly see him as dinner by reminding himself that it was his friend and not a wild tiger, Patham concentrated as he had taught himself and slowly shifted into his owl form.

He hooted and flapped on the ground for a bit before Mynx crouched down and he was able to make a brief flight onto her back.

After ensuring she wasn't about to lose her passenger, Mynx set off at an easy pace into the darkness of the forest.

 

"As I said before," Mynx continued after a time, "You're lucky with your shape-shifting. I'm not a true shifter, so I have trouble with it. I can't maintain clothes and the longer I remain in this form, the more tiring it is to change back. Until I developed my portal, I had nothing once I changed.

"There was a number of skills I learnt while travelling like this, and while I doubt you're life will ever be as...interesting...as mine was, I thought you might like to know a couple of things that can always be useful if you ever find yourself in the forest, especially if you can't simply fly out of there."

Pausing in a clearing, Mynx turned her head to regard the owl sitting on her shoulder blades.

"If possible? I advise staying in owl form as long as you can manage. The instincts will guide and protect you as best they can. If you can't change, or if the instincts start to fight your control, then you're probably going to be safer as a human."

Taking this all in, Patham hooted softly to show he understood.

 

Grinning toothily, Mynx sat down, causing Patham to hoot in surprise and scramble with his talons until he sat atop Mynx's head.

"Now," Mynx said. "Hunting. As I said before, if you can go owl, do. For one thing it saves you having to cook. But if you can't..."

Using a claw to draw in the dirt, Mynx began to explain various methods of tracking and catching some of the more common prey animals with limited weapons and resources. As she moved her advice to creating shelter and fire, as well as showing him a few herbal remedies, Patham sat in silence, glad he had been advised to take on his owl form as the keener senses learnt and remembered more than if he had stayed human.

 

Eventually, Mynx stopped talking.

After a few moments of silence, she politely asked Patham to excuse her for a moment.

Flapping his wings, Patham managed to reach a low branch on a tree, turning his head in time to see Mynx disappear into the shadows.

A short while later, she returned in her more common form.

"Sorry," she apologised, holding out her paw for Patham to transfer to. "It's been a long time since I've done that and I'd forgotten how strong the tiger's mind is. You were beginning to smell very tasty."

Blinking in surprise, Patham contemplated turning back, before deciding to remain at least for the trip out of the forest; he wanted to take more of it in with his keen senses, especially after the advice Mynx had given for some of the things to look out for.

 

The journey out of the forest was silent between the pair, but not uncomfortable; Mynx lost in her own thoughts while Patham turned his head this way and that, taking in everything around him with a newfound interest.

Once they reached the forest's borders, Patham fluttered off Mynx's paw and shifted back to human form - save a few feathers in his hair.

"Thanks!" he finally turned to Mynx after getting his feather problem under control. "I don't know if or when I'm going to wind up alone in the forest, but even if I never do it was fascinating to learn!"

Mynx grinned before hugging her friend.

"Glad you liked it. It's the least I could do, and you just need to ask if you want to know more. I'd better let you go now, though. I hear Venefyxatu has something for you in the small cemetery a bit further down in the forest."

 

Thanking her again, Patham waved to Mynx as she headed back to her quarters, before setting off to see what it what that Venefyxatu had in store for him.

Edited May 30, 2005 by Sweetcherrie

[Venefyxatu]

Venefyxatu put away a rounded piece of clear quartz and got up from the stone bench as he saw Patham approaching. Leaning on his staff, the necromancer waited for Patham to come near enough before speaking.

 

"Good evening, and a happy birthday to you. I hope you've enjoyed the other activities so far?"

 

When Patham told him that it was indeed so Venefyxatu invited him to follow him, went through the old wrought iron gates and started walking down the moss-covered path. When he noticed that Patham wasn't following, though, he turned around to see him standing at the gates, a little uncertain.

 

"Don't worry, the dead do not rise by themselves ... at least not while I'm around. In fact, that is what I wanted to talk to you about."

 

He smiled slightly when he saw Patham setting aside his uneasiness and entering the old graveyard and, as they walked together, Venefyxatu explained with his characteristically soft voice.

 

"You see... the dead do not rise just like that. It requires careful manipulation of necromantic energies, either by a necromancer such as myself, or sometimes by the soul of one who has died. If they all start rising, the best thing is to get out as fast as you can and however you can. Don't hesitate if you have to ... for lack of a better word, kill one - they are naught but corpses, soulless, mindless and animated much like puppets. If only one of them rises, though, it could be interesting. Whatever the stories say, you cannot know whether it is evil or good just by looking at it, much like a human."

 

Seeing Patham's slightly surprised look, Venefyxatu continued.

 

"Necromancy and undead are not evil of themselves... necromancy can be and is very often used for evil purposes, but on the whole there is a very delicate balance, between life and death as well as between good and evil. The energy ... even though it's very strong and has some unpleasant qualities, it just is. Let's sit down for a few moments."

 

They had arrived in front of a small mausoleum and sat down on one of the marble benches. It was in remarkably good condition, especially compared to the rest of the graveyard.

 

"If the energy isn't used ... well ... in the end, there would be so much of it that it would become sentient. It would start animating corpses itself, it would turn not only against us necromancers, but against everything and everyone, including itself. It is that which is the most important tast of a necromancer, not just raising corpses and fighting wars. We make sure that the energy stays under control, and in doing so we learn a lot because the dead often have interesting things to say and knowledge to share that might otherwise be forgotten."

 

Venefyxatu paused for a few moments, to let it all sink in.

 

"If you concentrate, you might even be able to sense it - it's quite strong around here. Just close your eyes, and concentrate on the energies around you."

 

While Patham closed his eyes, Venefyxatu looked around, enjoying the soft moonlight on the gravestones, his mind carefully manipulating the necromantic energies in such a way that would make it easy for Patham to feel them. When the latter gasped, Venefyxatu looked up and answered the question before Patham could begin to form it.

 

"Yes, that was it. I'll admit that there are probably more pleasant and less dangerous energies to work with but as long as it is kept under control you needn't fear a graveyard.

 

Patham did notice that he didn't feel as uneasy anymore, in fact, he was even starting to feel quite comfortable.

 

"But I think I already kept you here a little longer than I was supposed to and I'm sure Cryptomancer has something really interesting prepared for you. I'll teleport you if you don't mind ... you should be just in time then."

 

When Patham agreed, Venefyxatu got up and went through the delicate words and gestures of a teleport spell. A moment of darkness later, Patham found himself in the Pen Keep. It wasn't until late the next day, however, that Venefyxatu returned to his own rooms.

[cryptomancer]

Upon a table top in the cabaret room sat the Raven, his aviators on the table under his left claw. The small pop of the teleport landed Patham in the chair at the table beside the avian form of the Runemage.

 

“Hi there! Ready to begin? Um….. no apparently not, um…. Wings would be helpful.”

The Raven grinned in the curiously mischievous way ravens do, looked at Patham and waited, the grin fixed firmly in place. Patham gradually diminished in size, taking the characteristics of avian shape, and as the transformation completed, swiveled his head around to stare at the Raven.

 

“I think I am ready now, but I still need a bit of work with this.”

 

The Raven grinned wider (this is somewhat un-nerving from something with a beak)

“First question, are you still thinking as a human, or are you thinking as an owl?”

Patham stared at the mad bird, “Pardon?”

 

“Well, thinking as an owl will allow you to use your full range of movement and balance. Humans for example cannot naturally lean back so far that they look behind themselves and remain balanced.” The Raven demonstrated this, with wings outstretched and tail fanned to aid in balance. “Also, humans don’t have wings or a tail, so you need to think like an owl, not a human in an owl suit.”

 

Patham smiled at the Raven, the idea seemed sound but the antics of the runemage in his avian form seemed to make it a tad hard to believe without some deep thought.

 

“Ok, the idea is simple.” The raven began as he put his aviators on. “we begin slow and get faster, fluttering is not needed at high speed your wings steer with your tail and beat only to stop you slowing down, just follow me and remember this simple rule, once around each room, always anticlockwise.” Grinning the raven took off, and landed on the rafter above him, “starting from here, come on up.”

 

Patham fluttered up to the rafter, and landed awkwardly, “how fast we gonna go?”

“Fast as we can, just stay above head height”

 

And with that they began, a slow paced flight around the keep, through the corridors and into each room they found, in each room the anti-clockwise circuit was made and as the turning became easy to judge the circuits became tighter. Patham managed to keep pace with the Raven, even avoided most of the walls and corners easily too, the Pennites managed to avoid both as they flew through the rooms.

 

After the fifth circuit Patham was relaxed and gaining confidence his wing beat less as he gained speed. They seemed to be going rather fast now, and the nervousness of possible collision began to seep into the mind.

 

At that moment the Raven signaled a landing, and as the touched down in the rafters again Patham smiled. “Hey, my landings are better.”

 

“well you are thinking more owl after that.” The Raven responded, “ and you can go faster too, just need to gain confidence in your reaction time. Speed is all reaction time. Just plot a path and practice, if you want to fly with anyone just ask.”

 

Grinning the Raven looked around, “Ok I think Gryphon is waiting someplace for you, better not keep him waiting longer than we need to.”

 

Patham fluttered to the floor and slowly transformed, with very few hitches, before turning to leave. The Raven called from the rafters and as Patham finished transformation, “hey Patham, happy birthday, I hope you enjoy the rest of the day.”

 

 

[Gryphon]

As Patham is walking away from Cryptomancer a small glowing ball appears in front of him and dances away down one of the paths towards the gardens.

 

Being not entirely sure what to expect, nor knowing exactly where Gryphon is to be found Patham watches the dancing light with bemusement as it bounces back and forth until it's strange beckoning motion suddenly makes sence to him and he starts to follow it.

 

A short walk later Patham finds Gryphon sitting at ease on a small ornamental bridge over a stream, lit only by a nearby torch. With a smile and a nod to his visitor, Gryphon indicates that Patham should join him sitting on the bridge.

 

Once he sees that Patham is seated comfortably Gryphon begins to speak quietly.

 

"Greetings Patham, my... activity... for you tonight is one that may aid you in self discovery. I understand you've had basic tuition in meditation from Dana and you've felt the touch of magic when you met Venefyxatu?"

 

Patham nods but remains quiet, uncertain of where this is leading.

 

"I have something that may involve a bit of self discovery for you in mind. Please, relax as though you were going to meditate some more and concentrate on how it felt to have the magic move around you, and listen to the sound of my voice."

 

Gryphon watches Patham carefully as he assumes a position of comfort and the relaxation seems to spread across his features before continuing...

 

"There are many more forms of magic than those practiced by my friend Venefyxatu as you may learn as you spend time with us here at the Pen Keep. A number of those you will encounter, myself included are what we will call elemental mages. As you sit try to sence the magic flowing around you. It may take a while to do, but for this I cannot help you. If you can sence anything that reminds you of the feel of Venefyxatu's magic I want you to concentrate on it."

 

"Once you have the feel of the magic firmly in your mind, focus your sences on it and follow it to it's source. This place is rich with magic, surrounding us are water, earth and air, with fire not far away whenever the torch is lit. Should you be able to touch the elemental magic at all, once you've followed it to it's source you'll know what type or types of element you've an affinity for. Once you know that, come and see me and we can arrange some training for you in using the power you have found."

 

Gryphon allows Patham to sit a while longer in silence before continuing softly. "This sensing the flows for yourself is sometimes difficult and can take some time to master. You are expected to meet Salinye soon, and I would not keep her waiting. This place will always be open to you for your meditations. I only caution you to have care when you're doing this exercise unless in the company of an elemental mage. Until you are trained there is a possibility that a powerful source of magic might overwhelm you, if you have any questions or doubts, I will be availble to ask."

 

Finished speaking Gryphon creates another small globe of light and sets it floating off slowly. "Follow the light, it shall lead you to your next activity, and Patham... I hope you greatly enjoy your birthday."

[Salinye]

Salinye sat on a blanket beneath the tree that grew in the corner of “The Confessional”, her nose buried in a book. (Nothing unusual.) Most people’s attention might have been pulled away from studies by a glowing orb entering the tavern, but hers wasn’t because this too did not seem unusual. However, when that floating orb was followed in by her friend Patham, she did indeed tuck the book away.

 

“Patham.” She smiled and waved to him. “Come join me, yes?” Again, a newcomer might find it odd that a woman would choose to sit upon a blanket beneath a tree growing indoors even though there were a multitude of tables and chairs not to mention a mighty couch and chairs near the fireplace. However, here the unusual was the usual and if the strangest thing one encountered at The Pen was a lady picnicking beneath an indoor tree, then the day was quite mellow indeed.

 

He returned her smile and headed towards her. “Salinye, good to see you.”

 

She motioned to the blanket. “Please have a seat.” He sat down and she began pulling various foods from a basket that sat at her side. “I’m sure you’ve had a delightful day and I know you have even more excitement coming your way. However, I wondered if anyone had thought to feed you. All the learning and experimenting that you’re doing today will no doubt work up quite the appetite. So, I thought I’d provide you with some good company from a friend with homemade food. Besides, I also realized that there is nothing that I could teach you within an hour’s time. Well, at least nothing respectable.” She winked showing the good nature of her joke. “I know this can’t compare to the things you’ve been learning, but I hope it’s acceptable.”

 

Patham smiled warmly at the mage. “You know Salinye, this is the perfect gift. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the delicious food.”

 

Salinye looked visibly relieved. “Oh good, please, help yourself.” She handed him a plate. Throughout the hour they shared some laughs as she told him several stories that he didn’t know. For instance, how this tree had been created by Stick and how the scrupulous Wyvern had managed to “accidentally” see more of the Pen females naked than anyone else here. They also discussed the arch mages at length as their history here was quite embedded within the foundation of The Pen. At the end, just before she was ready to send him on his way she handed him a small box.

 

“What’s this? I thought lunch and friendship was the gift.”

 

“Yes, it is. But, those who know me best know that I have a small obsession with magical items. So, I decided to give you one of my creations.”

 

Patham raised a curious eyebrow then opened the box that held a simple grey rock. “A..rock?”

 

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, Patham. It’s a rock. BUT, it’s a rock that will actually come in useful from time to time, although I hope not too often. You see, if you keep it with you, say in your pocket, it will heat up whenever anyone within reasonably close proximity to you, say the area of this room for example, has ill intentions toward you. Just a little measure to help keep you safe.”

 

“Thanks Salinye. That’s very thoughtful.” He tucked it in his pocket.

 

“My pleasure, now you better get going, I’m sure someone else is anxiously awaiting your arrival.” He stood and the two friends hugged before parting.

 

“Oh, Salinye.” He turned back around to face her, “Any idea where I should be headed?”

 

“Sorry friend, I was just the lunch break.” She grinned and he laughed before leaving “The Confessional.”

[Cyril Darkcloud]

“This one whose festal of birth we celebrate is most curious. Almost an owl, in fact.” He smiles as he says these last words and turns his gaze downward to the small owl perched upon the edge of the windswept rooftop.

 

“Hoot!”

 

“A shapeshifter,” he explains, “and one still new to the shifter’s art.” Rolling up the note he had been scribing he holds it forward that the owl might take it. “He is called ‘Patham’ and you will find him near the place Salinye goes to read.” Day has passed well into evening and the owl whose feathers are a dusky gray in color is soon lost to sight as it flies soundlessly in search of that one who is almost an owl. In silence the owl arrives near the one called ‘Patham’. Hooting softly within the dark of evening it releases the note as he looks upward, eyes seeking out the source of the sound. The note itself is a curious thing bearing no words of greeting nor any specific instructions, simply a quote from a work written some time ago:

 

"The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk.” – G.F. Hegel

 

“HOOT!”

 

Spreading its wings within the cool air, the owl glides slowly around Patham as he reads the note and then turns to glide slowly outward away from the great stone building those of this lace call their Keep. The one called Patham is slow in the shifting of his form, but the process is less awkward than it had been, and the small owl circles back once more to be sure that this one whose flight is still not yet that of an owl might keep up.

 

Words arrive then, borne within the breeze and speaking out of the air itself, words spoken by a human voice that knows the tongue of those that move about within the free and living air. “One does not control the wind. One enters it, feels its freedom and moves.”

 

The movement of the wind grows strong and the small owl leads Patham through it and within the seams of its gusting until they reach a jagged line of windswept ledges that stands at the very edge of those lands which fall under the banner and standard of the Pen. The air is cold here and there is a light rain falling from the heavy gray clouds which have gathered in the sky over these crags. Below the air moves in sudden and unpredictable gusts. The owl turns its eyes back to Patham as he navigates through the gusting air and hoots softly before alighting upon a stone ledge that offers what must in the daylight hours be a stunning view of those varied lands that stretch outward from the Keep. It also offers no shelter from either the chill of the wind or the falling of rain.

 

Once more speech arrives upon the wind, “It is a fitting thing that the owl has long been taken as an emblem of wisdom, for wisdom arrives out of silence and knows well how to move about within both the mundane and the mysterious.” The small owl suddenly leaves the ledge, flying in swift silence downward as the voice speaks. A brief, sharp sound rises from someplace below the ledge and the owl returns bearing a vole in its talons. “And wisdom, like the owl, bears its talons that it might lay claim to the blood of the heart.” Having spoken, he steps forward, moving easily within the air of this place to the ledge where Patham sits unsteadily in his human form and the small owl devours its prey. “Her name is Whisper,” he says indicating the owl who looks up at hoots softly at the mention of its name.

 

“The air that moves within the lands of the Pen is not like the air of other places,” his speech is quiet, little more than a whisper itself, and is borne along the wind directly to Patham’s ears. “For here the wind is speech itself and the air is but that breathing which is inhaled as inspiration and exhaled as expressive word, and there is no true movement within the air of this place which is not also a movement as well within its words.” He sits on the ledge, comfortable within the cold and untroubled by the rain, “And this place where we sit, with its bursting movement of wind and word, is that place where thought strains after expression and words burst forth from breath into speech. We arrived in the darkness of evening, for evening is that time when one might reflect upon the wakeful strivings of day, and reflection upon life is not simply a mark of the wise, but the beginning of that writing which is strong.” He stands. “Whatever else is done here, writing is of the very essence of this place and words the common air which all breathe and within which all move. Learn their movements and range freely about within them and be not afraid to let the wisdom that glides in silence seize hold of your heart and do not hesitate to breathe that wisdom into expression. Breath is the matter of life, and words are formed of breath – the connection is strong between breathing and speaking, and writing and living, and wisdom is that gift which guides the use of all others.” He steps off the ledge and the wind bears him away.

 

Words linger, however, “To celebrate one’s birth is to celebrate his life and life is well worth celebrating. When you are ready to leave this place, fly out into the words of your tale and let them bear you back to that place where your friends shall celebrate with you.”

 

Whisper hoots softly and spreads her wings and then she too is gone, gliding outward into the silence within the winds.

 

ooc: Here’s wishing you a very happy birthday, Patrick!

[Patrick]

Watching his friend moving away Patham took out a piece of paper from his pocket and tore it into several small pieces on each of which he wrote a message. He shifted to his owl form, with much more ease than he had done it just that morning. Far, near to the horizon, the sun was slowly setting in realms which did not belong to the keep of the Pen. Basking in the last rays of sunlight he looked over the edge of the ledge. High he was, but as he started having second thoughts about flying down the voice echoed again in his head.

 

“One does not control the wind. One enters it, feels its freedom and moves.”

 

"Thanks you for having made the ending of this day so wonderful..." - he whispered onto the wind, knowing that the one, to whom the message was destined was going to hear him.

 

Patham did not try to fight against the currents in the air as he jumped, but simple stretched his wings and let himself glide downwards.

 

Five minutes later the Necromancer, Venefyxatu saw a small piece of paper land in front of him, as he was walking back towards the keep of the Pen. As he bent down to pick up the paper he heard a sharp hoot from above. On the paper was a simple phrase of thanks written in an elegant, thin handwriting and on the bottom of the paper was the mark of the clawed foot of an owl, in the same ink. In the following few minutes identical pieces of paper landed close to, or in the case of Salinye on top of, the others who had wished him a happy birthday outside the keep.

 

Patham landed at one of the windows of the Cabaret Room.

 

That takes care of Gryphon, Mynx and Salinye, now to find the Raven and Sweetcherrie. - he thought to himself.

 

He found the Raven close to the spot where he had been earlier, enjoying the cool breeze entering the window next to him. Patham landed quite smoothly on the windowsill next to Raven and hooted a hello at him.

 

He then lifted one of his legs so that Raven could see the piece of paper attached to it. Patham indicated with his other leg, that it was for him and Raven then removed it with his beek. As he started unwrapping it, Patham was already flying off, intent on finding Sweetcherrie, the mastermind behind this day of fun.

 

Sweetcherrie heard a knock on her door, and when she went to answer, she saw Patham in his human form, standing outside the door with a wide grin on his face.

 

He rushed in and hugged Sweetcherrie, then stayed quiet for several seconds. Finally he broke the silence.

 

"I've never been good with what to say in certain situations, so before I say something that would sound awkward I'll just say two words."

 

"Thank you."

 

He then smiled and handed Sweetcherrie a small, yellow flower, which grew abundantly in a small clearing outside the keep.

 

"I brought this for you, to thank you for organising this awesome day for me." - he smiled.

[Wyvern]

Wyvern lurches behind a spare yellow flower patch as Patham shares a sentimental moment with Sweetcherrie. The reptilian Elder jumps out from behind the plants just as Patham turns to leave, and vigorously shakes the birthday pennite's hand.

 

"A Happy Birthday to you, Patham, sorry for being ever-so-slightly belated." The lizard strikes a toothy grin. "Since the others have taught ya just about everything you need to know, I figured I'd getcha some add-on accessories for their exercises."

 

Patham raises a brow as the overgrown lizard digs through a large sack by his side.

 

"This first item is an Almost Dragonic Brand Non-Authentic Meditative Torch Device™." Wyvern hands Patham a filmsy piece of wood. "Perfect to light when you want to make white clouds to meditate to... though it may occasionally make black clouds, of course. Or grey clouds... *Ahem* next item."

 

The lizard sifts through his bag again, and pulls out a thorny brier patch.

 

"Here's a hi-tech Almost Dragonic Brand Forest Stealth Camoflauge Outfit™ for owls, to wear the next time you have to trek out in the wild. Warning: flight may be hindered. Comes with a mothball incense candle to help repel hungry tigers."

 

The lizard searches through his bag once more, and takes out what appears to be a used pixy stick.

 

"In terms of necromancy business, this Almost Dragonic Brand Semi-Professional Zombie Ward™ may help in getting zombies to hesitate before lunging at you.

 

"Ummm." Patham hesitates as the lizard puts the pixy stick on top of his brier patch. "Th-thanks."

 

"And don't forget this Almost Dragonic Brand Instinct-O-Meter™... it's like the ouija board of choosing animal instincts. Oh, and this Almost Dragonic Brand Table O Elements™, water omitted of course."

 

Patham wobbles as Wyvern shoves a large table into his hands. He stutters as the brier patch begins feeling thornier under its weight.

 

"I was going to offer up some Almost Dragonic Brand Napkins™ to help clean up any remains of your lunch, but they sorta dissolved. You can just tear out pages from this Almost Dragonic Brand Stega-Thesaurus™ to replace them, except for the pages that detail different phrases for geld. Those should remain in mint condition."

 

Patham barely balances himself under the weight of all of the items.

 

"Errrr, thanks Wyv."

 

Wyvern pauses for a moment, then rubs his scaly claws together.

 

"Sssay Patham, I don't suppose you'd happen to have any 'party favours' for a lizard like myself, would you?"

 

Patham cringes as the rock in his pocket suddenly heats up to a scalding flame. He immediately turns to run from the area, and drops the rather useless bundle of Almost Dragonic Brand Gifts™ in the process. Wyvern watches Patham as he rushes off into the distance, then sighs and decides to check if there's any sugar left in the Almost Dragonic Brand Semi-Professional Zombie Ward™.

 

;-)

 

OOC: A belated Happy Birthday to you, Patrick Durham. Also, a round of applause to Sweetcherrie, Mynx, Venefyxatu, Cryptomancer, Gryphon, Salinye, and Cyril Darkcloud for one of the most consistantly creative birthday threads in recent memory.