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((Sorry for the delay!))



Xaxis was pleased by the raptors response. He didn't aim to please his closest friend, but he surely lapped up every compliment recieved. Xaxis liked attention so very much, especially when it came from his two most exclusively favorite people - the kestrel and the woodpecker.

The raven with the broken wings allowed his magenta gaze to drift from Savius to Jer'ain. His little sibling, his little helper. For being not of Kin, she was perhaps the one mortal he easily tolerated. Perhaps it had to do that she was so close to Savius, perhaps it was merely because she had a soft, broken way about her.

He'd been around the mobster long enough to be pleased by her spirit. There was something delicious about Jer'ain, something that Xaxis accepted and enjoyed.

She was a good girl, and Xaxis couldn't help but be pleased.

"For me. . ?" The surprise at the offering was genuine. He'd never understood the reason behind holidays. Lucien had told him about the christmas spirit, about the beliefs of others, the ideas. Gifts were an offering of goodwill, of friendship and kindness. . .

but the diseased one hadn't the energy or imagination to do much gift-giving this holiday. The fact that Jer'ain was holding out an offering both confused and pleased the raven.

It was obvious he hadn't anything to give in return. Not yet at least. Eyes only on the blue haired mobster, Xaxis reached out to take the present. A sniffle and a smile solely for the fevered eyed girl. "Why thank you, sweet one. . . "

The raven, for his quiet and detached nature, was touched.

"Come on. It's been a long time since we've mingled with anyone in public. And you should get to know some people." Urged Freija as she shoved the small boy inside. A pure white mask with long black lines stretching above the eyes and below, as well as black lips with up curved black lines in the form of a grin. Freija, being a huge fan of The Crow made the mask just for the occasion. Trelanz, not with holding complaints about even going, agreed in the end due to her choice of mask for him.

Freija herself had dyed her hair with overnight, black, hair dye, slicked it back, and dawned a white half mask, resembling the Phantom.

With a smile down at the boy and a ruffle of his hair she then finally noticed the stunned silence that lingered in the air. Lights flashed around, dancing off the walls, making the room look like it was alive. But the mood was definately the complete opposite.

"Yeah. Great party, lady."

"Dax. You are going. You are going in NOW. Iamel came, didn't he? I don't know if he's still here but...."

"I don't want to ******** wear a ******** costume or a ******** mask or a ******** style="font-size: 10px">"I don't care what you want to do. You're going in NOW." Mordread shoved a very unhappy looking king fisher through the doors.

"Ah ******** ******** style="font-size: 10px">"Dax!"

Blue eyes narrowed in on his father, who did NOT wear a costume. Why did HE have to wear a god damn ******** costume?

"...Sorry." And then, in a smaller voice, "Not sorry, ******** catbitch."

Mordread didn't hear, silently scanning the room for anyone familiar to shove Dax onto. Of course, he hadn't really left the house since Patrick and his...discussion, but hey, there was a first time for everything, right?

He couldn't hear a word that the heron 'said' - but then again, he took the whole flapping wings and squawking thing to be an attack of some sort. He ducked out of the way, and down to the ground. LARGE bird. Quite large bird. Large bird that he, while not afraid of, was not going to provoke. Eheh. Very. Large. Bird. He sighed a bit, and started to back up, attempting to avoid any pecks that would be coming to his head. This could get interesting.

"Ok! Ok! Sorry bird, sorry! I just don't like being *dodge* squawked at! Woah! Down boy! 'Least I think you're a boy?... Ummm... GYAH! No pecking! This is a no pecking zone!"

Apparently, he'd offended the thing. Way to go, Adam. He tried to recover some of whatever he'd lost in the bird's eyes.

"All I meant by that birdbrain remark was... it was a joke! C'mon now!"

And to the girl?

"I really was kidding about the whole naked thing... Could you call him off? PLEASE!?

Adam sighed, and shook his head a little.

"Sorry about that - No need for YOU to apologize. I shouldn't have said what I said, even as a joke."

He scrubbed his hand through his hair, and looked at the bird, slightly in contempt. Not so much as to let Amber KNOW, however.

"Nice bird. Big bird. Protective bird... Yeah. Really protective bird. He have a name?"

((super long entry FTW))

The pair crossed the room with casual intent, Hylusis in the lead. Slipping past the other guests cooly. The sweet melody of small talk and bird calls gave a soft-edged tint to the festivities.

Hylusis had one thing on her mind, and that was french fries. They must be somewhere! She thought exasperatedly, her face flashing a moment's displeasure before returning it's usual calm, if somewhat blank, appearance. She had agreed to Luis' orders on the condition that with Shanuh lay the key to obtaining this most treasured treat. But even without the Old kin's help, she was sure she could find them.

Luis' mind was clouded affection for the curt little girl. Young lady. A life was brushed away. It was burried underneath the fresh white snow that fell like stars from the sky. Luis regarded the Hylusis nervously, with a dimmed freneticism. Even with Birds falling dead at their feet, a strange comfort crept about his shoulders. A sneaking comfort. A child comfort.

The nostalgia of tidal waves hung close. Water gathered with a gentle, stinging salt smell. It swallowed its victims whole, and without a trace, they were gone. In winter, ice gathers on the surfface of the ocean, but the cold waters run swiftly underneath.

Too strange! Luis shook his head as he followed the girl about the hall. Inexplicably, he felt responsible for Hylusis. His charge? Even with the duck's corpse suspended gracelessly in her hand like a broken toy. Her wings flapped in and out.

" I don't get it," sighed Luis. " I surrender." He hoped they would find Shanuh soon, so he could get some answers. This Hylusis didn't seem to be of any help.

A matter crossed their path, both companion and guardian surprised by this obstruction in their mutual path. It snapped its beak on bent knee.

I'm curious to what it's like.., it asked. Kin. The word melted into her mouth like a sweet. Kin with a polite prince sound.

Hylusis stared curiosly at the heron, bird thoughts and child thoughts solidifying in her head. She sized up her Kin. The bird looked at her curiously. She recognized him from an acient rooftop. " It's nothing." she said and thought at the same time. The familiar Kin cocked his head. " I'm Hylusis." She introduced herself once again, gruffly.

Luis eyed the bird. A heron? He saw it on the edge of his mind. An excusemethankyouyessir Bird. Sometimes they stood guard around still waters. It seemed like Hylusis was talking to it, in her own strange child way.

Luis swallowed a mothering softness. Weren't they on a mission here? An unanswered question bubbled up to the surfface. His mind frothed over, his eyes searching for a familiar face within a sea of wild animals, snorting and stomping. He couldn't get his thoughts in order.

In winter, the mind freezes over until summer, when the water begins to rise. It sneaks into the house unnoticed, swirling up the drain like vomit. Until there is turmoil.

Meanwhile, Hylusis' watched the scene unfolding before them with interest, he mind scattered between a Luis, a Matter, and a certain delectable fried treat. She settled on the Matter, at least for now. Sharp eyes wrinkled with mirth. Though the insults and nervous squabbling of the two Adults remained out of reach (luckily), she could hear the heron loud and clear. Kin with a polite prince sound. Monsieur heron, the gentleman. An excusemethankyouyessir heron. Monsieur heron, acting like a frantic hen protecting her clutch!

She held onto the piece of shirt unconciously. Us creatures attach, form bonds and are broken apart. Though warm, his mind was shaking. He decided he'd just ask Shanuh. But he was scary~!


"Could you call him off? PLEASE!?" a shrill shriek jolted the boy from his chain of thoughts. Hylusis seemed to be choking back laughter.

Luis swallowed back a pang of motherly affection. He hadn't come (grudgingly) to this "ball" to babysit for some weird kid who amused herself by tormenting strangers with their deceased pet birds! Where were the scolding fathers, the apologetic mothers?

" Ahh," muttered Luis. He didn't get it. Bird people? Was that it? He looked over the young Hylusis, tears welling in her eyes. Well, those wings were pretty damn realistic. He didn't think parents would be so eccentric as to force a little girl to attend a creepy petstore holiday fetish party.

A soft-edged holiday party. A corpse and a little girl with perfectly matched sets of wings. Like twins.

A piece of the puzzle fell into place. At least, he thought so.

But why did the bird have to die? A sickening word. A sickening action.

His breath was caught in his throat for a reason he couldn't explain. The room spun. A deep sadness made him sick to his stomach.

Inside was circus hall and all its lavishly decoratetd players, laughing like maniacs. Softly, snow gathered, burying the world in its silent white mountains. In winter, the world died.

Purple and gold and silver and pinstripe. The ring leader.


Hylusis caught her breath, looking in the direction of the three other matters. She caught the eye of her Kin, Monsieur heron, and smirked a subtle, silent smirk. Dork.

Adam picked himself up, and dusted himself off with a few angry/annoyed strokes of his hands. Not pleased, but then again - He HAD asked for it. He sighed, and studied the girl carefully. She'd do. A very pretty one indeed, and apparently at least semi-intelligent. He smiled at her.

"He seems to like you, more like. I'm not sure birds can be considered.. ummm... destined - But you two just... you fit. Like peanutbutter and jelly, or graham crackers and chocolate. You go together."

He stepped back for a brief moment, as though admiring his own statement, then closed the distance again, keeping a wary eye on the attack-heron.

"That bird reminds me of someone, actually..."

The bearing and 'grace' the bird showed was so much like his uncle Dragon that he was hard-put not to start calling it that. But he'd refrain. His mouth had already gotten him ONE wing-beating. He didn't need another.

((Sooo . . . I think we're going to fuzzy-time this a bit. xP I can't remember who all needs something of Shanuh. Amber's over there, I know. . . Hylusis was looking for French fries but I can't tell if she stayed or left aaaaand . . . I can't remember anything after that. ))



It was nice to see Gamvial, to see that the boy had finally returned to his home. Perhaps he could meet up with the Green Jay who had also returned? Shanuh allowed his eyes to drift through the crowd - yes, yes the green, indigo and black bird was still present. . . just more shy about such events.

But be that as it may.

"If you'll excuse me, Gam," Shanuh finished up with the turkey, noticing that things were starting to get a wee bit crowded.

So the party had taken off full-force. It all started, it seemed, with the appearance of the long-tailed duck. Even though he hadn't witnessed the act, like all the Kin, he felt the change. Moreso than the others. Death had visited and swept his hand over the feathered bird, and in her stead was a skinny, frazzeled-haired child.

Pink and yellow eye swept over the girl. She was on a hunt it, seemed, but was in good company. Diacyn was there, and so, it appeared, was Iamel. A good group to meet.

But he couldn't student Hylusis long. The fight between heron and eagle caused Shanuh some dismay. To make such a commotion, and all over a girl. The girl, he noticed, was that fragile Amber-one. The female who had searched for a dog collar, the female who skittered in to the shadows, who hid herself from the world. Psh.

As it was, neither heron nor eagle won the fight - a dish did. But it seemed to break up any interested the eagle had found taken. Shanuh wasn't irritated by the broken dish, but he was mildly annoyed that she'd aimed it directly at the eagle~!

Still, the heron had chosen his new ward, and Shanuh had to be pleased by that. Any mortal who could entertain a guardian to join them was worth a second opinion.

Maybe there was more to Amber than met the eye.

And finally, there was Iamel, the candy cane, and . . . .Patrick.

Shanuh heard the girly, black-skinned man shriek something about ********. To see Patrick panic and freak out did little to amuse the pale skinned shop keep. Patrick. The one mortal he hated to admit he . . . preferred over others. Psh. What did it matter? Patrick had proven his insignificance, had confused him by arguing over the matter of emotions, and had reminded Shanuh why there was no point in truly living. That was Nikel and Jojo's game, but Shanuh refused to truly play.

His life was for the Birds, and the Birds only. After that, it meant nothing. After they returned to their keep, his existance was over. This was his one shot, his one chance before being returned to . . . to what he was before.

This was his lifes one task, and after it was through. . . . well, it didn't matter what happened after that.

Those thoughts bled through Shanuh's memory like ink through paper. Of course, he dismissed them, glaring at Patrick's before turning to glower at the candy can. It was difficult to tell who was behind the striped, but there was sooome reminder. . . there was something familiar about his stance, his movements. . .

Bah. Before Shanuh had a chance to judge, Iamel dragged the man off. Hmph. He'd have to keep an eye on that. If Iamel was upset over a candy cane, then let the man rot in the after life. This party was rich with victems - this was a party to celebrate death and those that were of it.

If men needed to die tonight, than so be it.

It was, as they said, only natural.

"And what can I do for you?" Again, distracted. A girl. The girl. Shanuh slowly let himself draw away from where Iamel and the candy cane had skittered outside. He fixed himself upon Amber and the heron, his personality as cool and detached as before.

Behind the mask, a fire burned. Those who upset his wards typically wound up in Shanuh's lunch. So he had some hunting to do this evening. That was, of course, if Iamel didn't do it first.





Hylusis was in luck though. Her demands for french fries had been heard and her wishes granted. Shanuh knew that at least one at the party enjoyed such a greasy, fried delicacy. Of course, the platter that had once held such yummies had been eaten by the time she arrived.

Nikel, though, had heard her plea. The first words out of her very lips had been a summoning of the greasy potatos, and if that was what she wanted than that was what she would get~!

Disappearing in the back - it's how he missed most of the commotion - Nikel finally reamerged with a sample platter. And all for the searching girl. "Hylusis," Nikel called out in his sing-song voice, eyes light with good humor. "I have something for you~!"

And indeed he did. The platter contained not only fresh, right-out-of-the-fryer french fries, but curly fries, a few chopped fried potatos, aaaand . . . if she preferred to relive her days of eating scraps, some day old, cold and gritty french fries that the duck was accostomed nabbing.

Nikel couldn't help but be pleased by his thoughtfulness. He was sooo wonderful. With any luck, the long-tailed duck would think just as much.

"Here you are, sweetling, all for you."





((Haha. Feel free to post Nikel giving her the plate and what not if she wants to take it. xP ))