Pitter patter, pitter patter. Spring rain slapped and dribbled over the roof and ground outside, watering the freshly blooming and sprouting flora of the springtime. The sky was rosey with puffy clouds, which the wind pulled like warm taffy, stretching it across in spans of gray and gold.
That morning was a very special morning, indeed, for the little one, in the city of Ssil. She knew it. She had been counting down to it eagerly from day eleven, since that was the biggest number she knew. And it felt like forever.
A soft, excited whisper of Zcorr left a small halfling as she peeped between the tattered, linen curtains of her paper-thin home. She was waiting for her dear mother, who would come trudging around the corner any minute to kiss her forehead and groom her fur, to ensure she was fully dressed for the day ahead and fed for the daybreak.
Smoke from the nearby homes' chimneys as fires indoors were stoked to life and vibrant tones of orange ghosted the dirty streets. The small one, she couldn't have been more than ten years, leapt from the window she was busied breathing against and smushing her nose into and bound directly to the door. With a swift yank, she pulled the flimsy, murky latch of the door.
Bounding outside, her pointy, fuzzy black ears pointing directly up, she raced down to the corner. The city was only just starting to wake up. The creaky, wooden door up the few steps in the alleyway was left ajar, not even properly closed. The insufferable creature of the child glanced up with her bright green eyes, which watered with the airflow.
Her mother could be here any second! She would wait.
A soft tickling brushed her left toes, causing her updrawn vision to flick down in confusion. A blue caterpillar was inching along her foot, successfully bringing a grin to the little lady's features. Her ears drooped forwards in an expressive standstill. "Helloooo…" Came a quiet purr of Zcorr to her new friend, one of no more than a few, "Christopher Cat-a-pitter…"
Though the word was butchered, she knew no better. Her simplicity within the calm morning situation was all she wanted. A scrape of steps brushed the dirt and stone road, causing a perk of interest. Her eyes dilated, then became myosis, before churning to grow once more in longing affection as a familiar purple cloak rounded the corner. She chirped a soft, meaningful, "Mama?"
"Tiii-yeee, good morning," Her mother hummed in her maternal silky tone, one that warmed the child's heart, "My love, my darling. How are the others?"
"Asleep!" She chirped again, purring as her tail swayed. The caterpillar inched its way up her ankle, only mostly forgotten about for now. She also momentarily forgot what made that day so special, caught up in how her mother was brushing her fingers through her hair so wonderfully.
The pair made their way up the house. Suddenly remembering her birthday again, Masika mused a soft "Mamaaa."
"Yes, love?"
"What day is it?"
"...Thursday."
That was all the answer she received, despite the love and cooes and soft caresses. Her siblings just inside the door, when it was nudged open, came flocking down. The tall, black-furred Warran in the purple and orange clothing moved to stoke the fire and raid the icebox. Masika's siblings also quickly went to work and the place became lively, leaving Masika and her special morning forgotten.
Regardless, she scampered to join her many siblings, all of which were halfly related to her, and her mother was clearly expecting another. She assumed she could get her mother to cooperate later, and could even coax her sibling to enjoy the afternoon with her while the mother of the many rested. Masika knew Mama only slept during the day because she worked so tirelessly at night.
Breakfast of toasted bread and meat warmed the shack of a home and everyone grabbed their share to eat. After that, everyone would take their separate directions again, leaving Masika to wonder about her special day.
The sun arched into the sky, turning the clouds a puffy white and the atmosphere a deep blue. Masika scampered through her home city with a level of steadily declining hope. She knew she wasn't allowed to be this far out, but if they hadn't noticed her special day, then they wouldn't notice her missing.
That is, until she rounded a corner on all fours and smacked into the legs of a large, white, black-spotted Warran. The halfling gave a startled cry as she was knocked back onto her rear, tail flopping out against the stone. "Oops-"
"What're you-- What're you even DOING here?" Came the exasperated sound of the taller, older male as he plucked her up by the scruff of her mangy little neck and set her back onto her bare feet. Then it was a few rough brushes to dust her off again. "No children allowed in the harbor, don't you KNOW that, fuc--..." The sailor of a soul trailed off, eyeing the oddly pointy ears of the halfling. His expression churned to disgust. "What perversion did you originate from? Disgraceful."
"P-..Perver-shon?" Came a quieted, meeker answer. She didn't know what that word meant, but she knew the next harsher sound,
"Get out of here, go home!"
And immediately, frightened by the larger, she was sent running once again. Her heart jolted in her chest among confusion and pain. Her family had forgotten her birthday, her kin didn't want her around- But why? What made her different? Why was she, before she could even act upon indecency, labeled as bad?
The halfling between a Warran and an Altalar, though she didn't know the latter, even if it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world to any outsider, rushed through the streets that now seemed more unfamiliar, dangerous, and unwelcoming than ever before. Her lungs burned, she didn't know what on earth had become of Christopher Catapitter, and she didn't know which way home was-
And when that last thought sunk in… Suddenly the problems that were laid out on the metaphorical table in front of her seemed a whole lot larger.
Masika's green gaze drew to the right. Merchants and caravans…
Masika's green gaze drew to the left. More city…
She turned around. A cramped alleyway.
She faced forward. That seemed to be the only place to go from here. It looked promising.
Pitter patter, pitter patter. Her feet raced noisily down the street as she huffed and puffed upset breaths. Her face felt warm and her vision blurred, but she refused to slow down and continued to race. "M-.."
"...Mama!"
The desperate child's pleas wailed along the city as she continued to race. "Mamaaa!"
"TIYE!"
The halfling halted immediately, looking around everywhere with her fat tears obstructing her view. Her ears twitched, and she couldn't have managed to spin around before a large figure plunked into her. She inhaled deeply as she hugged into none other than, "Mama.." Came a relieved sigh. Finally, someone safe in the world!
"Tiye, my love- My little bitty pretty one. Please don't venture so far out, next time," The one with the douse of perfume mumbled into her child's ear.
"I'll never. Never 'gain." The one with the grubby hands and feet responded.
The pair made their way home to Masika's many siblings, who were not AS troublesome as she, but also not as high energy and pep-filled.
Wait a minute!
What was that delicious scent?..
Sniff, sniff, sniffle- Sniff.
Masika's mother's expression warmed and flickered into the fire she had stared off into the flame of the Daen-styled oven of Nadie's kitchen, where cakes were being baked in order to be removed from the oven in only a short timing for tomorrow's service.
The halfling, hunched on the bar of a blue-and-orange decorated restaurant sipped at her cup of milk, reminiscing about the memory she had been revisiting. Where was Mama now? How were her siblings? Had they chosen similar lives to herself? Likely not, but one never knows.
She didn't know what she had when she was young. Now that it was all behind her, she felt homesick; She missed her mother dearly as any child would. Her heart sank into her gut visibly as she clutched the handle of the mug, nose grazing where her lips had been along the rim as she shifted her gaze to the bottles lining the wall on the left.
Sip.
Now, alone in the world, nobody knew her birthday to forget it.
Except Masika, who vaguely remembered the cake her mother would make for every single one of her children's birthdays, always surprising them. It struck her now that Masika had, perhaps, back then, taken her mother's day sleep away from her. There was an ounce of guilt to be had with that realization, but nothing could be done about it now. The patience and sweet, tender love her mother always dished out in large servings so selflessly was something Masika would never forget.
The gentle clicking of heels sounded along the hardwood and tile flooring among a rustle of skirt. Pointed ears perked to attention.
"Hey, uh- Tiye? I'm gonna, like. Close up now." Catalina de Grizio spoke, her femininity and air of control over her establishment enough to push Masika off the counter in itself.
"'Kay. Have a nice night n' stuff, Cat."
"Mhm."
Masika left the milk bottle on the worn countertop and moved out so that the Daen woman would be able to pull the bars down and the curtains over them. Just before the last shred of light of Nadie's was closed off, the halfling starting off, a few words hit the air among the few insects swarming a nearby streetlamp.
"Oh, and- Tiye?"
The one addressed turned curiously, ears perking with an expression of surprise and intrigue.
Catalina smiled, waving her off, "Happy birthday!"
April third couldn't have come and gone any happier.
