This is my first Christmas on Tumblr, and I’d like to share some of my original characters with y’all! Willo and Nimbus are very dear to my heart, so you may see more of them as time goes on. For now, enjoy this tidbit from far in their future, post-main-story.
”Hey Nimbus?” Nimbus’ head spun all the way around to look at Willo, tilting curiously. His brother’s triangular ears flattened and he shrank back, curling his lip in discomfort. Realizing why, Nimbus quickly turned his whole body, putting his head back in a ‘normal’ position. Taking a deep breath and clearing his throat, Willo continued. “Do you know what’s happening next week?”
Nimbus hesitated, thinking. “Ummm…” he wracked his brain for anything happening, but he drew a blank. “Sorry, no. What’s going on?”
Willo blinked at him in that way he did when Nimbus missed something obvious. “It’s Pazalung next week. Didn’t you celebrate it?”
Nimbus felt like smacking his forehead in frustration. How had he forgotten the one thing that made winters bearable in his childhood? As it was, he just puffed his wings up slightly. “Yeah, sorry. I guess with everything going on, I forgot.” His wings fidgeted awkwardly. “Sorry.”
“Stop apologizing, you’re fine.” Willo said firmly. “Don’t worry about it. Half the time I forget when things are until someone else reminds me too.” He flashed a fang-revealing grin and Nimbus smiled back a little weakly.
Nimbus pulled his speckled brown wings tighter around him and stared at the parchment in front of him. He’d been brainstorming what to get Willo for Pazalung for hours now, and his mind was frustratingly blank. Willo already had enough tools for carving and painting his artwork. Maybe more paint? But he’d just restocked last month and had plenty as far as Nimbus knew. More clothes? But Nimbus had heard him complaining just last week about having too many for his storage to hold. Food was another, more traditional option, but Nimbus couldn’t cook to save his own life.
Nimbus groaned and let his head fall onto the table, earning a solid thunk and a headache he could care less about. His wings splayed out tiredly to either side.
“What’s wrong, pup?” Nimbus’s head jerked up and his wings folded quickly around him at Byrch’s voice. The elder Lykos was watching him closely, his dark eyes shining with worry.
“Nothing, Byrch. Just-“ Nimbus realized his sloppy list was still visible in front of him and he quickly flipped it over. “Just thinking.”
Byrch tilted his head and his face shifted into a knowing look. “You’re trying to get ready for Pazalung, aren’t you?” Nimbus pulled his wings tight against his back, and the old Pack Alpha laughed dryly. “Knew it. I used to stress about Pazalung every year when I was your age, back when I first married Cotyn.” At mention of the Alpha’s late mate, Nimbus studied him closely. Byrch didn’t avoid talking about her, but he didn’t go around talking about her all the time. Any time her name came up in conversation was the time to listen closely to what Byrch had to say. “Always worried about getting her the perfect gift. No matter what I gave her, she loved it. Treated it like it was something priceless. Willo takes after her like that. Whatever you get him, he’ll treasure till the day he dies.”
“I know,” Nimbus muttered, his eyes burning as he looked down at the parchment. “But-“ he didn’t even get to start his excuse before Byrch’s lip curled in distaste.
“No buts. Don’t stress about it, give him something simple.” There was a fierce light in Byrch’s eyes that made Nimbus want to look deeper and avert his gaze at the same time. “I promise you he’ll love anything you get, as long as it’s from you.” With that, Byrch went on his way, leaving Nimbus with wise words and a new plan.
Getting the supplies proved easier than Nimbus anticipated. Akaisha, the blonde Lykos who supplied Willo with his paint, was more than happy to give him what he needed when he explained his plan. “Knock ‘em dead, pup.” His wings had fluffed in embarrassment at the term of affection coming from someone other than his adoptive father, and he’d stuttered out a farewell to his friend before Willo spotted him.
Once he had the paint and assured himself that he had enough parchment for several attempts (he didn’t trust himself to do well on his first try), he stood in front of his wall, studying the large piece of parchment in front of him. It was actually several smaller pieces glued together with Aquen jelly which, once dried, held for years.
The parchment was tacked to the wall with small clips that attached to small niches in the wall perfectly; until he pulled it down, it would not budge. He was ready to create…something. To be completely honest, he had no clue what he was doing. Just that he was going to do what Willo always said: not plan and let his hand go wild.
It was the day of Pazalung. The entirety of Cliff Pack was having a slow leisurely start to the day, trading gifts and socializing. Willo had been off with his friends all day, and while he had invited Nimbus along, the Zephyr had politely declined. He had the very important task of moving the large painting from his room to Willo’s before his brother returned. Getting the dry painting off his wall was easy. Maneuvering it through the narrow corridors of the cave was another.
Just as Nimbus was about to give up on moving it without tearing it, he heard the low, raspy voice of his savior. “Need some help, pup?” He met Byrch’s eyes pleadingly.
“Please?” Byrch smiled broadly, showing his large fangs, and gently took hold of the painting, lifting it around the doorframe Nimbus had gotten stuck on.
The transfer went much faster with Byrch’s help, and before long they had it pinned up on Willo’s wall. The pair stepped back and admired Nimbus’s handiwork. “You didn’t sign it?” Byrch asked curiously as he took in the sea of blues, yellows, purples, and reds.
“Do you see any room for one?” Nimbus asked. “And besides, he’ll know who it was.” He carefully pulled his wing around in front of him and pulled free a large speckled brown feather. He carefully reached up to one of the pins on the side and tucked the feather over it. With his ‘signature’ in place, he stepped back again next to his father. “Do you think he’ll like it?” Looking around the room at Willo’s own artistic accomplishments - at the shelves of pots, jars, and statues, the walls covered in colorful landscapes and portraits - he couldn’t help but feel like his nonsensical, shapeless blob was inadequate.
“He’ll love it, pup.” Nimbus smiled. Suddenly a thought struck him, and he whirled to Byrch in a rush.
“I forgot to get you anything!” He squawked, feathers fluffing in embarrassment and shock. “I’m so sorry!”
Byrch shook his head and patted Nimbus’s shoulder gently. “You’re fine, pup. The best Pazalung gift you could give me is making Willo happy and enjoying yourself. Okay?” Nimbus nodded, relieved, and the two of them hurried out of Willo’s room.
”Nimbus!” Nimbus squawked in surprise as Willow’s arms wrapped around him from the side. He hadn’t noticed his brother approaching. “Nimbus, did you make that painting in my room?” Nimbus smiled sheepishly and nodded as his feathers fluffed and his eyes dropped to the floor. “It’s beautiful, thanks!” Willo pulled away, and Nimbus noticed he was holding something. A book? “I got you something too. I didn’t make it, ‘cause I don’t know how to do this kind of thing, but I remember how happy you were when you talked about skydancing, so…”
Nimbus felt his eyes widen in astonishment when he got a look at the cover. Skydancing for Beginners was written across the top in loopy letters, while drawings of Zephyr in various midflight positions filled the rest of the cover. His wings were practically vibrating, and for a moment he was utterly speechless.
Willo seemed to take his silence as something different, and he averted his gaze. “If you don’t like it-“ before he could finish Nimbus pulled the book from his hands and dragged his brother into a tight hug. Willo let out a yip of surprise, but quickly wrapped his arms around Nimbus in return. “I guess you do like it?”
“Yup!”
“Maybe when you’ve got some practice in, you could show me?” Nimbus lit up even more, if that was possible.
“Absolutely.” Willo laughed and touched his nose to his brother’s cheek for a moment affectionately. “Happy Pazalung, Willo.” Nimbus said softly.
Hoy juega Polonia contra Portugal, como no vemos a nadie destacable del que hacer un cromo (de Lewandowsky ya hicimos uno) hoy vamos a hacer por primera vez en un cromo de un arbitro. Y el de hoy no es uno cualquiera, es Felix Brych, cuando lo ven muchos equipos tiemblan, especialmente el Atlético de Madrid. Cuando juegan con él, siempre acaban con menos jugadores (por el arbitro, claro, porque ellos no practican un juego merecedor de tarjetas. Torres estaba muy tranquilo en su enfrentamiento contra el Barça en Champions).
Brych es un arbitro alemán que, lógicamente, arbitra en la Bundesliga y además de en la Champions ha aumentado su club de fans actuando en los juegos olímpicos de Londres en 2012, en el Mundial de Brasil y ahora en la Eurocopa. ¿Será también hoy protagonista?
