Forest Pack Community Book One

chapter 10

She was pretty good at finding her way. Once down there, she saw her aunt and uncle sitting next to the Alpha and Luna. Not sure if she should go up there, she looked around, seeing how the layout was, where the food was. Noticing that the food was all placed on the tables and the warriors seemed to eat together, but that seemed to be the only grouping besides the head table. She stood there, flustered. Not sure where to go. Joy saw her and watched for a minute. Seeing what she would do. If she would come to them, where there was a chair for her that she had obviously not seen. Or go and sit with the other kids who seemed to be her age. ‘Azella, what do we want to do?’ “Felicia, come on, let’s go make friends. We can’t hide forever!’ ‘True.’ So off she went to sit with the kids.

“Hi, my name is Felicia. Can I sit with you guys? I’m kind of new. I’ve just been gone a while.”

One girl, who had an open chair next to her, like it were fate, said, “Sure. I kind of remember you. I think we sang in school together. Didn’t you have that solo?”

“Yeah, that was me. I don’t remember much before the crash; can you tell me your name again?” Felicia asked.

“Sure! My name is Goldenrod. Though most people call me Goldie.”

“Ok Goldie.” Felicia said shyly.

Then, to Felicia’s surprise, everyone near her started to introduce themselves. Felicia smiled and said, “You all might have to help me remember your names one or two times. But I’ll get it.”

As Joy watched the interactions, she nudged Mick and whispered “Look” Mick looked over where she was pointing and smiled. Ben, who noticed the interaction, looked at what they were so focused on and what had pulled Mick away. He smiled as well and looked over at Lissa, who was already looking. She had probably seen Felicia walk in and was watching her from the start. The Goddess had chosen well when she had paired them together. She was such a good Luna. She never missed anything.

Each year Felicia grew more and more comfortable. Goldie turned out to be one of her best friends. It seemed the two were inseparable. There was a third girl named Niomi who was fast becoming their friend and another best friend. Soon the three of them were like the Three Musketeers. If you saw one, the other two were not far behind. They stayed that way all the way through elementary and up into their teens. Even through the teen years, they had a close relationship. Lifting one another when it was needed. They laughed and cried with each other. Being there for one another through thick and thin.

They turned sixteen the same year. But our birthdays were close together. Felicia’s was July first, Goldie’s was July twenty-first and Niomi’s was August fourteenth So the three of them decided to have a sweet three musketeers themed sweet sixteen party. They went to the Luna to ask what date they should have it on. Lissa suggested July thirty-first, as it was not too far from anyone’s birthday and seemed like a fair date. They asked if the Luna would help. But she suggested their mothers, as this would be special to them as well. Which they all agreed. Goldie and Niomi both went to their moms. But Felicia had to go to her aunt's . When she found her aunt, she walked up to her and said, “Aunt Joy, I know you have been taking care of me practically my whole life and I’m turning sixteen soon and so are Goldie and Niomi…well we want to have a birthday party together. The girls are asking their moms…and I know mine isn’t technically here, but you’ve been like my mom. Would you help?”

Joy smiled with tears in her eyes, “Yes, of course, my love. I would love to help you girls plan your special day. When is this party of yours happening?”

“Luna suggested July thirty first because it seemed like a fair date to her not to far away from anyone’s birthday cause well mines on the first, Goldie’s is on the twenty first, and Niomi is august 15th. Yeah mine’s the farthest away but I’m ok with that cause she picked a date that wasn’t on anyone’s birthday but near enough to all of us.”

“Why three musketeers?” asked Joy out of curiosity.

“Well, we’re always together and lots of people call us the three musketeers. Cause if you see one you see the other two.” Explained Felicia. Joy nodded in agreement. Felicia mind linked Goldie and Niomi and said my aunt agreed!!! When do we want to get together?”

Goldie and Niomi said in unison, “NOW!” all three laughed. They cut the mind link off and told their respective mothers. They all then met in the dining room at one of the tables.

They sat down to decide who to invite. The girls wanted to include everyone and not leave anyone out. So, they just decided to invite the whole pack. The next decision was where to have it. They could have it in the main room. But then again that seemed to ordinary and they were not ordinary. So, they went out back and there was a large open garden area. It was beautiful. The three girls’ eyes lit up, and they all squealed like they had found a lost treasure. They turned as one and looked at the moms. Who just laughed. Joy said hold on and mind linked Lissa, ‘Hey Lissa, the girls want to use the back garden. You should have heard them squeal; in unison, may I add!’ Lissa chuckled and said, ‘I don’t see a problem. Let me check with Ben just to be sure.’

Joy told the waiting women and girls, “The Luna is checking with Alpha.” Just then, Lissa came back and told Joy that they could have it, she had put it on the calendar so that no one else could book it. Also, they could use the garden light to string up.

Joy relayed the message, and there was another round of squeals. The older women just laughed and smiled at their excitement. Alicia asked, “Now ladies, you said a sweet Three Musketeers. You’re not talking the French musketeers, are you?”

Niomi spoke up and responded, “No, we mean sweet like candy or sweets.” Goldie exclaimed, “We should have a huge chocolate fountain!!”

Felicia added, “With strawberries, bananas, and other fruits that are good with chocolate!” She looked at her friends and said, “Dark or regular?”

Niomi said, “Since there are three of us, why not all three chocolates, Dark, milk, and white! We can scale down the huge to like…um…” and she looked at her mom.

Her mom thought for a few minutes and said, “Well, if we do the fountains instead of cakes…we can do large ones. Maybe some sponge cake; we can talk to the cook.”

Joy had her notepad and was making lists. She also mind linked the cook to see if she was busy. The cook said she wasn’t, and Joy asked her to join them in the back garden. A few minutes later, the cook showed up. “Did you need something, Beta Joy?”

“Yes, please. These girls are planning their sixteenth birthday. Seeing their birthday is a sweet three musketeers, and they’re unique in their own way. They are inviting the whole pack. Instead of a big cake, they want 3 chocolate fountains: one dark, one milk, and one white. With the proper fruit and maybe a sponge cake too? To dip, of course. The fruits they mentioned were strawberries, bananas….and that’s all they can think of.”

The Marley laughed and said, “For a sweet sixteen party?! Of course. I know the perfect fruit. The perfect dipping cake. Not just sponge, but angel food. Let’s see…”

Joy spoke up and said, “I’m making a food list.”

Marley continued, “Various cookies, and do you want fudge?”

The three said in unison once more, “YES!”

This time all four women laughed. “Ok, I’ll do some with nuts and some without. Why don’t you each pick a cookie.”

Goldie immediately said, “Double chocolate chip!”

Niomi was next as she said, “Snickerdoodles!”

Felicia exclaimed, “I want chewy chocolate chip!”

“All great choices,” the Marley said. “What about food? You know not sweets!” She giggled.