Adoptive Parents: Faye &
CaspianRelationship with siblings:
Phoenix is like Riley's Brains. He's the creator of the idea and Riley's the one who carries it out. That's the way it always has been... Or at least that's what many think. Riley's job is to keep Phoenix active and involved. Those two know precisely how to use each other's strengths and weaknesses to be able to make an incredible team. Riley is always the one to keep the cheerfulness and optimism in the pair while Phoenix is the calm realist. That's what makes them such good brothers.
Trinity is the sister that Riley can't help but love. She's sweet yet she still holds the strength that makes her, as Riley says, "Ok for a girl." She's always the one that's willing to help out whenever he gets himself into trouble, which is actually quite often. Riley adores seeing her smile and is always trying to make a fool of himself to ease one out. She's the one he feels the need to hide his troubles from the most. You see, Riley would rather face his troubles and fears on his own without relying on the efforts of another. He also feels that it's his job as the eldest to be the rock and support of the three. That's why he will often try to give her the courage she needs to face her fears. That's what big brothers are for after all.
(234 words)
Relationship with adoptive parents:
Riley and Faye have always had a pretty good relationship. Her cheerful and bright personality always brings a smile to his face. He loves to play with her all the time, often with words and pranks instead of the normal play fighting or rolling around that Riley so often does. The way it works is that he'll say a joke or do something funny and Faye always seems to have the right comment to make it flat out hilarious. That's one of the things Riley loves about her and why he found it a lot easier to trust.
Caspian's relationship to Riley started out a little shaky. Though the young viscet was easily able to bond with Faye through here bright personality, he found it a bit harder to trust Caspian. You see, his adopted father is a speaker of few words, making him appear closed off and cold to the younger who, being an extrovert, needed the constant attention of those around him. He needed to know how Caspian would react and since he didn't know the elder as well, he couldn't read him through expressions as he does Phoenix. That made Riley cautious. He was the oldest sibling and so he had the responsibility of protecting his small family. It wasn't until Riley began to pick up on Caspian's reactions that he started to trust him. Now, their relationship is much stronger as Riley continues to test and push Caspian in different ways to see how he reacts. He especially loves to mess with Caspian's temper, hint why he always calls him pops or old man in comparison to the usual father that everyone else normally uses. It brings out a different side to the normally quiet and reserved viscet, one that Riley has come to deeply admire.
(300 Words)
Do they celebrate thanksgiving and why/why not:
Why yes, of course they celebrate the great feasting holiday called Thanksgiving! It's always been a traditional for the family to go all out on Thanksgiving. Though they love showing how much the appreciate each other, the trio absolutely adores all of the delicious smells and tastes on this special day. They sometimes prepare recipes a month in advance to figure out what they want to make. Their whole dinner takes a lot of preparation, time, and pie but it's worth it to Faye and Caspian when they get to see Trinity, Pheonix, and Riley's joyful expressions and all the endless love coming from the three. In this Viscet family, everyone helps out and has a job! Trinity stands by her opinion that Riley does not get to make the pie alone , "Because he will just eat it as soon as it cools off!" Faye and Caspian alway handle the turkey and the more complex things, while they let the trio go and do the easier things. Every year they look forward to when they finally get the turkey, stuffing (Phoenix says "yum!"), gravy, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce (Trinity's absolute favorite.) they get to stuff themselves with, and they won't even be judged for how much they are eating. The pumpkin, apple, chocolate fudge, coconut cream, and even lemon meringue pie for dessert finishes off their big dinner. None of the other families that see their meal can even comprehend just how they fit that much pie in after eating that big of a dinner. They do it though- but they do have leftovers. Pie for weeks! Or probably more like just a day... Riley especially looks forward to the delicious classic pumpkin pie. Unlike many, every year they also have a whole lot of fun including the breaking of the turkey's wishbone as the final part to their Thanksgiving celebration. After the meat has been devoured and off the bones, they remove the wishbone, and when it has had a chance to become very dry and brittle, they put paper slips with their names on them in a small bowl and randomly draw out two slips. The two drawn get to each take one a single end of the bone, make a wish, and then pull! Trinity thinks that a wish would be very nice to have. What to wish for? Maybe for the scarey spiders to not bother her, a year of not running into things and then falling possibly, or for better weather with no scary thunderstorms. That is why Trinity fights tough with her own winning strategies the times she gets drawn to go. When Riley goes up for the wishbone, thoughts race. What to wish for? More Pie (especially lemon) would be fantastic, but someday getting to fly would be really cool. For things to stay as they are right now forever like they are, him and his family all together would be a very nice wish too. When Pheonix gets the chance to go up and win the wish, he usually has the same thing set in mind. What to wish for? Well for him to eventually get over his overly shyness and to be able to talk to others with ease would be it. Something else he wishes for is for someone that is not family to come along and actually want to befriend him and to try to be his friend without trying to force him to change like everyone else.
The next day isn't fun when they acknowledge the fact that they have a big pile of plates, utensils, pots, pans, and whatnot to wash. It's still a bonding moment for them though, and the trio will end up making it into a game or a nice, friendly competition.
(632 Words)
Favorite fall treat and why:
Everyone has a treat from the great fall feast that they've become fond of.
Riley has found, with pie for the beast, He's sent to heaven above.
He loves his pie, yet no one knows why, except that voice locked inside.
But come that day, with his pie, I pray, for there's a story he cannot hide.
You see what I say? That there was no way, for his story to stay untold.
So now, take a seat, have a scrumptious treat, and watch as the story unfolds.
When Riley was young, he would bite his tongue, and hold back the words he could say.
He had not the drive, nor the push to life, nor a light to show the way.
Then came a brother, a sister, he loved, And finally he found his voice.
He found a light, and it gave him the sight, to finally make his own choice.
He could give out his thoughts, and tell them a lot, of what he can't and can,
And it's through this idea, where we find to be a, way that this all first began.
With his siblings he trust, that thanks was a must, thus did start this task of his,
Where together they'd meet, with a tasty treat, to give thanks to a life he missed.
Or that's what was planned, until they lent a hand, and took them in on that day.
And his work became words, that his family soon heard, and repaid him in a strange way.
Pie, oh my, it was always the pie that they used to show him their love.
And every last time, he had pie with his rhyme, it was an angel sent from above.
Sent by a family, he thought couldn't be, He learned to love that sweet treat.
Now with pie on his plate, he could finally say "It, is finally time to eat."
Birds of a feather, do flock together, even once taken to sky.
And it's these first words, that Riley had heard, that brought him to love his pie.
(345 Words)
Short Story:
"Hey... Riley. Time to get up." A yawn stretched his maw as Riley quickly rolled over in his sleep, a light ringing echoing in his ear. Wait. That wasn't a ringing. Groaning, he cracked open an eye to meet that of his brother. "Phoenix..." He groaned as the other pulled on his ear to wake him more. "Come on Riley... you do remember what day it is... right?" His brothers words really got Riley's curiosity going. Day? What did that matter? Wait, what day was it? He groaned as he rose, stretching out to his full length before turning to face his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Okay. I'm missing something important, aren't I?" Phoenix just shook his head with amusement. "Does thanksgiving ring a bell?" Instantly awake, Riley pulled phoenix closer. "Thanksgiving? ... THANKSGIVING?!!" pushing him away, Phoenix landed with a grunt as Riley suddenly sped by him, ruffling his fur and feathers with excitement as he tried to make himself presentable. Then seeing Phoenix still on the ground rubbing his sore rump he snorted. "What are you sitting down there for? Shake them tail feathers and let's get moving! We can't leave everyone else cold turkey!" He said, rushing toward the exit. Phoenix groaned at the turkey puns, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile and pushed himself up, following after his brother in a much calmer manner.
"Woooaahh!!!" *Crash!* Faye looked over fondly as she recognized the sound of her eldest sons voice. "Glad to see that you've decided to join us." She said, ruffling Riley's head playfully. "Awe yea! It's going to take more that for me to lose my gizzard."She just smiled wider as Caspian gave a snort from his seat. It was then that Phoenix walked in, taking his seat at the dinner table. Riley quickly took his seat in between Phoenix and Trinity, eyeing all the food on the table with glee. Grabbing his silverware, he looked to his adopted parents with anticipation. Faye laughed at his enthusiasm while Caspian just shook his head. "Easy there butterball." He said, crossing his arms in front of him. "You're forgetting something." He groaned, hitting his face on the table as Trinity giggled at his antics. "Not again..." He muttered through the tablecloth as Phoenix patted his back with pity. "Come on Rye, It's not that bad." Trinity said, looking to her mother who nodded kindly. "She's right Riley. I'll even let you start." "N-no!" He said instantly perking. you see, the absolute worst thing for him to do would be to go first. This had to be one of his least liked family traditions. Every thanksgiving, right before the evening meal, he and his siblings would always have to say one thing that they're thankful for. Back then it was done in hope that they would remember all the good they still had. What makes it hard now is that he has so much good in his life that he never knows what to say. Obviously he can't say everything... that's a bit too generic. That's why he'd rather have somebody else start so he can try to think up something real quick.
Suddenly, Caspian's chuckle broke him from his thoughts. "Come on kiddo. We've got to start sometime." Panic lit him up as he turned to his siblings. Trinity, sensing her brothers panic, smoothly took over. "How about I start. Umm, well I guess I'm thankful for you guys." She turned to where the brothers were watching her, gratitude lighting Riley's eyes and Phoenix ducking his head with an embarrassed blush. Caspian and Faye shared a glance before turning back to the trio. "That was a very good one Trinity." Caspian says as the young viscling perked up. "What are you thankful for?" She asked her adopted father. His brows rose with surprise. "Me?" he asked pointing to himself as Trinity nodded. Riley grinned and clarified, "Yeah pops. What are you thankful for?" "hmm..." He took a moment to ponder before he spoke again. "I'd say you three." The trio of visclings looked surprised at his words. Faye nodded in agreement, taking his paw in her own. "I'd have to agree. You three have brought us quite the adventure. It wouldn't be the same without you." Their surprise quickly turned bashful at their adopted mothers words. Faye gave them all just a minute to prepare before she turned to Phoenix. "How about you Phoenix. What are you thankful for?" He only sat a moment before looking to his siblings with a smile. "I'm thankful for a home where we can gather together as one." Riley knew exactly why he said that. He too felt extremely grateful for the feeling of belonging and comfort that their new home provided. Everyone then turned to Riley. "And then there was one." Faye says jokingly as Trinity rested her paw on his arm. "So Rye, what is it that your thankful for?" He had thought, and thought, and finally he came to a conclusion. "I'm thankful for so many things but there has to be one that stands on the very top." Phoenix's ears pricked with curiosity. "And what's that?" Picking up his fork, Riley said but one thing before breaking out into a grin so wide that it seemed to take up half his face. "Pie."
"I feel like a turkey on thanksgiving." Riley said, looking to his siblings with a content look on his face. Phoenix looked back up before giving him a smile. "Stuffed?" He asked as Riley chuckled. "Yep." He looked back to the table. They still had so much food left over and he already felt like he couldn't eat another bite. "No need to push yourself, Riley dear." Faye says to him from where she had began packing up the food. Trinity stood beside her, holding a container of leftover cranberries which she obviously planned to stash for later. He never understood his sisters obsession with the stuff. Phoenix was obviously amazed and then Riley realized why. "How are you guys still moving?! You ate almost as much as we did and we can't even move! I feel like I have to role to get anywhere!" he said patting his food baby with a fond grin. Trinity rolled her eyes at the two. "Some of us actually have a little restraint." She says, her voice light with amusement. Suddenly Caspian rushed over. "Guess what?" He said, hiding something behind him. Riley looked over to him with curiosity. "What is it, old man?" Caspian's eye twitched with irritation but he let it go for now. Instead, he brought his hand forward, a dried wishbone in his grip. Three pairs of eyes lit up as Faye pulled a hat with five slips of paper in it. "Riley, you get to choose them this year." She said, holding it before the younger male. He looked up with excitement before reaching in and pulling two out. "Trinity and Phoenix." He says, looking to his siblings and crumpling the sheets of paper in his hand.
It was late now as Riley watched the stars from his seat on the grass. He looked over as he could hear the louder steps of Caspian come over. "Mind if I sit?" He asked. Riley gave a silent nod before turning his face back to the sky, closing his eyes to bask in the starlight and to enjoy the peace that came with it. Caspian watched him fondly, a small smile growing as he sat down, resting his arm on his knee and glancing up to the heavens. "I know what you did today." He said, causing Riley to break out of his revere and glance at him curiously. "And what's that?" Riley asked, wondering what his new father spoke about. Caspian just chuckled, his eyes meeting the amber one's of the younger. "With the wishbone. It was your name that was drawn. Not Trinity's." Riley couldn't help the embarrassed blush that lit his face. "O-oh, yeah. That." The elders eyes burned with curiosity as their connection broke, Riley's head facing the dirt in embarrassment. "What I can't seem to figure out ..." Caspian caught the others attention once more, "...is why. Do you not want you wish fulfilled?" Riley just grinned, rubbing his neck a bit as he said, "I didn't need it." This surprised him but he still didn't understand. Seeing the confusion, Riley decided to elaborate. "You see, Who needs a wish when theirs has already come true? I have a home, a family... what more could I need?" This caused Caspian to freeze. Then e broke into laughter as he ruffled the mane on his son's head. "H-hey!!!" Riley exclaimed, the red creeping back up his cheeks. "What's so funny?!" Caspian just shook his head fondly. "We'd best be going inside. It's getting late. We don't want you getting sick." Riley stood with a grin, rushing to stand beside his father. "You sound worried. You must be getting soft in your old age." Riley said but there was no bite to his words. Caspian just laughed. "At least I've grown out of my baby fluff." He said before racing ahead. Riley shouted in irritation, racing to catch up and show his father how grown up he actually was. The stars in the sky watched on with mirth as the pair retreated to their home. They would remember this moment, forever brightened by the innocence of youth and the pride of a father. After all, the stars never forget.
(1,592 Words)
