On the eve of the Full Moon Feast, Plucky's mother decided to prepare her famous stew. Plucky's job was to stand on a wooden stool to one side of the stew pot and stir the soup with a wooden spoon nearly as large as he was. Meanwhile, his mother would add peeled and diced potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, and peas. She finished the stew with her secret mix of spices. Once the soup was ready, Plucky and his mother would focus on cleaning the rest of the kitchen. Plucky's mother would sing to him while they worked. She had the most beautiful voice Plucky had ever heard. She told him she formed a choir with her friends long before Plucky was born. With the blessing of the Lions, their performance became a staple at each Full Moon Feast. Even the birds stopped chirping to listen. This particular night, she sang:
Another year has come and gone We're thankful for our lovely home May tomorrow bring peace and joy To every girl and every boy! Blessed be this special day
That we may wipe all tears away And if sorrow should cross our path May happiness be ours at last.
It was very late, so Plucky's mother sent him to bed. His mother would finish cleaning the kitchen. Plucky draped his favorite blue overalls on the back of his chair. He then put on his pajamas, which consisted of a brown undershirt that hung down to his knees. He climbed into bed and snuggled underneath a blue and green quilt that his mother had knitted especially for him.
Every night before bed, Plucky would gaze at the stars through his window. He enjoyed trying to form faces and shapes with the stars. Soon, his eyelids grew heavy. With his right paw, he would grasp the ruby pendant and murmur, "Good night, Father."
Before Plucky knew it, it was morning. The first rays of the sun crept across the curtain, then crept along until they reached Plucky's face. As if ordered to, Plucky awoke, eager to start his day. In excitement, the blanket twisted around his legs, and he tumbled onto the floor. He stood up and grabbed his overalls as he broke into a run through the kitchen. His mother called for him to slow down: no running was allowed inside their home. Plucky slowed down just in time as he almost tripped on a rug. He made his way through the back door. His mother draped a clean towel over his shoulders. Plucky yanked the towel off of him before climbing into the bathtub. He misstepped and fell head-first. His mother could not help but laugh. Plucky bathed himself and dried himself off with the towel. This time he walked back through the kitchen and into his room to dress.
After donning his overalls, he drew the curtain open to see the transformation of the Forest better. It was an incredible sight, with each new year somehow surpassing the previous year in elegance. There was much yet to be done, and Plucky spotted his friends already at work. Plucky, disregarding his mother's last reminder, ran outside to be with his friends.
Beavers were busy wiping down and polishing logs. Bears carried tree stumps and heavy stones and positioned them for use as seating. Plucky's friends' mothers gathered fallen leaves from across the field. Others handed out tiaras woven from vines, branches, and flowers. Above Plucky, there was a lot of movement as well. He sometimes heard birds and squirrels hanging streamers made from vines, leaves, and other ornaments.
After the more giant bears had finished arranging the seating area, they took a well-deserved break. Others began placing torches around the perimeter but did not light them as of yet. Across the meadow, Plucky saw his mother rehearsing with the choir. At that moment, Plucky's friends regained his attention. They wanted to fish by the river. Plucky hesitated, glanced at his mother once more, then snuck off. One of his friends said he found a place where a tree fell across the river, forming a natural bridge. He figured they weren't technically breaking the rules by fishing atop the tree. That made sense to Plucky. To make matters interesting, whoever caught the biggest fish would be first in line when the Feast began.
The contest ended a few hours later with Thomas (a tiger cub) having caught an enormous red salmon. Plucky claimed a distant second place. On the plus side, Plucky was happy he would not have to clean and cook his fish. As sneakily as they could manage, they crept back towards the meadow, not a moment too soon. Plucky's mother locked eyes with him - he had been caught. She gave him the signal for him to fetch the stew pot. Plucky handed his fish to his friends, then hurried home to get the cauldron. Once outside, his friends were at the ready to help push the pot toward the serving area. They stopped moving once they reached the tables.
The sun was nearing the horizon in the clear winter sky. The moon was already visible, gracing the heavens with its unique blue glow. Plucky gazed upward, amazed at his first glimpse of the Blue Moon in his life.
The preparations for the Feast had now been completed. Everyone quickly and quietly found their seats and turned their attention toward the north part of the meadow. Not a heartbeat later, dozens of birds of paradise lifted off their respective branches and seamlessly flew upwards in an interlocking pattern arranged especially for the Feast. All in all, it was a truly magical sight to see. They began to sing:
The Full Moon Feast, the Full Moon Feast, For every creature, doe, and beast
The time has finally come at last
For this, our annual repast
Let us all sing with hope and mirth Remembering our values and our worth We shan't regret, we shan't despair Let's only bring our dreams to share The Full Moon Feat will soon begin
All eyes towards the Lions' den!
At the word 'den,' the torches were simultaneously lit. In response, 'oohs' and 'aahs' emanated from the seated audience. In unison, everyone stood up with their heads bowed. The ceremonial portion of the Feast was about to begin.
One by one, the seven Lions advanced out of the shady north side of the meadow. One by one, they moved towards the alternating boulders and tree stumps. These were no ordinary lions as one might find in a zoo or nature today. These Lions were twice as large. Their manes were also markedly different: they sparkled under the light of the torches, giving the impression they were on fire. It was a fearful sight to behold.
The first Lion to appear advanced on the far left. He was the Lion of Earth. His skin and mane were a reddish brown. He stood behind the first boulder and waited. The second Lion to advance was the Lion of air. A single blue streak embellished his mane. He moved forward towards the next tree stump. The third Lion, the Lion of Water, then advanced toward his boulder. His mane was constantly soaked, regardless of the weather. To the right of the central stump, the Lion of the Sun appeared. His mane was a brilliant yellow. He was followed by the Lion of the Moon, whose mane was a radiant blue, similar to the Moon itself. He stopped before the final stone. The sixth Lion was the Lion of the Stars. His mane and skin shone a soft white. In one fluid motion, they all bowed their heads. Then, the seventh Lion, the Lion of Life, paced forward. He stood about a head taller than the other six Lions. He opened his mouth with a mighty roar, frightening all the birds and smaller creatures. Plucky himself cupped his ears in an attempt to silence the sound. At length, the roar faded into silence. The other six Lions raised their heads and positioned themselves in their respective seats. A gentle breeze blew through the center of the forest. The torch flames danced in response. The Great Lion, now standing triumphant, proclaimed with a clear, crisp voice:
"'It was on this night eight years ago that the Full Moon last shone blue upon us. We are gathered here on this very night to honor the Moon. We must also remember how precious peace is, for there was a time when the stability of our land was dangling by a spider's thread.
We must never forget how the witch nearly covered our world in an eternal blanket of shadow. We all suffered greatly by her paw, but destiny smiled upon us again, and we emerged victorious.
Our past is not the definition of who we are as individuals and as families. If we allow our past to define us, the sorceress has won.
Today is a day of commemoration when we pay tribute to the loved ones we have lost. We honor those who died in defense of our beloved forest. How can we honor their memory? Their courage? We do so by never giving up on ourselves, just as they did not give up on us when we all fought for our lives. We must never give up so long as we draw breath in this world. Today is also a day of celebration. The Full Moon Feast was never intended to diminish our morale. Again, we are not here solely to weep for our loved ones but to celebrate their lives and impact on our own. Today, significantly, we who remain in this forest strengthen our ties. So long as we remain united in spirit, we shall overcome any evil we may encounter. Let the Full Moon Feast begin!"
Upon hearing this, the seven Lions lifted their heads and joyously roared. Plucky wondered if such a sound could ever be repeated. He feared he would go deaf before the feast was through. As discreetly as possible, he rushed to his spot behind his friend, waiting in line to be served. The sun had since set, and the torches illuminated the field in all their glory.
Then the Great Lion tensed up, sniffed the air, and turned his gaze to the east. The other Lions followed suit. The change in the atmosphere quickly spread and was noticed by everyone else. It was then that two new noises were audible: a constant low growl punctuated by blaring trumpets. The accompanying rumbling steadily grew louder. The barking of what could only be a large number of hyenas was recognized. A wave of panic washed across the field. The Lions called for everyone to gather their children as quickly as they could and return to their homes. Clay plates cracked, and Plucky's mother's stew was forgotten. The Lion of Air floated all the birds' nests away from the approaching danger.
In the ensuing confusion, Plucky cried out to his mother. She found him first and scooped him up with one arm as she rushed home. Once inside, she locked the door and drew the curtains shut, despite Plucky's eager curiosity to see what was happening outside. She succeeded in pulling him away from the window, so he clutched his pendant - his other source of comfort. The noise outside was deafening but suddenly stopped, giving way to tense silence.
