Happy Birthday Duck!

"I'm late! I'm late! Oh my God! She's going to have a fit", screamed Silo as she ran towards Granny's house with a huge cake in her hand. As she scampered across Evergaldes, the zillion beads on her back made a loud trinkling sound making her running partner, me, giggle with delight.

Are you wondering why we are running with a cake in hand? Or why the porcupine is having so many beads on her quills? Well today is...no wait let me start at the beginning.

It all started one late summer evening by the shores of Lake Mochassa. Let me see, there was Yuri, Gif, Boaz,Silo and me. Griz was getting ready for her slumber party so we excused her and Duck was nowhere to be seen.

Well, you see Duck was like that. She disappeared now and then and over the years we had learnt to let her be. It wasn't that she hated our company, though Gif claims at times we do ruffle too many of her feathers. Anyway, it must've been the cool breeze from the lake or the setting sun sending many golden ripples our way, we just knew we had to have a party.

"Let's have a secret party for Duck", I said. 

"Does that mean we keep it a secret from her?" asked Yuri. 

Gif half-opened her eyes and gave Yuri a look as if to say 'Where did you land from'. Now Yuri was this Chinese panda born to a Japanese dad who had just come to our jungle and everything was new and fascinating to her. Infact, the other day....wait! That is not important. Let me get back to my story.

"No silly. We do everything as a suprise and then call Duck. Then we hide in the dark and..." Before Boaz could complete her sentence, Yuri jumped in, " We hide so Duck comes and sees there's no one and goes away. And we eat the cake? Right?"

"NO",  we all screamed in unison.

Sigh. Multi-cultural friendships are tough, I tell you.

"We hide and when Duck walks in we scream 'Surprise' and then celebrate her birthday. Got it" said Gif.

We could tell Yuri was confused but the darling that she is, she offered to bring her Mom's Firecracker Pakodas for the party.

Of course, it being a surprise party we HAD to tell the whole jungle. Thankfully Dee was not around to listen to the yapping monkeys. Hours were spent at Mango Mumpteen finalising the plans for the party. Tiny, the elephant offered to hang the banners across the banyan tree and we were all for it until we realised it was a surprise party.

Silo was in charge of the birthday cake. And that answers why Silo has the cake in her hand. As for the beads, she decided last evening that she needed to make a fashion statement. We spent all this morning stringing every single quill of hers with beads and now we are late for the party.

I still feel beads are not for porcupines but who listens to me??

Just as we reached Granny's home, Gif walked out.

"You guys are late. What took you so long? Silo what are those things hanging all over you?"

Silo gave her a glare and walked in, shaking her beads as she passed us.

Completely out of breath, I managed to gasp, "So is Dee in already?"

Gif winked and replied, "Well she is not a Princess for nothing. We just sent an entourage led by Griz to bring her."

I smiled at her and sat on a toadstool. It was going to be an awesome party. I just knew it. So why don't you guys join us in wishing Princess Dee a very Happy Birthday!