#{♟️sorry i left you hanging cricket. i didn't mean to. i love you. };

[ambitiousness]

"A thank you is more than enough, Cricket." Though if he could use the opportunity to learn more about the Thri-Kreen, Gale was not going to pass it up. "It would hardly be appropriate to expect something in return for a birthday gift, after all."

And, speaking of birthdays. "You mentioned some questions? I'm happy to oblige."

@karsussfolly sent

"Hello, Cricket! I heard it was your birthday. I've brought you a little gift I arranged in some downtime, it's nothing too extravagant unfortunately, but I made do with what I could given our circumstances." The mage hands forth a picture frame, scavenged along their travels—the glass is missing and the backing is covered by a fine velvet, and pinned precariously in the center of the frame is a butterfly, a pale grey in color and definitely not a local specimen. Care has clearly been put into the way it's arranged. "These butterflies have been seen coming out of the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep the last few years. I caught a few for potential spell components but thought you might appreciate such a unique specimen."

 𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙺𝙴𝚃'𝚂  𝙱𝙸𝚁𝚃𝙷𝙳𝙰𝚈 .

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       He quite enjoyed Gale on a daily basis so far.      Always the wise one of their party, always very much open to discussing topics Cricket was unfamiliar with, no matter how trivial the insect's questions might seem to a human. He was a gift in himself. Someone the Thri-Kreen already treasured.

It was only a matter of time until the wizard caught up on that thing called birthday. If the druid heard of said event earlier, no shot he would have scuttled to Gale's tent, asking what all that was about.

     ❝ Ah, yes, birthday. I wanted to ask some questio- ❞     Amber eyes behind his glasses flicked towards the man's spell. Cricket momentarily forgot about his planned query, tilting  &  angling his head, marvelling at that specimen. Waterdeep. Ah yes, that is where the human came from. 

   He wanted to share a piece of his home with the Thri-Kreen   ?

An excited chirping sound came from the druid as soon as bony hands got hold of the frame.     ❝ This is preserved quite well, Gale. How does one show enough appreciation for such present   ?   Does a simple thank you even suffice   ? ? ❞