text: Martin Moose was coming of age. A perky young stud. He was a Moose with lustre and potential, the universe was at his hooves. Martin was in fact a Moose who stood upright and dressed head to toe in clothing associated with a person of similar description to him minus the being a moose. He and his posse of other animal friends who's first and last names were alliterated, their first names being common forenames and their surnames being the species of animal they were. He and his posse, wow! What a bunch. Well it would be fitting to call this boisterous bunch a pack of party animals, but make no mistake, they were hard working animals that put some real graft into their studies at Animal University. They found a release from their day to day lives through the animal pool hall. Nobody loved the animal pool hall more than Martin Moose. A place were Martin could meet his peers, rack ehm up, shoot ehm and now and then court the local cows. It was Martin Moose's safe haven, his escape hatch from the harsh reality of animal life. One could say Martin Moose was moulded into the Moose he was through many an evening at the animal pool hall. Nights at the animal pool hall always had the potential to get a little wild, and believe you me they often did. One such night was the birthday party of Megan Mayfly. Megan Mayfly had just turned 14 hours old and the usual suspects were out in force. Never had Martin Moose seen the ol' hall so crowded. Martin couldn't so much as shake off his palmates without injuring one of his animal pals. A flurry of furry fun ensued and the night motored on. What a blast Martin Moose was having, shooting pool and catching up with animals he hadn't seen in an age. Amist the hustle and bustle of the party Martin Moose spotted Warren Wallaby hopping through the front door. Martin barraged his way through a sea of bodies to be the first to greet Warren Wallaby. Martin had always admirred Warren Wallaby. Ever since Martin was a calf he strove to emulate Warren Wallaby. Warren was an enigmatic wallaby who had gained a reputation through his ice cold demeanor. Martin Moose was infatuated with the idea of Warren Wallaby, who represented a jagged edge that Martin never truly had, being a moose that stayed on the straight and narrow. Whispers on the Animal University corridors spoke of lore surrounding the exploits of Warren Wallaby. He was rumoured to be anything from a petty thug to the Al Capone of wallabies. Martin Moose didn't know what it was Warren Wallaby got up to in his spare time, and he didn't really care. The unknown excited Martin Moose and injected inferno into his crystallised world. Alas, Martin greeted Warren Wallaby and they sat together, perched on two high stools overlooking the action on the animal pool table. Warren Wallaby was always open to Martin Moose's company. Truthfully Martin's desperation for his companionship sent Warren Wallaby on an ego trip he never could refuse. He didn't hold Martin Moose in high regard, all the animals could see it, all but Martin Moose. They spoke for almost an hour, never uttering anything meaningful or of substance, flapping heads. That changed when Warren Wallaby's black beady eyes lit up, as though he had awoken from a slumber, he was in the room for the first time in the night. He gestured to Martin Moose with a flick of his ear, pointing to the litterbox room. A curious Martin Moose obliged without hesitation and he followed Warren Wallaby as he hopped towards the litterbox room. Alone they stood, Warren Wallaby sported a dasterdly smirk as he gazed at Martin Moose from under his brow. Warren then slid his claw into his pocket, he didn't have a pouch as he is a male wallaby, he was wearing baggy jeans. From his pocket he flashed a small plastic zip lock bag containing white powder. Martin Moose's heart skipped a beat and a hot flush came over him. Martin was a naive moose but he knew exactly what Warren Wallaby's intentions were. Martin Moose had never taken drugs, granted he enjoyed some ale now and then, but he came from a family of catholic moose with strong moral values. Before Martin Moose could so much as flinch Warren Wallaby opened the bag and drew a small silver spoon from his jeans. He scooped out a generous serving of the powder and snorted it right up his snout. Warren Wallaby took a long deep breath, and then like a house on fire began wailing with furious anger as he frantically bounced around the litterbox room. Hopping from the floor to the wall and anywhere else he could launch himself from, now screaming out incoherently. Warren Wallaby abruptly composed himself. Panting and drueling he stared right through Martin Moose and softly propositioned "Let's let the moose loose". Martin Moose gulped. Warren's rampage had left him shell shocked. Martin wanted out of this situation pronto, but he was stuck, he had to face this situation palmates on. In a split second Martin Moose had an eternal internal battle that he had been having his entire life, would he walk on the wild side and allign himself with the wallaby he had worshipped from calfhood or did he possess the moral fibre to be true to the moose he was and reject Warren Wallaby's sinister offer. He knew what he had to do. A shaken and torn Martin Moose turned down Warren Wallaby. With a shake of his head Warren Wallaby turned his tail and hopped away, murmuring about square moose. Left isolated in the litterbox room Martin Moose pressed his elbows against the sink and looked deep into a dirtied mirror. The moose he locked eyes with in that mirror was not Martin Moose. He didnt recognised this particular moose, but he liked what he saw. He let his reflective moment pass by and marched back out into the ocean of animal pals. He and his oldest friend Gary Gnu shot some pool, Martin Moose considered telling Gary about the experience he went through earlier in the night but thought better of it. It was a monumental moment for Martin Moose and built the foundations of who he is as a moose. Such a moving personal experience is precious and for that precious experience he had Warren Wallaby to thank. He pondered if Warren would one day have a life altering experience like his but he let it go, he let Warren Wallaby go and closed the book, a book he had opened as a calf, gently closed by a man.