Rumpelteazer slunk up to Asparagus' den and peered silently inside. The old tom was facing with his back toward the entrance and quietly occupied. Teazer signaled for the others to gather around his den, placing a paw to her mouth for silence. Each cat holding their own gift, they snuck up by Rumpelteazer, waiting to give the surprise. Mistoffelees counted to three wordlessly.

"Surprise!" They all burst through his den, holding his presents aloft and shouting.

Asparagus jumped slightly at the sound of all their voices. He turned around to face them all, smiling bewilderedly, and came over to investigate.

"Happy birthday, Asparagus!" Pouncival held forth the card they'd created for him, covered in paw prints.

Asparagus accepted it, smiling warmly, and glancing at Pouncival's blue muzzle. "Why, thank you, everyone. It's lovely! Did you all make this?"

Pouncival nodded quickly. Jemima, Misto, and Bomba held up a few blue paws. Asparagus chuckled.

"And we each brought you presents as well," Cassandra stepped forward.

"Oh, my!" Asparagus smiled, quite surprised.

Cassandra brought forth her pink powder puff and placed it at Asparagus' feet. He looked down at it, quietly examining it. Cassandra stepped backward and Bombalurina came forward with her ribbon, laying it at his feet. Asparagus still said nothing, and she shuffled backward. A small wave of shame began to move through the cats. They each looked down at the gift they had to give. How small and pitiful they looked! Pouncival and Misto dropped their Junkyard creation with the other gifts, tails trailing in the dirt. Pouncival's cheeks burned as he stared at the rusty can, the frayed yarn, and the old box. It isn't even a real present, he thought. It isn't even a real anything at all. Asparagus looked closely at it, but still said nothing. Misto swallowed. Jemima nosed the ball over and added it to the pile. It jingled lightly as it went. Asparagus looked her in the eyes as she deposited it, and Jemima backed up humbly. Last of all, Rumpelteazer dragged her paws as she stepped forward, looking the meekest of all. She dropped the feathers on top of the other offerings, and they fluttered down one by one. Ears falling, she returned to sit down with the others. Misto's whiskers were drooping considerably low. They sat with baited breath, musing over the insignificance of their gifts.

Asparagus reached down and gathered up each gift. He picked up the junk contraption and examined it lightly. Pouncival cringed.

Asparagus turned it over in his paws. He smiled.

Misto spoke, "It's not much, but..." he couldn't finish.

Asparagus looked up, his expression showed compassion and almost a sadness that the two tomkits felt this way. Misto and Pounce were held in his gaze for a moment. Their spirits lifted slightly, their ears and whiskers rising as well. Asparagus looked on both of them fondly, his eyes shining with affection. Every cat's shame began to dissolve away, replaced with a small hope.

Asparagus arranged the kits' creation on the ground. He carefully folded the card in half, and placed it gently inside the box. He then took the pink powder puff and put it in the box as well. He picked up Jemima's ball, and placed it in the can, where it bounced with a merry jingle. He lifted up the beautiful ribbon and tied it in a careful and elegant bow on the ragged, yellow yarn. Last of all, smiling, he gathered the speckled pheasant feathers, one by one, and placed them in an array in the tin can. He laid a paw on each individual gift fondly, and then picked up the new, whole gift as if it were a precious treasure.

"This," he said, smiling affectionately at Pouncival and Mistoffelees, "is exactly what I needed."

The two tomkits glowed with pride. They stood up and hugged him, purring. Asparagus chuckled, looking up at the others, inviting them in on the furry hug. Bomba, Jemima, Rumpel, and finally Cassandra made their way over to him, finding their place in the warm, fuzzy embrace.

"'Appy birfday!" Rumpel squeaked.

Asparagus gave a warm laugh.

"Thank you, cats," he purred. "You've made an old tom's birthday perfect."