Cerise

    Cerise is a shy, young Slogmok. She doesn't remember much of her life before she was adopted by the gentle giant who now acts as her guardian. When she calls for him in her soft voice, his name comes out sounding like a tiny, plaintive mewling – ee-uu, ee-uu. Where other 'pets and their petpets seem to be best friends, the relationship between Cerise and Ew-ew is more like that of a baby with its mother. Cerise's natural movements are quite slow and her short limbs make it even more difficult to keep up with her larger-than-average friend, so the two have naturally settled on a method of symbiotic locomotion where Cerise clings onto Ew-ew's spikes or tail and Ew-ew then, in turn, does not need to pause every three steps to wait for the Slogmok to catch up.

    Despite the inconvenience of having this literal hanger-on in his life, Ew-ew does not seem to mind the sudden addition and responsibility. With each day that passes his affection for the little petpet grows, and he takes pride in his ability to care for his young charge. The two have only been together for roughly half a year, but Ew-ew can already see the huge strides that Cerise has made. When he found her, she was a bony little thing, scared of her own shadow, and too timid to make even the tiniest sound. In the six or seven months since he adopted her, she's filled out and even grown a bit, her fur is soft and groomed, and her voice can be remarkably demanding when she's peeping to get his attention. Granted, she still frightens easily, and she often hides beneath his tail, but Ew-ew is certain that she'll gain more confidence in time.

    The huge Skeith was once a small Skeith, and he remembers when he himself crouched cold and trembling in the underbrush, hiding from every snap of a twig and rush of wind. Getting to a place where he felt safe and comfortable, and strong enough to feel even a bit of confidence in his own self was a long journey, and every day he feels incredibly grateful to those who have helped him along the way. And now, for him to be able to play that role of protector and mentor towards another being, he knows he will do his absolute best never to let Cerise down.

    A lot of people who see the pair walking through the Marketplace or standing in line at the Ice Cream Cart will pause and do a double-take. The huge lumbering Mutant Skeith and the tiny fuzzball of a Slogmok don't seem particularly well-matched at first glance. Most people expect Skeiths to take on companions that are more hardy in appearance. But Ew-ew doesn't mind the stares. He just glances down softly at Cerise to see if she's all right, and the two go calmly about their business. Ew-ew has dealt with this type of behavior almost his entire life, and he has come to the conclusion that the easiest way to open the minds of others is to simply use his own life to set an example. And so long as the Skeith exudes a gentle calm, Cerise feels secure in the feeling that nothing can be terribly wrong. And when Cerise is relaxed and happy, Ew-ew feels a warmth in his heart that makes him too feel that nothing can be terribly wrong.