Pets Ahoy

When Twist had first found that mysterious egg on top of their porch, he'd hardly expected it to be anything more than candy. Giving of chocolates and other sweets around the springtime was a common tradition among pacas. Giving of a living critter he'd have to take responsibility for was a new one entirely. He supposed he couldn't hold it against the slithery snekkets, not any more than you could hold it against the actions of any other animal that might bond with a paca as a pet. Still, he wished he'd had more heads up..

But had pacas underestimated the intelligence of snekkets, if they could have holidays at all? That still didn't seem right. Magic gave many beings of their world many, many odd and wonderful abilities, but how it could tie into this Twist couldn't quite fathom.

Whatever he thought of the peculiar snekket holiday, the particular snekket now a resident of this household appeared to be getting accustomed to it quite quickly. His roommates had all been hopelessly enamored with the hatchling, not in the least of which happened to be Donut who the snekket practically appeared to be a clone of. 

This alone raised more questions... Though only so many, seeing as Donut had been quite vocal about wanting a pet. Nobody in the house was fully opposed, but nobody, Donut included, could ever narrow down what they wanted. Twist had little opinion on the whole thing, other than bits of anxiety of the potential monstrosities that might show up in the living room one day. 

Despite SugarShell's good-natured needling him about it, Twist couldn't hide that he still had a soft spot for animals. All it took was one lick from the starry-eared hatchling to soften his opinion of recent events. Twist fought hard to be the voice of maturity in the house, and as he stared into the beady eyes before him he knew he had to give everything he had to make sure this creature was taken care of. 

Monet, of course, had helped significantly. Not just with information, but supplies to help the snekket to settle in. Even then, the pacas had much more to gather if the snekket they had since dubbed Sprinkles were to become a happy permanent resident. Many more exchanges with the local townsfolk took place, along with the craftier pacas like Taffi and SugarShell working on nubmade necessities for them like blankets, food bowls, and even a bed for Sprinkles.

Not that the bed did much good. Occasionally when everyone in the house was busy or away, one of the pacas would come into the main room to see Sprinkles coiled up in their pastel blue fluffy hideout. But every night, Sprinkles would flit into one of the pacas' rooms and curl up with them in bed. 

Twist themselves was a rather light sleeper. Not only would he often be awoken by the snekket plopping on his pillow and digging at the sheets to settle themselves in, the anxious squeaks that sometimes erupted from Sprinkles in their dreams would often do the same. As the big softie that he was the green paca couldn't bring himself to be upset, only just glad he didn't have to keep as regular a schedule as some of the others that he lived with. 

Getting accustomed to one pet, however, was just the beginning. Or at least according to Sprinkles' plans it was. 

One day, as Twist came home from the town with some ingredients for that day's meal, Donut hurriedly ran up to them with a look of both anxiety and eager excitement. "Sprinkles got out today," they started, watching as Twist's pupils immediately widened. "She ran out through the front door after a bird. She even started flying after it, I couldn't catch her." By now Twist had started to look exceptionally worried, with one of their ears now involuntarily twitching. 

"No no no no don't worry," Donut quickly added, waving their front nubs frantically, "She's back!! But-..." A small pause followed as they tugged the still flabergasted Twist along with them. "Look."

A different type of surprise now took hold of Twist's face as they both stepped into one of the side rooms. In a cuddle pile in the middle of the room lay Sprinkles, along with a quite random-seeming trio of smaller creatures. One a cross between a fish and an eel, a piece of cheese that somehow had a face, and.. a yellow balloon animal? If it too didn't appear to be breathing, Twist would have written it off as a mere toy or party favor. As if perfectly in tune to when Twist had a chance to fully take in the site, Donut continued, "I came back home to them like this. I haven't had the heart to wake them. Do you-..?"

Twist immediately shook his head. "I have no idea what these are." His face remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but frown internally. From one pet which he'd already been hesitant about, to a potential three more in almost no time at all. More asking around, more research, now including figuring out where they could be safely released or who they belonged to..

While Sprinkles seemed so comfortable with them, Twist wasn't sure if they'd be up to the task of three more new creatures. Nothing much had happened just yet. But as Twist moved to the kitchen to finally put away the food he'd come back with, he knew in his gut the trio would likely end up living with them just the same. With the four pacas living here he knew it would be manageable, but he still wasn't sure if he was ready for all the change it would involve. With any luck two of the three appeared more magical than biological, and wouldn't require much care. 

"Well?!" 

Twist almost dropped the jar of honey in his nubs as Donut poised the question behind him with an unmistakable excitement. 

"We'll see. You better do your share of cleaning up after them if we do."