Published: February 10th 2022, 8:46:58 am
Pt. 1+2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4 Pt. 5 Pt. 6 Pt. 7 Pt. 8 Pt. 9 Pt. 10 Pt. 11
"Come on, little human. Come and get your kibbles!"
I grunted and made a face but didn't dare speak. We had woken up from our nice nap to the sound of my tummy growling. Apparently blue juice was not a complete diet. My minders, or "playmates", Laffy and Maffy took out my pacifier on the condition that I don't speak without express permission. I wasn't about to risk losing that privilege, even if it meant putting up with more of the pet treatment.
"Good boy," said Laffy, petting my head as I began to eat my kibble. I refused to eat on all fours, though. I made a point to sit and eat in as dignified manner as possible, pretending they were cheese poofs as I popped them in my mouth. The two otters looked at each other and began to giggle. I guess they got a real kick out of the human feeding himself.
"This is the first time we've seen you feed yourself! We didn't know if you were able to," said Laffy, once they got their giggles under control.
I just raised an eyebrow and popped another piece of kibble into my mouth.
"He makes that look good," said Maffy.
"Yeah, can I have some?" asked Laffy. I growled. They grinned, crowding me and slipping their sneaky otter paws past all my defenses to get to the kibble. Of course they were only playing. They didn't really want to steal my lunch. Really, it turned into another excuse to tickle me.
"He's so sensitive! Guess that's what happens when you don't have any fur!" said Laffy.
"I do believe he's already getting soggy!" chided Maffy, grinning and shaking his head.
I simply laughed, because I couldn't do much else with their agile paws finding all my weak points with ease. When I finally caught my breath, one of the creatures had decided to hold me in a hug from behind, lying on his back and pulling me back along with him. I felt like the clam on an otter's belly. It had never occurred to me how comfortable being that clam must be. At least until the otter bashed the rock into it.
"This is how we eat," said Maffy, the one who had been holding me. I cringed as I expected him to start gobbling me up (for pretend of course), but that's not what happened. Instead he reached out and picked up a single piece of kibble, then popped it into his mouth. "See? We lie on our backs and we put our food on our bellies like a table." He put a few more pieces of kibble on my bare belly as an example.
"Just like an earth otter," I muttered before gasping and covering my mouth.
"Uh, oh." said Maffy. "The little one spoke without permission."
"Guess it's a good thing it's mealtime or that pacifier would go right back in," said Laffy. "But is it true that your planet has creatures like... us?"
I just nodded. And then, pausing to make sure it was alright, I slowly removed my hands from my mouth and elaborated. They encouraged me to tell them more.
"Well... we have... creatures that look like just about all of you... Master... And all the green ones by the tree too."
"Mmm, makes sense," said Maffy.
"But they aren't smart like you," I added. "I mean they can't speak."
"Musteloids are everywhere in the galaxy by now," said Maffy. "We seeded the stars long ago. They must be our primitive relatives. Sometimes we keep them as pets, but not often. It feels a little... weird having a pet that looks so close to yourself."
I could imagine. Though, the notion of me being a pet felt pretty darn weird too.
"You know you're really lucky," said Maffy, apparently following a similar train of thought. "...you couldn't have picked a better master to serve... this family is one of the wealthiest and most good natured there is."
I cringed at his choice of words. How could that be when they took sentient beings like me from their homes at their whim?
"But why?" I asked. "Why did Master take me?"
"I did it because I could," said Master, causing us all to jump.
"Oh, did I give you a scare?" he said with a little smile.
The two otters and I all looked down like we had gotten our hands caught in the cookie jar.
"I think that's enough playtime for today, you two. I'll take it from here."
"Yes, young master," the two said in unison, snapping to attention.
"Although I guess we shouldn't call you young anymore now that you've gotten banded!" added Laffy, cheerily. Maffy cuffed him lightly on the head.
"Show a little more respect, brother."
"It's quite alright," said Master. "I'm not offended. You can call me whichever you prefer. But go ahead and get dressed and go now. We can't keep you here all day."
"Aww, but I like it here," said Laffy. Maffy glared and tugged him by the ear toward the slide where they had left their clothes last.
Once they were gone, Daddy turned his attention back to me. The 10-foot green Marten was quite intimidating standing over me as he was, and if it weren't for his friendly, goofy face, I might be scared.
"You were saying...?"
I covered my mouth, horrified that I had been seen without my pacifier in, and Daddy chuckled.
"Oh, human. You make me laugh. I only really needed to make sure you stayed quiet during the family meeting. Here, it's fine for you to speak - if a musteloid allows it. Now, you had a question for me?"
"Why," I asked again. "Why did you take me? And why me specifically?"
Daddy looked up like he was thinking and then said, "I could say it was because of population control... how we can't have children.... I could even say it was for the prestige of capturing an undiscovered species...., but really, I did it because I like you. I think you're cute. I know you're cute because I observed you in your natural habitat before I ever decided to take you home. And since you were found in the wild, I could take you without compunction."
I didn't find his answer particularly satisfying, flattering as he attempted to be.
"You make an excellent pet, spot. Has anyone told you that?"
"Only you and your cousins" I said, hardly believing this conversation was even taking place.
"Yes, well, when we said you're family, we meant it. Yes, you're the family pet, but you are also one of us now. Part of our clan. Under our protection. Part of our lineage - since we don't get to have any children of our own. You might even be allowed to grow up one day... thought probably not, since none of us will be getting any older to require any heirs."
I looked down at the tag hanging from my collar. I imagined being one of those pampered pets that vengeful billionaire matriarchs leave all their fortune to.
I looked down at the goofily large diaper between my legs. That was me... a pampered pet. Literally!
"Oh well," said Daddy, finally. "Daddy is finished with his social obligations, so why don't we take you out to the market. You'll learn more about your new home on the way, and we might even find you something fun as well!"
"Do I have to wear the pacifier?" I asked.
"Can you be good?" he responded.
I nodded, but then spoke up, not sure that all their gestures carried the same meaning or translated. "Yes, Daddy." I said.
"Good boy, spot," he said, petting my head. "Then let's get you changed and ready to go."