1st floor Study room: Monster in distress

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The weekend had been terrible. People had been wandering around more than usual, and there had been strange, furry creatures about. Furry meant dangerous. Berthold had been stuck in a small room on the first floor, with no food within reach. He was now starving, and lay sniffling under the table. His humans might not find him before it'd be too late.

[Locked to someone.]

Comments

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

The Shy Creature was wandering by in the vents and heard the sniffling coming from the usually empty room. A quick glance through the grate revealed no one in the room. Carefully, making sure that she was completely invisible, she removed the vent cover and slipped into the room, looking around for any humans.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold sensed someone was there and pulled the blanket closer around himself. He let out a muffled squeal, hoping that the intruder wasn't furry.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

When Shy Creature heard the squeal and saw the movement under the table, she froze. When it was obvious that whatever was hiding under there was more scared than she was, and that it couldn't be a human, she sat down a few feet away from the table and very very slowly made herself visible.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Whatever this was, it wasn't furry. Berthold shivered, but slowly extended a tentacle from under the blanket.

The intruder might have food. He was so very hungry.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature did in fact have food. She had been on her way to visit some of the gremlins and had a basket of muffins. Seeing the tentacle and sensing that a peace offering might be in order, she set a blueberry muffin as close as she could reach to the table.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The smell of muffin reached Berthold's nostrils (although they were hidden beneath blanket and tentacles). He quickly swept it up with his tentacle and devoured it, then burped loudly.

Now he felt a lot better. Still hungry, but not as lonely. Wanting to thank the newcomer he waved and squealed happily.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature giggled and waved back, not sure where this creatures eyes were yet. Better safe than sorry.

She set another muffin down on the floor. This one was apple cinnamon.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

More food. This muffin disappeared just as quickly. After that, Berthold noted that there had been giggling, and that giggling had been very nice. He reached out, very slowly, and attempted to touch his newfound friend.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature watched, wide eyed, as the tentacle got slowly closer. When it got to within arms reach, she giggled again and gave it a quick pat before pulling back.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold pulled back the tentacle too, waving nervously. He extended a few more of his tentacles and waved with them too, hoping it looked friendly. The giggle was still very nice. He sniffled happily.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature giggled more at the tentacle waving. She was still nervous, but this wasn't a human and she could always use another monster friend. She set out more muffins for the monster: a lemon poppyseed, a chocolate and another blueberry.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Once again the muffins disappeared quickly. But Berthold felt that he should give something in return. This new friend was very sweet and he had to show his appreciation somehow.

He grabbed a corner of his blanket and managed to tear of a piece the size of a handkerchief, then pushed the piece of cloth towards the giggling thing.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature accepted the scrap of cloth and then did something she very rarely did. "Thank you," she said in a very very quiet voice.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold sniffled. No one had ever thanked him like that before. For the first time in his life he wished he could use words, but as he couldn't, he curled up a tentacle and reached out, stopping just in front of the little creature.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature reached out and patted the tentacle with more assurance this time.

"What are you doing in here?" Again, her voice was very quiet.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold wished he could have explained about his humans, how people were acting oddly and about the furry things. He couldn't, however. Instead he sniffled again and slowly crawled out from under the table.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature patted the tentacle more. "Are you lost?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

He could probably find his way back, but being shown the way by his new friend seemed so much nicer. He sniffled hopefully.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature was now holding onto the tentacle like a hand. "You want to come with me?" she asked gently.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold slowly moved a little closer, hoping she'd take that as a yes.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

"Can you fit in the vent?" she asked and pointed to the way she came.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

She knew secret passages! Berthold was impressed. And one advantage of being mostly tentacles was that he could fit into very small spaces. He wiggled happily.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Shy Creature giggled again and led him over to the vent. "Do you live up or down?"

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Berthold really didn't want to go home now. He just wanted to explore the secret passages with his new friend. Hence he pointed in the wrong direction.

[fh-anonymous.livejournal.com]

Still holding onto one of the tentacles, Shy Creature led the way into the ventilation system.

And they had a lovely little monster adventure that led them all over the dorms and the school before finally making it back to the 5th floor sometime Tuesday night where Shy Creature left Bertie to go back to the Assistants' Lounge.