Chapter 38: Seven

The four Summoners form a sort of circle in a corner of the classroom, desks pushed aside and chairs moved so that everyone can face everyone else. You’re sitting between Abigail and Charlotte, of course, and across from you is Wuffles and Cutebee. Charlotte’s own Familiar is still being sneaky-like.

“So,” Everette says. “We’re supposed to talk about how we care for our Familiars, right? Maybe Wuffles and I can go first?”

“I for one would love to know where you came up with that name,” Charlotte say with one of her friendly smiles. “It’s very unique.”

Everette’s face does some weird things, but he ends up smiling a little. “Ah, well. It’s partially Wuffle’s own fault. I wanted to name her Brutus, or Charger or something, well, ah.”

“Manly?” Abigail says.

Maggie and Charlotte both giggle into their hands. Cutebee stares at you.

“Yeah. Then I discovered that Wuffles is a girl and I made a joke about ‘well I can’t call you wuffles.’ Of course, that’s the name she chose. So I have a direwolf called Wuffles now.”

“A Direwolf, truly?” Charlotte asks as she inspects Wuffles. She brings a hand up and Wuffles scoots over to be within optimal pat-patting range.

You reach out to pat Wuffles too. She eyes you carefully, but doesn’t stop you from running your hand through her thick, soft fur. It’s very nice. You wish Abigail’s species had fur in more than just two places so that you could pat-pat Abigail this way too.

“She’s very nice,” Charlotte says. “Yes she is,” she repeats, this time in a strange, squeaky voice directed right at Wuffles. The Direwolf gives her a sloppy puppy smile and drools a bit on you arm.

You, of course, lick it off. You’re the best Familiar, which means you’re also self-cleaning.

“I guess caring for Wuffles is just like caring for a dog, but more?” Abigail says. Her hand is straying towards Wuffles, but you grab it and guide it carefully towards your head. Obviously your Summoner wanted to pat you and her horrible mortal eyesight lead her astray for a moment there. Abigail sighs, probably in happiness and begins playing with your hair.

“Yeah, pretty much. I brought her to a veterinary for a check up already and found a few different sorts of foods she likes. Mostly her favourite food is anything I happen to be eating at any given moment.”

Wuffles makes an agreeing sound and the girls giggle a bit. You don’t understand. Eating what your Summoner is eating is perfectly natural.

“What about you, Maggie?” Abigail asks.

“Oh me? Um, yes. This is Cutebee,” she says as she picks up the cat-looking-creature and holds him up. “I don’t know what he is yet, but he’s very friendly and nice. He doesn’t emote a lot, but sometimes I swear he knows what I’m thinking.”

Cutebee stares at you some more.

“Can I pat him?” you ask while making grabby grabby gestures towards the little monster.

“Of course!” Maggie says. She hands Cutebee over, the cat-thing flopping around with all of the energy of a sack of rice. You grab him carefully under each foreleg and hold him up to your face. “He’s really nice,” Maggie says.

“Yes, I’m sure he is,” you agree as you refuse to blink.

“W-what about caring for Cutebee?” Abigail says. “Anything special to do?”

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“Not realy? Cutebee likes to go off on his own sometimes. Usually he hangs around the middle school near my house. He’s very popular with the girls there. But other than feeding him a bit three times a day there’s not much to do. He grooms himself and he never used the litter I got for him.” Maggie’s smile is very bright. “He’s a very good Familiar.”

“Yes,” you say. “He looks very good.” Your eyes are starting to burn. You refuse to lose the staring contest.

“And, and Charlotte, we never saw your Familiar. Is it too big to bring into the class?” Abigail asks.

“Web is always a little shy. Which I find strange since I’m quite the opposite,” Charlotte says. She reaches under her robes and you notice Everette snapping his head around not to look as she searches and then removes something. It’s small and black and very furry. “This is Web. say ‘hi’ Web.”

The spider poised on her hand spins around and wiggles its butt at you. Glowing lines of butt stuff come out of it like ropes and it manipulates them with its rearmost legs. Within seconds there’s a tiny banner stretched between two legs in the air with the word ‘HELLO!’ on it.

“Thash verhay preeshy,” you say around the pair of legs kicking at your face. The long fluffy tail whipping around makes it hard to see, but you notice that Abigail is looking at you with wide eyes.

“Dreamer, no!” she says.

“Cutebee!” Maggie cries as she jumps towards you.

Abigail wraps a hand around Cutebee’s tail, by now the only bit of him you haven’t eaten yet, and yanks it out. “No, Dreamer, no.”

The cat-thing comes sploorping out of your mouth and hangs limply in Abigail’s grasp.

“Oh no, no, no,” Maggie says, tears streaming down her face as she grabs Cutebee’s saliva covered form and hugs him close. He, of course, is still alive, but his head turns your way and his eyes narrow.

You’ll get him next time.

Then a rolled up piece of paper baps you on the head. “No. Dreamer, no. You can’t eat people’s Familiars.”

“What?” you ask as you turn to Abigail. She baps you again. “Stop bapping me.”

“Stop eating everything.” She punctuates this with another bap. “I’m, I’m so sorry everyone,” she says.

“It’s okay,” Charlotte replies. “No one was hurt... too badly. I don’t think. Is Cutebee well?”

Maggie nods super fast. “He is,” she says before turning big soulful eyes only you. “Why did you try to eat him?”

“He looked at me funny,” you say.

There’s a whistle through the air and a sharp bap behind your head again.

“I suppose it’s our turn,” Abigail says. “This is my Familiar Dreamer. She’s a real sweetie.” You smile. “Sometimes.” You pout.

Abigail is being very unfair to claim you’re not the best Familiar ever. Clearly you need to step up your game.

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