Submission (#3872) Approved

By the time Cotton made it to the small dinky cabin, the sun had already crawled half-way down the sky. They were supposed to arrive much earlier, but some complications had prevented that. The cream-colored Terra struggles with the latch on the door, clumsily kicks it open, and flops down onto the small bed crammed in a corner. To their dismay, a small cloud of dust puffs around them at the sudden disturbance. Cotton loves nature and spending time in it, but a dark, dirty, secluded cabin isn't really their go-to sleeping spot. They would have much rather been in their own cozy bed or crashing at someone else's house. But the nature preservation program that they had signed up for had paid for them to camp the night here between locations, and Cotton would have felt guilty wasting that money. And with that thought, Cotton sits back up and decides to make the most of this cabin.

It's a one room deal, with the nearest out house being a few minute's hike away. Other people in the program are also staying at this camp-site, but the cabins are so spaced out that they might as well be completely alone. Cotton's cabin sports a dusty bed, a water warped table with a creaky chair, a few empty cabinets and a sink that they would rather not use. It wasn't completely horrible though. As Cotton scans the room again, they notice that a groundskeeper had put a fresh bouquet of pleasant smelling flowers on the table. There were a few crayon drawings pinned to a wall, small gifts left behind by children who had come here on a camping trip with their family. Despite its rough interior, the place had a homely feel.

Cotton stands up from the bed and decides that they want to spend the rest of the remaining day-light outside. They dig through their bags for a few snacks and head back out into the woods. Outside, the small cabin is surrounded by tall trees. The sap that they produce fills the air with a deep, slightly sweet scent that Cotton very much enjoys. Every forest that they visit is unique, and they wanted to find out what was special about this one. Glancing towards the sun, they figured there was about an hour before the sun sets completely. They jump on the opportunity for a walk and immediately head down the trail into the trees.

A symphony of bugs and birds meets them as they walk. The trail itself was thin and overgrown, Cotton found it difficult to walk through without a bush or small tree brushing their sides. The leaves were soft and bountiful, and they found themself petting the branches as they walk by. As the sun touches the horizon, Cotton manages to find a small clearing. They take a seat on a fallen log and rustle through their bag for a snack. When they look back up, they spot movement at the tree-line. Something small had skittered behind a trunk. Cotton sits still and watches patiently. After a few moments, a little blue horn and pair of curious eyes peek around at them. Cotton gently picks a few nuts out of their trail-mix and tosses it towards the critter. Slowly, the rest of the animal emerges from behind the tree. The terra recognizes it as a squeetle. It excitedly pounces on the offered snack. As it munches on the nuts, Cotton notices that it's a strange breed considering the area. Most wild squeetles in these forests are brown or gray, with matte shells. This on is bright purple with a shiny, decorative shell. And wild squeetles rarely approach so close.

Cotton grows concerned that this might be a lost pet. The little guy finishes it's snack and looks at them cautiously. It doesn't have a collar or any indication of an owner. Cotton decides to offer a handful of nuts and fruits to the critter while making gentle, inviting noises. The squeetle considers for a moment and inches forward. It props itself up on its back legs to grab the goodies, and makes noises of delight when it acquires a raisin. It seems less anxious now and even rests a paw on the terra’s leg. Cotton gives it a minute to eat, and then offers a paw to sniff. The squeetle immediately rubs its faces against them, asking for pets. Cotton obliges and gives the little guy some scratches behind the ears. They know for sure now that this is a domestic squeetle, who was either lost or abandoned. As they consider their options, the little critter crawls into their lap and makes itself comfortable.

As the squeetle naps in their arms, Cotton makes their way back to the cabin. Upon arrival they give a call to the cabin managers, asking if anyone has reported a lost pet. They reply with no, but they'd keep them updated if anyone does. By now it's dark outside, and Cotton decides to let the squeetle crash in the cabin with them. It was super tired from being lost outside all day, and curls up on Cotton's chest as they lay down for the night. At that moment they decide that if it doesn't have an owner, they'd bring it home and convince their roommate to keep the little guy.