QLFC. Puddlemere United. Chaser 2.

Round 4: Pet me

Prompts: (main) Write from a pet's perspective about their everyday life; (optional) (dialogue) "Who's a good boy/girl?", (sound) bark or mew

Words: 1227

Note: I've intentionally written Bowtruckle, Demiguise and Dragon, because this is from a creature's POV, and I believed he'd think of them with more importance.

An Unpredictable Turn Of Events

Pickett peeked out of the pocket of his human-tree when the man landed in this new place. The ground here looked white, and it crunched under Newt's boots.

It's cold, Pickett chattered. He was very fond of his human. Newt understood him, unlike the trees his brothers had claimed.

Newt looked at him and made a weird face. "I know. Stay in my pocket, I promise it's warm."

Why are we here again? Pickett grumbled.

"You were the one who wouldn't let me go on my own, you stubborn little guy."

You'd have gotten lost. Or injured.

Newt raised an eyebrow. "And you think you can help me if there's danger? I'm the magizoologist here." Picket turned away. "Okay, okay, no need to sulk, you're very helpful. I'm going to try and catch a Demiguise, and you'll give me ideas to do something spontaneous, fine?"

Pickett nodded and slipped back into the man's pocket. He needn't face the chilly weather until Newt found the animal.

The Bowtruckle grew bored of the worn insides of Newt's cloak and slipped out, taking a place on the man's shoulder. They walked for a long time before Pickett's eyes were drawn to large, very large footsteps in the white ground.

Newt, look!

The man glanced at where Pickett was pointing, and then closed the distance to the trail at a faster pace.

"There are huge."

They were. Pickett thought Newt would completely fit were he to lay down inside the impression of the humongous foot.

Are they the Demiguise's? The Bowtruckle wondered how Newt was going to catch a creature this big. He didn't think that Newt wasn't capable of it — the man would do literally anything he could think of — he was worried what condition the human would come out in at the end of it.

"No," Newt said, examining the footprint. "I believe these belong to a Yeti — they're the big cousins of Demiguise. They are for another day." Pickett felt immensely relieved.

They found a smaller variation of similar footprints a long time later, and when Newt squatted to examine them, he let out of whoop of joy.

"These, my friend, belong to a Demiguise," he said, turning to Pickett. "A baby, I believe. And they're very fresh and in circles, so the little guy should be nearby."

Pickett felt a bit jealous when his human called the stranger Demiguise little guy. He knew, though, that he was Newt's favourite — Newt was his — so he decided not to think of that.

The Bowtruckle put a hand on his cheek, thinking hard. Maybe you should bark like a Crup, or mewl like a Kneazle. The Demiguise won't be expecting that around here. He might come to see you.

"He or she can see me anyways, if they are around." Newt made a barking sound anyways — it surprised Pickett how well he could imitate all creatures' voices. He could speak with many of them, too, though he liked to talk to Pickett the most.

There indeed were little footsteps coming towards them. Newt hadn't noticed them yet, but Pickett could see, with his better eyesight, and he pointed them out to Newt. The man whistled lowly...

...and the footsteps turned in another direction.

Keep making the dog-voice, you idiot.

"Uh-huh, no need to scold me," Newt whispered, and Pickett glared at the man the best he could from his place on Newt's shoulder. Nonetheless, the man made another string of barks as he moved to follow the footsteps.

Newt was faster than the Demiguise, so he caught up to it soon, and he found that the little beast wasn't really invisible. He was just extremely camouflaged because of its pure-white fur.

Of course, hearing Newt's footsteps, the creature turned and promptly vanished.

Newt muttered something under his breath and ran after the Demiguise, who was now moving at a faster pace.

I think he's noticed you. You have to try something else.

Newt took his wand out and pointed it at where new footsteps were being created in the snow, murmuring an "Accio," but the Demiguise always moved away at the last moment.

Pickett climbed into Newt's front pocket — the man was moving fast, and in all directions, and the Bowtruckle didn't fancy a dip in the chilly snow.

What are you gonna do now? How does he know where you're aiming, anyway?

"Demiguises have precognitive sight — the only way I can get this naughty beast is to do something unpredictable."

Like not chasing him around? Pickett mused out loud.

"Not exactly," Newt said with a sigh, and Pickett knew the man had his brow furrowed. "Especially since he can sense it as soon as one thinks of something. I'm knackered now, though, so I'll drop down on that stone for a little bit."

Newt did exactly that, and the Man-Bowtruckle duo watched in surprise as, a little while later, the young beast turned back visible and inched towards them. He would take a step back if Newt even twitched, so the man sat very still, as did Pickett, even though the Bowtruckle felt like getting out of the pocket that felt stuffy now.

When the Demiguise was just a little away, Newt slowly reached out to him, and petted the creature's hair. The Demiguise let him.

It was very small, Pickett thought, though Newt had said it was just a baby.

"Who's a good boy?" Newt said, his voice just a whisper, and the Demiguise made a small noise at that. He took another step forward and settled down near the rock, Newt's hand still petting his hair.

For a few minutes, they sat in silence, and then the Demiguise grabbed at Newt's cloak and tugged.

I think he wants to show you something, said Pickett.

Newt stood up, a little clumsy on his feet, and let the Demiguise lead the way.

The little beast led them to a cave, and as his human stepped inside, Pickett took in the form of the ball of fur that lay on the floor. It was obviously a bigger Demiguise, probably the little one's mother. Its body was also very, very still.

Newt knelt down, and Pickett climbed off the man as he inspected the mother-Demiguise. The Bowtruckle moved to where the baby was sitting, staring at his mother with big eyes.

Moments later, Newt looked at them, his expression sad. "I don't know what got her, but she passed away some time back. Around twenty hours, I think." The man bowed his head, his hair falling into his eyes.

The little Demiguise moved towards Newt and nuzzled into his hand, making a small, mewling sound. The man idly scratched his fur with his fingers.

"Well, would you like to come with me, little guy?"

The Demiguise sniffed and mewled again, and Newt broke into a smile, even as Pickett failed to understand what the creature meant.

"Little Dougal," Newt murmured fondly, laughing as the Demiguise climbed onto his lap.

Pickett felt happy seeing his human find and save another beast. That was what Newt did. Today had been sad but rather tame, but there were some days when the Bowtruckle felt worried for Newt's life, like the time when the man had saved a Dragon. Yet, Pickett wouldn't have it any other way.