Prompt 34 - mysterious
Written for The Family Ties event
Bonus prompt 3: Write about theft.
Written for The Great 2021 Prompt Compendium
Prompt 54: update a fic you haven't touched since 2019 or before.
Written for The Monthly Prompt Challenge.
Prompt: Jack-o'-lanterns
In the weeks leading up to Halloween, more than a dozen homes throughout the neighborhood were vandalized. Skeletons that had been charmed to move and dance whenever someone walked past had been stolen from the yard. Windows were smashed, doors were blasted off their hinges, and multiple bags of candy had gone missing from people's homes.
Who was behind the mysterious disappearance of these decorations and treats? And why was it that houses with doggy doors managed to escape the destruction? Surely a child small enough to fit through the doggy door couldn't be held responsible for this. Their parents would notice their absence, as well as the overabundance of stolen sweets.
Eventually someone would notice that the crimes were being committed in a most unusual manner. Although nobody would have guessed that the person behind these acts wasn't really a person at all.
.oOo.
It was past midnight when the pitter patter of tiny paws could be heard shuffling across the floor. A young crup had abandoned the warmth of his owner's bed and was sniffing around for his food bowl in the kitchen. The tags on his collar jingled, followed by a subtle crunching as he munched the kibble in his bowl. He had eaten through a decent amount of doggie chow when the flap on the kitchen door rattled ominously.
Curious, the crup stared at the fluttering doggie door, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. The flap lifted, and a pair of shining eyes meet with the icy glare of a large lynx.
A snarl arose in the dark, and the cat's fur stood on end, his eyes darting towards the kitchen counter in search of delicious, gooey treats.
Quick as lightning, the lynx leapt onto the counter, the crup growling and barking at the furry intruder. The feline hurried towards a bowl of candy, his claws clicking against the polished surface. And all the while the crup was leaping and snapping, scratching at the cupboard doors while sounding the alarm.
When the owner of the crup heard the commotion, he sprang from his bed and hurried to see what the matter was. He was given a glimpse of a large cat knocking an empty bowl off the counter, a bag of candy held in the cat's jaws.
The bowl silenced the crup when it landed on his head, giving the lynx time to escape with the treats. But this was only a temporary distraction, for as soon as the cat hit the floor, the crup lunged at the intruder and ripped open the bag of Halloween candy.
Chaos erupted in the kitchen, much to the cat's amusement as an entire hoard of chocolate frogs ricocheted off the walls. The crup was overwhelmed, and before anyone knew what was happening the shadow of a man graced the walls, rising up and conjuring a net that he used to catch the remaining frogs.
A streak of crimson illuminated the kitchen, stunning the owner of the crup. The magical mutt gave chase after the intruder, running from the house and catching the wizard by the seat of his pants. He then tore off a piece of plaid fabric, exposing the thief's backside.
A cry rent the air, followed by a string of curses. One of the frogs jumped out of the net, hitting the dog in the face and blinding the poor creature. The crup didn't even see where the thief went, his vision obscured by wriggling chocolate limbs.
.oOo.
Scabior returned to camp later in the day, his pants throughly shredded. Of course this would be the day his jacket was in the wash, so he had to hope that none of his fellow Snatchers noticed his bare bottom as he scurried into his tent.
He ducked under the hanging canvas and was immediately greeted by the pair of animated skeletons he'd stolen. They bowed before their new master, offering a tray with candy piled high atop the gleaming metal surface.
With a tired sigh Scabior snatched a handful of sweets from the tray. He'd been stealing candy for several days, and by now there was mountain of assorted treats tucked into the corner of the tent.
He lazily peeled the wrapper off a chocolate bar, then sank into a pile of decorative garbage bags, each one made to resemble a jack-o'-lantern with leering faces and lopsided grins. It felt good to be home again, reclining in his homemade candy palace. Although next time he would have be more cautious, taking a look around for people's pets before entering a building.