Sleeping Buddies! ...Sorta?

The crisp autumn air clung to the luminite’s pelt, sending a shiver down the poor thing’s spine. Leaves crunched beneath their paws, nose twitching to catch all of the curious scents of fall. Usually, when Zora wandered the woods, they were foraging and exploring with no particular goal. It wasn’t uncommon to see them aimlessly meandering about, following a falling leaf on the breeze or eyeing a colorful lizard on the forest floor. Today, however, Zora stepped with purpose. Their ears were perked, eyes darting about curiously. They weren’t just here for any other foraging run, no: Zora was looking for an Owlet.

They had always wanted a companion of their own. Sure, they had their friends, but they couldn’t be together one-hundred percent of the time. They wanted a pal that would always be by their side! One that never had to go home and would happily go with them wherever, whenever. They got so lonely in their den when no one else was around…

They were snapped out of their thoughts by the sound of a twig snapping. Dang it, Zora! Focus! You’ll never tame an Owlet if you keep your head in the clouds. Quietly skulking through the underbrush, their blue nose poked out of the foliage and pointed into a tiny clearing between the trees. They glanced around for a moment, scanning for danger, before their eyes finally settled on something moving within a pile of leaves. 

A little tufted head poked out from the crunchy orange and brown mass, soft downy feathers ruffling as it circled around and around. The creature seemed to be trying to make itself comfortable..and failing. It let out a disgruntled noise, scratching at the ground with little flexing talons, before curling up again. No, not a good position. It kicked at the leaves. Too many, too many…Ah, now there’s too little! No matter what the creature did, it just couldn’t find a good spot. It finally settled into a loaf position, tail feathers flexing, expression gruff. 

Seeing this as their chance, Zora crept forwards. The Owlet immediately let out a wary peep, jumping to its paws. A stranger! In its territory? How dare this Luminite! Why, it oughta… Oh. That tail looked quite soft…

The Owlet watched as Zora settled down a few feet away from it, speaking in a soft tone. It ignored what the luminite was saying, much more focused on the soft, black fur of the stardust-creature’s tail. That looked lovely…and the luminite owed it for disturbing it in its own home! 

Zora was half-way through some sort of attempt at soothing the Owlet when it suddenly ran forwards, hissing. Zora flinched, eyes squeezing shut and paws lifted to cover their muzzle, expecting to be met with scratches and pecks, only to feel a soft thunk against their side. They meekly peered down, finding the Owlet curled up in the fur of their tail, already fast asleep.

…Huh. That was…anticlimactic. Zora didn’t move a muscle, scared to wake the little thing and incite its wrath. Uh…Taming success? Sorta? Hopefully?

After…a long moment of absolute nothing, Zora tentatively curled up around the Owlet and rested their muzzle on their paws. It’s not like they had anything better to do now than nap… They could figure out what to do when the Owlet woke up…Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. 

Their eyes fluttered shut, their breathing slowly evening out. Eventually, they found themselves deep in a dreamless slumber, a small, soft warmth against their side providing comfort as they drifted off.