Bestiary

For the subject of this riddle, highlight the bar: Rat

I’m horny and huge

Girthy and grand

A beautiful beast

Sturdy I stand

Too rowdy to ride

You’re tempted to try

My pounding is powerful

Step to the side

Delightfully dangerous

Wonderfully wide

Known for my horniness

What am I?

For the answer to the riddle, highlight this bar: A Rhinoceros

Supernova loved being the center of attention. She knew she was beautiful. She knew she was captivating. She knew she was mesmerizing. So, it was no surprise to see all the fish and shrimp ogling her as she danced; her delicate tentacles, 100 feet long and soft as silk, twirled slowly and smoothly all around her while her body shined a striking pink hue. After three more minutes of exquisitely prancing for her attentive audience, she decided that the show was over. 

It was time for the grand finale.

Supernova’s tentacles delicately wrapped around her body as she twirled gracefully, then her body went from pink to the brightest pearly white. Her viewers could not contain their excitement. They were so impressed by Supernova’s majestic show, and her statuesque beauty that they were in a trance. And then--quicker than the blink of an eye--they were gone. Supernova moved fast; she liked eating her prey while they were still processing the beauty and allure of her act and physique.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend your last minutes alive than watching me,” Supernova thought. Then she proceeded to gently float back to her favorite spot in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

I could start by saying that Pep and Pedro were lovely and charming capybaras, but it wouldn’t say much about them, because that description would fit any capybara. All animals consider them as the most sociable and easy-going of all. They don’t show any problems or egos, and they enjoy living together, sharing ideas, and communicating their experiences. They have created the “friendliest” society in the kingdom.

Among these capybaras we can find our two main characters. They were friends and even neighbors, so they had known each other for years, since Pep was a small baby, and Pedro was learning how to use his tail to swim. They had supported each other over the years and Pep even became a “little brother” to Pedro, especially since the incident where Pedro had lost one of his own when they were ambushed by unknown predators. His mother told her about that day, how his brother was killed by a lightning sound. From that moment on, Pedro had promised himself to take care of his younger brothers, and even though they were no relatives, Pep fell into Pedro’s tail. However, even this society had to face challenges from time to time, and it is where our story began (we can never have nice things lasting forever, right?)

One afternoon, Pep got lost from the group when they were traveling in a swamp, following a group of butterflies, when he encountered a group of two-legged creatures that were making some sort of production with music nearby. Pep, enchanted by the noise, got closer and started to shake his body and move his short legs to dance - he was even capable of standing up for a few seconds with the help of a tree - making it look like he was twerking. The tools that these creatures used were able to capture the moment and a member of the group managed to put on a red necklace to identify Pep from the rest of the group of capybaras that were getting closer to the action, searching for Pep and being attracted by the music as well.

For the first time in their lives, an event was retransmitted all over the place, as if they were dealing with some sort of a virus, thanks to a couple of tools that reached the capybaras’ swamp. Everyone saw the video and recognized Pep's ability to twerk his body, making Pedro get a feeling of jealousy as he never felt before.  But also, an emotion that he was familiar with, a sense of loss, once Pep stopped hanging out with him as he was spending his time with other capybaras and even being visited by other two-legged creatures. These creatures possessed a particular tool that they would use: they put the tool in front of their faces for a couple of seconds and they would live the place satisfied with the results. They often recognized Pep because of his necklace.

Therefore, Pedro thought that was the solution, to take away Pep’s necklace and this nightmare would be over. As he was approaching Pep, who was again distracted by a group of butterflies, he saw a tall two legged-creature coming quietly through the woods, with what it seems to be another type of tool. This time around, this was a similar object in size but with a longer end. The creature kneeled, as most others had done in the past, but this time around he took even more time to stand up. He seemed to be waiting for the correct time. Pedro, observing all of this scenario from the background, got closer to Pep, and when he noticed him, he also walked towards him. At that moment, an unrecognizable lightning sound emerged from the creature’s tool, and all of the swamp got in panic mode.

Both Pep and Pedro got in front of the creature, while everyone else was either flying, running, or in the case of the capybaras, swimming away. Pedro was the first of the two in realizing what was going on: it was his mother’s warning, the lightning sound that killed off his brother. He had a few seconds more before the next lightning sounds were released and he assumed where the next sound was going to strike next. He pushed Pep to the water and they start swimming towards the other side of the river, who would help them put a great deal of distance between them and the creature and the woods from the other side would protect them from the creature’s range. However, Pedro realized that Pep would be targeted, as the red necklace was a clear indicator of where he was. Pedro did not even think twice: as soon as they dived for a few seconds, he took Pep’s necklace and put it onto himself.

When both arrived to the shore, they tried to reach for the woods, but their short legs would not allow them to go fast. This allowed the creature to take a final opportunity, and one last lightning sound was heard. This time around the creature aimed perfectly and got his target. He took him an hour to reach to the other side of the shore, but he managed to find his pray: the famous dancing capybara with a red necklace.

Nobody knows what happened with the two legged-creature, as they stopped going to the swamp for a while since that incident. However, this was a learning lesson for Pep and the capybaras. From now on, they would only care for themselves and all the animals that did not show such big tools. The few encounters with the two legged-creatures ended up with the former running away, something that the creatures may have noticed these days, since they have decided to use other types of tools to put in front of their faces. Up to this day, the tools that these creatures use to approach the capybaras are much smaller in size, while the ones they use to hurt them has quite similar shape as the one described by Pep and his fellow companions. This is why capybaras are still the most sociable animals in the kingdom: they still approach every species of animals, even though from time to time, they cannot help to put their well-known precautious expressions in their faces.

Once upon a time, in a dense and humid jungle, there lived a unique snake. Unlike other snakes, this particular serpent was unable to show emotion. It didn't matter if it was feeling happy or sad, angry or afraid, the snake's face remained expressionless, and its eyes remained the same dull and lifeless black.

As a result of this, the other animals in the jungle didn't know how to react to the snake. They were afraid of it because they couldn't tell if it was angry or not. They couldn't tell if it was hungry or not. They couldn't even tell if it was paying attention to them or not. The snake was always a mystery, and this made it hard for other animals to trust it.

One day, a group of monkeys came across the snake while they were playing in the jungle. The monkeys were always up for a good time, but they were wary of the snake. They decided to try and provoke the snake to see if they could get a reaction out of it. They started throwing nuts and fruit at the snake, but it didn't seem to care. The snake just sat there, unresponsive. The monkeys became frustrated and started to taunt the snake. They made faces, called it names, and even threw sticks at it. But still, the snake didn't react. It just sat there, motionless and emotionless.

As time went on, the snake became more and more isolated from the other animals in the jungle. They didn't know how to relate to it or how to approach it. The snake felt lonely and disconnected from the world around it.

One day, a wise old owl approached the snake. The owl had been watching the snake for a while and had noticed how isolated it had become. The owl explained to the snake ” The animals in the jungle fear you, but I can see your true emotions, you just want people to like you as much as you like them. If you are sincere, I may teach you, my ways.” And so, the owl took this snake under its wing and taught it how to express true emotions. It could use body language, sounds, and movements to convey its intentions.

The snake listened to the owl and started to experiment with different ways of communicating. It started using its body to show when it was hungry, and it would hiss to warn other animals when it felt threatened. Slowly but surely, the other animals in the jungle started to understand the snake and were no longer afraid of it.

The snake may not have been able to show emotion, but it had found a new way to connect with the world around it. It had learned that even though it was different, it could still be a part of the community. And from that day forward, the snake was no longer alone. It had found a way to communicate and connect with others, and it was finally able to feel like it belonged.

Marco’s birth was followed by a long trek across the ocean, as it was for any shark that had just been born. Marco’s mother knew what would follow after his birth, and despite the loving relationship that she had formed with Marco and his siblings, Marco’s mother knew that they would have to tackle life on their own. Like a bug hypnotized by a bright light, Marco and his brothers and sisters began to swim away from their mother only minutes after their birth, directed by their biological instincts to go take on the world and show no mercy.

And that’s what they all did, for the first several months of their lives. Marco’s brothers and sisters would swim circles around their potential prey, casting an ominous shadow onto the helpless creatures below, and moments later, the ocean would stain red. The savory taste of blood would only tempt these great white sharks even more, filling them with an intense desire to satiate their need for food. Ruthless. Violent. Unforgiving. Emotionless. Any fish in the sea would describe a great white shark this way. It is quite unusual, then, that Marco grew up to be none of these.

Marco’s first kill would be his only kill, before he would swear to himself to never harm an innocent sea creature again. The trance that would affect his siblings, a trance that rendered the pleas for help and screams of agony of various sea creatures mute, did not control Marco’s mind in quite the same way. In fact, after his first kill, the only sounds he could hear were the helpless groans and struggles for life of a fish, half eaten and bleeding profusely. Perhaps it was even more immoral that Marco didn’t finish the job and enjoy the rest of his meal. But the life of an innocent sea creature had been stolen because of Marco, a sea creature not responsible for the circumstances of his birth as a small, helpless fish. From this moment forward, Marco had promised himself to never take the life of another sea creature ever again. Instead, he had decided to settle somewhere less abundant with fish, with a large assortment of different seaweeds to both hide himself from the world with, and to eat, as Marco needed something to eat, in the absence of other sea creatures.

For years, Marco lived in isolation, feeding on seaweed whenever he was hungry, and staying hidden whenever another sea creature would come by. Not that it was necessarily important to stay hidden; any sea creature with any sense would dart away from Marco at the very moment that they spotted him, but the fear in their eyes upon seeing Marco made him sick to his stomach. How unfair was it that he could be blessed with these biological gifts that made him effectively invincible to the dangers of the ocean, but simultaneously cursed with the inability to assimilate back into the world without everybody looking at him like some type of monster? Who was he kidding, though? Just look at him. Almost anybody would agree that he is one.

* * *

During a typical day for Marco, he would wake up covered by a tent of seaweed, shielding him from the spears of sunlight that pierced the surface of the water above. With all of the food he could ever want right in his home, there was no urgency to swim away and look for prey, and often he would just remain still, letting the gentle ebbing and flowing of the ocean caress him and lull him back to sleep. However, a life of laziness and immobility was no life for a shark, and after a while, Marco would force himself to get up and swim around. Without the desire to hunt manipulating his mind, life was quite boring for Marco. His swims had no direction, no reason, no purpose, but were swims desperate for stimulation, anything to avert Marco’s attention from the fact that his choice to never kill again had made his life unbearably boring.

On one particular swim, while weaving through patterns of seaweed, Marco came across a fish for the first time in several months. This was a rare occurrence for sure, but these interactions typically resulted in the rather sudden departure of said fish, followed by an absence of pursuit, where Marco would watch the living thing swim away, to go join its friends and family, and likely boast about its bravery against the monster of the sea. This fish, instead, stayed paralyzed in place, never losing contact with the beast in front of it. Maybe the fish had already accepted its fate, and waited dreadfully for its imminent death. Marco  made the first move.

“Hi,” Marco said.

The word rang in both of their ears: Marco’s because he had not heard the sound of his own voice in years, and the fish’s because the vessel of death that obstructed precisely half of the fish’s field of view (the left half to be specific) had now introduced itself, much like a new fish in town would. Several seconds after Marco’s introduction, he could see that the fish had no intention of responding, so he continued.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to eat you. Actually, I haven’t eaten any fish in years. Well, I haven’t really seen any fish in quite a while, you know. Gets pretty lonely around here. I think you’re the first thing I’ve seen in forever that isn’t green or blue. Pretty cool to see some orange, or maybe that’s red. What color is that? Ah, it doesn’t matter anyways, what’s your name?”

The fish, now incredibly confused and slightly less panicked (but still very terrified), gave its response slowly, as to not startle the tyrant of the ocean that has now thoroughly introduced itself, and it seemed impossible to stay silent anymore, despite the oddity of the encounter thus far.

“Uh,” the fish began. “I’m Lucas.”

Several thoughts at once raced through Marco’s mind. This was his chance to finally make a friend, and escape the monotony of his agonizingly dull lifestyle as an inhabitant of possibly the least interesting place in the ocean. How was he supposed to respond? Nice to meet you? That’s a great name? Sounds gross, I wouldn’t eat anyone named Lucas? His last idea seemed like it could be reassuring to the fish. How was he supposed to know though? After all, most sharks didn’t need to learn how to communicate with other sea creatures. The usual interaction between a shark and a fish would have ended by now, certainly without an exchange of words. Before Marco could respond again and ultimately sever his chances of ever making a friend again, the fish bravely continued speaking.

“What brings you to this part of the ocean? Aren’t you supposed to be… you know, eating people and stuff like that?

“Ahhh, no, I don’t eat fish anymore. Tried it once, worst experience of my life. Yeah, I just hang around here now…”

Marco stopped for a moment and reflected on how his life had gone up to this point in his life. Marco could say he was fine, hiding away in a maze of seaweed, keeping to himself, living the life. But, that wouldn’t be true at all. His life wasn’t just boring, it was miserable. It then became very important to Marco to pick his words wisely. This was a chance to escape this tortuous lifestyle that he had sentenced himself to years ago. Perhaps Lucas would let Marco come back to his home, and he could befriend even more fish. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it was critical that Marco didn’t throw it away.

“...but I’ve got to be honest, it ain’t that great over here. I haven’t talked to anybody in years. It’s no life worth living, I’ll tell you that.”

In this moment, there was a distinct, noticeable shift in Lucas’s expression. What was previously terror and helplessness had turned into, even if it was only a little bit, genuine concern and sympathy for the gentle giant in front of him. Certainly Marco was telling the truth; an apex predator like him would have no reason to lie to the fish. If Marco had wanted Lucas dead, it would’ve happened mere seconds after their initial encounter. Still, it wasn’t a great idea to hang around a great white shark, that much seemed obvious.

“Well,” Lucas began. “I think I’m going to go home now.”

The words seemed to strike Marco like an arrow. Perhaps he hadn’t said the right words, and now his only chance to make a friend quite literally was swimming away from him. As the fish began to disappear in the surrounding seaweed, he said one last thing.

“I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

Without a chance to respond, the fish dissipated into a green abyss. The encounter wasn’t exactly reassuring for Marco. After all, Lucas could have simply used his kindness to get away and never return. But there was hope, at the end of it all, hope that his life could be something more than a forest of seaweed, taunting him with every chance that it got. Marco returned to his resting place for the day and fell asleep, with a smile on his face this time.

* * *

The sunlight beaming from above took its usual path through the labyrinth of seaweed that protected Marco from the sun’s gaze. However, when the first ray of light hit Marco’s resting place below, it detected no Marco at all. This was unusual for Marco, who would frequently remain asleep for hours after the sun’s first hello, but the anticipation of Lucas’s arrival woke Marco far earlier than usual. For hours, Marco swam around his home, looking for a reddish orange dot in the distance.

And to Marco’s surprise, that dot did appear eventually, as Lucas rushed towards the forest of seaweed, this time bringing a couple of friends, who likely didn’t believe Lucas’s radical tale of surviving a shark attack (although Lucas might have added the “attack” part). Upon their arrival, Marco emerged from the seaweed to say hello, which was followed by the immediate retreat of all but one of the colorful fish.

“Guys, wait!” Lucas said. “Look! He’s friendly, see?”

In a rather brave attempt to prove to his friends that Marco was not going to attack, Lucas swam even closer to Marco, even doing circles around him. Lucas’s friends remained hesitant, but began to swim closer to the anomaly in front of them: a shark that doesn’t eat fish.

“See, yeah, it’s okay guys! This is my friend…”

Lucas paused, realizing that he has never actually gotten Marco’s name. Seemingly on queue, Marco continued the introduction.

“I’m Marco. I don’t eat fish, obviously. Well, maybe it’s not so obvious yet, but I didn’t eat Lucas yesterday so that’s gotta say something.”

The rest of the fish remained silent. Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say. Lucas noticed that his friends were uncomfortable and began to break the silence.

“These are my friends, Marco. They didn’t believe that there was a shark out here that didn’t want to attack anybody, and they wanted to see it for themselves. Sorry about their awkwardness, I think that they thought I was lying, and probably didn’t expect to actually see a shark.”

None of the fish dared avert their eyes from the great white beast in front of them. It went against everything that they’ve ever known. See a shark, swim for your life, let your family know you love them, if they’re close enough. There are not many rules in the ocean world, but most sea creatures understand clearly how vicious and unforgiving a shark can be, with a body designed by God’s finest angels to create the perfect killing machine. How could one abandon their survival instincts in such an unusual situation, where the beast in question is doing quite the opposite of what was previously described? To Lucas’s friends, it seemed that they didn’t really have a choice, but to befriend the shark.

The months that followed this uncomfortable introduction were easily the best of Marco’s life. Lucas’s friends would visit Marco nearly everyday, and the unlikely combination of sea creatures would swim around, look for treasures, play hide-and-seek, anything that could occupy the time of a shark and his little fish friends. While Marco used to wonder what awaited him further down the line, he now could barely conceptualize a thought before the antics of Lucas and his friends would scatter that thought somewhere else. Truly, this is all Marco needed, and there wasn’t anything that could destroy this bond.

* * *

Not Marco, nor Lucas, nor any of the other fish had realized through the time that they had spent together that the expanse of seaweed that Marco had called home was slowly, but surely, disappearing. This shouldn’t have been all that much of a shock to anybody; after all, Marco’s primary source of food, with no delicious sea creatures to occupy his palette, was seaweed. Upon noticing the substantial lack of seaweed, Marco became worried that he would run out of food within the next couple of months. Lucas assured him, however, that they would spend their next several visits looking for a new patch of seaweed to prolong Marco’s stay. But, that new patch of seaweed was never found, despite tremendous efforts from all of the fish, and Marco himself.

And the day came, where Marco awoke from his slumber, and a blanket of seaweed was no longer there to shield him from the sun. With no food left for Marco, he began to starve. Lucas and his friends would come to visit, eager to continue their usual routine, but soon all they could do was watch, as Marco grew less and less energetic and full of life. This fate pained Marco, and he felt that he had just found his place in the ocean, after years and years of isolation, in which a fate such as his fate now would have barely bothered his emotionally dead brain.

Lucas knew that Marco didn’t have much time left, and on one particular day, swam to meet Marco for what he figured would be the last time. There aren’t many words to say to a friend when they are on their deathbed. Perhaps you might reminisce on your past adventures, and fill the air (or water) with a desperate joy. Perhaps you might talk about the afterlife, and what new adventures might await in another world. But in this last encounter with Marco, the only words that he could muster were, “Please don’t.”

Marco stared at Lucas with his cold, dead eyes, barely recognizing the friend that had saved him from his tortuous isolation. Marco’s mind was gone; the desire to satiate his hunger had outgrown even his bond with Lucas. The puppeteer of death controlled Marco as he swam closer and closer to Lucas. Lucas backed away slowly, but dared not swim away, knowing that he would seal his fate with such an action. Instead, he uttered his last two words as his best friend took one last look at him.

Lucas’s friends followed behind Lucas, trailing several seconds behind, but arriving soon enough to capture the scene: a rose-colored water littered with scales and flesh, and an apex predator emerging from the red cloud. Lucas’s friends all watch in shock and confusion, not yet putting together what exactly had happened. Marco remained in place for a moment, coming to his senses for a little while and understanding exactly what he had done. This wasn’t the life that he had to live. He could swim away and find a new place to live, no matter how far he had to swim, and he could remain a gentle giant, never having killed a fish but twice. The smell of blood invaded Marco’s senses and Marco’s mind, however, and the shame and guilt of his murder was quickly replaced by an intense hunger for more. Lucas’s friends pieced together the scene, and immediately began to retreat from Marco. They didn’t make it far.

Fabio was born and raised in the southern reaches of the Indian subcontinent. He was a Peacock, and a glorious one at that. Within his community he had reached levels of fame and adulation for his gorgeous feathers. There were few like him in a generation. This managed to land him in the upper reaches of Peacock society. He was born into great wealth, as his father was an excellent hunter. A consistent diet of salamanders kept him growing into the great, wily young heartthrob that became known throughout the landscape.

This wasn’t all without trouble. At such a young age he was catapulted into politics as his popularity grew. He was not made for politics, nor did he ever find enjoyment in such things. If anything, he loved campaigning, and that was only because he was able to dance and showcase himself as the healthy peacock he was. He campaigned so often that he found little time to do any level of actual politicking. Food was brought to him; housing was provided to him. There was little need to do anything more than campaign, much to the chagrin of other members of the political chamber.

They couldn’t comprehend his existence, nor could he comprehend theirs. He was always showered with love and affection for merely presenting himself. He had the love of a well-respected politician and the body count of a rockstar. He was winning in the game of life. He had been born to conform to the game's rules as the shape of water molds to its container. He grew into it, gloriously so.

This infuriated many, who saw his apathy towards his people as outright narcissism. To an extent, there was that, but he was never self-serving. He did what he did because he was adored for it. He did it as much for the people as himself. Those in politics saw him as a danger and a nuisance.

In his young age he found little use for his power, but what would happen to the system if he matured? Would he overthrow the whole system? Would he be a Julius Caesar-esque leader? He certainly had the ability to do so. From this idea came a plan, made up by the politicians who so ruthlessly despised him. They would take his power from him. They would tear the feathers from his body and burn them. They would then throw his writhing body under the shades of the trees, where he would be left to bleed out and die.

The only time where Fabio was approachable for such a plan was in the dressing room prior to the parades he held through the jungle streets. This plan would require a level of discreteness and outright ferocity. Discreteness in the fact that they snuck dozens of high ranking politicians into his dressing room and ferocity in the fact that Fabio’s bodyguard was mangled within seconds. Fabio had no time to react.

If Fabio were a human in his past life, he would probably describe the tearing of his feathers like the pulling of fingernails. It was a brutally slow process that left Fabio enough time to think. Based on the laughs and the length of the torture, he wondered what had caused the politicians to hate him so. He hadn’t wronged them. Even Fabio was well aware of the lack of an impact he actually had on the world. Was it jealousy of his beauty? Maybe they despised his easy upbringing. He couldn’t piece it together by the time he was thrown out in the mud and clumps of grass that were becoming parted from the Earth with the abundance of rainwater gathering on the ground.

Clearly, they expected him to bleed out. Fabio was suffering from the greatest pain he had ever known, but that wasn’t the reason he refrained from rising to his feet. His beauty had been ripped from him in the cruelest of ways. He was left emaciated and defeated. He wished that he could die, but he knew that it wasn’t possible. That was the thought that finally caused him to rise. He could see the crowd starting to disperse.

As they passed by, few seemed to recognize him. Even fewer even acknowledged his existence. That was until a child stopped and stared for a moment. Fabio’s eyes met the child’s eyes. There was a fear that rose into the child. He cried and ran into his mother’s wings.

“What’s your problem, freak? Do you enjoy staring at kids?” She didn’t wait for a response as she lifted her child and stormed off.

The experience shook him to his core. He had never been stared at like that. He had never heard a harsh word from anyone. He had concluded that he was no longer the beauty that he was. He was no longer welcome here. Therefore, He began his pilgrimage.

It was around the time that he reached Africa that he met a colony of Naked Mole Rats. Fabio, who had never hunted and didn’t know how to care for himself, was taken in by the Mole Rats and given a supply of berries for which to hold him over.

The leader of the Mole Rats was named Napoleon. By every stretch, Napoleon was a great Mole Rat. He was resourceful, intelligent, and quick on his feet. He, like Fabio, skyrocketed through the ranks of his society and found himself at a great position at a young age.

Fabio saw a lot of similarities between himself and Napoleon in this regard. Though they were wildly different in personality and temperament, Fabio found a way to allow himself to confide in Napoleon.

“Napoleon, I am thankful for the treatment you have given me, but I cannot stay here forever.” He spoke.

“I agree, Fabio. It is not good for your growth, nor is it beneficial for either of us. We are glad to have you for the moment, however.”

“Thank you.” He said with a bashful tone. “Though I cannot go back to my Peacock brothers and sisters. I used to be a successful member of that society, but that will no longer be possible. I find myself completely lost. When I go back, I fret that I will find myself completely alone and unfulfilled, knowing what I used to be.”

“I see.” Napoleon croaked. “Are there not unattractive cocks in your society?”

“There are, but our society values beauty. I no longer have that. Unfortunately, that is the only game that I know how to play. I am not a hunter or gatherer. I slacked off through my schooling. There is little to me other than the way I present myself to people. I was always excellent at that. People won’t spare me a glance anymore. If I am not visible, I do not exist. If I cannot interact with other Peacocks then there is no use for me.”

“Ah, but that is simply not true.” Napoleon said with a slight smile. “Your father was a hunter, yes? Did you ever see him on the hunt?”

Fabio shook his head.

“But when you ate your meals and were able to grow into the beauty that you once were, were you not eternally thankful for your father? Even if he failed to join you for a meal?”

“Of course not. I was always thankful for him. Even if he was not very personable, he was still a great cock.”

“His presence was always felt, and he was always appreciated then. You could do the same!”

“But I’m afraid I couldn’t.” Fabio raised his wings. “These were made for show, not for function.”

“Ah, but you constructed them as such! Could you not redesign yourself? Unlearn high society’s game and embrace your father’s humble play. His blood is in you! You can adapt.”

Fabio paused. He was still visibly unsure. Fabio’s neck craned to the side as he pondered Napoleon’s words. Napoleon sighed, annoyed with Fabio’s hesitation.

“Fabio, you can go back and try to live the life that you once did. You would most likely be miserable, as you are now. All you can do is try to adapt. There is always something you can do. You can complain about the errors of the society that you once benefitted from, or you can go within yourself and find a newer meaning. It is not fair, it is not your fault, but what has been left to you is yours, and what happens from here is entirely on you.”

“I see.” Fabio nodded. “I will return home tomorrow, dear Napoleon.”

“Then go you great cock! Rise once again!”

On his journey back, Fabio gathered great amounts of berries. He could not catch animals yet, but he could provide sustenance for himself and others when he returned. He found himself overwhelmed with a great amount of pride in finishing things and completing tasks that he set upon himself.

When he stood at the crust of his village, he paused, prepared himself, and strode forward with a confidence that no one could see but himself. 

Eight straight years. Eight straight years of the same old backdrop, glass window, and decorations. Ted had become acquainted with his boring lifestyle in his two-by-four cage. He didn't know any different, since he was adopted as an infant. Ted didn't know what life was in his cage. He felt trapped, lost, and hopeless, but it was his time to go as his owner was leaving for college and couldn't care for him any longer.

Ted was hesitant at first at the glaring sunlight. The outside world was vast and unknown to him, and he had grown comfortable in his tiny enclosure. But as his owner lifted the cage door, he slowly emerged, taking his first steps into the grassy meadow beyond.

At first, Ted was unsure of what to do. He wandered aimlessly, feeling the sun on his shell and the soft grass under his feet. He stretched his neck out, taking in the fresh air and the sweet scent of wildflowers and clovers, his favorite meal. He had never felt so alive.

As he explored further, Ted encountered other creatures he had never seen before. A family of rabbits hopped by, and he watched as they nibbled on his owner's grass. A group of birds flew overhead, singing a beautiful melody. He scaled along the pond bank and saw fish bursting out of the water playfully. Ted felt a sense of wonder and amazement at the world around him. Ted couldn't imagine what else there was to see.

He continued to explore, and as he did, he began to realize just how different life was outside of his cage. There were no walls to confine him, no bars to hold him back. He was free to move about as he pleased, to follow his instincts and freely analyze his surroundings. Ted loved this new life. 

Days turned into weeks and Ted grew more and more confident in his new environment. He learned to navigate the land and to find food and shelter when he needed it. He met other animals and formed new friendships. Ted believed that freedom was never ending and that life itself is more than just running into walls of glass and fraud-like backgrounds.

One lonely night, Ted was kidnapped by a group of rodents, rats to be specific. Hiding in his shell, darkness took over as the rodents rolled Ted to their kingdom in the forest. Ted disliked the forest because it was always so dark and taunting. Ted was fearful as he witnessed the dim light of the open wild disappear right before his eyes. He felt that there is no happiness in a place of darkness and mystery, only fear, but soon he will find out what exactly he was facing.

After a dreadful journey to the forest's core, Ted sits balled in his shell and is placed before a grand and fierce coyote, the king of the forest. The king coyote demanded Ted from his shell. Ted slowly rose out of his shell. The coyote laughs with an evil tone and tells Ted he has been watching him for weeks. The coyote scolds Ted for believing that pets belonged in the wild. He names Ted a captive of the forest. Now he is under the king's control. No more friends. No more wandering aimlessly. No more decisions to be made. Ted was instantly chained to what was now his tree. 

The sun rose. Ted awoke by a slap of a stick. He huddled into his shell. Demanded out again by a rat. Ted was tasked with gathering duty. It seemed to be that the forest kingdom was full of captive pets who all are forced to do certain duties. Ted is told if he fails to do his job, he will be harmed by the rodent guards. Ted soon realized that the freedom he once experienced was now gone. Ted was fed little and his free time was taken away from him, now to be the king's time. He worked around the clock scavenging food, branches, and rocks.

As time went on, Ted had taken notes about certain holes in the system of the kingdom. He had been chained for months now. Ted saw his chance to escape while gathering one day as his partner gerbil was being teased by the rat guards. He is yearning for a taste of what he had before he was kidnapped. Ted takes his chance. Ted starts running. His eyes widen, capturing the light piercing through the tall trees. Freedom at last Ted thought. At the last second, the rodents pull Ted back into the forest. They laugh and beat him with sticks. Ted knew from there on that freedom did not exist. Not in any world. Not in the cage. Not in the wild. Nowhere. 

There once was a gigantic hut,

That welcomed anyone I tell you what.

But who was the owner of this fine establishment?

This creature must be an inhabitant.

Of where? You may ask

In South America is where he likes to bask

It is an animal of Uruguay

By the water is where it likes to stay.

Can he swim? Yes he can

he can swim from land to land.

Sibling of the guinea pig

This creature simply is unable to dig.

This is no ordinary creature however

To be the creature you will endeavor

He can cast a spell to turn you into one of his kind

Would that be so bad? some wouldn’t mind.

He could turn you brown and furry

Into this creature that is never in much of a hurry

Unless it is food that he obsesses

I wonder if anyone has any guesses

What could this creature be?

He is much smaller than a tree

He possesses magic for all to watch

Its looks almost as if he is a four-legged sasquatch

He loves people and loves affection

But he could turn you into one of him at his selection

When he is in the sun, he feels free

What is his name? It’s Dave the Capy!

The magic that Dave possesses

Is enough to answer all of your guesses

He is a capybara, can’t you see?

A magical one that can blend in with the trees!

He uses his magic for tricks and fun

But he despises when he must run.

When predators are after him and he’s being chased

He poofs them away with his magic without a trace

Does Dave get tired some may wonder?

In the thick grass is where he likes to blunder

It is time for Dave to get some sleep.

He shuts his eyes and counts his sheep

He is the hero of his town and so much more.

Dave the magical capybara, people adore.

Through the ice, I see a silhouette of an animal standing on two legs approaching me. I can’t move my muscles. I am curious to investigate; however, I’m completely relaxed, so let’s not ponder anything right now. My vision goes blank…

I feel a whirling sound with those things I use… oh yeah, my ears… Ahh, my whole body aches, and it isn’t easy to move at all. As I am slowly re-introducing myself to movements and sensations, I hear a displeasing noise disrupting the tranquil sounds of the soft, whistling wind. Cough, cough, cough…cough! What is that noise? As I look around, I see multiple two-legged creatures surrounding me as I lay on the cold hard ground. What is going on? I begin to lose my vision again. 

I wake up, and my vision is blurred and flashes bright white. I can’t make out my environment; however, my surroundings seem significantly brighter than usual. As my eyes adjust and my body starts back up, I realize that I’m stuck in some foreign enclosure with white floors, walls, and bright lights. Where am I?! How long have I been out? What is happening? I am all alone in this new, uncomfortable environment. Suddenly, something starts to approach me. Two individuals with white coverings, masks, and gloves appear, and I want nothing to do with these animals. I must get out of here. 

Panic arises as I attempt to smash my way out of this laboratory cell. After several repetitions of ramming into the walls, The oddly dressed two-legged animals rush out of the room. Good, I wanted them to leave anyways. Suddenly, multiple red flashing lights appeared with a loud siren. I finally feel the walls loosen. With one last push, I break through the walls. I can feel the adrenaline rushing through my body. There is a gate to leave this wretched place. I burst down the gates, and at last, I am free.

Although I am free now, I still need clarification about my whereabouts. Am I even on the planet Earth anymore? The air quality here is dense and suffocating. The plants and animals are vastly different from my original home. There is no way this could be where I used to live…right? None of this makes any sense. I can see structures and clusters of architecture from a distance. The location looks relatively calm. I should investigate. 

After traveling miles, I approached this two-legged animal hive containing weirdly layered homes with pointy tops. Upon arrival, I noticed that there were individuals inhabiting the area. These two-legged animals give me the creeps, they all look the same wearing these hazard protection suits and masks that cover their faces. These organisms are emotionless with their baseline, robotic expressions. Should I investigate these mysterious beings? I am going to take a closer look… Oh no! Chaos occurs, and everyone disperses in fear when I reveal myself. The confusing nature of these beings will be something I will not understand. 

Oh, hey look… they are returning; however, something seems different about this group. Suddenly, they surround me, and I feel unwelcome and aggressiveness by their body language. OW! I feel sharp pain enter my body from multiple places! I heard loud, blasting noises coming from all directions! I must escape if I plan to live! They are hitting me with objects that I cannot see! With all my might, I storm off and away from the area. Why are they following me? What did I do wrong?

Finally, find a cavern to rest and hide from these monsters. My investigation left me with more questions than what I started with. This new era of life is something that babbles me. Why do these people want to hunt me down so desperately? Either way, I am safe here where I am, and I will recover from my injuries and continue to survive. 

Some time has passed now since my last incident with the two-legged animals. I have met other mammoths and discovered that those two-legged animals are called humans. Now we live a calmer, happier life. Also, something interesting has occurred throughout my time here in this more modern-day world. There are fewer humans within the environment now. It is almost like they are becoming endangered, which is great news for myself and the other mammoths because humankind was the main threat to our existence. In addition, I have noticed calmer nights and better air quality since the endangerment of humans. Finally, mammoths can live in peace and harmony with nature for generations. 

Weeks passed since the life of that fleeting cardinal ended. The empty windowsill, caked in dust, left no signs that it once housed a grumpy old mutt. Rain pounded against the windows, thunder cracked in a distant cloud.A storm cloud approached the suburban neighborhood. The shifting and contorting nebulous cloud drenched everything in the stench of rain. Mozart made the couch his new home. The makeshift gravestone disintegrated under the heavy weather. Just as all things do, constantly collapsing, always changing. Embedded into the soil, the gravestone, the cardinal and all that will ever exist. The sky is mourning, Mozart thought. Its tears are raining down. A rain-kissed flower petal drifted in the spring wind, cascading downwards, the peony petal landed in the mud. The earth reclaimed the petal, turning the pink petal into a piece of earth. The old mutt refused to look outside, he even refused to go outside ever again. His piss stains lined the edge of the carpet. His arid lips crackedfrom old age. He felt the eyes of his owner grow wary. Like the melting of a wax candle, the poor dog felt his essence liquefy and pool into a puddle of goo oozing in uncertainty. The old dog closed its eyes. Sleep greeted him with a smile. He couldn’t imagine a better fate than that of the blazing cardinal.