Occupational Hazards

[Mathcat]

Note: This is a collection of drabbles dealing with various unexpected hazards of life at the Keep (with occasional brief detours into surrounding areas). Except for the common theme, the drabbles are unrelated.

Rex glared at his magi. You're supposed to be in charge. Fix this.

"I'm sorry," said Valkorian, "but I think you're stuck with it for now. Occupational hazard."

The caramel gryphon put his ears back. The egg was not there when I started my nap. He pushed the ziraafa hatchling away with a wing. It immediately trotted back. I am not its parent.

Valkorian sighed. "I'll talk to Tobran, but I don't think you'll be rid of it until it grows up."

Rex growled. If. He turned and stalked back toward the Keep, with the ziraafa running to keep up.

***

Now, Nyren knew perfectly well that the sign on the plate of cookies clearly said "Do Not Eat" and that he could get his fill of cookies from the Keep's kitchens whenever he wanted. However, the kitchens were so far away and the platter had so many cookies on it. Surely whoever had left it unattended for so long wouldn't miss just one little cookie.

After checking to make sure that nobody was watching, Nyren bypassed the shark cookies - hand-decorated and easily missed - and chose a plain cookie with nuts. The cookie growled at him. Nyren hastily put it back.

***

"Just pick one," Valkorian snapped, and then regretted it. How something without much of a face could look so offended, he had no idea.

The dozen strawberries Valkorian had lined up all looked much the same to him, but clearly not to Mister Pinchers. He just hoped the viridis crab didn't decide to take matters into his own claws by looking for his own new strawberry home. After all, Valkorian had found the crab in a carelessly-sorted bowl of strawberries, luckily before biting down. With a sigh, Valkorian pulled out a book and settled in for an even longer wait.

***

Cora had quickly learned to be wary of anything Remy sold during the holidays that came in a glass. Passion Pun-sh sounded particularly ominous. Would the flavor make her feel like she'd been punched in the throat? Would an elseal hatchling appear out of nowhere and hit her in the face? Cora read the note attached to the glass ("You must be an arathkon, because you just stole my heart") and groaned inwardly, then took a hesitant sip. When nothing bad happened, she took another. The small box of chocolates at the bottom of the glass was a definite anticlimax.

***

According to Keep rumor, the best times to get an egg from the Koi Pond were at dawn and dusk, with dusk being more popular. Ekaira really needed a goldfish egg, so here she was, headed to the Koi Pond in the dark with a handful of coins. Of course, it would be easier to just buy a goldfish from the market, but then she'd need to buy an aquarium and whatever else was needed to keep an aquatic companion alive. Since the goldfish would only be in her possession for a week, the extra expense wasn't worth it. At least, since goldfish eggs were among the most common in the pond, getting one shouldn't take too long.

By the time the sun was well and truly risen, Ekaira was down to her last coin. She tossed it in, hoping for the best, and the dragon koi guarding the Koi Pond that morning rose to the surface. With great care and a what-more-do-you-want-from-me expression, it deposited a solar koi egg at her feet. With a sigh, Ekaira added it to the pile of fabari and koi eggs. At least she could sell it and get some of her money back.