Monster Zoo / Water Trouble

“Daddy! Papa!” Kieran called out when he got back to his room, making sure to close the portal. He already sent Angel through and told him sternly not to eat any of the soup or bread he had just finished baking. “Where are you?”

He walked out of his room and turned the corner, looking into the family room before going through the kitchen and down the stairs. Moving the baby gate and then closing it after he went through, he called out again to see if his dads were down here. A big husky dog came bounding out of a back bedroom and ran over to him, licking his face.

“Asher, stop it!” Kieran told him, laughing. “Where’s grandma?”

Asher perked his ears and tilted his head. “She’s outside with your dads. They’re getting the garden ready for more of those red balls they won’t let me play with.”

“Tomatoes.” Kieran told him, walking into the little kitchen area and opening the door. “This is why I can’t let you help in the diner. You would eat everything in sight.”

Asher bounded out the door and ran over to a white dog bigger than him and started to bounce around her.

“Ash! Leave Zoe alone. She doesn’t want to play right now.” A voice called from one side of the yard. “Hey Kieran, back from the diner already?”

“Hi Papa. Ya, the boss said Lysander and me are supposed to go catch a water sprite that got loose.” Kieran told him.

“A water sprite huh? Just make sure to put on a life vest if you’re going in a boat.” Another man said walking up behind his Papa.

“Hi Daddy. I’ll make sure to take one with me.” Kieran told him as he started walking over to the swing set. “I sent Angel over to watch the brew that I made for the customer later. Hopefully he doesn’t eat any of it this time.”

“If you make sure and give him some on the side after you get back, he might do better at watching whatever you brew next time.” Papa said, lifting him into one of the swings. “Where are you going for this water sprite?”

“I have to go to the Uintahs, I guess it was spotted in Butterfly Lake early this morning.” Kieran said, laughing when his Papa pushed the swing for him. “Will you take me?”

“Of course we will. Did Lysander come with you? Or is he coming later?” Daddy asked.

“He’s going to come later. He said his mom had to go over some trainings with him after lunch.” Kieran said. “I was going to get some lunch here and then go walk around the zoo for a little bit until he was ready. I heard the last monster catcher got scratched up pretty bad when he found the baby Ratper. He got sent to the medical ward of the zoo for treatment.”

“Now wait, a Ratper? What in the world is that?” His pappa asked.

“It’s a rat mixed with a viper.” Kieran said, stopping the swing and shivering. “They can be very mean if they feel threatened.”

“It sounds like it.” His daddy said. “Are these water sprites mean or dangerous?”

“They're mostly friendly. But they really hate being confined to a small space.” Kieran said as he started walking back to the house. “Will you make me some lunch, Daddy? I want to hurry back so I can make sure Angel hasn't eaten any of the brew before I walk around and look at what they've caught since last time.”

“Of course. Just don't let the boss push you into feeding any of them again. We don't want you to come home with any more bites that foam again.” His daddy said. “That was a weird couple of days.”

“Tell me about it. Or, there was also that time he came home with his hair partially singed and dyed that weird neon green. That was an interesting talk with his teacher.” His pappa said.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” His daddy said. “Just don’t let the boss push you into anything like that again, your teachers are starting to ask too many questions about what we allow you to do. We don’t want to try to figure out how to lie about your being a monster.”

“Ok, gosh guys. It’s not like I can’t help myself you know.” Kieran told them. “I mean, I am a monster after all.”