Pigmet!

It was instinctual.  Pigmet ran from his place by the door, his little robe flapping behind him, to where Shiara was, and gave her a snuffly-wet hug around the nose and ears.  As she put her arms around him, he felt different.  She drew back to look at him.  He was fuller of form, and there were gray hairs about his muzzle and his ears.

Pigmet bowed deeply in front of her, with his little paws pressed together.  “Forgive me,” he said.  “I did not pay you proper respect.”

“Oh, Pigmet!” She said, “I think a snuffly-wet hug ranks higher on the respect scale than a plain old bow!”

Then he looked toward the Couch.  He saw Geo, lying deep in his sleep.  He scampered over to where Geo lay.  “G-O, G-O!” he said, using his time-honored  greeting for his best friend.  But Geo lay deeply asleep, and did not stir. To come this close to Geo, and not really see him, this was hard on Pigmet’s heart. Tears filled the rims of his little eyes. “May I touch him?’ he asked, to no one in particular.  Black Couch answered, “Yes, you can touch him.  It might even be healing for him”

Pigmet scuttled up onto the Couch sideways, and gave Geo the Snuffly Greeting.  “Pigmet…” Geo murmured.  He sighed, and put his arms around Pigmet, enfolding the black-robed creature as if he were a teddy bear.  He rubbed his nose in Pigmet’s fur.  And then Geo opened his eyes.

***

1:33:24 PM