Chapter 67 - Sixty-Five (1/2)

I felt light and well-rested by the time I woke up again, too lazy to open my eyes as I roll around the sheets, the sunlight passing through the cracks on the window as birds chirped their lullaby, giving me no reason to stand, on the contrary, just helping in my rest.

So I didn't, I enjoyed the well-deserved rest that I lacked from the last weeks and when the light turns out to be too much I simple went underneath the covers.

…Wait…Covers? Bed? How did I get here? Where is here?

That makes me open my eyes only to see that I was inside one of the room that Leo and I had cleaned before, but exactly in which one was impossible to tell since they all looked the same, not that it would matter anyway.

I sigh, pushing the blankets slightly out of me and covering my eyes with my arm, trying to prepare myself to mentally start the day and stand up as I feel movement beside me.

Wait, it couldn't be…Leo, right…?

I turn around and pull the blanket all out only to see… a dog?

I take a sniff, but it was obvious that it wasn't my brother since the dog was white, with only his back turned towards me as he tries to retain the warmth of the blankets my pulling it with his paw, only for it to find nothing and wiggle around midair.

I scowl as I stare at his back, knowing by the smell that Leo was here too, making me search for him first before confronting the dog, only to find him on the floor, his tick arm under his head as he sleeps deeply.

Oh, I must have fallen asleep yesterday, and yet, instead of using this perfect opportunity to sleep with me, instead he kept his promise and has been a gentleman and respected me and my pace and space.

And that, somehow, was far more effective for me than having him sleeping in the same bed for it went straight to my heart, making a fire stir there and warm my face up, making me bite my lip as my tail wiggle behind me.

Th-that was so sweet of him…!

I mean. Wait, we still have a white dog problem oi!

”Leo, oi, Leo, wake up!”

His golden eyes look misty as he yawns, rubbing his face and waking up, making the warmth inside me intensify by his messy look as his eyes lock on mine.

”…”

”What?”

”Oh, right, there is a dog in my bed?”

”There is or there is not?”

At this point I forgot even my name.

I look back towards the bed and, sure enough the dog is there, now with his belly up and tongue out. Leo half stands enough to see him, and say a simple:

”Uhm.”

”Uhm my ass, who is it?”

He keeps staring at it, but it seemed that his mind was still hazy from sleep. Really, that was too cute to see, the all-mighty royal elf slowly blinking his sleep away.

Focus now Thilgon, there is a strange creature beside you… Oh, dumb me, I could appraisal it.

Can I mentally facepaw myself?

Once I use appraisal, however, I was shocked by the information that surges:

Name: Shrum, Shu for short

Gender: Male

Race: Puppy Earth Mushroom Hound

And unusual evolution for a mushroom, this kind is not known for being strong nor bright, instead they are usually kept as pets as they are very attached to their owners and are very docile.

…

What…?!

SHRUM?!

”Wait, is that Shrum? But-how? He evolved? Into a hound?”

”Maybe, he helped with the rabbits yesterday.”

”But he is a mushroom! How did he become a hound?”

”Maybe he wanted to be like you.”

I turn towards him. ”You think so?” He nods. If that is the case… then it would be so Goddamnit cute!

Because of our ruckus Shu turns towards us yawning, his little body coming to view as he stretched his paws out.

He wasn't totally white as I first thought him to be, his head, tail and the sides of his body where green with a consistence that looked like leaves, a pair of big pointy fox ears on top of his white face and a fluffy tail that have some long black feathers as well as a pair of those falling alongside his face, close to his ears and framing his snout.

With big white pair paws he paw paw over me, nestling on my lap, not before whining and licking my fingers with his tiny tongue.

I start petting him without noticing, still to stun think clearly, but once I look one more I notice that he is now level 50, one of the thresholds for evolving, and that he had red spots on his head and a pair on top of his eyes, like eyebrows, making me sure that he was, indeed, Shu.

I stopped trying to understand how evolving worked a long time ago, but I noticed that not every aware creatures receives information's nor choice on their evolution, simply evolving to the most fitting one with their character, their will and their most-used skills and element, like my brother went all fire on his evolutions, almost instinctive, that's why those who change away from pattern are so rare.

And that meant that, really, somewhere deep inside Shu he really wanted to be like us, to look like us, to change himself to a hound.

And, to be frank, I didn't even know it was possible until now, it was almost as if change his race altogether.

Leo stands then, gives me a peck on the forehead, a pet on Shu's had, who rubs his face on his palm, and goes to grab some clothes and change, making me focus on Shu as not to see him changing… But, well, I mean, a little peek can do no harm right?

I look up… only to see him turned towards me and looking me dead in the eyes.

”…”