#blindberry bitty

Blind Sided

The Kings did not refer to the feral cat colony living in the alley next to the shop as a cat problem, and they certainly disapproved when other people referred to it that way. The Kings made sure that the cats were fed and protected. They also organized a catch and release effort so that the cats in the alley could receive necessary medical care and spay/neuter procedures. The cats of the colony were better cared for than some indoor cats, and caused no problems except constantly melting the hearts of Kings living in the shop.

One warm summer morning after a thunderstorm, one of the Kings slithered outside to check on the felines. As soon as he passed through the door into the alley, he heard the sound of teeny tiny shouting. Cats make a wide variety of noises, but they aren’t (usually) capable of human speech. The words cut off into a deafening screech of terror and pain. Following the shrieks, the King found one of the feral cats with a strange bitty clutched in its jaws.

Darting forward, the King blocked the cat’s escape from the alley. Firmly but gently he grabbed hold of the bitty, petting the cat to calm it while he carefully extracted the bitty from the danger zone. Reaching into a pouch at his waist, the King offered the cat a few treats as a thank you for being patient and giving up its prey. The cat sneezed haughtily and walked away with its tail high in the air, making it very clear that both the King and the bitty he had rescued were not worth its attention.

The King lifted his hands, peering at the bitty who trembled in his grasp. At first, he mistook the small creature for a Brassberry bitty… until he noticed the cloth covering its eyes. He’d never met a Blindberry before, but he recognized the timid bitty from descriptions he’d heard. Since the bitty wouldn’t be able to tell on his own if the danger had passed, the King whispered reassurances to him as he carried him into the shop.

When the King tried to place the terrified bitty onto the examining table so the Nurse Papythons could check him for injuries, the Blindberry clung to his hands with a vice-like grip. No amount of comforting words could dislodge him, and the King’s SOUL warmed at the thought of being such a trusted protector. The Nurse Papythons treated the Blindberry for a few cuts and scrapes with their green magic, but thankfully, he had no serious injuries from his kitty encounter.

The Blindberry nudged the King’s hand as they left the Infirmary. When the King leaned his head down to listen, the Blindberry informed him that he was hungry, starving actually. Absently rubbing the Blindberry’s itsy bitsy back, the King slithered into the storage pantry to find a snack for his new tiny charge. When asked about his favorite foods, the Blindberry rattled off a short list of baked goods, candies, and meat- all items that Vex kept on hand in the shop.

The King selected a cupcake and a slice of ham, both of which were nearly as large as the Blindberry himself, and carried the smaller bitty to his nest to eat in safety and comfort. The Blindberry ate until the King worried that he might explode. After the meal, the Blindberry yawned hugely, and the King offered to get him some blankets and pillows to sleep on. The Blindberry shook his head emphatically.

“I want to stay with you!” the Blindberry declared, and the King didn’t argue. He liked this bitty. The Blindberry reminded him of a cute little kitten.

In the days that followed, the Blindberry ran around exploring the shop with the helpful King slithering along behind him, warning him of any obstacles in his path. The King folded his scarf into a carrying pouch for the Blindberry whenever the bitty wore himself out. Each night, the King curled himself in a circle around the Blindberry to prevent him from wandering off and getting lost or injured.

The Blindberry had been living in the shop for over a week when the King overheard Vex mentioning a Blindberry over the phone.

“-found a Blindberry in the alley. It might be the one you’re looking for,” Vex said to the caller. Spotting the King, she waved him over. The Blindberry kept one hand pressed to the King’s tail while Vex explained the situation to them. A bitty rescue center was calling other bitty shops in the area to help a distraught owner track down their lost Blindberry. Vex described the owner, and the Blindberry spoke up.

“That’s my owner!”

Vex passed the information to the caller, and the King’s large body drooped a bit. The Blindberry had an owner who was looking for him. He was going to leave, to go home. The King felt happy that the two would be reunited, but he would miss the Blindberry’s company. The Blindberry patted the King’s scaly tail until the much larger bitty picked him up. The Blindberry curled up and fell asleep nuzzling his temporary caretaker’s hands.

The owner burst into the shop a few hours later like a cyclone, tension subsiding into relief when they saw the King standing at the front desk with their missing Blindberry in his cupped hands.

“Oh stars, thank you for finding him! A branch fell and broke one of our windows during the thunderstorm, and my poor little guy got disoriented and wandered outside. I’m just so glad he’s alright,” the owner babbled breathlessly, reaching for their Blindberry.

The Blindberry awoke with a massive yawn, stretching like one of the cats who’d almost dusted him. He recognized his owner’s voice immediately and leapt to his little feet. When they touched him to let him know that they were close, he purred softly, then latched onto the King’s long phalanges. Though his owner tugged him gently, the Blindberry refused to relinquish his hold.

With an exasperated sigh, the owner looked the King up and down.

“I don’t suppose you’re interested in coming home with us? I’d actually appreciate having someone around to help keep an eye on him, especially when I’m not home,” they offered, and the King would’ve jumped for joy if it wasn’t so undignified. The Blindberry had no such reservations involving dignity, and shouted loudly with joy, dancing around in the King’s hands.

The happy reunion became a happy adoption and an even happier homecoming.

(This is a special drabble for @sj-potato for purchasing a Blindberry doll from otomecrazy. Thank you!)

The Blindberry kept right on clinging to your hand the entire trip home. Every now and then, he nuzzled against your skin, inhaling deeply. Without the benefit of sight, he relied heavily on his other senses, and your scent enveloped him in comfort and the feeling of home. He couldn’t get enough, and you let him sniff to his little SOUL’s content.

You knew it would take some work to help the Blindberry settle into your home. He wasn’t your only bitty, and you could tell by the way he trembled whenever one of the newly adopted lamias (a Pygmy and a Krait) chirped unexpectedly that he would be nervous in a social setting. Whenever he trembled, you gave his little shoulders a gentle rub to calm him. It worked like a charm; your presence soothed the shy Blindberry’s anxiety.

It was flattering to have a bitty labeled as too shy to meet new people choose you to cling to, but you wanted him to be safe and comfortable with his new family too. Still carrying him around, you arranged a nice bed of pillows and blankets for the Blindberry. You carefully set him down in the nest, letting him continue to hold onto your hand. Your other bittybones gathered around to meet him, but you waved them away. It was still to early for that.

Instead, you led the Pygmy and Krait over to introduce themselves to the Blindberry properly. You told them, and by association any other bitty within hearing distance, that they should not approach him silently. You also warned them not to touch him unexpectedly. You didn’t want him to be startled by a sudden touch or a too-close voice.

Over the next few days, you spent a great deal of time with the Blindberry in your hands. He felt safest when he was close to you. You seized the opportunity to introduce him to your other bittybones. It was painfully obvious that his inability to see left him feeling vulnerable around the more mobile bittybones, but there were two in particular that he really took a shine to.

When you first placed Blue and Grizz next to the Blindberry, he instantly fell in love with them. You told him that they were amputees that you rescued from a bad situation and that they couldn’t move around without help. The Blindberry (who you’ve been calling Berry) enjoys the company of the quieter bitties, and they love spending time with him too. Day by day, with the help of his two new pals, Berry became more confident.

He’s still a shy guy who doesn’t make waves, but he’s opened up to Blue and Grizz and no longer flinches when the other bitties speak. Blue and Grizz have even taken to sleeping next to him at night. Berry always keeps one protective arm around each of his little buddies. During the day, the Blindberry prefers staying in his comfy pillow-and-blanket nest to exploring the house.

At first you worry that Berry isn’t more active and curious, but you soon accept that he’s a little bit like you- a quiet SOUL who enjoys a safe space. With Berry’s love of warmth, coziness, and a certain pair of sweet amputees in mind, you present Berry with the perfect gift. He opens the box, and touches the plush fabric. Blue and Grizz squeal in delight and describe the item to him.

“it’s a onesie, like mine,” squeaks Grizz.

“YOURS IS A KITTY THOUGH,” adds Blue.

You help Berry put his kitty onesie on, using the opportunity to wipe the tears streaming down from his bandaged sockets.