Dave, High Priest of the Shiny, had been badgered, pestered and persuaded by Timmy into adopting one of the youngest Ferrets in his Espionage Team, a young five year old called Patrick. It was acceptable under the Book of Shiny to do so, but still, half the time the synapses in his brain fried just thinking about lovely shinies, never mind the feeding, cuddling and general parenthood skills required to raise a fully functional ferret into ferret society! Still, it had been fun so far... and it had only been three days since Cory had ratified it with the Safe Haven Act.
Standing on a stool in Main CIC, with a laughing Helen helping, Dave was attempting to create the world's first, finest shiny pizza for his new son to enjoy at tonights thanksgiving Clan feast. All a ferrets' favourate foods were already on it: diced mice, spaghetti made from minced and rolled bull testicles (a bull's family jewels, hence shiny), and edible glitter. So far. "Shiny preserve me, this will be the BEST pizza ever!" Dave sang to himself, completely missing the howls of laughter from Helen at the faces being pulled at the Ferret High Priest by any and all Clan members passing the counter in the kitchens.
"You forgot marmite, mate," Nathan sniggered as he passed. "It's shiny."
"Thank you, Nathan!" Dave beamed. People were being SO helpful.
"Anchovies?" Timmy grinned, while also turning a little green at the sight of the uncooked mess on the counter.
Dave was impressed, and not just by Timmy's shiny red hair. "Thank you Timothy!" On went the anchovies, all dipped into Marmite first.
"Daaadddy?"
"Yes, Patrick?" Dave replied as he finished with the shiny blackened fish and started to turn around.
"Daddy! This is my new brother! Ben!"
All the synapses fired at once. And missed their marks completely. For before him was his son, yes, but he was on eye level with him. This was a problem as Dave was three and a half feet tall and he was standing on a three foot tall stool. His little Patrick, on the other hand, was only just over a foot tall.
Ben, on the other hand, was a grizzly bear. With big shiny teeth, and a brushed and gleaming coat. Who was smiling at him with Patrick sitting on his head!
"Daddy? Ben was lonely living out in the woods, so Unca Levi, Timmy and Unca Quint went to rescue him! And he had such NICE SHINY TEETH that I knew I'd HAVE to be his big brother! He promised to help us protect Shinys!"
"Oh..." Dave said. This was going to be a problem. Where was Ben going to sleep? What was he going to do with his Ferret Flock by adopting a non-ferret? 'I'd better have something good to say,' he thought to himself.
And so High Priest Dave asked, "Does he like Marmite and Anchovies?"
Ben the Shiny Loving Bear nodded happily.
And so they all shined happily ever after.