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Shrimpy Treats
Ortus held a small bowl of steamed shrimp in their hands as they walked over to the round table at the center of their home. They would frequently pass by here as they tended to chores, so was the perfect spot for their larvae to rest.
At the center of the table, Yam and Pancake were resting in their ceramic nest bowl. The shallow vessel filled lightly with water to keep the mucus layering their delicate skin from drying out.
Magician ancestors lived a much more amphibious lifestyle. They dug shallow puddles for their offspring to rest and hide in. The nest bowl was reminiscent of these puddles, providing a space that felt safe for the little chubby larvae.
Ortus placed the small bowl of shrimp on the the table and observed the larvae for a moment.
The two larvae with their closed eyes and retracted limbs resembled plump loaves of bread. Their backs and sides of their stomachs gently expanded and contracted as they breathed in and out.
Yam made a small grimace and rubbed their dry face with a wet front limb before settling back to their nap.
Pancake looked moisturized and unbothered, unresponsive to Yam's movements.
Ortus picked a shrimp from the small bowl then carefully offered it to Yam, holding it in front of their muzzle.
Yam did not react to the shrimpy offering at first, still appearing to be resting. Ortus gently waved the shrimp, hoping it would help disperse the scent. Still no reaction.
Just when Ortus was about to move the shrimp closer, Yam lunges forward and snaps up the shrimp with their tongue. As they chew the shrimp between the molars that lined their jaws, they shift their body to look directly towards to source of the shrimp offering, eagerly anticipating the next.
A gentle, comforting grumble emerged from Ortus' throat as they picked another shrimp from the bowl. It's Pancake's turn for a shrimpy treat.
Ortus held the shrimp in front of Pancake's muzzle. No reaction. They wave the shrimp. Still no reaction. Ortus gently pressed the the shrimp against Pancake's muzzle, attempting to entice them to eat.
The larva retracts their head, eyes still closed, and with a front limb emerging from their plump body, pushes the shrimp away. Pancake then begins shifting their body counterclockwise until their bum faces towards the obnoxious parent disturbing their nap.
Pancake has made it clear they desire no shrimpies, only sleepies.
Memories from past parenting experiences kept Ortus from becoming concerned about Pancake's lack of an appetite. Sometimes larvae just aren't hungry at mealtime, they will eat eventually.
Wizard homes are a sort of ecosystem, occupied not only by their owners, but also a wide variety of flora and small creatures. It is possible one of these housemates had met an unfortunate fate within Pancake's stomach while Ortus was tending to other tasks.
Yam begins splashing the water in the nest bowl with their tail, growing impatient. Some of the water splashes against Pancake's face, causing them to hiss with annoyance.
Ortus gently puts both their hands under Yam's stomach and carefully lifts them up, placing them on the table. The concerned parent worried Yam's tail splashing might inspire an agitated Pancake to bite their obnoxious sibling.
The impatient Yam detects the scent of shrimp and with their little limbs begins wobbling towards the bowl of treats.
Curious to see what the larva will do, Ortus slowly scoots the shrimp bowl towards Yam.
Upon reaching the bowl of delicacies, Yam nudges the bowl with their muzzle and paws at it with their front limbs, trying to tip it over. This goes on for a few moments before Ortus decides to help the increasingly agitated Yam.
Each shrimp offering is quickly snapped up by Yam's tongue until no shrimps remain. The content larva flattens themself as they rest upon the table, tummy full of shrimpies.
Ortus gently picks up Yam and returns them to the nest bowl.
Yam shifts around the bowl a bit as they find a comfortable spot to settle. Pancake, asleep, is unresponsive to their sibling's pushing and nudging. Once they find a comfortable spot to rest, Yam settles down and flattens their chubby body.
Ortus admires the two adorable rotund loaves for a moment, then picks up the empty shrimp bowl and places it in a basket for cleaning later.
They then retire to the nearby room, picking up a book and settling in a hammock.
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