It was Nick who found the next batch of babies, as Newt was searching through some smugglers' tents. He was looking healthier now. Dougal was ensuring he ate and slept, and he was flourishing. Dougal was careful to pat his hair to reward good behaviour, and it seemed to be working. Newt would even glance to him for approval when he was eating.
Dougal had never found a mate among his own kind, as demiguises had been hunted to near extinction. He had not seen another demiguise since he was a baby dysguise in his father's arms. But he still had a drive to protect children and care for them, the same as his father and grandfather before.
Nick had scampered over to Newt, dipping a paw into his pocket and pulling out a shining silver egg almost larger than he was. Newt had gasped. "Where are they?" Dougal had followed invisibly as Newt collected the five eggs, hiding them in his pouches and then quickly getting everyone out of there.
That evening, Dougal had helped Newt in the preparation of a nest for the eggs. They were placed in a small woven basket, and Dougal was nearby to keep an eye on them. Four of them hatched without difficulty, and Newt began to carry the last around in his pouch in the hope that the warmth of his body would encourage it to hatch.
Dougal wished he could have carried the egg, but he did not possess a pouch. Instead, he spent his time looking after the other hatchlings, bringing them a range of insects to eat and stroking the underside of their throats, careful not to provoke a bite. Newt sat beside him after dinner, a basket on his lap containing an apple for Dougal and mashed up cockroaches for the babies. "These are occamy." Newt told him after a few moments had passed in silence between them. "They are very rare, so you need to be careful with them. They are beautiful, aren't they? Lovely colours?"
Dougal nodded, and then shivered as his vision supplied the information Newt had not spoken aloud. How these young occamy faced being harvested for their shells and for their scales. Unlike fur, that wouldn't grow back.
From that moment on, Dougal took his job of guarding extremely seriously. He made sure that Nick did not steal the babies' shells, in case they needed them, and he fed them regularly. Even Newt seemed impressed, letting him know he was doing well and they were growing strong.
Newt was always kind and caring whenever he opened the case, always making time to check on them even though he was busy with traveling. The problem was that one day the case opened, and it wasn't Newt who was there. It was on the same day that the last occamy had hatched, and Dougal was the proud father to five hatchlings. Nick had escaped, but Newt had brought him home and everything was alright.
At least, that was what Dougal had thought. His sight had foreseen a pleasant evening, playing with the occamy and letting Newt comb his fur. That tranquility was shattered when the case opened. A man with dark hair and a funny bit of fur on his face stared at them for a moment, and most of the occamy cowered away.
One made a break for it. She slipped between the two sides of the case and out into the world, shaking with fear. Having secured the other babies, Dougal did the same, although he had the sense to be invisible when he left. He could hardly get away with causing more chaos. The escapee would be frightened and he had to find her before she got hurt.
He tracked the occamy to a department store, where she had settled in the attic. She was scared, and the fear had made her grow until she filled the space, snarling and hissing and seeming not to recognise Dougal as he stood before her massive coils.
Dougal fetched some food. He couldn't find enough insects to feed her in her current state, so he put together everything he could find. He knew that was what Newt would want. He was looking after her.
Newt would come, and when he arrived he would solve this, get her back to a sensible size and bring her home. Until that happened, all that Dougal could do was keep her calm and make sure she felt as safe as possible.
It was late, and he borrowed a handbag from a mannequin so that he could carry more food. He realised Newt was watching, but he didn't fear him. There were other humans there too, but Newt wouldn’t let any humans hurt Dougal or the others. That meant he was safe, and carefully he lead him up to his frightened child. He could trust Newt.
When the hatchling had been contained and returned to her siblings, Dougal relaxed, knowing he didn’t have to do this childcare thing by himself.
FILL: Fantastic Babies and How to Sit Them (3/6)
Dougal had never found a mate among his own kind, as demiguises had been hunted to near extinction. He had not seen another demiguise since he was a baby dysguise in his father's arms. But he still had a drive to protect children and care for them, the same as his father and grandfather before.
Nick had scampered over to Newt, dipping a paw into his pocket and pulling out a shining silver egg almost larger than he was. Newt had gasped.
"Where are they?"
Dougal had followed invisibly as Newt collected the five eggs, hiding them in his pouches and then quickly getting everyone out of there.
That evening, Dougal had helped Newt in the preparation of a nest for the eggs. They were placed in a small woven basket, and Dougal was nearby to keep an eye on them. Four of them hatched without difficulty, and Newt began to carry the last around in his pouch in the hope that the warmth of his body would encourage it to hatch.
Dougal wished he could have carried the egg, but he did not possess a pouch. Instead, he spent his time looking after the other hatchlings, bringing them a range of insects to eat and stroking the underside of their throats, careful not to provoke a bite. Newt sat beside him after dinner, a basket on his lap containing an apple for Dougal and mashed up cockroaches for the babies.
"These are occamy." Newt told him after a few moments had passed in silence between them. "They are very rare, so you need to be careful with them. They are beautiful, aren't they? Lovely colours?"
Dougal nodded, and then shivered as his vision supplied the information Newt had not spoken aloud. How these young occamy faced being harvested for their shells and for their scales. Unlike fur, that wouldn't grow back.
From that moment on, Dougal took his job of guarding extremely seriously. He made sure that Nick did not steal the babies' shells, in case they needed them, and he fed them regularly. Even Newt seemed impressed, letting him know he was doing well and they were growing strong.
Newt was always kind and caring whenever he opened the case, always making time to check on them even though he was busy with traveling. The problem was that one day the case opened, and it wasn't Newt who was there. It was on the same day that the last occamy had hatched, and Dougal was the proud father to five hatchlings. Nick had escaped, but Newt had brought him home and everything was alright.
At least, that was what Dougal had thought. His sight had foreseen a pleasant evening, playing with the occamy and letting Newt comb his fur. That tranquility was shattered when the case opened. A man with dark hair and a funny bit of fur on his face stared at them for a moment, and most of the occamy cowered away.
One made a break for it. She slipped between the two sides of the case and out into the world, shaking with fear.
Having secured the other babies, Dougal did the same, although he had the sense to be invisible when he left. He could hardly get away with causing more chaos. The escapee would be frightened and he had to find her before she got hurt.
He tracked the occamy to a department store, where she had settled in the attic. She was scared, and the fear had made her grow until she filled the space, snarling and hissing and seeming not to recognise Dougal as he stood before her massive coils.
Dougal fetched some food. He couldn't find enough insects to feed her in her current state, so he put together everything he could find. He knew that was what Newt would want. He was looking after her.
Newt would come, and when he arrived he would solve this, get her back to a sensible size and bring her home. Until that happened, all that Dougal could do was keep her calm and make sure she felt as safe as possible.
It was late, and he borrowed a handbag from a mannequin so that he could carry more food. He realised Newt was watching, but he didn't fear him. There were other humans there too, but Newt wouldn’t let any humans hurt Dougal or the others. That meant he was safe, and carefully he lead him up to his frightened child. He could trust Newt.
When the hatchling had been contained and returned to her siblings, Dougal relaxed, knowing he didn’t have to do this childcare thing by himself.