Chapter 12. Animal Care
When Arthur learned that the reward for taking care of magical creatures was only 10 points per week, he sighed with mild disappointment. He would have to work for five weeks to earn enough points to buy a spell template. However, the thought of getting closer to magical creatures fueled his enthusiasm.
"Five weeks isn't that long," he murmured to himself as he opened the animal care manual.
The first task on the list was Moonwalkers. Arthur carefully reread the section, noting the peculiarities of caring for these creatures.
Entering the Moonwalker enclosure, Arthur felt a slight nervousness. Unlike larger animals, these creatures were almost impossible to see, and he worried about disturbing them or even accidentally stepping on one.
"Alright, let's start by preparing some food," he said to himself, opening a small storage box filled with berries and dried mushrooms.
According to the instructions, he needed to carefully place the food in specific spots around the enclosure so the Moonwalkers could find it on their own.
"I hope you don't mind me intruding a little," he chuckled as he cautiously stepped into the enclosed area.
Inside, the atmosphere was enchanting. A small pond reflected a soft glow, creating the illusion that moonlight bathed the space even during the day. The soft grass muffled Arthur's footsteps, and bushes with tiny white flowers emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance.
As he set down the first portion of food near the pond, a small, fluffy shape emerged from the grass.
"Are you a Moonwalker?" Arthur asked, kneeling down.
The creature didn't respond but slowly approached, as if testing whether it was safe to be near him. Its fur shimmered faintly, creating the illusion that it was dissolving into the air.
"You are truly beautiful," Arthur said with genuine admiration. "I never imagined magical creatures could be like this."
The Moonwalker cautiously sniffed the berries and picked one up. Then, it froze and stared at Arthur. For a moment, he felt a gentle warmth in his mind, as if the creature was thanking him.
"Well, enjoy your meal," he smiled.
Next, Arthur had to tackle a less pleasant task—cleaning the enclosure. The manual clearly stated that leftover food had to be removed, the pond cleaned, and the ground maintained to ensure the Moonwalkers remained comfortable.
"If I want to be a wizard, I need to learn how to handle all kinds of tasks," he told himself as he started working.
The pond was slightly murky, and Arthur had to put in some effort to clean it. The small creature watching him soon disappeared into the bushes, but he occasionally noticed movement in the grass.
"Are you checking if I'm doing everything right?" he chuckled.
After finishing, Arthur felt a bit tired, but a sense of accomplishment warmed his heart.
Over time, he began to notice something unusual. When he was near the enclosure, he increasingly felt light "touches" in his mind. It seemed like the Moonwalkers were trying to communicate with him—very cautiously.
One evening, as he sat by the pond after cleaning, one of the Moonwalkers approached him closer than usual. It stared into his eyes for a long moment, and then Arthur felt a clear image in his mind—a bright forest bathed in moonlight.
"Is that your home?" he asked.
The Moonwalker tilted its head slightly as if nodding.
"So, you miss your home too…" Arthur mused.
***
The next day, Arthur opened the manual and saw that his next task was caring for a Rock Bear. His eyebrows lifted slightly.
"A Rock Bear?" he muttered, rereading the description. "A massive creature that lives in the mountains, covered in stones… And I have to take care of it?"
Although the manual stated that Rock Bears were peaceful creatures, Arthur still felt a bit uneasy. He had never seen one before, and imagining a creature the size of a small boulder was difficult.
He made his way to the Rock Bear's enclosure. It was located at the edge of the park, near artificial hills designed to mimic a mountainous landscape. The area was covered in sparse vegetation, rocks, and a few large boulders.
As Arthur approached, he didn't notice the bear at first. One of the large boulders seemed to shift slightly, and only then did he realize that what he thought was a rock was actually the bear.
"This is incredible," he whispered, watching the creature.
The Rock Bear truly looked like part of the landscape—its fur blended seamlessly with the stones, and parts of its body were covered in small crystals and mineral formations. The bear slowly lifted its head, revealing large, gentle eyes.
"Hey there, buddy," Arthur said, feeling slightly nervous.
The bear paid him little attention, simply turning back to a large boulder and becoming motionless again, as if entering a deep rest.
According to the manual, Rock Bears fed on rare types of stones and minerals, which were included in specially prepared feed mixtures. Arthur went to the storage area where the animal food was kept and found a small box labeled "Rock Bear Feed."
Inside, he found colorful minerals and small quartz pieces. His task was to carefully place them on the rocks in the enclosure so the bear could "graze" naturally, as it would in the wild.
"Well, I hope you're not a picky eater," he said, distributing the minerals along one of the large boulders.
When he finished, the bear slowly rose and approached the food. Its movements were smooth, almost majestic. A massive paw carefully picked up a quartz piece, and the bear began chewing it with surprising delicacy.
"You're truly impressive," Arthur murmured, watching the bear enjoy its meal.
One of Arthur's duties was cleaning the enclosure. Despite its size, the Rock Bear didn't create much mess, but Arthur had to remove uneaten minerals and keep the water in a small artificial spring clean.
The spring was a key part of the bear's habitat. In addition to solid minerals, it absorbed special nutrients from the water. Arthur grabbed a brush and carefully cleaned the bottom of the spring.
As he worked, the bear occasionally lifted its head, observing him.
"You don't mind if I tidy up a bit, do you?" Arthur chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I think you'd prefer a clean home."
The bear let out a low, friendly sound, like the distant rumbling of stones rolling down a slope.
Throughout his time caring for the Rock Bear, Arthur learned more about its behavior. Despite its imposing size, the bear was incredibly peaceful. It enjoyed resting in silence, lying near the boulders or by the spring.
One evening, as Arthur stayed in the enclosure a little longer, he noticed the bear lowering its head to the ground, as if listening to something.
"What do you hear?" he asked quietly.
At that moment, Arthur felt a faint vibration beneath his feet, as if the earth was pulsing softly. It seemed like the bear was interacting with magical energy from the land itself.
These observations made Arthur reflect on how extraordinary the magical world was. Even creatures that appeared simple, like the Rock Bear, possessed unique magic and harmony with nature.
***
After the Rock Bear, Arthur's next task was caring for Forest Spirits. This assignment gave him mixed feelings.
"Alright, spirits, I hope you're friendly," he muttered, opening the manual to study their care requirements.
Forest Spirits were described as fluffy creatures the size of kittens, with large eyes and fur in all shades of earth—from white to deep brown. Their primary need was interaction with the emotional waves of other beings. Without positive emotions, they would weaken and fade.
The manual detailed how to care for them:
1. Play and interaction were key to maintaining their life force.
2. Emotional stability—a wizard had to remain calm and positive.
3. Cleaning the area—Forest Spirits left behind a light magical pollen that needed to be removed periodically to maintain magical energy balance.
"So I need to be cheerful and calm? Sounds like a challenge," Arthur smirked.
As he stepped into their glowing enclosure, curious little eyes watched him from the branches.
"Hello, little ones," he said gently.
A soft voice echoed in his mind.
"Who are you?"
Arthur smiled. "I'm Arthur. I've come to take care of you."
"Take care of us? What does that mean?"
"Well, I have to clean up here, play with you, and make sure you're happy."
For a moment, silence hung in the air. Then one of the spirits, a snow-white creature with shimmering silver fur, stepped closer and stared at him with its large eyes.
"Are you kind?"
Arthur laughed.
"I think so."
According to the guide, playing with the forest spirits could include simple activities like tossing soft magical orbs or more complex ones, such as shaping small figurines out of clay.
"Let's start with something easy," Arthur said, pulling out a few lightweight orbs from the box. They hovered in the air, held aloft by magic.
The spirits immediately showed interest. They shot up like tiny comets and started batting the orbs to one another. Their movements were so graceful and swift that Arthur had to focus to keep up.
But suddenly, one of the orbs fell to the ground and began to flicker. A brown-furred spirit approached it, as if inspecting what had happened. Arthur noticed the flickering growing stronger.
"Wait!" he quickly grabbed the orb, realizing it was about to discharge. "Let's try another one."
His quick reaction seemed to earn the spirits' approval, as they responded with a wave of positive emotions—like a gentle, warm light spreading through the enclosure.
After playtime, Arthur had to clean up. The forest spirits left behind a fine layer of glowing dust, which, according to the guide, could disrupt the balance of magical energy if not removed in time.
He took a special brush with an enchanted handle, which made gathering the magical dust much easier. The task was meticulous but surprisingly soothing.
The spirits followed him closely, watching his every move. At one point, Arthur felt a soft touch on his shoulder.
"What is it?" he asked, turning around.
"You are good," a gentle voice echoed in his mind.
For a moment, he froze, struck by the simple yet sincere words.
"Thank you, guys. You're wonderful too."
As he left the enclosure, Arthur felt an unexpected sense of joy. The forest spirits had filled his day with warmth and happiness, and he realized just how meaningful even the simplest interactions could be.
"If this keeps up, I might never want to leave," he said with a smile, walking away from the park.