Pip

I found Pip inside a small meteorite that had split almost perfectly in half on impact. There was no ordinary rock inside, only a curled-up creature with crystal spines along its back. The moment he opened his eyes, he bit off a piece of his own stone shell and swallowed it happily. That was when I realized his diet might be unusual. Since then, Pip has traveled with me. He loves stones, ceramics, and minerals, and can spend ages choosing the perfect pebble “snack.” Whenever we discover a strange rock, he insists on tasting it first. His species is said to consume entire asteroids when fully grown. For now, he is small, friendly, and fits beside me. I just occasionally wonder how long that will remain true.