Creature Chronicles: hppamela

Quest Information

Name: hppamela
House: Gryffindor

Creature: Puffskein
Quest Location: Antarctica
Quest Dates: 1st-30th April

Potential Problems:
The weather will more than likely cause problems for you
What are those big footprints in the snow...a yeti, perhaps?
Is your puffskein all right in this climate?

Your quest will take you through Antarctica, where ice and snow and bitterly cold winds prevail. Your puffskein isn't keen on the cold, and there's something tracking you...

You should make thirty entries spanning the month of your quest. This does not need to be in real-time (i.e. a post a day). You can take however long you need to complete your quest.

Good Luck!

1 April

It's day one in my expedition. I am looking to find a yeti. Few have seen them, and it's been my dream since I was a little girl. Many of my peers have thought me insane, but I think that the yeti is a creature that we should learn more about. If my findings can help unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the yeti, I will have done my job.

I don't know why I brought Sable along with me. A puffskein in this weather? What was I thinking? I just couldn't bring myself to be alone. Even with him here, I'm already lonely. It's such an empty world. I guess I'd always had a sort of romanticized view of Antarctica. Maybe things will get better after awhile for Sable, but for now he justs stays in a corner of the habitat I have set up for us.

I took him with me to go explore our surroundings. He rode on my shoulder for a bit, but before long he had nestled himself into the neck of my coat. He was able to provide additional warmth for me, at least. We did find some very large foot prints. Perhaps I managed to pick the right spot. I think we may not be too far from the home of a yeti. Hopefully, it's not too near it's favorite hunting grounds.

I think Sable and I are going to retire for now. I left some of my dinner out, so he could clean up what I didn't eat. Maybe tomorrow the weather will be better.

2 April

This morning Sable and I ventured out again. We went out much farther this time. The most amazing sight was waiting for us. We saw where a wave had come up on the shore and frozen in midair. It was so beautiful. That's what I'd always imagined Antarctica would be like. Maybe I won't be so lonely after all.

This afternoon, after eating a quick lunch, I let Sable stay behind in the tent in hopes he may explore his surrounding. I wanted him to be able to find some enjoyment in the expedition. I then went out to find a place to sit and read through the research I had accumulated thus far.

Not far from the habitat, there was an empty cave. After making sure it was in fact uninhabited (I didn't want to encounter a yeti in his home, unexpectedly) I added a few homey touches. Then I sat down and started reading. I read through the very short explanation in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them. Then I read through the notes I had taken before coming here. Suddenly I heard a loud roar from somewhere outside.

Wand in hand I crept out of the cave. I didn't see anything anywhere near me. I went back to the habitat where I saw more tracks, but the habitat itself appeared untouched. Inside I found nothing. I think I had heard the yeti, but I'm still unsure. Sable, however, seemed quite distressed. He was hiding under my bunk, quivering. I decided that for today, I had done enough. I think the yeti knew someone new was around, but couldn't locate us. I decided to call it a day. I'm going to bed soon.

Sable is still quite upset. He won't leave me. It's strange to not see him wandering around on his own. I'm actually quite worried about him. Hopefully tomorrow will bring about a way for him to do better.

3 April

This morning when I awoke, I realized that Sable had taken ill. His coat, usually a soft golden brown, had taken on a distinctly lack-luster shade of grey. He was shaking very badly, I assume he has developed some sort of cold.

I attempted to get him to eat his second favorite treat of mashed bananas, but he wouldn't touch it. I wasn't going to give him his favorite treat. I'm still a bit weirded out by that thought. I ended up making a pallet for him in a corner, away from the door. He usually rested on the floor by my bed, as he was able to provide his own warmth.

After determining that he was as comfortable as a sick puffskien could be, I made myself a pot of coffee and sat down to organize my notes on my experiences in the last three days. At one point I heard an unusual sound. Thinking perhaps I would catch a glimpse of a yeti (or at least some form of life), I took a peek outside. Upon investigation, I discovered that it was just some ice shifting. It was warmer today than my first two days.

For the most part, today was rather uneventful, at least where my research is concerned. Thankfully, my grant allows me to be here for a month. I'm sure that's time enough to meet a yeti. I wonder what that will be like if I do. For now I'll see if I can get Sable to eat again.

4 April

Things are really changing here. The air is significantly warmer; although, in Antarctica, significantly warmer is still positively frigid. However, things seem to be looking up. Sable is still a bit out of sorts, but his color is bertter, and he even was willing to eat a little today!

I let him stay in the habitat while I did some wandering around. I'm glad I did, because there was a tremendous surprise awaiting me. I was able to collect a fairly large sample of hairs. I've pretty much concluded that these belong to a yeti. I think they may even belong to a young one. This is the time of year when many other creatures truly begin their transition into young adulthood. Why wouldn't the same hold true for a yeti? My primary reason for suspecting this has to do with the nature of the hairs.

To begin with, they are pur white. They don't have the slight yellowing that has been previously suspected. Secondly, and more importantly, the samples are exceptionally soft and fine. I, and many others, have hypothesized that yeti fur is course, more along the lines of a polar bear. These samples have an almost downy quality.

Despite the dicrepencies, I fully believe that these samples are from a nearby yeti. If I am correct in my thoughts of the yeti's age, my findings will be made even better. There's a good chance that rather than finding one yeti, I may discover a family, or better, an entire community!

5 April

I awoke this morning to a strange sound. Something was in the habitat, snuffling about. I lay there for a bit, somewhat fearful that some sort of predator had found its way in. At last, I decided that the best thing for me to do was check it out. Slowly I sat up in my bed and drew my wand from under my pillow. I crept out from beneath the covers. THe sound was coming from my makeshift kitchen. I peered through the doorway of my sleeping quarters and looked both ways before stepping out.

When I made it to the kitchen, I did in fact discover the cluprit. It was Sable! I'd grown so accustomed to his stillness in the past few days, that his movements had sounded alien to me. At any rate, it appears he is now feeling much better. I suppose puffskiens are more adaptive than I've always given them credit for. Of course, in my defense, I don't think there is any precedentin which one was taken on an expedition in Antarctica.

After we had breakfast, Sable and I went outside for a while. It was considerably warmer; I could hear a steady drip nearby. THere is a thaw coming, but I don't think it will have any sort of advers effect on my mission. In fact, it may prove beneficial. This time I had a plan beyond simple wandering. I had brought along some parchment and a quill. I'd decided to make a sort of map of my surroundings. I plan on eventually making my way out farther to find the home of the yeti. I'm sure it is not too far away. I would like to have a clear knowlege of my surroundings. It would be disastrous to get lost here, even with the advantage of a wand.

Sable seemed to have a great deal offun. It's almost as if he went through a process of rapid evolution from a mild weather creature to one which flourishes in frigid temperatures. I think it's safe to expect that once we get back home, he'll go through a similar process. By evening he seemed to be a little worn out. I, too, was feeling a bit exhausted. It was about 7 PM when we started back to the habitat.

Affter we ate dinner, I sat down to turn the notes I'd made into a map. It had proven difficult to draw it out while I was outside. It's not much of a map, as I am no cartographer--not to mention the fact that there aren't many landmarks to speak of. It would appear that Sable is quite ready to sleep. I'm felling rather the same. Hopefully my sixth day here will prove just as productive as this one was.