“Hello!”

Vix hadn’t moved a muscle since getting into position, yet before him was his greatest wish. Sat on his right thigh, looking up with shining, black eyes, was a rat. An ordinary, every day, drop your dinner after it runs up your pant leg, rat.

“Look at you, you furball! You are the best.” The rat contorted its face like it was confused. “What are you doing here?”

It shrugged.

“Well, what are we gonna do?” In response it looked around, hopped off his leg, and made a break for the door. Vix was convinced that it was leaving him behind, so he was relieved when it ran at full speed into the door, jumping, and stuck to it. The rat was fine. Vix’s sides, on the other hand, were in bad shape.

“Half-elf.” Vix had tuned the rest of them out in service to his quest for comfort, but the jig was up. It was the Bets! box guy.

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you use your magic on our chains and we can-”

Ballin and Dylk yelled wordlessly at that exact moment, not allowing Vix to hear the rest of his friend’s request.

“Terrible idea,” Dylk said.

“Terrible,” Ballin added.

“Our orcish friend, then,” Banan said, taken aback but keeping his composure. “Surely you can break your shackles and free us all.”

“He’s a wizard, you know,” Ballin said.

“He’s a wizard?” Dylk asked, astonished.

“Mhm, I can sense it,” Ballin said, closing his eyes.

“Huh, something new everyday, I guess,” Dylk said, standing up on their bed.

“So, sir orc, you can apply your magic to our chains, setting us free!” Banan said eagerly.

“Not for this stuff,” Voolio said, raising his hands. “I can breathe fire if you want.”

“No, that’s fine,” Ballin said. “I’ve had enough of fires.”

“What about the rat?” Vix asked, pointing to it sliding down the door.

“What about it?” Ballin asked.

“It just seems useful, is all,” Vix said. Ballin silently looked at it for a second. To Vix’s surprise, it started to squeak at him.

“Slinky said that the door isn’t very thick,” Ballin said after it had finished.

“Slinky?” all of them said at once.

“Slinky. You know. The rat?”

“The rat’s name is Slinky,” Dylk said, stunned.

“Yep.”

“Could you say that again for me, Ballin?” Dylk requested cordially.

“The rat,” Ballin said.

“Got it.”

“Is named Slinky.”

“You lost me.”

“Listen, the point is that Slinky might be able to gnaw through the door,” Ballin said. Slinky nodded.

“What a cool rat!” Vix said. Never before had he heard of a talking rat. Or at least one that could talk to lizard people.

“Why don’t we just forget about the rat and go through with our previous plan, Ballin?” Dylk asked.

“You are the worst. You are the actual worst.” Ballin rubbed his scaly face.

“We need to, anyway. How are we gonna get to the door if we’re still strapped to this thing, genius?”

“If I’d known…” Banan started.

“Vix,” Dylk said, turning to him, “what do you think?”

Vix could only think of one thing.

“Slinky’s great,” Vix said. “Slinky’s an awesome rat.” The rest groaned and Vix didn’t know why.