Thorn's Protective Heart

Thorn was a young porcupine found wandering a suburban neighborhood, far from his forest home, likely displaced by development. His quills were a magnificent defense, but his nature was shy. He'd shuffle around his enclosure, sniffing the air with his wet nose, his tiny eyes bright with curiosity. The sound of a sweet potato being peeled would bring him waddling over. The woodland pen is too safe now, missing the soft clicking of his teeth as he gnawed branches, the rustle of his quills as he moved, and his careful, deliberate way of taking treats from tongs.