Mochi's Soft Dominion

Mochi was a living puff of grey velvet. A standard grey chinchilla, she moved with delicate, precise hops, her large ears and black bead-like eyes taking in everything. Her world came alive at dusk. She enjoyed her dust baths with theatrical flair, rolling and flipping in the volcanic ash until she was a perfect, powdery cloud. She was cautious but curious, investigating new chew toys with gentle nibbles. Her soft, almost inaudible squeaks were reserved for moments of contentment or mild complaint. Holding her was like holding a soft, warm, incredibly dense ghost. Her cage, with its ledges and hay rack, is now just a structure, missing the graceful, quiet spirit who floated through it.