My smallest friend

Not every friend we have is big, or even human. Sometimes, the smallest creature can be a good friend as well.
And this is the story of the smallest friend I ever had...

==========================================================

Bicho was a golden hamster, born in a pet shop. He was in a cage with others like him, and, obviously, he got bored with time. Until one day a girl stood in front of his cage. All of sudden, a huge hand grabbed him and put him inside a dark cave. That was new! But scary at the same time.

He noticed how the cave was moving; he heard different noises, and he knew he was being taken somewhere else, but hey! Adventure! That wasn't boring at all!

And after some time, the cave stopped. He went inside a new place, with food, and water, and all for himself! And he saw again the girl that stood in front of his cage back at the other place. Well, if she was going to be his new partner, he wouldn't mind; as long as she didn't anger him, they would be fine.

But no, the girl had to touch him, and try to grab him. Heck no! He was going to fight back, oh yes he was! He was a figther, a young golden hamster, the best of his cage! And he kept bitting her every time she tried, and she got angry, but didn't do anything else. Bicho was proud he could take care of himself.

But one day her answer wasn't a yell, or even a word. She simply took her hand back and looked at him sad, angry, frustrated...
Bicho could see she was really upset, even water was falling from her eyes. He looked right into her eyes, and realized she wasn't his enemy, but the one that gave him food, water, and a place to live.
Maybe, just maybe, he could....befriend her...

But she didn't try again. She always stood close to the cage, only looking at him. This time, Bicho had to make the move. And everyone would know how brave he was! Yeah! The best of his family!
So he got close to the bars, and started bitting them. She, somehow, understood, and opened the cage's door, and put her hand inside.
And Bicho knew what he had to do: he stood on her hand, and waited for her to take him out of the cage.

And he was happy he did that! Because from that moment, she played with him a LOT! He loved going up her arm and staying on her shoulder, only to go on her back, meeting her hand, and again. She even let him stay on her bed, and run inside a strange ball.

He really didn't enjoyed the ball that much, but hey, she let him run around the house inside it. He even met a strange creature, with a big shell and all green! Yes, Bicho liked all that. And he made sure he got more of it. Every night, he would bite the bard of the cage, waiting for her to take him outside and play. She even brought him some treats from time to time!

At some point he realized she was all his life. He no longer remembered the rest of the hamsters, the pet shop, or those guys who would put their hands inside to grab one of them.
Bicho was quite happy with his life.

But time went on. Bicho was getting older and he knew it. Every night he would bite the bars, now even more, to stay as much with her as possible. Until one night he couldn't bite the bars anymore.

He only could lie down on the cage's floor. He didn't know if she would get him because he wasn't bitting the bars. He knew he was running out of time, and he was afraid she wouldn't notice him that night!

But, right when he stopped having faith in her seeing him, her hand went inside the cage, and gently took him out.
She put him on her lap, still on her hand, and her other hand went over him, keeping him warm. His body couldn't move anymore, he barely saw anything, but he still felt her hand gently petting his back, and he could hear her voice. He really wanted to play with her one last time, but he couldn't.

But she didn't let him go that fast. Unlike any other nights, she stayed with him longer than ever.

After more than an hour, she let him back in his cage, and he decided to go to sleep to at least see her tomorrow.
And the next day, she took him again, gently, carefully, and took him out of the room. This time, however, the big male human didn't let her have him that much time, so she went back into her room, and put him back in his cage, and they looked into each other's eyes for the last time.

Then she left. But Bicho wasn't that sad. She tried to stay with him as longer as possible, and he had a good life, full of play time and toys, and treats and, over anything else, a life with her.
He was happy. And he made her happy.

And then, hearing her voice far away, he closed his eyes for the last time...

==========================================================

When Zilkenian came back into her room, he saw her Bicho lying on the cage. She gently poked him, but he didn't move and she knew why.
She stood there for some time, crying, and then she left, but before, she spoke one last time to him.

“Goodbye, Bicho”

And she...

...I'll always miss him.