A shy blue Kacheek, who'd been looking at a Crokabek sitting on a perch, gave a small, "Hullo" before looking down at his feet. Nanci smiled; mild-mannered Kacheeks almost always made wonderful owners, as being gentle and kind was in their nature.

"Were you looking for something in particular?" the Ixi asked, coming from behind the counter to help her customer.

"Oh! Umm, well, you see..." the Kacheek said, blushing. "I'm not allowed to have a Petpet yet, I'm too young. I just like looking at them."

Nanci smiled again. "That's just fi--"

"Sorry for wasting your time!" the Kacheek suddenly shouted. His cheeks flushed so much that his face nearly looked purple, and he turned to rush out the door.

"Hold on there!" the Ixi called across the store, and the Kacheek stopped with one hand on the doorknob. "If you have some spare time, I could use a little help... and you could get some experience caring for Petpets."

The Kacheek's hand dropped from the knob, and he turned. "What could I do to help?"

The shopkeeper turned and motioned for him to follow her through the back of the store, and into the small barn behind the shop.

Inside the barn, the Kacheek looked all around. Karrens and Crokabeks sat perched in the rafters. There were several stalls full of Whinnys and Zebies, who neighed and bleated as Nanci walked past. The blue Kacheek could see a pond through the far end of the barn, and could clearly hear the sound of Mortogs croaking. He was so engrossed in the presence of so many Petpets that he nearly fell when he tripped on a hole in the ground.

"Oh! Watch out for those, sweetie... my Symols dig just about everywhere." the Ixi explained. The Kacheek nodded and kept his eyes towards the ground, then saw a cluster of Albats scurrying across the floor. "Ahh, here we are." Nanci said, stopping by a stall and opening its latch. She pulled the wooden door open, and the Kacheek peeked inside.

Sitting curled up in the hay was a very small Whinny. "You see," Nanci said, "this little one has been ill lately, and I just haven't had time to care for her. She needs to be fed every two hours, and with managing the store and all... well, I'm just afraid I won't be able to give her the care that she needs. I was hoping you could help."

"I'd love too!" the Kacheek said, "What do I need to do?"

The Ixi went to a nearby cabinet and mixed some water and powder from a box together, then poured the liquid into a baby bottle. "Here, feed her this every two hours, and she should be healthy within the week."

The Kacheek smiled and took the bottle, then walked into the stall. He sat with his back against the wall, next to the little Whinny. He then gently lifted the tiny Petpet into his lap and offered it the bottle, which the Whinny gladly accepted. The Kacheek giggled happily as he petted the little creature.

Love and caring is the rule at Ye Olde Petpets. Every Petpet is hand-raised by Nanci, along with any assistants who are willing to help out. Ye Old Petpets was destroyed during the Meridell war against the forces of Lord Darigan, but thanks to the compassion and quick thinking of Nanci, who fled into the forest for safety, not a single Petpet was harmed. Now that her shop has been rebuilt, Nanci leads a happy life as she helps Neopets find their perfect companion.