The Snowager's Heart

      The Snowager sighed as he found yet another item gone from his home, after what he thought was a well deserved nap. It was his latest treasure that had gone missing: a Blue Hissi Morphing Potion. It was one of the most valuable things he'd ever had, and it was gone. Years ago he would have gotten angry at such a theft, he would have gone after the unfortunate Neopet who'd stolen it and blasted them with his ice until there was nothing left of them. But now? He'd gotten so used to being robbed that all he could do was sit there and stare at where he had placed his special potion. He had been planning to use it on himself and maybe blend in for a few hours, before his snowy insides turned him back.

      He had done so once before. When he was lucky enough to find a Morphing Potion dropped right outside his cave by a small Aisha. It had turned him into a yellow Hissi for just three hours, only for him to turn back in front of a large crowd of Neopets. He had tried reasoning with them, telling them that he meant them no harm. But with every word a blast of cold, icy air was forced out of his mouth and hit a few poor Neopians - no doubt giving them Neomonia. When he realized he couldn't speak to them and all they would do was send their little Battledome warriors after him, he got angry. The Snowager froze at least ten Neopets on the spot, then proceeded to race his way back up Terror Mountain and enter his cave once again. Since then he had tried using a few potions he had found (taken) when pets came to his lair. But none would work, and he was about to give up all hope. But then he thought, 'Maybe only Hissi potions work on me?' It was a long shot, but he decided to try.

      But that was years ago. Now, when he found that potion, he was shocked that the day had actually come that he found one. He almost never left his lair, and when he did he never went far. So this was a big deal since he had indeed given up all hope.

      "Such a wonderful opportunity, and now it's gone." The Snowager sighed once again and slithered over to the entrance of his cave. Gazing out across the icy underground landscape, he watched silently as Neopians went about their business far below him. He watched as a small Poogle tripped and fell in the snow, and as what looked like its parent - or older sibling - picked it back up again and smiled at it. He could practically see the warmth in that smile. He knew that that warmth was from the heart. Something he never understood, but had heard from the few Neopians to speak with him in those three hours as a Hissi on the outside. When he had asked about the warmth he felt in a smile, they had said, "It comes from the heart. You know that your heart is the warmest thing in you, don't you?" He hadn't really answered, just nodded as though it was. But he knew that it wasn't. His heart was cold, and frozen. It was literally made from ice. He wondered then if that meant he didn't really feel like others did? If so, then a potion couldn't help him.

      Snowager sighed for the third time that day. This was one of those days where he knew he'd spend most of it brooding over the life he could never have. So now he made his way to the back of the cave where he kept the softer things of his collection - plushies, clothes, even some jellies - to use as a bed for when he just couldn't tolerate the sharp edges of his finer things.

      Soft... he wondered if enjoying the soft things he had was a sign that he really did have a heart. After all, soft things were warm, in a way. But he still couldn't really know if he felt the same as others...

      "*CLANG!*"

      The Snowager's head shot up at the sound of one of his many shields toppling over to find a blue Kougra standing wide-eyed next to his main treasure pile. She was holding Onion Balm in her gloved paw. Snowager instantly knew this was his. He didn't want her to steal this thing, but he wasn't going to kill her as most Neopians assumed he would do. He raised his head up to seem intimidating, hoping this would frighten the Kougra away. When she didn't budge, he opened his mouth to shoot ice at her (non-lethal ice, of course).

      "Sissy!" A tiny voice shouted suddenly, stopping Snowager in his tracks. He looked over to where the voice was coming from and found a little starry Xweetok standing at the entrance to his lair. She looked like she was crying. The Snowager snorted snow, deciding to get this over with now. (After all, the Xweetok would be relieved when her 'Sissy' came out alive.)

      He took a deep breath and aimed for the paw with the balm in it, hoping to make the paw drop it. The Kougra was shaking all over, but began to run toward the exit. Snowager frowned at her persistence. Usually at this point he had the Neopet dropping things and running for their life. While he was contemplating this he didn't see the Kougra had make it to her little sister. He growled and opened his mouth, determined not to lose anything else today, but then he noticed the Xweetok again. Her eyes were full of tears, but instead of looking at her sister's face, like any other Neopet would, she was gazing hopefully at the balm in the Kougra's paw. With a slight gasp(which caused him to swallow the ice in his mouth) the Snowager realized that this Xweetok must've had Watery Eyes. And a painful case of it at that, from the way she was squinting. Her older sister was getting her the cure...

      "Got it, May! Let's get out of here before it blasts us!"

      The two Neopets ran out before Snowager had the chance to realize he'd just lost yet another treasure.

      After that incident the Snowager settled once again in his pile of softness. He didn't quite know what had made him stop from icing the girl, but he thought it had something to do with her little sister. The Xweetok had Watery Eyes, and she was coming to get the cure... Why did that bother him so much?

      Then it hit him.

      The Kougra had smiled at her little sister just before they left the cave. That warmth, that caring. It was something he had never seen up close before. Those two had warm hearts that cared for each other. They were... family.

      He remembered earlier that day when he was wondering if he could feel like others could. Now he knew for sure. He didn't feel the way those two did. Not like that. His heart of ice only froze things. Only sucked up the warmth in others to replace it with cold. That was why everyone was scared of him. And now he realized that when he felt that love, it was only because others were feeling it. It wasn't the same for him. It could never be the same.

      Snowager curled tightly around his soft pile, trying to feel a warm pulse under his icy skin. But it just wasn't there. With that realization the Snowager felt a small droplet of water appear underneath his eye. With a tilt of his head, he closed his eyes and let it roll down his cheek and freeze there.

The End