As Colby fell, an idea sprouted in his mind. Hopefully, it would work. And hopefully, his Core Constructs would cooperate.

  He embraced Thornelius, hugging him tight as they crashed onto the pile of [Cheese Pillows] below, sinking into the soft cheese.

  It hurt. Though infinitely better than what the less fortunate LeMonkeys experienced. He didn’t want to get into specifics, so let’s just say there was a lot of pulp and flat bread on the ground around them.

  “You okay, boy?” he asked, glancing down at Thornelius, who was tucked tightly against his chest.

  He barked and licked his face.

  That flicker of good news was instantly extinguished.

  The LeMonkeys were climbing down the trees. Es-cart-gots slowly rolled down as well. There was no time to recover all of the expended [Cheese Pillows]. What a waste. His heart hurt.

  Pushing his way up through the throes of [Cheese Pillows], he managed to chuck a handful of them into his Inventory before he was forced to abandon the rest.

  Colby ran. Thornelius followed right behind him. As they ran, he was on the lookout for the perfect setting for his plan. He was also trying his best to ignore the screeching LeMonkeys growing closer by the seconds.

  That was when he spotted it. Around one of the nearly identical trees was a layer of thick bushes. A perfect hiding spot. Well, perfect hiding spot for someone like Thornelius.

  But he’d make it work.

  Inside his Core, he created a [Cheese Pouch] and one super sticky ball of mozzarella. After a lot of convincing and begging, his Core Constructs allowed the dirty [Cheese Pillows] into the Core. He stuffed the dirty pillows into the pouch, sealing the opening with that super sticky ball of mozzarella.

  With much reluctance, and a lot of signs he couldn’t be bothered to read at the moment, Smart Waiter accepted the delivery.

  He aimed his hand high up at one of the many distant trees in the forest. The extremely odd package flew out of his palm, bulging at the seams from all of the [Cheese Pillows] stuffed inside.

  Congratulations! [Cheese Shot] has reached Level 5!

  Congratulations! [Stickious Cheesious] has reached Level 4!

  By some miracle—or the fact that there were so many branches that he was bound to hit one— his cheese managed to hit a branch. The [Stickious Cheesious] piece clung to the bottom of the branch.

  Colby couldn’t even spare a moment to celebrate his spells leveling up. He dove straight into the thick layer of bushes, throwing all of his cheese armor and Thornelius’s [Cheese Helmet] into his Inventory.

  Looking at Thornelius, he asked, “Do you trust me, boy?”

  A sticky, slobbery lick said, Yes.

  “Okay. No matter what, don’t move. And keep your eyes closed too.”

  Colby curled up into as small of a ball as possible and placed Thornelius over him. Together they waited with bated breath. The LeMonkeys were rampaging through the forest, screeching in that sour tongue of theirs as they searched for them.

  The pungent sour smell. Hard thunks as they swung their baguettes, smacking bark and leaves haphazardly.

  They were getting closer.

  Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.

  There was another sound. A sharp crunch of branches and leaves in the distance.

  The little diversion had finally dropped. His mozzarella was sticky thanks to [Stickious Cheesious], but obviously not sticky enough to hold up the [Cheese Pouch] and numerous [Cheese Pillows].

  The LeMonkeys screeched even more. He flinched, nearly blowing his cover. The pounding of feet grew softer. Their shrieks become distant echoes in the forest. They had scurried off towards the source of that noise and hopefully further beyond.

  Yes! They were gone.

  By some miracle of Gouda, they were gone!

  He lifted Thornlius off of him, the Thornwolf giving him another happy slobbery lick.

  “Thanks, Thornelius. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

  He produced one last ball of mozzarella, letting Thornelius slobber all over it before using the leaves from the bush that they hid in to wrap it. Bringing it closer to the Thornwolf, he gobbled it up within seconds, before giving Colby another happy lick.

  He still had to gather some rennet and salt, but given that he was currently being hunted down by a pack of LeMonkeys, it was better to just call it a day. Hopefully, they had a short attention span because his cheese was calling for him, and he was going to answer.

  It was slightly past noon by the time he arrived back home. His father tended to the cheeseshop, while his mother was in the back, presumably preparing lunch—either that or Brie had suddenly learnt how to cook. Judging by the smell of cheddar and gruyere, she was most likely making mac and cheese.

  “Hi, Colby,” his father said, putting down the newspaper that he was reading. Though he tried his best to act natural, the sweat dripping down his forehead and the forced slow breathing, even though he wanted to pant his lungs out, betrayed him. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Good. A little traumatized but good.”

  “Can I know what exactly got you so traumatized?”

  “I think you already know, Dad.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Colby. I’ve been here the entire time.”

  “Sure, Dad.”

  His father sighed, “Don’t hate me, Colby. I was just worried about you.”

  “I know, Dad. And thanks. I hope this proves to you that I can handle it, even if all I have is cheese.”

  His father gave him a soft smile. “I’m proud of you, son. But please don’t do this too often. My heart can only take so much.”

  “Okay, Dad.”

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  Thornelius barked, wagging his bushy tail and panting out his tongue.

  “Thornelius says okay, too—I think.”

  “Thornelius?” His father arched his sweat-slicked eyebrows. “You gave him a name? Looks like we really are keeping a Thornwolf for a pet.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “Just… talk to your mother about it.”

  Kind of weird. It was just a Thornwolf. What was so weird about that? Maybe the fact that it liked to eat mozzarella balls that were covered in leaves and its own slobber, but then again, who wasn’t a little bit weird in this world?

  Colby went through the door behind the counter and walked into the kitchen.

  He was right!

  She was preparing lunch.

  He was double right!

  She was making mac and cheese.

  It was his sister's favorite food, and coincidentally—or not—Brie sat at the dining table eagerly awaiting her meal. She had a knife in one hand and a fork in the other. With a big smile on her face, she bobbed up and down.

  “Hi, Mom,” Colby said, looking at his mother.

  Her back faced him as she stood in front of the stove, preparing the macaroni for the mac part of mac and cheese. In his opinion, the dish should be renamed to cheese and mac to really emphasize the cheese, but he digressed.

  “Hi, Colby. Let me just finish making lunch. I’m making mac and cheese.”

  “Yay! Mac and cheesy,” Brie cheered, pumping her hands into the air.

  Her hands froze mid-celebration the moment she spotted him. Then she started waving them wildly.

  “Hi, Broby!”

  “Hi, Brie. And please don’t swing the knife and fork around.”

  “Okay,” she giggled, placing down the utensils. “Sorry, Broby. Is Broby feeling better?”

  “Yes, Brie, I am. Sorry for scaring you last night.”

  She placed her hands on her hips and huffed, “Broby made me cry. Broby needs to say sorry.”

  “But I already did, Brie.”

  “Not enough. Broby needs to return puppy. Then Brie will forgive Broby.”

  “You mean, Thornelius?”

  Upon hearing his name, the Thornwolf barked.

  “Yay, puppy!” Brie cheered again. She got off her seat, hugging the Thornwolf—which in his opinion desperately needed a bath.

  “Oh, for the love of Gouda! You gave him a name?” his mother said, finally looking away from the stove.

  “Yeah? What’s wrong with Thornelius? I think it’s a great name.”

  “It’s not that, Colby. It’s just that, do we really want to keep a wild Thornwolf in our house?”

  “Puppy!” Brie shouted.

  “He’s not that wild…I think. Other than the first time we met, when he tried to attack me.”

  “Colby!” his mother shouted.

  “Puppy!” Brie shouted even louder.

  “What? I fed him some cheese, and now we’re best buds. Right, Thornelius?”

  He barked, tail wagging as Brie continued to hug and pet his leafy fur.

  “Oh my gouda. Colby.”

  “What?”

  “Let me be frank. That is a wild monster that you brought back from the forest. A wild monster that you literally just said attacked you. Now you want to bring that monster into our house? Let it sleep in the same bed as you. Let it near your sister. Do you really want that?”

  “Yeah? I don’t see what’s wrong with having a pet. Plus, he literally slept with me last night.”

  “That was different. Your father and I took shifts just to make sure the Thornwolf didn’t attack you in your sleep.”

  “And he didn’t. Trust me, Mom. I know what I’m doing.”

  “It’s just…you know what? Fine. This is obviously helping you. Just keep the Thornwolf away from Brie until we can make sure he’s properly trained.”

  “That’s going to be a bit of a problem.”

  “Puppy!” Brie screamed in delight.

  She was on Thornelius’s back, riding the Thornwolf as he ran in circles around the dining table.

  “Brie!” his mother shouted, picking her off Thornelius’s back.

  “Wheee! I’m flying!” she cheered.

  Thornelius did a tight circle around his mother before moving onto his hind legs to climb up and lick Brie. Except his mother still wasn’t on board with the idea of having a Thornwolf as a pet.

  “Down, boy!” she yelled.

  Thornelius whimpered, going back down on all fours. He crouched low, letting out a slow and steady stream of sad whines.

  “Puppy!” Brie cried. She turned to their mother, lightly slapping her shoulders. “Mommy made puppy sad. Bad mommy.”

  “Brie, dear. It’s not safe. The Thornwolf—”

  “Puppy!” she yelled.

  “Puppy might hurt you.”

  “Nope.” She shook her head. “Puppy will never hurt me. Right puppy?”

  Thornelius let out another low whimper, slowly shaking his bushy head left and right.

  “See, Mom? Thornelius is a good boy. Right, Thornelius?”

  He barked, slowly nodding his head.

  His mother sighed, “Fine. But seriously, Colby. Just be careful.”

  The Thornwolf barked and sprang up. He ran a circle around him before going back up on his hind legs and trying to lick Colby’s face. But given how short the Thornwolf was and how short he wasn’t, Thornelius only managed to lick his shirt.

  “You hear that, Thornelius? Mom’s okay with you.”

  “No!” Brie screeched. “Puppy is Puppy.”

  “No, Brie. His name is Thornelius Wolfenius Forestius. “

  “Oh my Gouda,” his mother said, planting a hand on her face. “You have your father’s naming sense.”

  The door to the main shop floor suddenly swung open, and his father yelled, “I approve of the name!”

  Then the door slammed shut just as abruptly.

  Neither he nor Brie cared. Instead, they continued to scream at each other.

  “Puppy!”

  “Thornelius!”

  “Puppy!”

  “Thornelius!”

  “Enough!” his mother snapped. “Just call him Thorpy, okay!”

  “Thorpy?” Brie said, more confused than scared, after being yelled at. After half a second of thought, she yelled out, “Thorpy!”

  Of course, he was still going to call Thornelius, Thornelius, but he didn’t really want to be on his mother’s bad side right now.

  “Good. Colby, go take a shower, you reek. And bring the Thornwolf—I mean Thorpy with you. Give him a real good scrub to get all of that dirt from under his fur.”

  “Okay, Mom.”

  “Yay! Thorpy shower time!” Brie cheered.

  “No, Brie. You’re staying here.”

  “But Thorpy,” she pouted.

  “I’ll give you extra mac and cheese.”

  “Yay! Mac and cheesy!”

  She hopped back onto her seat at the dining table. Gripping the fork and knife, she resumed bouncing up and down in eager anticipation of the mac and cheese.

  His mother sighed and went back to preparing the meal.

  “C’mon, Thornelius.”

  “Thorpy!” Brie shouted.

  He ignored her.

  After a nice long shower, which involved tons of scrubbing and even more tons of wondering ‘how did one Thornwolf have so much dirt hidden underneath his leafy fur,’ Colby went down to the kitchen.

  He had a delicious meal of cheese and mac before retreating back to his room.

  Thornelius—that little betrayer—was now cozied up to Brie. He lay on her bed as she patted him and sang him songs.

  Trying his best to tune everything out, he began to reflect on his progress.

  So far, he had gotten two out of the four ingredients necessary to make mozzarella: milk and citric acid. However, half of the milk had already been expanded just from attempting to grab the citric acid. That’s okay. With Thornelius on his side, he could get an infinite amount of milk—unless the Daisy Cows and Daisy Bull figured out his scheme.

  As for the citric acid, that huge pile of powder should last him for quite a while. It didn’t have that citrusy smell that he was worried about, which meant that it should be pure—probably.

  Well, he’d know if there were any issues when he made his next batch of cheese.

  Now for the two remaining ingredients: salt and rennet.

  Like the first two ingredients, rennet could be found hidden within the forest—not the best quality, but a good enough one. And judging by how sour those LeMonkey must be feeling, it was probably best to steer clear of the forest for a while. Or at least for the next day. Maybe half a day?

  Whatever. He’d get the salt first, then debate with himself when the best time to head into the forest again was.

  That left him with salt. And conveniently, guess what big body of water was located right next to Brinebrook?

  Not sure whether the salt farmers would give him some salt for free. Neither was he sure how they would feel about some guy trying to harvest some salt on his own.

  Well, if they were okay with it, then yay. If not, he’d make sure they were okay with it.

  When there’s a will, there’s a whey.

  And after his milk resupply, he had plenty of whey to dish out.