\"I capture the planet\'s form on my body. I am Neptune.\"

Neptune is named after her special pelt that reminds me of a planet\'s surface. Her lineless glitch adds to the effect of Neptune being an \'incorporeal\' being. That she might just be the goddess of the planet called Neptune, and she\'s in a ... somewhat dog form for now, but without the lineart it emphasizes that this might not be her true form. <3

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Neptune sighed as she stared out across the desolate landscape before her. A chill breeze would kick up a bit of dust, at times, causing the flakes of silvery earth to spiral around her. Only lunar moths flitted across the sky, sometimes twirling with the breeze to create a rather ethereal view.

The Siberian husky didn’t really mind her work on the outpost as a guardian, looking out across the cosmos to make sure that things were kept in balance. The views were spectacular, and while there was not much on this planet where she was stationed, what little there was to see had its own inherent beauty.

She wouldn’t have traded it for the world. There was a sense of peace about this place which couldn’t be found on a crowded planet. Neptune loved having the entire space to herself.

However, some day she would have traded it for just one companion, one other being to keep her company on the long days and nights of this foreign world.

One day, she saw a shooting star zip across the skyline. Wait, no- that was no star, that was some sort of falling vessel. She hurried to investigate it after gauging that it had landed only a few miles away. Perhaps there was someone who needed help aboard it, and she could certainly offer assistance.

The crashed vessel was a small exploration pod- it wasn’t meant for surface landings. Neptune called out a few times, waited, then sighed and turned away. Likely it had just torn loose from a passing ship and got too close, plummeting through the atmosphere because of that.

A squeak caught her attention as she started to pad away. The Siberian husky turned, one ear cocked as she listened. There, there it was again! Something was in the wreckage, and had apparently survived? How? Well, no matter, now to see about getting it out!

The pod held nothing, at first glance, until a tiny baby griffin climbed out from under the seat. The poor thing was shaking from head to toe, and squeaking mournfully. Neptune supposed it had accidentally initiated the procedures to detach from the space ship, and was fortunate to make it safely through the entry into the atmosphere.

Neptune marveled at that for a moment, then realized that her wish had been granted. Here was a little companion whom she could care for, who would keep her company. She gently nosed at the tiny griffin, who squeaked back happily once it realized that it was no longer alone.

She’d have to come up with a name, but that didn’t really bother Neptune unduly. She finally had another being to keep her company at her lonely outpost.

Story written by the amazing Nimarkiva (#25975)