Dreams! They are entertaining.
Last night I dreamed that I was lying in bed1 and I saw something small and furry standing on the floor with its front paws up against the side of the bed. This is a frequent occurrence in a three-cat household, but when I looked to see which kitty it was I discovered a little black-and-white skunk.2 Naturally I wriggled my fingers at it and made kissy-kissy noises. It hopped up on the bed, where it proved to be somewhat bitey but still fairly pettable. I only got a few minor nips and the skunk seemed to enjoy scritches on the head.
After that it took a nap on the bed. I wanted to get a picture of it curled up next to the Tortie, but I was still mostly under the covers and I didn't think I could wriggle myself close enough to the camera to reach it without disturbing the skunk. So, no picture. In retrospect, this seems less disappointing than it did at the time- I've found that pictures taken in dreams are rarely to be found once one is awake again.
1I tend to find this sort of thing slightly unsettling after the fact. I often dream that I have woken up in bed, only to have something implausible happen. Eventually I wake up in bed, and a series of plausible things happens, and I am satisfied that I am actually awake this time. And then I wake up.
2You'd think I wouldn't have to specify, but domestic skunks (yes, domestic skunks!) have been bred to come in several colors. Even wild skunks come in more than just the well-known black-with-white-stripes. The spotted skunk has a pretty marbled pattern. It's an especially charming member of the skunk family, with an "I'm going to spray you, perhaps!" warning that includes lifting the entirety of its hindquarters into the air and shuffling about on its front paws alone. (You can see the behavior in this somewhat annoying video, in which the skunk's antics are interspersed with shots of humans dancing, doing handstands, and spray-painting graffiti onto a wall. Subtle!)
After that it took a nap on the bed. I wanted to get a picture of it curled up next to the Tortie, but I was still mostly under the covers and I didn't think I could wriggle myself close enough to the camera to reach it without disturbing the skunk. So, no picture. In retrospect, this seems less disappointing than it did at the time- I've found that pictures taken in dreams are rarely to be found once one is awake again.
1I tend to find this sort of thing slightly unsettling after the fact. I often dream that I have woken up in bed, only to have something implausible happen. Eventually I wake up in bed, and a series of plausible things happens, and I am satisfied that I am actually awake this time. And then I wake up.
2You'd think I wouldn't have to specify, but domestic skunks (yes, domestic skunks!) have been bred to come in several colors. Even wild skunks come in more than just the well-known black-with-white-stripes. The spotted skunk has a pretty marbled pattern. It's an especially charming member of the skunk family, with an "I'm going to spray you, perhaps!" warning that includes lifting the entirety of its hindquarters into the air and shuffling about on its front paws alone. (You can see the behavior in this somewhat annoying video, in which the skunk's antics are interspersed with shots of humans dancing, doing handstands, and spray-painting graffiti onto a wall. Subtle!)