Submission (#1462) Approved

Confetti entered the shop to the tinkling of a bell that hung above the doorframe, stepping onto the soft rug, and was greeted by a room filled with plush beanbags and a wall of tall bookshelves, lit by the flickering glow of bronzed lanterns.
"Welcome to Lush Plush; how may we help you on this fine evening?" a jovial voice greeted.
"I received your letter earlier tonight about the escaped companions," Confetti responded as she settled trod further into the store, gazing around in wonder at the wide variety of strange knickknacks upon every surface.
"Ah, so good to know that help has arrived! Come, come, take a seat!" said the voice excitedly. As she rounded the corner, the source of the sound finally came into view as Confetti spotted a small plush dragon with a grand patchy hat upon her head bustling about the room.
"Now then, let us discuss!" the hat said.
Confetti was momentarily surprised to find that it was the hat who was speaking rather than its owner, a small plush half the color of the night sky and the shining moon, with a delicate gold pattern upon her flank, which glittered in the lamplight. She spoke no words, giving Confetti a cheery smile.
"Allow me to introduce ourselves, This is Hocus, and I am her assistant, Pocus!" the hat stated pridefully.
"Now, the moon is high and time is of the essence when wrangling such beasts, so it is imperative that we set out at once!" the hat declared.
Confetti was sad to leave the cozy little shop so soon, but it was crucial that they recontain the companions before anyone could be injured. Setting off into the night once more, this time joined by her two new friends, Confetti began the search for the creatures described within the letter.
Knowing of their carnivorous nature, she first searched around the deli and sandwich shop, stopping in momentarily to question the shopkeepers about sightings of the beasts. Seeing no results, she then decided to visit the park, hoping that the creatures would be hiding in the brush surrounding the area.
Looking under every tree and boulder the trio scoured the area for signs of the companions but found not even a clump of fur to guide them.
Feeling more frustrated than ever, Confetti decided to split up with her friends, taking two different routes in order to cover more ground. She would head to the pet store while Hocus and Pocus would search through the alleys.
Slipping through the city, she was faced once again with the reality of how terrifying the place could be at night; especially without her friends chatting by her side, keeping her company. The shadows swayed above her; unknown things scurried down the alleyway nearby, beams creaked and groaned. Shivering, she continued down the street beneath the golden glow of the harvest moon, now completely unobstructed in the sky.
Eventually, as she started to let her mind wander, wondering how her friends might be doing in their search, she reached the door of the pet shop.