TEDDY THE NIFFLER
a character finds themselves hopelessly lost in the woods

Newt Scamander had never run so fast in his life. And that was truly saying something.

His boots slapped against the snow-covered ground and his breath came out in visible puffs. In front of him, Teddy, his cheeky Niffler, was sprinting as though his very life depended on it and himself a frost salamander, the glint of a precious engagement ring dangling from his mouth.

"Teddy! Stop!" Newt called, slipping slightly on a patch of ice as he tried to keep pace. "That ring isn't for you!"

But Teddy didn’t seem to care and Newt lamented not grabbing his wand from the nightstand before leaving. Teddy's little paws kicked up snow as he darted between trees, the precious gem set in gold shimmering like a deep blue fire. The snowflakes that fell from the sky only added to the chaos. His residence was now far behind, the image of Tina's bewildered look on her face as she stood in the living room, still holding the mistletoe she'd just put up, propelling the magizoologist forward.

"Teddy, you little thief!" Newt muttered, picking up speed in spite of the snow that had wiggled itself into his boots. His heart raced, not just because he was trying to catch up with the Niffler, but because tonight had been perfect… until Teddy had decided to steal the one thing that was meant to make the night glow like a mooncalf's dance.

"Teddy? Where are you?" Newt panted, scanning the grove before him. The Niffler was nowhere in sight and the trail of paw prints in the fresh snow seemed to twist and vanish completely. Newt's breath came in shorter bursts now as he stood there for a moment, cursing his luck. "I'm never going to hear the end of this…"

And Teddy best not have gotten himself eaten in the midst of this whole mess.

Suddenly, a soft series of trills echoed from behind him. Newt turned quickly, eyes wide, ready to chase... but instead of Teddy, there was a large snowdrift… and a small furry bundle of mischief sticking out of it, just his nose and paws visible. Teddy had gotten himself stuck, his little legs tangled in a pile of snow as he pawed helplessly at the air. The moment helped a bit of snow slip, revealing his little black face and the ring still in his mouth. Very much, and blessedly, not eaten.

"Oh, there you are," Newt said, a mix of relief and exasperation flooding through him. He stepped forward slowly and knelt down in front of the niffler. "Well, come then. Can't have you catching a chill and making a mess in the teacups when you can't stomach your supper."

Teddy's tiny body tried wriggled out of the snow with a determined little growl, but it was Newt's gentle and sturdy hands that ultimately freed him from his hopeless situation here in the middle of the forest.

Newt blinked. "Now, give that back."

Teddy looked up at him innocently, black eyes wide and shiny, as though he had no idea what all the fuss was about, but gently relinquished the ring into the man's open palm nonetheless. Newt chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, then. Let’s go home."

He felt his heart rate slow down as he looked at the Niffler, who seemed strangely pleased with himself, and started the much slower trek back home. He ventured a quick look down at the ring in his hand, the sapphire sparkling in the dim light of the winter evening and smiled, the frustration fading along entirely. "You're lucky I am feeling pleasantly optimistic," Newt said, giving Teddy a fond pat on the head. "Because if I wasn't, I might just have to leave you out here in the cold."

The pair continued on towards the house, light snow falling gently around them, and glow from frosted windows growing brighter with each step. Newt could already see Tina standing at the window, peering out, still wondering what had happened. As he reached the front steps, Teddy chose that exact moment to twist free of his grasp with a triumphant chittersqueak. The door opened and before Newt could react, the niffler shot past Tina’s ankles like a furry cannonball ― immediately there came the unmistakable sound of tinsel being disturbed from within. Newt winced and in no time at all delighted trills and the faint clink of ornaments as Teddy began liberating shiny bobbles from the tree with practiced efficiency could be heard.

"Do I get to know what all that was about?” Tina asked, half-laughing as she stepped closer to Newt and brushed the snow from his shoulders. Newt’s ears went pink instantly, and he glanced past her towards Teddy’s tail flicking in and out of sight amid the branches. Carefully, he closed his fingers around the ring now safely hidden in his pocket and smiled. "I promise," he said softly, nudging her back inside where the fire crackled and the kettle had begun to whistle. "I’ll tell you everything... right after a nice warm cup of tea."