He was. I'm a little worried that means he died, too... He's not exactly mine, and his owner isn't the type of person to practice bad pet ownership.

[ the party hat bobbles a little, like the creature wearing it is perhaps going to peek. lu bixing looks down at it, and gives the bundle in his arms a very gentle wiggle.

... and eventually

a head pokes out to look warily at date from between folds of fabric.... ]