Image Credit: Lydia Abigail (https://www.lydiaabigailartwork.com/)

Porcupine (and Steve) Love Balloons

Porcupine, as you may know, can be a bit... prickly.

The day can start off bright and sunny…

and then...

It’s another bad quill day.

Or somehow Steve gets the last glop of jelly… 

Or Porcupine offers to help at Steve’s fancy parties...

Only to get stuck serving cocktail weenies. [Art note: Cocktail weenies are stuck all over Porcupine’s quills.]

Or, the absolute worst —someone mispronounces his name! Again! [Speech bubble: “For the last time, it’s por-KYOO-pine!”]

There’s a lot that makes Porcupine bristle. But there’s one thing that’s sure to help Porcupine take a deep breath:

BALLOONS.

Porcupine loves balloons! So smooth, so shiny, so... not covered in poky things.

Porcupine wants nothing more than to leap into this giant pile of balloons!

POP!POP!POP!POP!POP!

ZWITT!

PSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhooooo...

Unfortunately, balloons do not love Porcupine.

This is why Porcupine’s birthdays are the best... 

POW! BOOM! FLUPFLUPFLUPFLUP!

And also why Porcupine’s birthdays are the WORST...

Carnivals?

Frustrating.

Hot-air balloons?

Not good!

The balloon factory?!

DI-SASTER.

But, in addition to being prickly, Porcupine is very determined. He will stop at nothing to hold his precious balloons! Out of the way STEVE!

He will use extra-strong-hold hairspray and super-firm hair gel to matte down his quills...

FLOING! SHKLOP!

He will trick the balloons with disguises...

PLURP!

He will roll himself in protective bubble wrap armor!

POPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP!!! POP!

Or maybe, Porcupine just needs to...

be the balloon...

[Art note: Image of Porcupine meditating inside of a giant balloon.]

STEEEEEVE!!! Don’t do it!

[Art note: Image of Steve giving balloon a giant hug with his sloth claws.]

SCHWA-BOOM!!!

Steve also loves balloons.

Right now, Porcupine does not love Steve. 

How can these two balloon lovers get along?

Maybe they just need to...

free the balloon.

[Art note: Porcupine and Steve holding hands, looking at a balloon sailing off into the sunset.]

SCHWOOP! 

[Art note: A bird swoops in to grab the balloon and bring it to her baby bird’s birthday party in their nearby nest.]

Porcupine and Steve love balloons. And while it’s true that no balloon can last forever, it’s also true that there’s more than one way to share the things we love…

...with friends.

POPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOP!!!

[Art note: Image of Porcupine and Steve jumping into a pile of balloons together.]