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ProfessorPuffNadder — Inktober #21: Stack
Published: 2025-10-21 14:53:33 +0000 UTC; Views: 3423; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 0
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Description
This artwork was created without the interference of A.I. All flaws and imperfections are entirely organic.
Sketched: May 24th, 2025
Inked & Colored: September 30th, 2025
Back in May 2024, I was inspired by these stripy critters drawn by CatacombHound, so I doodled some similar creatures I affectionately named Sock Mongrels. I didn’t plan to do much with ‘em, but then I thought, “What if I used ‘em for one of those little short-form cartoons?” I’m talking about stuff like Larva, Canimals, and my personal favourite, Om Nom Stories. If I ever turned Sock Mongrels into a legitimate cartoon, it’d be a hybrid of live-action environments and 2D animation. The shorts would be pretty simple. The titular Sock Mongrels would explore domesticated environments like bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and other places while getting up to miscellaneous shenanigans. Did I mention they're also inspired by House Hippos?
Sometimes they’d look for food, a comfy place to sleep, a spacious area to play, etcetera. I like to think some human actors would occasionally pop up, their faces just off screen, unaware of the Sock Mongrels scampering into the dark corners like rats. I bet in this universe, Sock Mongrels would be considered pretty average pests. They wouldn’t be treated too differently from rats or cockroaches, the poor things. They’re harmless creatures, but they’re a little mischievous. Sometimes you’ll find them eating unattended food, annoying your pets, fidgeting with your stuff, but their favourite places are laundry rooms or laundromats, or just anywhere there’s an abundance of clothes, but why? Sock Mongrels like to hide amongst all the pants, jackets, and sweaters just in case.
You see, Sock Mongrels sorta operate by Toy Story rules. With no humans around, Sock Mongrels will get up to their usual mischief, but when they’re about to be caught, they’ll immediately transform into a small item of clothing so they’ll look like another innocuous accessory to the environment. Nobody would bat an eye at a little sock lying on the floor. Sock Mongrels are also avid kleptomaniacs and they’ll usually steal little things they suspect humans would never miss. Minor belongings like a sock, some buttons, maybe some change you swear you had in your last pair of jeans. Next time you’re folding your laundry and notice you’re missing a sock, odds are it was stolen by a Sock Mongrel, taken back to its den so it can add some extra decoration or padding to its nest. They don't take all their spoils back to their nests though.
See, Sock Mongrels are actually able to take off their hides, much like onesies or hermit crab shells. It just takes a while to shed. When Sock Mongrels are growing up and need a new hide, rather than swapping for a new one, they'll start stealing socks, tearing patches out of various coats and pants, and just generally collecting any extra bits of clothing they find. Then they'll take it back to their nests and repurpose it for their hides. Imagine someone of generous proportions is looking for some clothes that'll fit around their extra mass, but they can't find anything, so they'll steal someone else's clothes so they can sew it into a new outfit. Sock Mongrels are social creatures and are hardly ever alone, so on average, any typical household might be home to two or three Sock Mongrels scurrying around.
If they're able to, they'll help each other out from time to time, as depicted in the artwork. Sometimes they’ll exchange pilfered gains, share food, live in the same nests, and of course help each other reach super high stuff. Sock Mongrels actually have their own complex language. Although it's impossible to understand their little screeches, squeaks, and growls, they've been seen scratching and writing odd symbols that most likely translate to their own alphabet.
The Credit Corner
Inktober 2025
21. Stack
