#anywhere

"We should find out, they should have some, as it is a gringo holiday today. It's also celebrated by cats. You know, the Cinco de Meow."

"Ha!" The goat girl grins "Everybody wants to be a cat..."

"I think being a cat would be nice. The Baroness had a big black cat with a silver moon on her forehead..."

"I wonder if there is a book about these Red Branch in the library. Oh! I would like to meet that gato. I've never had a pet. I've been like a pet though and that's nearly as good."

"Well, Azul is here..somewhere..." She says looking for the dog

"Oh, maybe you can have a pet here? I heard sometimes you can get cats just by feeding them. They just hang around outside."

"Gato is cat, is it doggo for dog?"

Ariel goes to peek out a window "Don't see a cat right now"

"We could get a bowl and put it out to lure the cat in."

"Perro, or perra. But, ah.... do not go calling any ladies perra, unless you want to get into a real hair-pulling dust up." An impish grin. "It is not polite."

Snicker, Ariel can guess why

A moment, then... "Ohhhhhh..."

Salma covers her mouth to keep in the giggle.

"Well..." Ariel says, "In the farm cats are good mousers and keep the food safe for others. Maybe they COULD use a cat here?"

"Totally. And we could take care of it..."

"There are the street gatos that roam around, if you put out food they will come, but they come and go as they please."

"Well, I'd like of like one that let us PET her.. or him"

"Most cats are girls, I think."

"Well, Clem says it's good to get your cat fixed of you get TOO many baby cats and some of them get sick." Ariel says "Though I guess that rule doesn't apply to the maudes"

"Because they are delicate and nimble and sweet. Except the big old tom gatos, they get into scuff and yoooowl their tom cat song. They'll tear each other's ears up to get to their senoritas."

She runs a hand over her own ears protectively. "It must be nice to have a strong fellow to defend your honor! But I would not like them to get hurt."

"If anyone tries to rip up YOUR Ears we will stop them" Ariel says fiercely "And when my horns come in, you guys will protect them." Then a look at Ellie "Well, Ellie's just too pretty to let anything get hurt if we can help it"

"I like your ears, Salma."

"Could we put bows on them?"

"We need a knight of our own. It's too bad Cire is far away." A small blush. "Maybe if we had a pool..."

A sigh "Yes. Cire was neat..."

Giggle. "Ariel likes him!"

BLUSH

"Those two cabbaleros, they are guapo but too OLD."

"Oh, very grown up. Yes."

"So we need a boy we can teach to be right?" She ponders "I hear you can't let them know you're doing that or they get huffy even when girls know best"

"I don't like playing with boys. They pull your hair."

"An older boy, but not TOO old. Too young and they want to put cucarachas in your pockets to see you dance. "

Salma tuts and pats Ellie's braid, making sure that it's still in place. "They cannot now, I will be your guarda and make sure no one bothers you."

"Cookar.. roaches?"

"I'm so glad I have friends here!"

Ariel smiles "me too."

"Okay, so. Horchatta, and a cat, and... what else?"

"A knight for you to boss around" Ariel says helpfully

"Oh, yes. Well, Dame Ash is my new Warder. But she bosses me around."

"Right. We need one for you to order I guess" Ariel doesn't understand nobles but she wants her friend to be happy

"Si. We can chat more over our Horchata."

"to the kitchen?"

"The kitchen!"

They charge to the kitchen!

"To la cocina!"

"La cocina!"

"LA Cocina!" Iowan accent

They rush in to see...

Holger, the troll boy , having a glass of milk. He is wearing a tabard that says 'Trainee' in two languages.