#fenixtj

"Yup. She's smoothk, like a panther"

"She learned pouncing from Ariel, the way she jumps up onto my bunk when I am reading and don't answer right away." Scolding, but with a hint of a grin.

"Ariel is a GOOD jumper!"

"Does she need mountains to leap through? Me, I want a steady trail and rocks under my feet!"

"Well.." Ariel blushes "You do get aught up"

"I want to climb a tree."

"There is mostly cactus here. It might climb you..." Salma offers.

"Oh, prickly.. not so much fun."

"Ariel, in your farm, they have trees to climb?" Curious, to the little satyr. "We have waited SO LONG for our trip promised."

"What if we just went?"

A blink. "We must take our Cabellero."

"If he wouldn't bray and give us away." Considering.

"Well, Holger is a troll, and they like trolls..."

"I.. " Ariel looks alarmed, and then says " Did you hear that?" She says "I think I heard the countess call for me.. just me... Bye." And she races off

A blink, and she looks at Ellie, questioning. "Que?"

"Oh..."

"I guess she doesn't want to go..."

A slow blink, thoughtful.

"We could ask a DeBuke who is taller, to help us understand. Their head is up higher and they can see better what is going on. Maybe Mamacita will know where to find one?"

"Isn't there a trod?"

She nods, but... "We go without Cabracita? ...maybe she does not want to go home?"

Correcting, "Her original home."

"Maybe..."

"Oh, we could surprise her with lemon bars!"

"Everything okay, girls?" Dame Ash says

"Oh, everything's fine. We're going to go play, is that alright?"

Standing, she brushes off her skirts and offers a polite curtsy to the Dame.

Ash raises a slender brow, "Ok. Have fun."

"Yes, Dame!" She takes Salma's hand to run off.

And Salma gamely runs off with her, waving to Ash behind them!

Ash wonders if something is up, but you have to let kids have SOME freedom. Right?

Once around a corner or at a safe spot, she pauses to think. "When visiting, you should bring a gift. I could get some galletas from the kitchen? We can trade them for the lemon bars."

"Oooo, yes! Good plan!"

"Okay, I do this, and Princesca, you can know anything else we need? Or anyone?"

"Well, there shouldn't be any thallain THERE..."

"No! There are too many Trolls." A nod, convinced.

"But you could bring your Corazon, if you wish?"

"Just to be safe?"

"We could bring Holger to translate. He speaks azul."

"Woof" Says Azul. The Great Dane heard his name

"You are not a troll, perro." She reminds him.

"Did you want to come too?" Asking the hound, looking to Ellie.

"Maybe the have marranitos. They would like pig cookies on a farm!"

"Marrinitos, cochinos, puerquitos! We made so many of them, there must be a few left. Who would have thought that something as sweet sounding as 'creaming' would be such work, and not even any cream?" Remembering how she helped for ever to cream the brown sugar with shortening, she rubs her arms.

"The kitchen is magic." She agrees, as the enter the boggan domain.

The boggan domain is... mysteriously empty

it would appear that the staff is not here today? how can this be

Perfect! Ellie gets a basket to fill.

And soon they are well stocked!

After all, they wouldn't leave this stuff here if it wans't free for the taking