Bad, Bad Kitties

(camera sound - picture being taken)

Malaguena: There! That's beautiful!

Mathias: My turn!

Malaguena: No, my turn isn't over yet. I'm not done!

Sydney: Mal, everyone knows with as pretty as you are you should be in FRONT of the camera, not hidden behind it.

Malaguena: Awww, thanks Sydney.

Sydney: So it's my turn now, right?

Mathias: HEY!

Malaguena: ROWR!! No! I'm going to be a famous flower photographer and you're ruining my photography MOOD! (click)

Mathias: You're doing it wrong.

Malaguena: As if YOU would know!

Sydney: How come the flash didn't go off?

Malaguena: You have to push this button (click)

Sydney: GAH!! MY EYE!!!

Mathias: (laughing)

Malaguena: Hey (shaking camera) Sydney, your face broke it. It doesn't work! (click)

Malaguena: Oh, there it goes.

Mathias: It's. My. Turn!!!! GIMME!

Malaguena: NO!

Sydney: Be careful! You'll break it and it's MY turn!

(crash)

Malaguena: Mathias! Look what you've done!!

Mathias: ME? It got broken while it was YOUR turn so it must be YOUR fault.

Sydney: Um... I never touched it at all. So it wasn't MY fault.

All three: I'M TELLING!!! (kitties running away noises)


Thorne: (sigh) Those cats...

Thorne Tells Emi a Story

Thorne: Emi, I'm having a tough time coming up with interviews for you. Any luck on the "best of" idea?

Emi: No (sigh) I just can't choose one. I don't know what to do, Thorne!

Thorne: I know. Here, sit back... and I will tell you a story. About someone you know. I'll tell you a story about Miranda. How's that?

Emi: Um, okay....

*************************

Once upon a time, Miranda was off visiting a strange place. She had had enough of being inside and one day, she went out hiking, exploring this strange world all by herself.

Miranda was fascinated by the plants all around her. The ground was soft and wet, not dry and sandy like at home. She saw plants she had never, ever seen growing in Colorado.

Miranda hiked high and low, just looking and taking it all in. But the entire time, she had a strange creepy feeling, and she couldn't put her finger on it.

Hiking up into the gutted treestump she and Gage had found a few days before, Miranda distinctly got the feeling she was being watched, and the shiver down her spine told her, it might be time to head back inside.

As she turned to begin the hike back to the house, Miranda thought she heard something. She paused, to listen.

With a snarl and screaming "Loli's Forest! Loli's Forest!!" the little creature threw herself at Miranda from behind a piece of the fallen stump.

Years of play wrestling with her friend Taelyn had made Miranda a pretty tough opponent, and her tiny attacker had a hard time keeping a grip on her. Miranda kicked her legs out and flipped herself on top of the tiny creature attacking her.

Miranda wasn't trying to hurt the little thing, mostly just defending herself from the flurry of blows accentuating the repeated screams of "Loli's Forest! Loli's Forest!" Behind her, Miranda could hear the sounds of someone running, and then pleading "Please! Oh, please don't hurt her! Loli! Stop it!"

Miranda rolled off her attacker, who shot off to the side to scurry back into the stump. She turned to face the new voice which belonged to a kitty lady, who was now telling her "She doesn't mean anything. Loli's gone a little mad, I think... I'm very sorry." There was a pause, and the kitty lady continued "We haven't seen another doll in... who are you?"

Miranda stood up and brushed the dirt off herself. "My name is Miranda," she replied. "My friends and I are visiting for a few days and I thought I'd go for a hike." And looking into the pale green eyes of the kitty lady, she asked "So who are YOU?"

"Loli's Forest!!!" came a scream from up in the treestump.

"Yes," said the Kitty Lady in a soothing tone. "Loli's Forest." The Kitty Lady sat on the stump with a sigh and said "The child who loved us called me 'Kitty Head' but I prefer Gossamer. Loli, you have already met."

"How long have you been here? Where's the child now?" Miranda asked gently.

"She's gone. We were left behind one rainy afternoon. We had all been playing together, and it started to pour rain. She ran to the house and... I tell Loli she looked for us after the rain stopped. She must have looked for us, right?" There was a hint of pleading in the question, and it made Miranda sad for them both. "We looked for her, and we've been wandering around trying to find her for... I don't know how long, really." Gossamer said, in a sad voice.

"Your child lets you wander and go for hikes alone?" Gossamer, asked suddenly. "Aren't you afraid you'll get lost?"

Miranda laughed a little before she caught herself and said "Oh, no one 'lets' me do anything. And she isn't a child, though I suppose that depends on who you ask." Miranda thought for a moment, "And I think that if I DID get lost, she would look for me in the rain. Not that I'll ever GET lost, but if something happened... she wouldn't stop looking for me, even if it was raining." Miranda said proudly.

Gossamer nodded, and with a sad sigh said, "Well, we must go find where we're sleeping tonight. We need a new place without spiders and where the cats who want to eat us won't find us." Gossamer and Loli turned to walk away, and over her shoulder Gossamer added "It was good to meet you, Miranda. Hug your girl hard when you see her. You are fortunate to have someone who would look for you in the rain. Goodbye," and she started to walk away.

Miranda found herself calling after them before she thought about it. "Wait!" she cried. "I know a place you can sleep. And it's completely free of spiders AND cats. There's a bunny, but he's pretty nice."

Gossamer and Loli both turned to look at her, and Gossamer asked hesitantly "Really? How is it you would know of such a safe place, Miranda?"

Miranda quickly thought it through, and realized what she must do. Nodding she said "Well, I was thinking, why don't you come inside and meet my 'girl'? I think you'd like her, and I'm sure she would like you. And I am ABSOLUTELY certain she'd let you sleep inside with us tonight.

Gossamer made a gasping noise, like she couldn't quite draw her breath. "Inside? Out of the rain, and away from spiders... Really?" she asked, in a choked voice.

"Yeah, it'll be great. If you want to. Please?"

And so the two dolls who had been lost in the rain so long ago, followed Miranda inside...."

*************************

Emi: Oh! But Thorne... what happened next? What did they do when they got inside? Wait a minute. Are you really just telling a story or did this happen? Do I know the lost dolls?

Thorne: (laughing) Well, I'll tell you later what happened next. And for now, it's just a story, and you do not know the lost dolls... yet.

Temporary Blogging and Bad Kitties

Thorne: Hello, Emi.

Emi: (deep sigh) Hi, Thorne.

Thorne: Um... Emi, why aren't there any pictures in this entry?

Emi: Those... those CATS stole the camera Wendy gave me.

Thorne: The Purr-jon sisters?!

Emi: No... those OTHER cats.

Thorne: Oh... well, did you tell Wendy?

Emi: No, I don't want to bother her while she's taking her break from the blog. But I can't do blog updates without pictures. Wendy's the storyteller, not me. (sigh) What am I going to do?

Thorne: Well, when the morning DJs on the radio go on vacation, the station plays "best of" shows while they're gone. What if you just did a "Best of Miranda Wandering" segment for a few entries?

Emi: You think that would work?

Thorne: I don't see why not. I can't imagine that most readers have gone back and read the old posts, and a LOT happened on the blog before you got here. Why don't you go back and read a few, pick your favorites and repost them? And I'll see if I can't get a couple of interviews rounded up for you in the meantime.

Emi: Oh, Thorne, would you? That would be wonderful. Honestly, I'm not always sure _I_ know who everyone is.

Thorne: No problem. I'm happy to help. I'll have a talk with those camera stealing felines too. We'll get this straightened out, Emi. Don't worry about a thing.

Valentine in the Garden

Wendy: Man, this total lack of motivation is starting to get to me. Maybe a walk outside will help.

Wendy: Except I find myself feeling guilty about the state of the garden, but without any motivation to DO anything about it. (sigh)

Wendy: Oh! Another garden enjoyer! Valentine?

Valentine: Hey, Wendy!

Wendy: Wow, Val. Like the hair! You look great!

Valentine: Oh, thank you. Nyx suggested it. Do you think perhaps Perigrine might notice?

Wendy: I think anyone with EYES will notice. You look terriffic. May I join you?

Valentine: Yes, please.

Wendy: So what's a nice fae like you doing in a garden like this, eh?

Valentine: (Laughing). I find it peaceful here. I go for a walk every day, to watch the birds and the animals. There are mourning doves here. I love to watch them. Mourning doves at a house means there's a couple in love living there.

Wendy: Yeah? So are they here because Trygve and I are in love, or because of you and Peri? Hmm?

Valentine: (blush) There are TWO pairs of mourning doves that occasionally visit...

Valentine: That is a grackle. A member of the corvus family.

Wendy: Yep... grackle....

(comfortable silence... watching grackle)

Valentine: Forgive me. I must ask. Is it true?

Wendy: Is what true?

Valentine: Are you getting rid of us, the dolls?

Wendy: It is absolutely NOT and... wait... you... er....

Valentine: Peri told me you were not sure if we knew we were dolls, but we do. It just seems easier for you to relate to us as fae, so we all have become pixies and fae. Dolls are really very versatile at that kind of thing. I just think none of us wish to be rehomed.

Wendy: I don't want to "rehome" anybody. Who keeps spreading this rumor, anyway?

Valentine: It has been whispered for a while now. Rumors that even your friends knew you would grow tired of us eventually. And then you stopped updating the blog and, well... we all felt it was just a matter of time.

Wendy: Oh. I had no idea. I haven't been updating the blog because... something happened that kind of sucked all of the joy out of it for me. I've just been sitting around in this weird limbo, but I still talk to you guys, don't I? I still interact with you all, even if it doesn't end up on the blog.

Valentine: I suppose that is true. It is just, some of us are a little worried about what would become of us away from the Treehouse. Myself for example. I have no illusions about my appearance. I am not a popular, pretty, or sought after doll. I am an ugly Notdoll. And I know that I was purchased that a friend might take my body to put a pretty head upon. (shudder)

Wendy: Well, that might have been the original idea, but I knew better the first time I saw your picture. You are so beautiful, Valentine, and I knew I loved you right off. I couldn't have let you go. I can't let ANY of you go!

Valentine: Well, maybe you just need a break from the blog then?

Wendy: I dunno... people have been e-mailing me to see if I'm dead because I haven't updated. I didn't mean to make people worry. I didn't mean to make YOU worry. Or anyone else in the house.

Valentine: I know that was not your intention. And I do not mean that you should abandon it all together. Maybe you just need to let Emi take it over for a bit while you do something else.

Wendy: Something else, like what?

Valentine: It has been quite a while since I've seen you pick up a crafty project in my sewing room. What about something crafty? Creating with your hands? That always made you happy, did it not?

Wendy: Yeah, I suppose it did. How do you know that?

Valentine: (smile) I think it is not the dolls who do not understand what we are to you. (smiling and shaking head) Come, shall we walk?

Valentine: Peri told me what this is called. (giggle) It is so soft.

Wendy: Oh dear, did he REALLY tell you?

Valentine: Yeah, it is a "lamb's ear". Isn't that sweet?

Wendy: (phew) That is sweet... sweeter than the name I thought he might have told you.

Valentine: This is one of my favorite places to stop in the garden. I love looking at him. I wonder sometimes if perhaps he is real, and under a curse. Perhaps he is a fairy prince, trapped as a gargoyle and he is forbidden to move when any look at him.

Valentine: Though, you would think he would still shrug off the birds before they pooped on him. Hmmm.

Wendy: (laughing) His name is Max, and I don't think he's cursed. Well, aside from maybe the bird poo thing.

Valentine: Look, Wendy. A bunny!

Wendy: Er....

Valentine: Right THERE.

Wendy: Awww, bunny.

Wendy: What a perfectly lovely day. Not too hot. Not too cold. And you're wonderful company, Val.

Valentine: Thank you. I am glad you came out and walked with me. But let's head in now. I've got a project in mind for you.

Wendy: Yeah?

Valentine: Yes, my thoughts are of a lovely blue gray crocheted shaw.

Wendy: Hmmm, I dunno, Val. I don't really wear shawls...

Valentine: Oh, I was not thinking a shawl for you.... (smile)

Like an Animal?

Syrinx: Salem! Are you okay?

Salem: Awake... so... early.... not enough... coffee.... bleargh...

Syrinx: Salem, it's four thirty in the afternoon. Did you really just get up?

Salem: Yeah... man, 4:30, no wonder I'm tired. That's early for me. But my friends really wanted to catch this concert, so I promised I'd be ready by five so we could go stand in line...

Phaedra: (snort) We come here, and my daughter chooses to live like an animal. Unbelievable.

Syrinx: Phae.... Salem, we're going to dinner with Halcee and Grainne. We'll be back later, okay? I'll have my cell phone if you need anything. Be safe, all right?

Salem: Bye... have fun... day dwellers...

(doors close... doors open... sounds of someone getting something out of the refrigerator)

Sienna: "Living like an animal", hu? That's pretty insulting.

Salem: Awww, thank you supportive voice that's probably just in my head. But that's just how my mom is. She doesn't mean it. (looking up) You one of the college girls living here?

Sienna: Yeah, I rent a room from your Aunt Syri. She's pretty cool. And it really WAS pretty insulting.

Salem: Well, I don't take her very....

Sienna: Not insulting to YOU. Insulting to us ANIMALS.

Salem: Woah.