The Cindersap forest used to be ripe with hundred year-old trees, they grew so high and full of volume that the sky could barely be seen looking up. Since the farmer moved in, they made it their hell-bent mission to cut those trees down. Some of them, even thousand years-old. Krobus had told her that the farmer had recently upgraded to a gold axe which made the rate of trees getting cut down much faster. If it weren’t for the junimos, the forest spirits, working extra hard to regrow the trees then the Cindersap forest would have looked balding. Now young trees dotted the lands with the freshness of summer air, tiny junimos lie sleeping under mushrooms among the roots of young forest trees. They will be working extra hard when comes tonight. There will never be a bigger expert in growing trees than junimos so she wouldn’t worry about it so long it’s in their hands. But she was still a little bit salty about it. The most rarest ingredients in her list was a freshly cut bark of at least a thousand year old tree. They were all gone now.

She had gone and got distracted for a few solid moments staring at the unnerving change in trees getting cut down in bulk because the sky had darkened to red amber, sunset kissing the horizon.

“Are you cosplaying as a cat?” came a droning voice from directly behind Georgie “Or a bear?”

A sleeping Teacup inside her satchel got jostled at her surprise.

It was Jas, looking nonplussed and staring right at her at a close very personal proximity. She should leave and scamper. But that would only raise the girl’s alarm. “Well?”

“I..” her throat dried up, her Plan C failing spectacularly “I search for chickens.”

A tiny smile lifted at the corners of Jas’ mouth, “Marnie’s ranch closed an hour ago. But that’s just auntie Marnie. You can come with me. My Uncle Shane’s chickens are nothing like you’ve ever seen before.”

She had a feeling what kind of chicken she was talking about. “Okay. Do you.. I got my eggs.” She blushed. She doesn’t know what about a girl like Jas who levels at exactly Georgie’s height that would embarrass. But the flames-on-her-face mortifying effect took Georgie off-guard. Maybe because the girl had no qualms making direct eye contact at her. She couldn’t remember the last time a human had met her eyes. It had always been goblin eyes, shadow people’s, and little Teacup’s. “D-do you take void eggs in exchange for chickens?”

“I guess so. I saw aunt Marnie buy animal products off the farmer so I might as well.” she dipped her chin, then looked up at Georgie through her lashes. “When I grow up I’m gonna be like aunt Marnie.”

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“Okay.”

Satisfied, “Follow me then.”

They entered Marnie’s house, it led to a quaint foyer complete with a sturdy table and a cash register sitting on top of it. Off to the left was a hallway that led to the basement door. When Jas was about to reach for the door handle, she yelped like she had been stung “Oh! I forgot. Uncle Shane took his blue chickens on a play date at the farmer’s. I’m afraid I can’t show them to you.”

“That’s too bad.”

Jas seemed to mull over something then nodded “I got something else. Something more special. I’m not sure if they’re ready yet but there’s no way to know if we don’t try.”

“Are there more chickens?”

“My special chickens. I’m going to be breeding them. But I just haven’t got the time befriend them yet.”

Georgie’s brow met her hairline “Are they in the ranch?”

Her jaw seemed to lock in, pouting “No. They’re still in the forest. Aunt Marnie says I have to befriend them.”

She shrugged, “This time of night, the forest gets dangerous.”

Jas made a serious, dead-pan straight-to-the-soul glance at her “No. It’s not.”

Chills ran past Georgie’s spine, “Whatever you say.” she muttered, peering down refusing to meet her cutting gaze.

“Try not to be stupid, will you?” Jas said taking her hand and pulling her out the front door. “I’ve already got a stupid friend. I don’t want another one.”

Before they could step out, Marnie appeared from the kitchen “Found a friend, did we?” Her wild, thick hair was loosened in her braid and red bangs clung to her temples from dotted sweat “Please stay for dinner.”

Georgie’s throat locked in, suddenly dry “I’m not… I’m not… uhmm” She never did make plans for the chances any humans find her out, did she? No. She never made any plans and she cursed at herself for it. She always knew that her pride might get her into trouble someday but not a trouble so severe like this.

Jas smirked at her flustered face and shifted fully to face Marnie in a twirl that had her purple dress rustling around her ankles, “Actually we got way into playtime that we forgot it’s past her curfew. She’s in trouble, but we can’t possibly let her leave in the night like this. The farmer will worry. Perhaps Georgie and I will explain tomorrow morning about our little oopsie. It was an honest mistake, after all. And I heard the farmer’s real nice. They won’t be as mad, will they?”

“What a pleasant surprise. Georgie, isn’t it? I would have thought I’d at least have heard about you.”

Georgie can’t swallow the humiliation burning at her throat. When she spoke, it came out small “I don’t wish to bother. I should go.”

Marnie’s features grew intense and spirited, “Heck no. The farmer is a good friend they is. And a friend of the farmer’s is a friend of ours. We’ll take care of you. After you both get your dinner, I’ll have Shane take you home before the farmer gets any more worried than they already are.”

Jas wiggled her nose in obvious disgust, “Fine.” Then she twirled back to Georgie once more, “But you get back to me tomorrow. We got friends to make.”