Stitch Your Life Together (open)

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Ernesto felt the bell crush him, splitting his bones into a pile, and heard his coat rip. His skull, miraculously in one piece, sighed heavily, closing its eyes. He was more annoyed that his coat had ripped than he was about falling apart. And why, oh why did it have to be a bell?

Still, with a bell covering parts of his body, it would take some time to pull himself together. With the recent revelation of his betrayal, he thought it unlikely that anyone would be coming to help any time soon. Still, he decided to try.

Shockingly, pulling himself together was beyond easy to achieve. He opened his eyes and had to immediately shield them from a blinding light. As his eyes adjusted, he looked around. The colors were muted, very much like the Land of the Livin--

Oh no.

He never went to the Land of the Living. He was on too many ofrendas to visit in one night, and he got his many offerings delivered to him. There was no point in visiting the Land of the Living. He'd had no children, no siblings, and his parents had died when he was young, so he had no relatives he desired to see.

Worse, it seemed the people could see him. No one screamed at the sight of a skeleton standing under the midday sun, but many pointed and stared.

He spotted his hat, flattened by that dratted bell, on the ground at his feet. He fixed it as well as he could, then examined his coat for the rip. He thought it was an easy fix, but he knew nothing about sewing. He'd have to find someone to help him. With that goal in mind, Ernesto picked a direction and set off.

As he rounded a corner, he heard yapping behind him. He turned, recognizing the sound, and was surprised to see his four chihuahuas racing towards him. What startled him was their abnormal (to him) appearance. Gone were the green coat, the red ears. Short brown fur covered all four of them. They'd had obvious (to him) differences as alebrijes, but in their Land of the Living look, he wasn't sure which was which offhand. His first thought was to get some fancy collars for them, and tags with their names: Fiesta (secretly his favorite), Alma, Pedro, and Jorge. It ranked just above getting his coat fixed. They knew their names, so as soon as he had the collars and tags in hand, he thought it would be quite easy to figure it out.

[Accipiter]

Accipiter wheeled down, landing beside the silver lake. The gryphon was lowering his beak to drink when the sound of yapping caught his sharp ears. Accipiter jolted his head up. None of this place looked familiar: the building styles seemed to vary like the Earthman of Bism. And there ran a pack of four very, very small dogs. Accipiter was going to call to the dogs (and what small dogs they were!) when he noticed the skeletal man.

Accipiter didn’t know this skeletal man was— a wraith, some other kind of his monster— but it was enough to make him nervous. Accipiter mantled his wings and screeched so loud it made his own ears ring. “Keep back! Keep away from those poor dogs!” the gryphon called. The dogs didn’t seem to be Talking Dogs, but Accipiter couldn’t stand seeing even a poor, dumb animal run straight into danger.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

One chihuahua in particular had taken the lead in running towards him, and Ernesto just knew it was Fiesta. He squatted down to be more at their level, patting his thighs to urge them on. An idle thought crossed his mind, wondering why his hands were still bone while his alebrijes weren't colorful, but he didn't let the thought linger. He didn't think it was that important. Definitely ranked under his precious babies and getting his coat fixed.

He heard a piercing shriek that startled him--and his dogs; Fiesta yelped as she stopped, and whoever was closest to the creature collided with the others, resulting in a literal dog-pile. Ernesto stood up, puffing out his chest and glaring at the creature. "They are my dogs!" he shouted back, strutting towards them. The four had untangled themselves, and had started running towards Ernesto again, now from fear as well as excitement. "How dare you!"

[Accipiter]

Accipiter clacked his beak in warning, preparing to screech once more— that is, until he realized, that the poor dogs were running in terror from him, not the wraith. Accipiter wilted: no Talking Beast, especially a Gryphon, relished torturing any creature. even a dumb beast. Even when he hunted, he was careful to strike the prey’s head with his wings, knocking it immediately unconscious before he ensured a quick and painless death. And here Accipiter, a noble Gryphon, was terrifying poor dumb dogs!

They are my dogs!

Accipiter bated, beating his wings anxiously. “Yours? How can they be yours?“ said the Gryphon in confusion.

The minute dogs were indeed running straight toward the skeleton. Even from here, the Gryphon’s sharp eyes could see that commissure of the dogs lips relax the closer they got to the skeleton— the skeleton comforted them.

How dare you!

Well, the Gryphon, for one, didn’t find this wraith comforting! Accipiter unmantled his wings, raising them until they were addorsed and inverted, then came a few steps closer, racking his forefeet to show off his talons. “My apologies, however never have I known a wraith (or whatever monster you are) with a dumb animal. These poor creatures do seem to trust you: I just hope their trust in not misplaced” (To Accipiter, like all Narnians, dumb simply meant an unspeaking, non-sapient creature).

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

The fact that Ernesto claimed the chihuahuas as his seemed to confuse the creature. "I bought them," Ernesto said loudly. "A litter of pups to be companions on my tours after the unfortunate passing of my song writer, and small enough to be on movie sets with me."

The creature made a threatening display, and Ernesto noticed just how sharp the beak looked. It could probably snap any of his bones with hardly a thought, and that was not comforting to the skeleton.

With his four chihuahuas standing by his feet, Ernesto felt better about the creature's presence. It easily could've snapped up any of his babies!

"I am not a wraith," he continued, tugging lightly on his jacket. "I was a man until my death, when I went to the afterlife and continued existing in fame and glory." If this was the Land of the Living, perhaps news of his betrayal hadn't made it this far. He thought it unlikely that brat Miguel had kept his mouth shut, but there was some hope that people hadn't listened, or that the news hadn't traveled. This didn't look like Santa Cecilia. "And my perritos preciosos aren't dumb."

[Andrina]

The I bought them statement was said loudly enough by the skeleton in his discussion that at least one who looked like just another tourist caught it. Andrina glanced over, and then promptly paused, newly acquired churro from one of the stalls half raised to her lips. And she thought she'd seen everything here.

Both of the two in the discussion, and the dogs near them, were indeed interesting enough to warrant a further investigation, and Andrina had never been known to be shy.

"There an issue here?", she asked, just mildly curious, and with a small smile, as she walked up. Her gaze then fell down to the dogs and her smile grew as she bent down, offering a hand to one to see if it wanted to be pet, even the talking fish of Atlantica would allow for nuzzles. "father would be so disapointed in my lack of manners", she went on as she stood, both in boldly coming over and as she went on to explain, "Name's Andrina by the way, and I confess, I haven't seen anyone like either of you here before. Newly trapped?", she asked, finally taking that bite of churro.

[Accipiter]

A litter of pups to be companions on my tours after the unfortunate passing of my song writer, and small enough to be on movie sets with me.

“Was your song writer a Dog too? How do you know whatever killed your first song writer wouldn’t kill your pups?” frowned the baffled Gryphon, sincerely confused: surely that was basic logic? Why would he put these minute dogs in danger?

I was a man until my death, when I went to the afterlife and continued existing in fame and glory

Accipiter glared at the skeleton with narrowed eyes and swept back ears. This wraith (or was he a ghoul?) wasn’t helping himself: the Gryphon had no clue what he was talking about. Every Narnian was taught that their telos, their goal, was to enter Aslan’s County once they died. Best case scenario: this monster was just pretending to be a human or from some limbo area. Worse case: this monster went to… that other place.

Either way, the Gryphon did not trust this monster.

And my perritos preciosos aren't dumb

Accipiter’s ears snapped forward. “Oho, so they can talk! Sons of Talbot! Daughters of Colle! Does this monster tell the truth?” he called to the chihuahuas. (For to the Gryphon, all Talking Narnian Dogs traced to that pair, just like all Talking Gryphons were Sons of Rotoc or Daughters of Gryphes).

There an issue here? Father would be so disappointed in my lack of manners. Name's Andrina by the way, and I confess, I haven't seen anyone like either of you here before. Newly trapped?

“Forgive me, your majesty,” replied the Gryphon with a bow. “This is a strange land to me still, and I feared this ghoul would harm these poor dogs.” Accipiter looked at the Dogs, hoping they would talk.

After a few disappointing seconds, Accipiter turned back to the stranger. Odd: like all Gryphons, he trusted his eyes first, and this interloper certainly looked like a human. However, she had a rather fishy scent. More like… “I apologize for my boldness, Andrina, but… You resemble a human, yet you scent like a mermaid. Not one of the Sea People from the Ends of the World, no: rather like the Merfolk who dance in Bight of Calormen, near Cair Paravel. Which, if either, are you?”

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

What?! Why would the creature assume he'd kill his own dogs? It's not like--

Oh, wait.

"No, he was not a dog. And he got food poisoning from chorizo. My perritos eat a special diet that does not include chorizo." Yes, he felt it was smart to start with announcing the lie he'd concocted to cover his deed. Perhaps he could get a head-start on convincing people, in case Hector managed to follow him here.

Instead of understanding that his dogs were trained, and relatively smart, the creature thought they could talk? "That's preposterous. No animals can talk." Except the creature talking to him, he supposed...

A young woman approached, asking if there was a problem. "No, there is not. This... thing just decided to insult me and my dogs, and then accuse me of theft!" Okay, maybe it hadn't been an outright accusation, but it had felt like one to him.

"I am not a ghoul," he said, rolling his eyes. "I. Am. A. Man." While the creature interrogated Andrina, Ernesto mused over her words.

"What do you mean, trapped?" he asked, not really caring if he was interrupting.

[Andrina]

Had she introduced herself as a princess? Andrina wondered, as the...whatever creature he was (but then she wasn't one to label a creature odd to its face just because it was previously unknown) bowed and addressed her. She nodded to the explanation though. "Ah, well, nothing wrong with looking out for the smaller creatures about". Andrina bent to see if one of the dogs would come nearer and pet it when it did.

“I apologize for my boldness, Andrina, but… You resemble a human, yet you scent like a mermaid. Not one of the Sea People from the Ends of the World, no: rather like the Merfolk who dance in Bight of Calormen, near Cair Paravel. Which, if either, are you?”

Andrina stood again, listening to his own explanation of what he knew on mermaids. She had heard a few varying ones in her time here, including people asking if her songs sunk ships. She...could see where such rumors came from, if you exaggerated her and her sisters' singing, and when she couldn't in good faith say her father had never been responsible for a ship going down...

"Well...I'm not sure if I quite know, I don't know either of your places you mention, but...the latter I would hope. I'm from Atlantica. Sixth daughter of King Triton. I look as I do now in water, hairstyle aside, just add a purple tail. When I got trapped here I found that if I got too far out of sea-water I just gained human legs, and a cute outfit to boot", she didn't want him to think she was trying to pull one over on anyone.

"While we're being bold...what exactly are you?", she slipped in before the skeleton interrupted.

"What do you mean, trapped?"

Well there went her diplomacy award...

Andrina winced, but not at the interruption, "Sorry, I thought you were aware of that, um...yeah...we've all been taken from our worlds and homelands and...trapped here. It's not...so bad, there's things to do but...", maybe it was good she wasn't next in line to rule. She didn't see how Attina dealt with everything that even just came of being the oldest so easily.

[Accipiter]

No, he was not a dog. And he got food poisoning from chorizo. My perritos eat a special diet that does not include chorizo

Well, this conversation was becoming more and more confusing to Accipiter. How could these mini-dogs replace the ill-fated songwriter if the he wasn’t a dog? What’s more, the Gryphon’s grasp of food poisoning was poor: it was relatively uncommon among the Talking Beasts, whose immune systems could easily conquer most pathogens, The humans, as rare to Talking Beasts as pandas were to the British, did not use that term either. When humans did get ill from dinners, they called it ptomaine, the term their founder populations had used.

No, the only food poising Accipiter recognized was (unfortunately for Ernesto) deliberate poisoning, sprinkling belladonna or some other deadly chemical in a rival’s food.

Fortunately for Ernesto, having never heard of the term chorizo, Accipiter took it for a name. (It was odd—how did the perritoes’ diet not include it?— however he decided it just meant the ghoul kept that Chorizo fellow away from the dog’s food).

“What a miserable wretch, this Chorizo! I hope you were able to bring Chorizo to justice— only cowards, unable to win in a fair fight, use poison!” screeched the Gryphon, feathers ruffled and hackles bristling.

That's preposterous. No animals can talk

“Perhaps not here, but where I come from, nearly every animal can speak and sing,” said Accipiter in surprise. “And even here, I’ve met Mice, Deer, Dogs, Toads, and Sheep who can all talk.”

No, there is not. This... thing just decided to insult me and my dogs, and then accuse me of theft

Accipiter winced, feathers wilting. The ghoul had him there— although he still wasn’t quite sure how he had insulted the dogs. Were they dumb or not? If not, why didn’t they talk? If they were just poor, dumb beasts, why did this ghoul get so aggravated?

I am not a ghoul. I. Am. A. Man.

Accipiter clacked his break in warning, staring at the monster with narrow eyes. Accipiter never trusted wannabee-humans. Idly, he wondered what it really was: a jinn perhaps? Then again, it wasn’t like he could get a straight answer out of this skeletal monster.

And to think that this Chorizo fellow was even worse!

Ah, well, nothing wrong with looking out for the smaller creatures about

Accipiter gave the mermaid a weak smile. That was nice of her, although his mistake (and worse, how he had scared the dogs) still stung.

Well...I'm not sure if I quite know, I don't know either of your places you mention, but...the latter I would hope. I'm from Atlantica. Sixth daughter of King Triton. I look as I do now in water, hairstyle aside, just add a purple tail. When I got trapped here I found that if I got too far out of sea-water I just gained human legs, and a cute outfit to boot

Well! Accipiter found that fascinating— and a frightening. This Sea People lived in sweet water— perhaps that was why the Merfolk kept their distance from their wilder cousins. Imagine losing your tail! “Can…can you got your tail back, or are you trapped on land too?” he asked anxiously.

While we're being bold...what exactly are you?

“Why, I’m a Gryphon,” replied Accipiter in surprise. How this place was, to have Merfolk and strange skeletal monsters, yet no Gryphons! “My name is Accipiter, leader of my cast. I serve now as Marshall of the Narnian Air Squadron, under the High King Peter and his litter— I mean, siblings.

What do you mean, trapped?

Odd— how could this ghoul-monster not have realized it. Accipiter glanced at the Mer-Princess, to see what she said first.

Sorry, I thought you were aware of that, um...yeah...we've all been taken from our worlds and homelands and...trapped here. It's not...so bad, there's things to do but…

“It’s true— I haven’t been able to find any way out,” sighed Accipiter. “I have come across rumors that Lost Creatures like us sometimes go and come back— I’ve even heard that some from my land have managed to come here. Alas and alack, no one knows how they manage that. Even those who have returned to their homeland before becoming trapped here don’t know how they do so.” Truthfully, the thought of portals between worlds, even portals that operated unpredictably, was as natural to Accipiter as eclipses: rare, but not unheard of in Narnia.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

The creature seemed to grow indignant for Ernesto, in the loss of his songwriter. He seemed to think chorizo was a person, but Ernesto wasn't about to correct him. Let the creature spread the word that chorizo had killed Hector. It worked perfectly for Ernesto, even if Hector wasn't around. Better for Ernesto to establish his version of events.

The creature mentioned other talking animals, and Ernesto frowned. Animals simply couldn't speak. It wasn't possible!

One of the chihuahuas--Ernesto thought it might've been Alma--hesitated before going over to the girl. Her ears tucked back as she glanced at the creature. She scampered over to the girl for pats. Fiesta liked to be held. Alma preferred being pet. Pedro only wanted to be pet on his terms, and Jorge didn't like being touched.

Ernesto watched the girl and his chihuahua closely. He was still wary of the creature, but he felt he could trust the girl. Maybe. Miguel had turned out to be more trouble than Ernesto thought he was worth. Still, he was half listening to the girl--Andrina, he remembered--explain who she was. A mermaid? It was preposterous, he thought. Mermaids didn't exist! Then again, he'd been surprised upon arriving in the Land of the Dead to find alebrijes to be real, and that life continued after death.

For a moment, Ernesto thought Andrina had aimed the question at him, and he felt his face draw into an angry expression. Andrina winced, and Ernesto softened. Perhaps she had meant it for the other creature... It was possible, as even Ernesto didn't know what the thing was.

Andrina's explanation was... lacking. "Taken? How? By whom? Before I came here, I was launched into a bell, which fell on me and scattered my bones! My coat ripped! I was not taken by anyone!"

Things to do? "I don't care about things to do! I want to fix my coat!" He had a thought that maybe being in this place wouldn't be so bad. He could establish himself as a singing skeleton, popularize Remember Me again, regain his popularity... "I want to fix my coat, and I want a guitar. I want four collars for my dogs. Those are the only things I want to do!"

His rant was ended by the gryphon speaking up. Lost Creatures? Ernesto wasn't lost! Okay, he was, but he still felt it was harsh--his arrival in the parks was not by choice. Though, based on Accipiter--what a strange name!--'s words, it seemed many got lost here. "Are there any other skeletons here?" he asked, perhaps too eagerly.

[Geno & Gurri]

Geno and Gurri approached the creatures nervously, sniffing the strange scene. Some kind of white tree-like monster (neither were old enough to understand what a skeleton was), a Wif-Man, and something that looked like an eagle and a puma at the same time.

Geno shivered, glancing at the tiny canines. Gurri licked the top of his head, like Faline did when they were afraid. “I think you can take those pups, Geno. Don’t worry,” she said in what she intended as a whisper.

Geno hoped she was right. "I'd worry more about the WIf-man if she didn't smell like a fish," he replied, in what he also hoped was a whisper. "I didn't know trees had coats, did you?" (Neither quite got the concept of clothes and thought that he was referring to fur).

"Fir trees do, I think" replied Gurri helpfully. Very, very warily, both fawns walked closer, torn (like all whitetails) between fear and curiosity.

[Andrina]

Andrina also knew of spells, potions and magic, but was unclear if they were talking about actual poison, as Accipiter seemed to think. Sick from food, whatever it was called, she understood as well. It wasn't for her to say if that was what had happened or no, though she was a bit more on track and didn't think Chorizo was a person. She didn't embarrass Accipiter by saying so.

She could behave. Sometimes.

"Perhaps not here, but where I come from, nearly every animal can speak and sing, And even here, I’ve met Mice, Deer, Dogs, Toads, and Sheep who can all talk.”

"And many of the fish, crabs, lobsters and such in Atlantica", Andrina added with a nod, "Not so much dolphins, whales and sharks though...", and now that she thought on it she wasn't sure why.

“Can…can you got your tail back, or are you trapped on land too?”

Andrina was sort of touched by his concern. She smiled. "Oh sure, it comes and goes as I enter and exit any body of salt water. Seems to be a gift this place gave me when it brought me here, I was before stuck in the ocean and in fact my sister had to make a deal with a sea witch back home to be human and be with the human she fell in love with", it was the best example she had, and she hoped she wouldn't open Ariel up to criticism for such an impulsive choice, much as she thought it such after first hearing of it. But Eric was great.

“My name is Accipiter, leader of my cast. I serve now as Marshall of the Narnian Air Squadron, under the High King Peter and his litter— I mean, siblings."

"Ah, well pleased to meet you Accipiter", Andrina smiled and nodded, and wasn't teasing. As a princess, she knew how proud he was of his title no doubt, and was impressed to hear he had it.

"Taken? How? By whom? Before I came here, I was launched into a bell, which fell on me and scattered my bones! My coat ripped! I was not taken by anyone!"

"We were taken by something if not someone, no one knows how or why", Andrina shrugged. So he was a...supposed to be dead human...odd, but not the first Andrina had heard about.

"I don't care about things to do! I want to fix my coat! I want to fix my coat, and I want a guitar. I want four collars for my dogs. Those are the only things I want to do!"

"Well, I don't know much on human clothes, but...me and my sisters had to fix a seaweed curtain once before our governess found out we tore it...I could see if I could do something about your coat", Andrina offered, but made no promises she couldn't keep. "I don't know about a guitar and collars...".

Andrina heard the two deer fawns whispering as they walked up, if not catching all of their words. Something about her though, then...

"I didn't know trees had coats, did you?"
"Fir trees do, I think"

Andrina grinned, suddenly very fond of the little fawn for this witty comment, whether he meant it as such or no. "Right you are little fellow, and a very smart...uh deer wasn't it? you are", the mermaid turned to the two with what she hoped was a reassuring smile, and bent down to appear less threatening, "Sorry, as a mermaid I don't know all the names for all the land animals, or get them mixed still. I'm Andrina, and don't worry, I don't hurt either fish or land animals", she held a hand out but didn't approach them and let them decide how close they wanted to be, to her or the group.

"Are there any other skeletons here?"

"Hmm...I've heard of some...", Andrina answered, most of her focus on the two deer still, "Friend of mine, Moana, was telling me about going to a coming of age ceremony for two skeleton's little granddaughter. Ugh she's alive", she added. This was sort of second hand information, and unbeknownst to her Accipiter had perhaps better information.

<<I don't...think Andrina's met the Riveras...>>

[Accipiter]

And many of the fish, crabs, lobsters and such in Atlantica", Andrina added with a nod, "Not so much dolphins, whales and sharks though...", and now that she thought on it she wasn't sure why.

“Perhaps they will have to earn the ability to speak?” suggested Accipiter. “Not until the Mice showed their kindness, attempting (though in vain) to free the Great Lion did they begin to speak in my land.”

Oh sure, it comes and goes as I enter and exit any body of salt water. Seems to be a gift this place gave me when it brought me here, I was before stuck in the ocean and in fact my sister had to make a deal with a sea witch back home to be human and be with the human she fell in love with

That was good, that she wasn’t permanently docked (in more ways than one); her sister’s actions, not so much. “In my homeland, for a hundred years a White Witch made it ways winter and never Christmas. The youngest of the Sons of Adams, Edmund, betrayed his siblings to her, selling out his birthright (they said she told him his would be a prince, when he was already destined to be a king). Only the Great Lion saved him. Edmund proved himself since, destroying the witch’s wand and ruling justly with his brother and sisters,” he said softly. “Did your sister survive her encounter with the witch?”

Ah, well pleased to meet you Accipiter

“And please to meet you, your majesty,” replied the Gryphon with a bow. Hesitating, Accipiter looked at the ghoul. “What do they call you, er…” (Accipiter could not decide what to call the ghoul— he could not lie and call it a man, but there was no reason to keep agitating it.

Taken? How? By whom? Before I came here, I was launched into a bell, which fell on me and scattered my bones! My coat ripped! I was not taken by anyone!

We were taken by something if not someone, no one knows how or why

“Not one creature I’ve spoken to knows,” replied the Griffin. “These portals occur from time to time.

“Forgive me, but…what do you mean you were launched into a bell?” Accipiter couldn’t help asking. “Did a Giant throw you?”

I don't care about things to do! I want to fix my coat! I want to fix my coat, and I want a guitar. I want four collars for my dogs. Those are the only things I want to do!

How to put this delicately? “All of which are thing you can accomplish here. I’m not sure what guitars are, but surely you can fix your own coat and make your own collars? Perhaps use that cloth around your neck or the rim from your hat to do so?” replied the Griffin. “Why do you need collars anyway? Your minute dogs look well trained.

Well, I don't know much on human clothes, but...me and my sisters had to fix a seaweed curtain once before our governess found out we tore it...I could see if I could do something about your coat .I don't know about a guitar and collars…”

Oh— perhaps the ghoul didn’t know how. “I can sew,” Accipiter added. “The Dwarfs from the Western Wild taught me, although I’m not very skilled and it’s difficult with talons,” here the Gryphon racked again, this time to show off each taloned front foot.

Fir trees do, I think

Accipiter’s sharp ears easily found the tiny fawns. Accipiter smiled: like all Gryphons, he had a soft place for the weak and defenseless. “Greeting, little fawns! What kind of deer are you— little roe deer?”

Right you are little fellow, and a very smart...uh deer wasn't it? you are. Sorry, as a mermaid I don't know all the names for all the land animals, or get them mixed still. I'm Andrina, and don't worry, I don't hurt either fish or land animals.

“My name is Accipiter, little ones. I do not hunt any creature who can speak,” the Gryphon called. “Rarely have I encountered a wicked mermaid. You can trust her.”

Are there any other skeletons here?

Hmm...I've heard of some... Friend of mine, Moana, was telling me about going to a coming of age ceremony for two skeleton's little granddaughter. Ugh she's alive

Accipiter shook his head. “The only bones I’ve seen have been in my meals.”

Too late, he realized how that sounded. “I mean, the radius and ulna pork shanks from Gaston’s Tavern and the tibiotarsus turkey legs.

[Geno & Gurri]

Both fawns collapsed to the ground, chins flat on the ground and fighting back the urge to shiver. Gurri was the most horrified: how could they have heard her?!

Right you are little fellow, and a very smart...uh deer wasn't it? you are

Gurri beamed— even Geno managed a weak smile. Having only half learned, the fawns felt that since Miss Charlotte La Bouff was nice, surely all Wif-men were!

Of course, Ronno had scoffed at their theory… On the other hand, she didn’t scent terriblly much like a Wif-man…

Sorry, as a mermaid I don't know all the names for all the land animals, or get them mixed still. I'm Andrina, and don't worry, I don't hurt either fish or land animals

“Oh, that’s why you smell fishy— you’re not really a Human at all,” said Geno, warily raising his head.

“WHat’s a mermaid?” said Gurri eagerly. “Do you eat plants like us?”

Geno fought to keep a straight face, but Gurri allowed herself a giggle. “Silly tree! Skeletons are only inside animals, but not bugs.”

“How come you can walk and talk but the other trees can’t?” asked Geno. “Are you a quaking aspen tree or a sycamore?”

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Ernesto was too upset to notice the appearance of the fawns, at first. That was probably a good thing.

Alma pawed at Andrina's foot, begging for pats.

Accipiter asked for Ernesto's name, but the skeleton's attention was focused solely on Andrina, because she seemed to have answers the creature did not.

Though, Andrina's further attempt at explaining did nothing for the musician. She didn't know who had taken them, or why. Neither did the creature. Accipiter had a question for him though. "A giant cat kicked me," he muttered angrily. Rotten alebrije.

He took a deep breath, trying to control his rising anger. Her offer to fix his coat certainly helped. "I would appreciate that very much, Andrina," he told her. Her seeming indifference to the guitar and collars didn't annoy him as much, with the offer. The creature offered as well, admitting to being only slightly more skilled than Ernesto himself. Ernesto strongly preferred for Andrina to try. She was unlikely to shred his coat further.

Accipiter, it seemed, enjoyed pestering Ernesto. "Of course I cannot!" he snapped. "I never learned how to sew. And I could not give my precious perritos second-hand collars!" Once he had been that poor, and he had resolved to never be again. "The collars would not be for training. As you say, they are perfectly trained. The collars are so other people can tell them apart, and how others can return them to me if they get lost."

With Andrina drawing attention to the fawns, Ernesto took the barest notice. He didn't really care about them. His chihuahuas did, though, and were all staring attentively. Fiesta yipped quietly, but none moved. Alma was staring the hardest, upset that the two had taken Andrina's attention away.

Andrina's response about other skeletons didn't tell Ernesto much, except perhaps why the other humans hadn't shrieked upon seeing him. So, there were other skeletons here, with living family. Desperately, Ernesto hoped it wasn't the Riveras.

The focus of everyone was still on the fawns. Ernesto rolled his eyes. One of them called him a tree, and Ernesto glared. "I am not a tree!" he shrieked, stamping his foot. He couldn't believe he had to go through this again. "I was a human. When I died, I awoke in the Land of the Dead as a skeleton."

[Andrina]

“Perhaps they will have to earn the ability to speak? Not until the Mice showed their kindness, attempting (though in vain) to free the Great Lion did they begin to speak in my land.”

It was perhaps an odd theory, but then who was Andrina to say so? She already couldn't explain why some did and didn't. It could be a hidden sort of clause. "Perhaps...", she agreed.

“In my homeland, for a hundred years a White Witch made it ways winter and never Christmas. The youngest of the Sons of Adams, Edmund, betrayed his siblings to her, selling out his birthright (they said she told him his would be a prince, when he was already destined to be a king). Only the Great Lion saved him. Edmund proved himself since, destroying the witch’s wand and ruling justly with his brother and sisters,”

All of this sounded like how witches acted. Or the ones Andrina was familiar with. She sort of did use the term for Bad magic users, not counting Mateo as bad for using magic, but then he was called a wizard and she wouldn't use them as similar terms, though they were in a way.

"Yeah trickery and false promises seems Witching 101", Andrina agreed.

“Did your sister survive her encounter with the witch?”

"Oh yeah, she learned her lesson, same as this Edmund it sounds like". Andrina thought over the prospect of siblings being put in danger due to one's deal with a witch. I...wouldn't say we were put in danger due to it, but...kind of. Innocently still, but she let Ursula, the witch, try to take my father's throne by way of the contract she let herself sign all to gain her legs, and then Daddy doing anything to save her...though the one person Daddy would probably blame for it all, and the human prince she did it for slayed Ursula in the end and saved all of us. Daddy used good magic to then give my sister legs and let her live the life she wanted on land with Prince Eric. He's a good sort", she smiled.

“Oh, that’s why you smell fishy— you’re not really a Human at all,”
“WHat’s a mermaid? Do you eat plants like us?”

Andrina smiled at the cute land animals. "Yep, fish tail and everything, and most of my friends are fish, or dolphins. I eat seaweed, and the land vegetables now too, which are sort of the same"

“Rarely have I encountered a wicked mermaid. You can trust her."

Andrina smiled at the compliment, to herself and her kind. She noticed one of the little doggies seemed to feel left out and scratched Alma behind the ear as well.

Ernesto took her up on her offer. Like she'd said, Andrina had sewn in a pinch and could probably recall the stitches enough to mend up his coat. "Ok, let's see what I'm working with", she held out her hand for him to hand her his coat if he wanted. As she looked it over, she felt not satisfied with the half answers she'd been able to provide. "I wish I could remember the name of the girl that party Moana went to was for. Mateo knows them too...oh I recall! It kinda rhymed cutely", she smiled, "Rosa Rivera! That was it! I gotta make a point to stop by and meet her too if my two other friends know her". Though pleased with herself, Andrina's focus was still on the coat and she didn't look up.

[Accipiter]

Accipiter smiled at the fawns: like all Gryphons, he felt honor-bound to protect the weak and helpless, and these little deer certainly counted. A pain torn at him: oh how he missed his dear mate, Kalokairi. If only he knew if she was all right! Were she and his family still okay? For that matter, had his parents’ clutch pipped [broken their shells] yet? For that matter, were his sisters and sisters-in-law gravid [carrying eggs] by now? Probably, probably. If things had been different, he and Kalokairi would be lining their nest now.

"A giant cat kicked me"

Well, that was interesting enough to draw the Gryphon’s attention. “Oh, do they have giant cats in your part of the world? The Giants in my land must use tigers to keep the giant mice away. Non-talking of course— at least, the Good Giants never used or harm a Talking Animal.”

"Of course I cannot!" he snapped. "I never learned how to sew. And I could not give my precious perritos second-hand collars!"

Accipiter clacked his beak; he didn’t appreciate the outburst, but he did feel kind of sorry for the monster. Here he had though all humans could sew— was he wrong about this aspect of humans, or was he right that this ghoul was no human? “All of the Talking Dogs I now do not mind wearing second-hand collars, so I doubt a dum- er, Non-talking dog would.”

”The collars would not be for training. As you say, they are perfectly trained. The collars are so other people can tell them apart, and how others can return them to me if they get lost."

Accipiter was rather surprised. “Oh— both Talking and-and Non-talking dogs in my world wear collars to guard their throats in battle. Only the non-talking need them for identification, although the Talking Dogs do like to add their heraldry crests on the collars. But ‘telling them apart’— why, their colors are as different as trees in spring, summer, autumn, and winter! Can’t you tell?.” (The Gryphon’s eyes naturally picked up the ultraviolet spectrum, allowing him to see shades indistinguishable to humans as unique colors that even a cublet could tell apart. However, he had not yet learned that a human’s eyes worked differently).

"I am not a tree! I was a human. When I died, I awoke in the Land of the Dead as a skeleton."

“Yes, the Talking Trees are kinder,” he couldn’t help telling the deer; not the nicest statement, he admitted, but he didn’t want the fawn to think poorly of Walking Trees. They were (well, for the most part) a noble people. The Gryphon wanted ask the ghoul just what he done wrong to be punished so, but he didn’t really want to do so in front of the little fawns.

"Yeah trickery and false promises seems Witching 101",

The Gryphon smiled as much his keratin-covered lips would allow: shared jokes made friends, and this one reminded him of of his experience with witches, while the ‘101’ reminded him of what the Pevensives mentioned about their education.

"Oh yeah, she learned her lesson, same as this Edmund it sounds like". I...wouldn't say we were put in danger due to it, but...kind of. Innocently still, but she let Ursula, the witch, try to take my father's throne by way of the contract she let herself sign all to gain her legs, and then Daddy doing anything to save her...though the one person Daddy would probably blame for it all, and the human prince she did it for slayed Ursula in the end and saved all of us. Daddy used good magic to then give my sister legs and let her live the life she wanted on land with Prince Eric. He's a good sort"

Accipiter was horrified. “Oh Princess, I am so sorry… And I am grateful to hear that she survived her ordeal. King Edmund has already become wiser since his error. We have come to call him “the Just”. Perhaps your sister will grow wise and thoughtful too.”

"Yep, fish tail and everything, and most of my friends are fish, or dolphins. I eat seaweed, and the land vegetables now too, which are sort of the same"

Accipiter was surprised: the mermaids he knew did eat fish, both scaled and shelled. Perhaps there were no Dumb Fish where she lived. Or was she sparing the fawns feelings. (The Gryphon decided it would be best if he didn’t mention that very little of his diet consisted of non-meat).

"I wish I could remember the name of the girl that party Moana went to was for. Mateo knows them too...oh I recall! It kinda rhymed cutely", she smiled, "Rosa Rivera! That was it! I gotta make a point to stop by and meet her too if my two other friends know her".

“I have not had the pleasure of meeting either of those two,” said Accipiter conversationally, focusing on the coat. “Do you need a thread and needle? I was able to purchase some, in case I ever need to imp a feather. That I learned from my parents; sewing cloth I learned from the Dwarfs to help with the war.”

[Geno & Gurri]

Sewing, trained, perritos, second-hand… None of these words meant anything to the fawns.

"I am not a tree! I was a human. When I died, I awoke in the Land of the Dead as a skeleton."

“Yes, the Talking Trees are kinder,”

“I’ve dreamt about talking trees,” said Geno suddenly and eagerly. “Papa says we’re like the trees with our antlers.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you dreamt that, Geno,” said Gurri, a little hurt he hadn’t told her first. Luckily, there were more pressing interests.

Gurri hesitantly took a few steps closer. “Friend Not-a-Tree, have you seen our Grandmother in the Land of the Dead? Or Uncle Gobo? Did they miss us?”

Geno raced to his sister’s side, sclera gleaming as he looked at the dog closest to Andrina. She didn’t seem too afraid, although she was a fearless (and luckily plant-eating) mermaid, whatever that was.

Gathering his courage, Geno managed to ask, in a relatively non-quivering voice, “Are those Perritos puppies? How come they’re so little?”

“Do you think those uh, mermaids you mentioned, Moana and them, can they sew?” asked Gurri companionably.

“Moana, Mateo, and Rosa Riveria,” barked Geno, still focused on the pack; how embarrassing that his sister forgot already!

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Accipiter kept talking, and Ernesto took a breath to keep himself calm. The creature just annoyed Ernesto. It was becoming more difficult to keep it hidden. "Alebrijes come in all sizes and colors." he said.

He caught the gryphon's words and his eyes narrowed. But, Accipiter corrected himself by calling them "non-talking" dogs. "They are chihuahuas," he said. Perhaps that would help? "And of course they would not mind wearing second-hand collars. However, I will not permit it."

Interesting, that Accipiter could see them in different colors. "Why, no," he said, his voice finally dropping the loathing that had been lingering underneath the words. "Only when they were alebrije and colorful could I quickly tell the difference between them. Of course, it has been over fifty years since I saw them without their bright colors. I am sure that, with enough time, I will once again be able to tell them apart visually. Until then, however, collars would be preferred. A green for Alma, violet for Fiesta, blue for Pedro, and red for Jorge." And shiny gold tags for all of them.

Ernesto ignored the comment about trees being kinder. Trees weren't kinder; they had no way of being kinder.

Andrina held out her hand for Ernesto's coat, which the skeleton easily shrugged off. It didn't really bother the skeleton to be without his coat, but it felt strange to have the bow tied at his neck without the coat on as well.

The deer at least tried, calling him Not-a-Tree. "My name is Ernesto," he finally offered, not liking being called "not a tree". "And no, I did not see any deer in the Land of the Dead." He hadn't been looking, certainly. Not to mention he wouldn't have known their uncle or grandmother from any other deer.

If Ernesto had a heart, it would've fallen to his stomach at Andrina's words. Rivera. It had to be the same Riveras. Still, he managed to keep his composure. "Rivera?" How to ask if it was the same family, without revealing too much of the truth? He settled for looking thoughtful, as if trying to remember if he knew that family.

His chihuahuas were certainly a topic Ernesto could beam about, and a welcome change of subject. "They are fully grown, but I call them my babies. They are so little because they are chihuahuas." He didn't think about mentioning that humans had specifically bred chihuahuas to be so small.

He wanted to avoid his coat going to the Riveras, if possible. He hadn't quite yet figured out a way to keep that from happening, though.

[Andrina]

“Oh Princess, I am so sorry… And I am grateful to hear that she survived her ordeal. King Edmund has already become wiser since his error. We have come to call him “the Just”. Perhaps your sister will grow wise and thoughtful too.”

"She's definitely learned to be more careful of contracts", Andrina nodded; honestly it was easier just to not dwell too much on any of the various things that could have gone wrong, like Ariel (and all of them) trapped as Ursula's horrible creatures while she ruled the oceans. Eric had certainly proven his worth in taking the sea-witch down.

As to Ariel becoming even more wise than just avoiding contracts now, Andrina couldn't speak to it except for what she had seen back when her sister was in the parks, and anything that would have proven it one way or another hadn't really come up.

“Do you need a thread and needle? I was able to purchase some, in case I ever need to imp a feather. That I learned from my parents; sewing cloth I learned from the Dwarfs to help with the war.”

"If you have some that'd be great!", Andrina smiled at Accipiter's offer. She'd been about to try to figure out what best to use. Humans didn't seem to also patch their clothes with seaweed threads...

“Do you think those uh, mermaids you mentioned, Moana and them, can they sew?”

"They're human", Andrina smiled and told the fawns, but their point was a good one. You know I heard something about Rosa's family having a shoe-shop so no doubt they can...hmm...I guess we could go ask her", she said just casually, unaware of the skeleton's hesitancy. "Hmm...I'd want to make sure I wasn't bothering them though", she added and thought a bit on what would be best to do. "Maybe I'll see if I can ask just Rosa, I know the hotel they're at". She still turned to Ernesto to see what he thought of this plan. Since it was his coat.