Random found a trunk at the end of her bed, and inside were clothes just the right size to fit. She found leggings, a green tunic, a brown leather vest, and buttery soft leather boots that pulled on easily over the leggings. She plaited her hair in one long braid down her back and placed on her head the leather hat with the glass-beaded band. She gazed at herself in the tall looking glass and smiled.. Well, come on RobinHood McGuire..time to venture out and meet our neighbors..she chuckled and gestured to herself in the mirror. Then a horrific notion overtook her thoughts into almost a panicked state.... What if they think I'm a murderer??? Oh.. she thought, What if they don't trust me? What would they do? Random looked back into the mirror in admonishment.. Girl! You're stronger and braver than that..she told herself..and furthermore, you don't know your neighbors..give them the benefit of the doubt! Go..meet your neighbors chica! *she smiled remembering Mayzee the hooker calling her Chica..and she liked it. It now became a part of her own vocabulary..a self-endearment so to speak. She stepped out her front door onto a cobbled path lined with Tulips and Daffodils. Wild flowers dotted the velvety green lawn, and she noticed a small pond with gold fish swimming in it. She looked beyond that to see a stone bench with carvings of cherubs and little hearts. The border of her grounds were lined with oak trees and beyond those was another clearing where stood her neighbors cottage. She looked to the right side of her grounds and there stood another neighbor's cottage just beyond another grove of Oak. Then she took a walk behind her cabin where her acreage led to a forest of pines, Maples, Oaks and other trees she didn't recognize. She gazed up at the tallest of the strange trees..and on the huge branches were tiny cabins built with stairs and platforms leading to other tiny cabins.. She thought to herself..ahh..my Back Door Neighbors! Then..she went back to the front of the cabin and looked beyond her gate across a cobbled path through the forest that stood beyond..and that cobbled path lead to a single cabin, which stood dead center of that forest. That cabin would be the first she'd visit. She decided that indeed of all the strange and lovely sites she'd seen in just one morning..this morning..that cabin tugged at her in such a way..it was difficult to resist visiting it first. Maybe it had been the way it reminded her of a sentinel, which stood watch over her own cabin..and all the others. It reminded her of what she dreamt her grandparent's home must be like. It also reminded her of Hansel and Gretel, and the cabin with all the goodies and sweets that would entice the young or young at heart. Yet, there was no malevolence about this dwelling. There was no femininity about it either. This was someone's home, who enjoyed serenity, and perhaps this someone welcomed guests, but didn't venture out often.. The cabin stood and told its own story..all you had to do was know how to turn and read its pages. Part of Random's business success had come from the ability to read people, places, and things. She could look into the soul of the land and determine that it could be revived and vital again, Rich and nourishing to her forests. From studying the cabin across the path, she could discern that this neighbor was single, male, enjoyed gardening, fishing, and astronomy. She also noticed that this male neighbor was frugal and tidy. She gathered enough cursory information from being observant that she was able to keep mental notes that would ease into a friendly conversation with this individual.. there was just one more thing she needed.... before she would make her way over to him. She headed back into her cabin to seek the item she'd use as her instrument of commonality between herself and this intriguing neighbor. She didn't want to just march over and knock on his door..No...with this one..she knew a chance meeting was best. Random went into her cabin and set about her search for the items she needed for her little venture. She looked in all the rooms..on the walls..in trunks, in loft, near the hearth, and in the garden shed out back. She knew that perhaps such items wouldn't be available here, and she certainly didn't expect them to just be here..but she hoped. She gave up the search in the shed and headed back into the cabin..and on the dining table..as if they were there all along..lay a fly pole and a set of rooster tail flys. A broad smile graced her face as she looked about and spoke to an invisible entity.. "Why thank you so much" You read my mind!" All she heard were tiny little tittering giggles, but she saw no one. It un-nerved her a bit, but she appreciated the results..and had no complaints. "Who ever you little sweeties are, you deserve hugs and kisses..she said to the air in a sweet voice. No sooner had she said that, had a tiny brownie and many others.. appeared in various nooks and crannies and corners about her cabin.. The spokes brownie piped up.. "We're your back door neighbors..(he quoted from her thoughts), Random was impressed! He said..we've been here upon your arrival..to make sure you had food to eat..to get you to your bed, and to make certain you were comfortable. That is our function in this world. But, when do you go to your homes? Oh, not all of us are here..there are several hundred of us who live in the trees. We take turns in groups to serve you and our other neighbors... And Random McGuire.. you're right about the cabin across the way.. He does love to fish! The little Sprite winked at her. You're a clever female! I will warn you though, he is a tale spinner, and though what he tells is true history, he may buzz at your ears for hours. If you're prepared to be bored out of your skull..then just ask old Scuttle Thorn anything. Oh.. Yeah.. umm his name's Scuttle Thorn. umm Yes, you mentioned that. It had occurred to her that these tiny beings had been the group that had undressed her and her company..and somehow got them into bed clothes.. it must have taken several of them to achieve such a thing she thought. Then she remembered a human spun faerytale warning about never eating or drinking wine in the fairy world because you would never be able to return to the human world. She thought..boy..do they have that all wrong.. then she reached to her bandaged brow and lowered her head.. her shoulders sunk too..and the leader brownie appeared on her shoulder.. That's a sorrowful shame what that she beast did to you M'lady. Random quickly shrugged off the moroseness of the recent memory, and took the fly pole and rooster tails. She smiled and kissed each rooster tail on the safe end as she stuck them into her hat for safe keeping but just in view to show them off in such a manner to entice a true fisherman. Her purpose was clear and set, and so was her natural long stride as she headed gracefully across the cobbled path toward but not directly to the cabin of her neighbor, Mr. Scuttle Thorn. As she was approaching she was careful to look pre-occupied so she seemed not to notice that there was a cabin in the path of herself and her purpose of obviously looking for a nice fishing creek. "Nice try Lady!" Random looked up to see a rather familiar looking elven male standing nearly toe to toe with her. "ahem" Nice try??" Random pretended innocence. "Yeah.. nice try!" Scuttle Thorn said in a perturbed manner. You know, all you had to do was knock on the door, but nice touch with the whole fisherman get up." Random flushed hotly. "Oh! So you knew?" "Yeah lady, I knew." See, I'm a reader too. She gazed at him a bit. He was an elderly elven male, but quite handsome..in a grizzled, rugged sort of fashion. His eyes were so familiar and his shiteaten grin just shocked her.. she realized she was seeing bits of Brent in this Mr. Scuttle Thorn. Albeit a rather older version of Brent...and a much more bedraggled version as well. "So, its Random isn't it?" She looked up to him.. "yes, Randi , please." So does everyone around here know about me? "Yes indeed we do ma'am." "Well, Mr. Thorn... "Scuttle Ma