August 25th, 2012

Beenie, Troy, and Troy's mother dashed out of the tree together. The sun was bright, and shining through the leaves. Beenie could hear birds singing as they scampered down the path.

As they went farther and farther away from Troy's home, Beenie heard a buzzing sound. The more they walked, the louder it got, until she realized it was voices. Then they stepped around a hedge of blackberry bushes, and they were in the market.

It was a clear opening, lined with stands of things like moss-filled cushions, tiny berry tarts, and fresh produce. There was even a frog offering rides across the stream if he was presented with flies. Beenie stared around, her eyes opened wide.

"What should we do first?" Troy asked, his nose, tail, and whiskers twitching with excitement.

"First," his mother said firmly "we're going to get our groceries. Then we can have a look around."

Troy's whiskers drooped. "We'll be grocery shopping for ages," he said. "She always has to find the best of everything. All the good stuff will be-"

"I can hear you, Troy," his mother said. Troy stopped talking at once, and whipped his tail around so he could hide behind it.

"Now, are we finished talking? The more you complain the longer it takes, you know."

Beenie grinned and followed a rather sheepish Troy and his mother toward the nearest fruit stand.