12.22.17 Ragdoll Chronicles

“Gypsy girl?” Nouveau said looking from Listen all the way around the surrounding group to end at Cawkin who was standing close to him but was not paying him any attention. “What is a gypsy girl?”
Just then Cawkin stepped up close enough to be within whisper distance wanting to assure with polite and soft tones that all was well. “Nouveau,” he said under his breath, “It is no secret here that a gypsy band moved through the glen and actually set up camp here for well over 9 months. We need to find them and the girl who created you.” He then turned back to the congregation of cats and crows and added, “There is ample sign further in and over by the entrance along where the water flows. But we must forget this fact and concentrate on other issues for the time being. We must honor this new life and seek guidance from one another on how to protect it. We will deal with the gypsy girl later. She may yet be an ally, so no harm must come to her.”
Listen turned to face her Clowder of Cats. “We will seek guidance from the trees. They were talking earlier, mumbling I guess more than talking. We couldn’t make it out, but I am sure they are aware.”
Cawkin turned to the crows. “Starter,” he said to the closest of them, “while I wait here with Nouveau you and the others climb to the clouds and see if you can spot the gypsy caravan, it can’t be too far down the road, maybe in the next village. We need to talk to that girl.”
“Yes, talk to her, talk to her,” Nouveau said with his voice growing more silent and taking on distance as if he was perhaps moving away. “We must … find … must …with … her.” And then his voice was gone from the circle.
“Let’s hope we don’t get the same or similar greeting from them that we did the last time,” Starter said, his voice conveying his concerns. “Remember, Cawkin, they shot arrows at us.”
“Yes, I remember,” Cawkin said, “and if I recall I got it straightened out after I found you with the King’s daughter riding on your back.”
“She was having the time of her life,” Starter said slightly defensive, but grinning.
“But they thought you had captured her for a meal.”
“I know, I know. It was her idea after she came upon me in the woods where I had gone to take a ….”
“I don’t need to know what you were doing. I just want to make sure it won’t happen again.”
“Agreed. But she was so cute in her gypsy dress and….”
Cawkin just stared at Starter and the message sank in.
“Yes sir, I will do as you say.”
“Thank you.”
Then, after giving more instructions and having individual discussions with several of the crows that had come forward, each in charge of separate sections of the Murder in which Cawkin was the central leader, Cawkin turned back to speak to Nouveau and found him gone.
“Nouveau?”