“You should really buy some chickens,” Lily remarked as we made our way into Stonecroft a few days later. “That way, you wouldn’t keep running out of eggs.”

“Do you think Henry, or another farmer would sell me some?” I asked.

“Probably,” my familiar answered. “Want me to remind you to ask them?”

“Sure,” I said. There was a flash of light beside me, and I turned to see that Lily now wore some sort of long, tight skirt, with a jacket. Her hair was now in a bun, and she wore glasses. I laughed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m being your executive assistant and making a note to remind you to inquire about purchasing chickens,” my familiar replied writing something on a tiny notepad. She gave me a cheeky grin.

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” I said giving her a smile.

“Live a long, boring, and uninteresting life,” Lily replied giving me a sweet smile. The smile turned into a mischievous grin. “That life would also be lonely, miserable, sad, uneventful, boring…”

“You just boring for a second time,” I pointed out.

“Hush you!”

“I’m just trying to be helpful,” I replied.

“Uh huh,” Lily said just before we were hit by a wind gust. “Brrr!”

“Cold?”

“That wind was,” Lily replied while changing back into her green, leafy, fall outfit. She then flew into my shirt pocket. “Ah! That’s better.”

“Using me as a heater?” I asked.

“Yep!” Lily happily answered making a show of snugging into my chest. “It’s one of the things you’re best at.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yeppers!”

“Let be guess. Being your beast of burden is the other thing I’m best at?”

“You got it!” Lily giggled. I laughed and shook my head.

“I see how it is.”

“You know I’m only teasing you!”

“I do,” I replied as we walked through Stonecroft’s north gate.

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way!”

“You’re right,” I agreed.

“Of course, I am,” Lily smugly replied making me laugh again.

“Hey Jase,” a guard said walking towards us.

“Hey Jansen,” I said returning the greeting.

“Got a minute to talk?” he asked.

“This isn’t about Trinity again, is it?” I asked.

“No. Why?”

“That’s good,” Lily chimed in.

“The only other time we’ve talked was about her,” I explained.

“Yeah… Sorry about that, but you don’t come into the village much and we’ve been told to stay away from your fenced off land,” Jansen said.

I shrugged my shoulders. “We didn’t want people taking whatever they wanted from the land. Good stewardship means only taking what is needed and replacing things as well.”

“That makes sense but doesn’t explain why you don’t’ come into the village that often,” Jansen said.

“Certain people haven’t exactly been welcoming to us,” I replied while patting Lily on the head.

“Stop! I’m not a dog,” Lily huffed. “And you’ll mess up my hat!”

“Sorry Lily,” I apologized through our bond. “Just wanted to give you some affection and I can’t exactly hug you in my pocket.”

“Well…that’s ok then,” the mollified pixie replied through the bond.

“Mountain folk generally aren’t trusting,” Jansen said unaware of Lily’s and my byplay. “Beyond that, Ama and a few other elders made sure to pass the word that you and your familiar were outsiders.”

“We know,” I replied.

“Sorry about that,” Jansen said. “On the positive side of things, you are slowly making acquaintances.”

“Woohoo!” Lily exclaimed out loud. “It’s only taken most of the year to break the thaw. By this time next year my Jase might actually make a friend!”

Jansen gaped at the pixie.

“You might have laid the sarcasm on a little thick,” I said to Lily. A croaking, laughing like sound could be heard from above us. Looking up, I spotted a crow.

“Slick, I see you up there hiding,” Lily said to the crow. “You’re lucky I don’t go up there and ride you!”

“Slick?” I asked as the crow cawed and flicked a wing at my pixie.

“My familiar, Jansen answered. “The name truly fits him.”

“Anyway, it’s been nice talking to you,” I said to the guard. “If you don’t need anything, I must go see Simon about some eggs.”

“Actually, my folks want to talk to you about mead,” Jansen replied. “Simon finally fessed up that he had gotten the last couple of cases from you.”

“It’s not a bad idea my Jase, even if you don’t want to be a brewer,” Lily said.

“Ok. I’ll stop by the tavern after I visit Simon’s shop,” I said.

“Great! I’ll let my folks know,” Jansen said. Slick cawed at him. “Right. Slick will let their familiars know while I head to the south gate. I have the duty today.”

“Have fun,” Lily and I said at the same time. Jansen barked a laugh and waved before walking away. Slick flew off towards the tavern.

“Lily! Gabriela’s caravan is coming!” a pixie shouted flying past us.

“Thanks!” Lily called out to the pixie.