Magic on Changeling Mountain

Carolyn got caught up on her patient notes as she waited for the last two pets to be picked up. One was an overweight tabby cat named “Twinkles″ and the other was an English bulldog named “Bull”. She was about to start calling the owners to remind them of closing time when they pulled up, almost together. She quickly checked their pets back out to them and closed up the clinic. She pulled in at the cottage just minutes before Tammy. She was loaded down with clothes and linens that needed to be washed. She was also carrying one large pizza!

“It may take more than one night to do all of this laundry.” Carolyn teased as she helped Tammy carry it all into the house.

“Well, I’m hoping that you won’t mind if I crash here for a couple of days? My building is being tented for termites. The landlord sent a notice around a couple of weeks ago but with all that’s been happening, I totally forgot about it.”

“No problem. You know you are always welcome here. It will be just like we are rooming together again.” They had considered living together again when Tammy had first moved to the mountain but since Carolyn wouldn’t take money from her for rent, Tammy had felt like she was freeloading and had insisted on finding her own place.

While Carolyn had never felt that Tammy was freeloading off of her, she also appreciated having her cottage all to herself, so she hadn’t put up much of an argument when Tammy began apartment hunting.

They unloaded all the baskets and bags into the house and while Tammy went back out for the pizza, Carolyn started the wash. They sat up till almost midnight, washing, drying and folding clothes while they talked and listened to music. The movie is a thing for another night. It became a routine over the next couple of nights. The feeling of something or someone being out in the woods all but forgotten since neither of them had sensed it since Tammy had “cleaned the air”.

Saturday rolled around and Carolyn, Cindy and Tammy were at the clinic bright and early. Tammy and Carolyn were going shopping after Carolyn cut the cast off of Cecelia’s leg and they were just beginning to wonder when they would show up when Cindy’s uncle Charlie’s truck pulled into the yard. Cindy was rather surprised as she watched her uncle help Ivan carry Cecelia into the clinic. Cindy led them into the room where she had the things Carolyn would need to cut off the cast.

“Uncle Charlie, I’m surprised to see you. How are you?” Cindy said, as she hugged her uncle.

“I’m well, Cindy. How’s the family?” Charlie Pence asked.

“Well, it’s been too long since you’ve been to visit. I do hope you can take the time to come over before you go back today?” Cindy asked. She had been wondering how she was ever going to arrange for Ivan and her father to meet and this would be the perfect opportunity.

“Well, it all depends on how long this takes. I would like to see my brother and his family, if we have time.” Charlie Pence, winked at his niece.

“Well, then we’ll just have to get it done as quickly as possible. If you will wait in the lobby, we’ll get the x-rays taken and make sure we can remove Cecelia’s cast today.” Cindy shooed everyone out of the room and then turned to help Carolyn get the x-ray machine in position.

Carolyn turned to her patient and asked “How are you doing, Cecelia?”

“Looking forward to having this thing off my leg. It itches!” Cecelia said, as she knocked on the cast that covered her leg from her foot to just below her knee. Cecelia’s accent wasn’t nearly as heavy as Ivan and Sonya’s, so she was much easier to understand.

“I bet. Well, let’s get these pictures taken and hopefully we can remove it today.” Carolyn bent down and positioned Cecelia’s leg how she wanted it to be in order to get a clear picture. “There, hold it just like that.”

Carolyn stepped behind the protective screen and Cindy hit the button to take the first picture. Carolyn stepped back into the room with Cecelia and repositioned her leg and then stepped back behind the screen again. Cindy took the second picture while Carolyn looked at the first one. Cindy loaded the second one and Carolyn examined it as well before stepping back into the room with Cecelia.

“It looks like it’s healed very nicely and we can indeed take that cast off today.”

“Great. I’ve never itched so much in all of my life.”

Carolyn and Cindy made quick work of cutting the cast off and Cindy helped her to stand up from the table. “Put pressure on it slowly.”

“Can I change?” Cecelia asked tentatively.

Cindy nodded at her and she changed right along with her. The two goats stood side by side, one only slightly taller than the other. They touched noses and then transformed back.

“OH, that felt so good. I’ve been wanting to change for days.” Carolyn opened the door to the examining room and led the way to the lobby. Sonya and Charlie were sitting talking with Tammy and Ivan.

“Ah, my malyshka.” Sonya stood to cross the room to her daughter, hugging her close. “Spasibo, Doctor.”

“I’m glad to see that it healed perfectly. She should not have any trouble with it at all so long as she stays out of hunters traps from now on.” Carolyn smiled at them.

Ivan stepped up beside his mother and ruffled his little sisters’ hair and stuck his hand out to shake hands with Carolyn. “Thank you, doctor. How much do we owe you?”

“Well, if you will promise to do some handyman chores around here and around my cottage, I’m willing to let you work it off in trade? I need help and I know you are having a hard time money wise.” Carolyn said

“Oh, gladly and thank you again. Just let me know what needs to be done and I’ll get to work on it.” Ivan said with a big smile. Carolyn’s cat hearing allowed her to hear Cindy’s breathing catch. The poor kid was going to be in store for a big come down if Ivan turned out to be a playboy.

“Cindy, can you show Ivan where we were talking about building the kennels outside?”

“Well, Mr. Pence, It’s been a really long time since you’ve come over to visit, hasn’t it? I’m sure my father would like to see you as well. I understand that you and your brother were classmates of dad’s growing up. I’ve heard some fun stories about those days.”

“Oh yes. There were 5 of us that used to hang out. Your dad and Uncle Richard, Samuel Peterson and my brother and I. Samuel was the only one that didn’t make it back from the war. Samuel was the biggest clown of the group. How are your mom and dad?”

“Oh they are well. Been busy but you know how it is. Winter will be here soon and the harvesting is all done. Mom’s been busy canning up a storm.”

“Well, I’ll try to stop and see them on my way back.”

Ivan and Cindy came back into the clinic and Ivan said “If you can wait until I finish our harvest at home, I can do the kennel for you in a couple of days.”

“Sure. We’ve been talking about it for months but I haven’t been able to find a handy man to come build it for me. My dad has had his hands full lately.”

“Yeah we heard that the hunters showed up over here and Daniel was the one that helped to catch them. I hope they spend some time in jail. They were becoming a real problem in our area. The sheriff had to warn them more than once but they ignored him and trespassed anywhere they wanted. I’ve taken to carrying a long walking stick when I go into the woods lately so that I can safely set off traps.”

“Well, I don’t think they had any chance to set any traps around here. They chased Ivan over here and were caught the same night so I don’t think they had time. Colin said that one of them told him they hadn’t set anything in this area yet. I’ve patrolled these woods nightly for over 5 years and have never come across a trap.”

“Let’s hope not. I would hate to hear that anyone got caught in one of those things. Nearly broke my heart hearing that poor Cecelia got a broken leg from one.”

Carolyn told Cindy to go on with them and she had a huge smile on her face as she climbed into her car and led the way over to her house. Cindy prayed that having her Uncle Charlie bring Ivan to the house would make a difference to her father and he might be more willing to accept Ivan and his family.

As planned, Carolyn and Tammy drove to Asheville and spent the day wandering the mall looking for new winter coats and boots. Carolyn didn’t need a winter coat when she was a cat but she unfortunately couldn’t be a cat all the time.

They didn’t find coats they liked on that trip but they did manage to get a new outfit each. They both decided to have an early dinner in town and then drove home. It was getting dark earlier now as winter got closer. The leaves had already begun to change and the ride along the highway was beautiful. They pulled in at Carolyn’s house just as the sun was setting. They unloaded their purchases and began to walk towards the cottage when Carolyn suddenly stopped short halfway up the path.

“Someone’s been here. Get back in the car while I check it out.” Carolyn said and dropped her packages on the ground before she quickly transformed. She stalked around the cottage, circling around it in ever widening circles. She finally came back to the jeep and transformed. “Whoever was here has gone but I don’t like it. I’ve never smelled anything like it before.”

“Maybe we should go sleep at my house tonight?” Tammy suggested.

“Yeah, let’s get the towners involved.” Carolyn thought and then caught herself.

They unloaded the jeep and put things away in the cottage. Both of them were tired and went to bed early.