Unexpected Reaction

Freckles:

Well, this certainly wasn’t what I expected! The high-voiced one came over to me and sat next to me. Wasn’t it going to remove the barrier? I’d nipped it to get it to mind, and here it was just trying to annoy me! It held out its paw and touched my nose -- just like it does in our ritual before I leave my Home Place and journey through the portal to the Other World. It rubbed my nose a bit and then stroked my back with its paw. It felt kind of good. Now, what was I going to do. It didn’t seem to get the idea at all. I closed my eyes and contemplated my next move.