A voice, much more harsh than Taika’s had been, cut through the air. I’m embarrassed to say that I jumped. My nose was to the ground, my gold eyes glancing in front of me only far enough to make sure I did not trip over some stone or fall into a great chasm. I know there are giant chasms here because there are caves, and caves are only interesting if they are full of danger and wondrous things!

The voice that had spoken was much more aggressive than anything that I’m used to. Instinctively, my body lowered slightly, head and tail down submissively. From my explorations, my white coat had become tinged brown in spots from dirt. I wish I was a ghost again, so that I could disappear. But it was impossible to turn into a ghost when someone knew where you were. Everyone knew that.

So I was stuck, not a ghost, with someone who seemed like they were angry at me.

“My name is Neverland,” I said, my voice much quieter than its usual exuberance.

Hope begins to creep into my frame, head rising and tail wagging cautiously. “I’m new here and I’ve only met one friend. We chased fairies!”

At the thought of fairies, I could not help myself as my tail wagged more excitedly, my body losing it’s traces of submission. I couldn’t help it! Fairies are so exciting!

“You don’t want to help me find them, do you? Or I could teach you how to be a ghost! I was a ghost before I found the swamp smell but then I wanted to meet the swamp-wolf because swamps are gross and icky and I wouldn’t want to live in a swamp, but this wolf did and I wanted to ask why you would want to live in an icky - Oh...” My eyes widened, as a realization hit me. “You’re the swamp-wolf, aren’t you?”