*Surprise!
Last week, on Daily Life With Furry Girls:
Mami chuckled, then sighed. 'And I have no idea how the family will react to our news.'
'What's the worst they could do?' said Guy. 'Certainly not keep us apart.'
By the time the trolleys with dinner had arrived Mami hadn't returned yet.
'I suspect her majesty will be having dinner with her grandmother then.' said the same older servant from the day before. 'She usually eats at this time too. I can check if you'd like.'
Guy thanked him and suggested to start dinner then.
When the servant came back he twitched his nose nervously and wrung his hands. 'I'm afraid I have to report that her majesty hasn't been seen by her grandmother, and that we don't know yet where she is.'
And now, the conclusion:
*
'What now?' asked Avia after the servant had gone.
'I say we go look for her.' said Cani.
Guy nodded. 'Only question is, where do we start?' he said. 'They're already searching for her and they know the place much better than we do.'
'Yes, but we know Mami better.' said Ara.
Tilia pulled on Guy's sleeve. She looked up to him with big eyes.
'We'll find her.' Guy said with a reassuring smile. 'Let's go.'
Cani and Feli led the way with their noses down the stairwell. 'Do you smell her?' asked Cani to Feli.
'Yes.' said Feli. 'Although it's not as clear because of the scent of all the others.'
Cani nodded. 'I think my nose is only a little better at this.'
Feli went into one hallway. 'This way?' she asked.
Cani sniffed the air. 'Yeah, I think so too.' she said and they followed the hallway. The group ended up at a room at the end.
'This is where she's been.' said Cani. 'Her scent is stronger here.'
'So where did she go from here?' asked Guy looking around and counting four doors.
'This way.' she said moving to the door in the far corner.
Everyone followed her and Feli along another hallway, then another room where several mice in black suits were standing.
'Excuse me.' said one of them and stepped up to the group. 'You'd better stay in your room while we search for her majesty, the princess.'
Cani picked up the mouse smaller than her and put him aside. 'You're in my way.' she said sniffing the air. She moved with Feli to one corner of the room. 'Here.'
Feli nodded and they moved away from the corner and back again. 'Indeed.' she said and turned to the group. 'This is where she's been, but also where the trail ends.'
The mouse stepped closer with the other mice in black behind him. 'I must really ask you to go back to your room.' he said. 'We are already searching everywhere for the princess and we can't have outsiders interfere with the investigation.'
'And a fine job you're doing so far.' said Cani leaning closer to the mouse. 'Have you found any sign of her yet, hmm?'
Tilia tugged Guy's sleeve again. She looked up at him, then at the corner of the room.
'Do you have any idea?' he asked.
She nodded quickly, pulled closer and looked around at the security mice and a couple of servant mice who watched curiously at the discussion between Cani and the mouse.
'You can't tell now?' Guy asked.
Tilia nodded quickly again and looked at standing clock at one wall.
'Later tonight, when there's no one around?' he asked. Tilia nodded once more and he gave her a gentle smile. 'All right then. We'll come back here.' He put his hand on Cani's arm. 'We'll go back to our room now. There's nothing we can do here now.'
Cani looked at him ready to protest, but she recognised the look in his eyes. He knew something. She flattened her ears and sighed deep. 'All right then.' she said. 'If you say so.'
He nodded and smiled at the mouse. 'My apologies.' he said. 'The princess means a lot to us. I hope you find her soon.'
The mouse cleared his throat and straightened his jacket. 'I'm sure we will.' he said. 'It hasn't been the first time, to be honest. We will inform you when we find her.'
Guy gave him a nod and left with the girls.
'What do you know?' Cani asked when they walked down the hallway.
'Not I. Tilia.' he said.
Cani looked at Tilia who held Guy's sleeve as they walked. She gave a quick nod.
'We'll come back when it's quiet.' Guy said. 'I don't think Mami's in any direct danger.'
Some time after a barely eaten dinner Tilia looked at Guy and gave him a nod. 'Time to go.' he said.
'Finally.' said Cani who had been sitting restless on the couch. 'All this waiting makes me shed more fur.'
Ara nodded as she picked up a tuft of black hair. 'I'll say.' she said. 'Guy will need all night to brush your fur this time. Although I expect neither of you will complain.'
Guy grinned at her. 'Only about the reason for it.' he said and stood up. 'Ready to go?'
A little later they arrived unseen at the room where Mami's trail had ended. Cani and Feli checked the whole room again and came to the same conclusion. 'It ends here in this corner.' Feli said.
'So, where to from here?' asked Guy of Tilia.
She let go of his sleeve and examined the panelled wall, touching it at different places until she found what she searched for. A section of the wall opened with a soft click.
'Well, well.' said Guy. 'Looks like we're going on an adventure.' He opened the panel further and looked into a narrow unlit passageway. 'Can't see anything in here.'
Tilia tugged his shirt, patted her chest and swiftly left the room. When she returned she held up her hands and presented several small sized flashlights.
'I get the feeling you haven't sat still during the nights in this place.' Guy said with a little grin.
Tilia shook her head and returned the slight grin.
Cani shone the light inside and revealed a simple corridor. 'I smell Mami and several other mice.'
'I'll bet there are at least a few who know about this.' said Guy and looked back at Tilia. 'The older staff?'
She nodded.
'But not those security guards?'
Tilia shook her head and pointed at the crown symbol on a book she had brought.
Guy nodded. 'Only royalty know about this and very close staff?'
She nodded again in confirmation.
'Let's see where this leads to then.' said Cani and led the group into the corridor. Guy was glad Ara and Avia had little trouble despite the narrow width.
