As we left off yesterday, at Todd the ferret's request (and after a stern warning to all from Three Bucks the Rooster) Loki Dog returned to the living room with the big black and yellow book, dropping it at Todd's feet. For those assembled that night who could read, the big words on the cover CLEARLY spelled out "VOODOO FOR DUMMIES." "Now," said Todd. "We build the altar." Todd looked around the circle of those assembled with him, everyone now back-lit by the warm amber flames of the pellet stove. He looked everyone in the eyes by turn...Loki Dog, Sterling the Cat, Caff-Pow the big pale ferret. He even spared a short glance up to the Turtle's tank on the kitchen island. Todd did not even look toward Three Bucks and his two hen-wives. They had given so very much already. It was impossible to ask any more of them. Todd cleared his throat and the little red turban wrapped around his head and pinned tight with the she-Hoomin's grandmother's diamond brooch shifted fractionally. He pushed it back into place with a paw and said "You all know what to do. GO!!" And at that there was a flurry of scurrying, trotting and padding off in different directions. Sterling was the first to return to Todd and the big yellow and black book after first digging through the dirty laundry hamper. He had a mouth full of HoominT-shirt and was dragging it along as he walked. It was difficult to do without stepping on the shirt and pulling it out of his mouth with a painful tug. He dropped the shirt in front of Todd and said "White cloth." Todd looked at him curiously and said "Where?" Sterling rolled his almond eyes and said "Turn the shirt over so that you can't see what's written on the front. One white altar cloth." Todd thought about that for a few moments and shook his little turbaned head in agreement. Tiny diamond sparkles from the brooch shook in agreement with him. "OK," said Todd. "One white altar cloth." Todd called out to Loki Dog who had taken up a waiting position next to the dining room table. "Ready for you, Dog!" And with evident enthusiasm (Loki was s till a very young dog and full of enthusiasm) she bent and fastened her white teeth into the wood at the base of a chair leg. It was one of the four maple chairs that sat in place around the dining room table. Loki backed up slowly and the chair slid with her. It was fairly light having no arms, only four legs, a seat, and a back rest. Loki angled the chair around until it now faced away from the table, not toward it. Then she released the leg and looked up at Todd, panting happily. She called out to Todd "I did it!" And Todd smiled. "Yes you did, girl. Now the shirt. " And Loki trotted over to the shirt and picked it up in her mouth. She trotted back to the chair and spent a few moments carefu lly draping it over the seat. Todd grinned at Loki and said "White altar cloth atop a natural surface. *Excellent* work, Brothers in Fur!" Sterling tried in his feline way to look as if the praise didn't matter, but it did. Loki, however, beamed. Todd turned halfway around and called out to Caff-Pow "How are the shinies coming?" And Caff-Pow, visible only as two soft dark back feet sticking out from beneath the green velvety sofa mumbled something unintelligible. But at just that moment a spinning silver quarter came flying out from 'Pow's location. And then a few more quarters. Most of a shiny silver fork emerged right next to him. A shiny dime shot out from beneath the sofa like a hockey puck. And then 'Pow backed up carefully, the whole length of his back fur mussed up. And in his mouth was the shiny silver Mylar rosette of a bow that had been decorating a Christmas gift only a short time before. It made a stiff, crunching sound as it emerged but it appeared unharmed. Caff-Pow turned to lie on his right side, spat out the bow and said simply "Shinies!" Todd trotted over to the stash of shinies and by making several trips he and Caff-Pow had everything up and resting atop the altar cloth in just a few minutes. Todd sat next to 'Pow, both breathing heavily and resting against one of the altar's maple legs when he realized that everyone, including 'Pow was looking at him. "Oh!" he said. "Next...next..." He looked up suddenly and said "Spirits! We need a bottle of spirits for the ancestors." Sterling the Cat heaved a heavy dramatic sigh as only a cat can and said "But these Hoomins don't drink spitits." And Todd said...nothing. He screwed up his face into a tight fist that denoted the most strenuous concentration...and said nothing. The Dog looked at the Cat. It had been such an exciting night so far. It could *only* be improved by a nice cat chase. Loki narrowed her eyes... The Cat looked at the Rooster and the hens, imagining fried chicken dinners. Then Sterling looked at that nice, plump egg, just sitting there on the carpet. The Rooster gave the Cat his best "Try it, punk" expression . Todd looked down at his toes and said...nothing. It was a bad moment and it seemed to go on for a long time. Caff-Pow listened to the silence, all the silences, the very bad silences lengthening and turning into something that would no doubt come out very badly. He looked up and just by chance he happened to see...Tina the Turtle's tank. Tina knew things. Tina was more than six. Tina was wise. True, she was in mourning, dark and solitary mourning. But... Part Four Tomorrow Alexandra in MA [Posted in FML 7296]