Tanya walked along the brook as she used her walking stick to help her keep her balance along the stones that dotted the ground she was walking on. The forest seemed peaceful as she stuck her staff on the ground and lept over the small brook pulling her staff out of the ground as she continued. Her small villager dress reached to her knees and flounced as she took a step. Her shoes were a little sturdier than most, her constant adventuring and wandering made it hard to keep her regular shoes in good condition so her parents had the cobbler make her stronger shoes. They were covered in dirt and water as she continued along her way, her bagpack held some traveling items and one of the strapps was rigged to hold a dagger, a feature created by a friend who was going to teach her how to fight.

She finally came to a clearing and sighed, her trek had been long, it was almost mid-day and she was tired. There was a trunk, cut flat by a woodsman most likely, with two logs on either side. She sat down on one and dropped her bag, breathing a sigh of relief. Her long pigtails bobbed playfully as she looked at the brook nearby. It sang playfully as she sat watching it. She dug in her bag and took out some berries she had picked along the way. "MMM....These are yummy!" she said her big blue eyes shined in delight as she poped a few into her mouth. Purple Raspberry juice dribbled down her chin as she ate them. They were big compaired to her hand and were full of juice. She wiped her chin with the back of her hand and noticed a figure was walking towards her. She watched the figure come closer unsure of who or what it was since the shade of the forest blocked its attributes.

Although Carol Oekie was nearing the age that nearly every human dreaded, she certainly didn’t succumb to inside the house just yet. Her old bones were sturdy enough to enough slow, steady walks in the woods. She was tougher than she looked, and Carol certainly looked like she wouldn’t harm a fly. Although she had wrinkles, they were smile wrinkles, leaving her with a permanently pleasant expression. Her eyes reflected wisdom within them and they sparkled whenever they caught sight of another living thing.

As she brushed past a few branches with her robust frame, Carol noticed something, or someone in the path in front of her. She strained her eyes against the glare of the sun then she realized it was a little girl. “Why hello there, dear!” Carol’s kind face was illuminated as she gave a little wave to the seated girl who was gorging herself on berries. “’Aint you the sweetest thing? Do you mind if I rest my old bones down on this log here? I’d hate to disturb you.”

Tanya calmed when she realized it was an elderly woman. Her face was bright and cheerful, it made Tanya think of a Grandma something that, unfortunately because of illness and age, she lacked greatly on both sides of her family. She smiled at the old woman. Her face was wrinkled but cheerful and she certainly seemed kind. “Why hello there, dear!” the woman greeted as she waved to Tanya. She returned the greeting with an exaggerated wave. "The Blessings of the day to you Ma'am." she said with a childish smile that showed her young age easily.

The elderly lady stepped into the clearing, “’Aint you the sweetest thing? Do you mind if I rest my old bones down on this log here? I’d hate to disturb you.” The Elderly woman said. Tanya remembering the manners her mother had pressed hard on her jumped from her seat, "Of course Ma'am. Please have a seat." she said moving aside. "And if you want you can have some of my berries, they are really juicy." she said. The brook continued to sing its songs as she gave a bow her arms spread wide in a child-like manner, "My name is Tanya by the way." she smiled.

Carol smiled at the child then seated herself on the log. "Why, it's such a pleasure, little Tanya." She paused as she noticed the berries smeared all over Tanya's face. "My, my. Such a mess. Here." Reaching into a small pack the old woman had slung over her shoulder, she withdrew a soft handkercheif. "We don't want you having stains all over your pretty face, now do we?"

She smiled then laughed. "Oh, but I've forgotten my place. My name is Carol Oekie, but you can just call me miss Carol or miss Oekie or even grandmother. Some people call me that. I can't imagine why." Her eyes twinkled as she winked at Tanya. "Would you like a cookie?"

Tanya sat nearby the woman after Carol sat down. She smiled not realizing her face still had juice on it. "Why, it's such a pleasure, little Tanya." said the elderly woman. "My, my. Such a mess. Here." the woman began pulling out a handkerchif and began to wipe raspberry juice off of Tanya's face. She sat still as the woman worked on her face, "We don't want you having stains all over your pretty face, now do we?" Tanya giggled as the woman finished, agreeing childishly to the elders words. She wondered who the woman was.

The woman soon solved that mystery by speaking. "Oh, but I've forgotten my place. My name is Carol Oekie, but you can just call me miss Carol or miss Oekie or even grandmother. Some people call me that. I can't imagine why." Tanya smiled, "Maybe its because you look like you could be one. Where I live we always liked being around our Grandparents." she said without even thinking, the woman winked at her and Tanya giggled again. "Would you like a cookie?" the lady asked. Tanya did not need to be asked twice. "Yes Ma'am...Please?" she said remembering her manners at the last moment. The lady was kind and elderly, it did not seem at all like she would be mean or bad, things like that just did not happen.

Carol chuckled as she rummaged through her purse. "Such a polite child. I always keep cookies on me. Good for emergencies. If someone’s passed out, you wave a cookie in front of their nose and they’ll pop right back up. Works much better than whisky or herbs," she muttered to herself a bit before withdrawing a small circular box. Punctually, Carol popped open the lid and the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked pastry meandered into the air.

With another pleasant smile, the old woman held the box out for Tanya. "Take as many as you like, dear. I never eat cookies now, at my age. Just enjoy making them to see those beautiful smiles."

Tanya watched the woman rummage through the bag at her side. She looked wondering what the woman kept in there. The woman smiled as she spoke to her. Such a polite child. I always keep cookies on me. Good for emergencies. If someone’s passed out, you wave a cookie in front of their nose and they’ll pop right back up. Works much better than whisky or herbs," Tanya watched her pull out a tin container. She was not sure about making a person regain conciousness but she knew that the aroma sure brought people. She did not know anyone who hated cookies, of any kind. Her father rarely ate cookies but give him oatmeal rasin and he was on it quickly.

The sweet smell of cookies quickly filled the air as she saw Carol open a tin container of Cookies. Tanya saw many kinds of cookies; Chocolate Chip, Snikerdoodle, Sugar, Oatmeal Rasian, Gingerbread men, and Gingersnap. "Take as many as you like, dear. I never eat cookies now, at my age. Just enjoy making them to see those beautiful smiles." She took two Chocolate Chip, one sugar and one Gingerbread. She quickly ate one Chocolate Chip. And started on another one. "Thank-you Grandma Carol. Do you often come out here into the woods?" she asked finishing her second and was tempted to go for thirds.

((Gah! I'm so sorry for the not postyness! School work has caught up with me :'( ))

"Why, yes I do. Some say when you're old you become stuck inside but I don't see why that has to happen. I'm trying to keep myself active. And these words certainly are beautiful, don't you agree? Reminds me of home. But look, I've been rambling. So sorry dear, terribly sorry."

Seeing Tanya falter, Carol encouraged her to take another cookie with another of her wrinkled smiles.

"But what about you, dear? Why is a sweet little girl like yourself out in these woods alone?"

The elderly lady smiled as she spoke, her wrinkles moved as she spoke making her look even more jolly, "Why, yes I do. Some say when you're old you become stuck inside but I don't see why that has to happen. I'm trying to keep myself active. And these words certainly are beautiful, don't you agree? Reminds me of home. But look, I've been rambling. So sorry dear, terribly sorry." She appologised as Tanya pushed the last of her cookie in her mouth.

The elderly woman smiled which made Tanya go for a third cookie, this time a Snikerdoodle, "But what about you, dear? Why is a sweet little girl like yourself out in these woods alone?" she asked. Tanya swallowed her first bite. "Actually ma'am, I am an adventurer. I go here and there searching for adventure and fun all the time. I make new friends and I always have fun. A few days ago I went looking for an adventure in my hometown of Estolad when I heard a small sound. It was a Faerie crying. I stooped down and asked the tiny red glowing figure what the matter was. She said that a mean werewolf took off with the queen and now the Oak tree in the center park would die because the queen gave it life. So along with my friends we followed the trail of the werewolf and found it in its secret lair. Determined we fought it courageously and defeated it. It ran off and we saved the faerie queen." she said telling the story with great enthusiasm.

Sadly it was easy to tell the girls story was true but exaggurated by the girl and her friends imagination. In reality it was the small red-head girl that was crying. She had dropped her faerie doll and a local dog ran off with it, she had been unable to keep up and lost the trail. Tanya and her friends found the dog in is doghouse with the doll and while they were trying to get it scared the poor puppy away on accident. The doll was returned to the girl at the Oak tree where they celebrated.