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She allowed every question Sandy asked—which was saying something because her best friend asked a lot—without getting mad.

"Can you at least stop pacing? I can't concentrate...!" Sandra lamented, eyeing her best friend.

Ismena grumbled under her breath before she walked towards the nearest chair and lowered herself on it.

"Good. Jesus Christ. If I didn't know better, I'll think your child went away to war and you're missing him so bad. But I know better, so I don't know where all this grumpiness is coming from."

Ismena muttered inaudibly under her breath. She didn't reply to Sandra.

"But, wait though. Out of sheer curiosity, where do you go during those hours of the day when you just disappear from the house without saying anything to anybody?" Sandra asked curiously.

Ismena glanced away. She goes to visit Nalaila, spending some time reading to the sleeping wolf. Afterward, she goes up to Wolfaraine's bedroom to drown herself in the very scent of him.

In his bedroom, she felt closest to him, and she can almost feel his presence there. Almost.

That was why she was always unable to resist going up to that bedroom after her visits to Nalaila. Not that she will ever say all these to Sandra.

"You're not saying anything?" Sandra asked in displeasure.

"There's nothing to say." She grunted. "So, anywhere in particular we're going today?"

"If you weren't so grumpy last night, you would have heard that we're going on a picnic in the forest."

"In the woods? Why the hell would we do that?"

"Have you ever camped out in the woods? It's so fun and beautiful, being surrounded by nature like that." Sandra stopped reading and threw her a glance, "Besides, it's in your list right?'Go camping in the forest', it's on your list!"

"My list?" That was when Ismena remembered her list again. The list she made when she found out about her heart disease. A situation her best friend does not know about too. "Oh... That list."

"Yes, THAT list. Jesus, Ismena, how can you forget the list you made for your fun and enjoyment during your first real break from work?" Tsk tsk tsk, "Boy, you're so dumb."

Ismena crossed her arms, her eyes twinkled, "You must be feeling so damn superior huh? You remember a week ago in the Camouflaged Zone of Naturiah, right? Remember the part about having more balls than I, and the part where you vowed that you'll never faint?"

"Why the hell are you remembering that now? That's a week ago, for crying out loud." Sandra's cheeks went ruby.

Ismena burst out laughing. It's been a week but she hasn't stopped laughing at her best friend about that incident. She uses it to tease Sandra to no end, and boy, how she enjoys doing that.

"Miss I-have-more-balls-than-Ismena, I kept wondering what happened to your big, hairy balls after Alphose changed to his animal form." Another burst of laughter followed. Then, "Let me guess, damned things disappeared right?"

Sandra threw her hands up, "How was I to know that we weren't all joking right then? How was I to know that he would morph into a lion!? Not just a lion, but one so huge!?"

"Uh-huh, so you took the coward way out and said bye-bye to consciousness huh? Very brave and ball-sy of you." Tears were starting to gather in her eyes because of how hard she was laughing.

"You, Ismena Cranes, are having so much fun with this, aren't you?" Sandra narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Tell me, Mena, how did you react when you found out that I was right after all, and changelings does exist?"

Ismena has no plans to ever answer that question. "Trust me, I didn't boast of being all brave and ball-sy, and I most definitely did not faint."

Sandra exhaled loudly, "God, you're never gonna let me live this down are you?"

"Never."

"Witch." Opening her book, she continued reading, grumpily.

Just then, the door opened and Eline walked into the house. One look at the two women—Sandra, looking grumpy and Ismena, enjoying herself—Eline shook her head in amusement.

"Let me guess, she has started making fun of you again, Sandra?"

"She has. Mena can be so annoying." She muttered, pursing her lips.