Benjamin hid around the same corner that he had the morning before, only this time he knew who was in the cave. He’d already ruined one of their gatherings, and he could tell Paco wasn’t having any luck convincing them about his return. They didn’t want to see him again. He leaned his back against the cool, damp wall and took a deep breath as he reconsidered going in.

“Owww!” a tiny voice yelled from behind him. Benjamin stood frozen. He didn’t know where the voice was coming from. “Would you please get off me?!”

It was a lightning bug under his shoulder, about to be squashed. He quickly stepped away. “Oh! Sorry about that!”

A voice came around the corner. “I don’t know, it sounds like someone is talk–”

Benjamin and the goat’s eyes met.

“Baaaaaaa!” The black-and-white goat fell over on its side.

Benjamin jumped. “Are you okay, um, goat?” he asked as he leaned over him.

“He can talk! He can talk!” The paralyzed goat said from the floor. “I-I didn’t believe you guys.”

Paco hopped around the corner, saw Benjamin and the goat, and grinned. “Well, boy, it seems you have an uncanny knack for making bad first impressions.”

Benjamin felt guilty. “Can I help you, little goat?”

“No worries, Benjamin. Roscoe does this all the time. He’s a frightened goat.”

“That’s fainting goat to you, and I’ll be up in just two shakes of a lamb’s tail.” The still-lying Roscoe wagged his tail back and forth.

“A fainting goat?” said Benjamin. “I remember seeing some of them at a farm several miles up the road. Two old ladies used to live there.”

The goat’s head shot up. “They still do, those old hags, though I figured at least one would’ve kicked the bucket by now!” Roscoe grunted as he got to his feet.

“Roscoe, here, was whipping practice for those old ladies before he escaped,” Paco said.

The goat looked up in horror. “I couldn’t take any more beatings, so I kissed my old man goodbye and flew the coop just in time. And I mean it! I jumped on a chicken coop and sprang over the fence.”

Benjamin looked into the great hall. The gleaming pool was as beautiful as he remembered. Around it, hundreds of faces bathed in blue light looked at him in silence. “Um, hello again, everyone.” He raised a hand to wave. They drew back in terror.

“Watch out!” A frightened possum screeched.

Paco barked loudly, then stood next to Benjamin’s leg. “Now listen–all of you! It’s no secret that your ignorance has gotten us into trouble before. Only this time, for the kingdom’s sake, we won’t turn our heads and pretend the problem will just go away.”

“Is he talking about the poison ivy?” Roscoe whispered to a calico cat.