Leave The Prince Out

Lily and Terence creep back into the tent.

Terence is not good at creeping.

He awakens Paloma.

Uh-huuuh! says Paloma. She sniffs.

Bananas! Have you been outside?

We heard a bandicoot! says Lily.

You've got good ears, says Paloma.

It slipped on a banana, says Terence. It was lying down. Its toes were stuck together.

But that was just normal, says Lily.

For the toes, says Paloma. But look at your pyjamas!

I don't like them anyway, says Lily.

I'll have them! says Terence.

Maybe in the morning, says Paloma.

You can have my gecko shorts, says Terence.

No thanks, says Lily.

Why didn't you wake me? asks Alexander-Red-Hook.

I thought you were coming, says Terence. Anyway the bandicoot is a niverous creature so you escaped being eaten.

OM-niverous, says Lily.

That's what I said, says Terence.

OM! says Lily.

That's what rocks say, says Terence. OMMM. It means listen.

That's a nice thing to know, says Paloma.

It might not mean that, says Terence.

What else might it mean? asks Lily.

Shut up, says Terence.

Rocks wouldn't say shut up, says Lily.

We don't really know that, says Paloma. But it's still night time. Go back to sleep now.

I need a wee first, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

So do I, says Paloma.

They both go outside.

That story you told, about the mermaid, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

You weren't there, says Paloma.

Terence told me , says Alexander-Red-Hook. I know that story. You left out the prince.

I usually leave the prince out, says Paloma,

Alexander-Red-Hook understands this. If she had crab daughters, she'd do the same.