Milk and Cookie Visit the Healing Springs

     Every day Milk would walk down to their boathouse, where their small boat named OceanDreams lay moored. He would sit on deck and fish, while thinking about all kinds of things. On this particular day, Milk was thinking about when they sailed around the world in their little boat. It had been quite an adventure.

     Cookie spent her days in the small forest by their cottage. She loved looking for plants and berries. They were lucky to have so much wonderful treats outside their home, she thought. She was very skilled in the kitchen and she could turn anything into a meal fit for royalty.

     Spending time in the forest usually made Cookie very happy, but not today. Today she did not feel well. She had to sit down by her favourite resting place, an old tree that must be as old as Meridell itself. She felt her head with her paw. It was warm. I'm probably a bit tired, she thought. She closed her eyes to rest a bit, but before she knew it she drifted away to dreamland. She dreamed of a world filled with jelly. Pets, the ground, houses and furniture - everything was made of jelly. How odd!

     Meanwhile Milk had caught a big chaosfish and his stomach was telling him that it was time for dinner. He gathered up his belongings and headed home. Maybe Cookie had found some dorkleberries, Milk thought. Cookie had mentioned that it was dorkleberry season now. She made delicious dorkleberry cake, Milk thought, but then again - all she made was delicious.

     "Cookie, I'm back!" Milk said as he entered their cosy cottage. Right away he felt that something was wrong. The lights were not lit and the fireplace was dead.

     "Cookie? Where are you?" Milk checked all the rooms in the cottage. He looked in the garden. He looked behind their cottage by the woodshed. No Cookie was found. Milk got really scared, but tried to brush it off. I need to be strong and brave to find Cookie, he thought.

     He ran towards the forest. It was getting dark, but he did not take the time to get a flashlight. The forest felt so much bigger now than it did in the daytime. Milk headed straight for the old tree without even realizing it, and dues were lucky to find Cookie straight away. Cookie was still sleeping. She twisted and turned. The Jelly World felt so real, but her mind was telling her it was impossible. A world filled with jelly couldn’t exist!

     Milk fell to his knees and felt instant relief. Cookie was safe! Milk gently shook Cookie to wake her. She was warm and groggy. Milk lifted Cookie up and carried her straight home.

     At home, Milk put blankets around Cookie. He lit up the fireplace and made super juicy berry soup for her, but she didn't want any soup. He watched over her all night long. Every time she twisted or turned, he would jump up, ready to do anything to make his best friend better.

     Cookie did not feel any better the following day, so Milk called for a doctor. The doctor came, he looked at Cookie, and he listened to her talk about Jelly World. The doctor and Milk went outside to talk, while Cookie went back to sleep again. The doctor shook his head and told Milk that such nonsense as worlds made of jelly did not even belong in dreams. It was just stupid! Milk got upset and told the doctor so. How could he imply that his friend was stupid?! The doctor apologized and said he had no idea what was wrong with Cookie.

     “What am I supposed to do?” Milk asked.

     “I don’t know,” answered the doctor. “You better hope it get better,” the doctor added, before he left.

     Milk sat down on a chair on their porch and sighed. An orange Lutari had watched Milk and the doctor talking from a distance, and decided to introduce himself. He apologized for eavesdropping and introduced himself as Roxton Colchester III. Milk had heard about Roxton before. He was a famous adventurer and Milk had read stories about Roxton’s travels.

     “I don’t think a Jelly World is nonsense,” Roxton said to Milk. “If there is such a world, I will find it!” Milk was impressed to be so close to a famous person, but he was constantly thinking about Cookie. He needed to find a way to make her feel better. Roxton said he knew a way. He was on his way to Faerie City.

     “Outside of the city, there are healing springs. It is said that anyone can get cured there,” Roxton told Milk. “If you want, we can travel there together with your friend. I am certain the faerie can make your friend all well again.” Milk was willing to do anything to make Cookie better, so he talked to her and they decided to travel with Roxton to the healing springs.

     The healing springs were just outside the city, as Roxton had said. Cookie lined up to visit the healing faerie. There was a thirty minute waiting time to see the healing faerie. Faeries are magical, so if anyone can make me better, it’s a faerie, Cookie thought. When it was her turn, the healing faerie smiled kindly and said a few magic words. Cookie felt a slight tingling in her tail, but she did not feel better. “You gain seven hit points. I hope that helps!” the healing faerie said as Cookie went back outside.

     “How are you feeling?” Milk asked Cookie. He was waiting nervously by the entrance.

     “Not sure. I have seven more something, but I’m still sick,” Cookie told Milk. They both looked confused at each other. They got back in line and Cookie visited the healing faerie again. This time Cookie got an odd potion, which tasted funny - but it did not make Cookie feel any better. And then she gained more hit points. The healing faerie seemed pretty pleased with herself. Why is she so happy? Cookie thought. I am not feeling any better.

     Milk and Cookie spent three days and two nights at the healing spring. On the third evening the healing faerie found the right magical words - Cookie is fully healed! Cookie thanked the faerie before she ran outside to Milk. They hugged tightly.

     Milk was so tired from all the waiting and worrying that they decided to find a nice cloud spot and sleep under the starry sky. It was very peaceful and Milk fell asleep right away. Cookie thanked the stars for being lucky enough to have a friend like Milk. That night Cookie slept well without any nightmares of the world filled with jelly.

     The next day they visited Roxton Colchester III and thanked him for his assistance. He was quite busy preparing for a secret expedition. They asked several times where he was heading, but he would not reveal it. He just smiled secretly.

     “You should visit the city since you are already here,” he said. “It’s very popular with the tourists.” They took his advice and headed for the city. The buildings were beautiful and very tall. Cookie found a lovely little shop that sold species and tea. The city was nice, but very soon they longed for their cosy cottage. “Let’s go home,” said Milk and so they did.

     At home, Cookie made dorkleberry cake to celebrate that she had the best friend in the whole world and Milk made chaosfish dinner to celebrate that Cookie was well again.

     “What would I have done without you?” Cookie asked Milk.

     “I’m glad you are better,” Milk told Cookie. They both agreed that it was wonderful to have a best friend to share ups and downs with.

The End