C11
-oOo-
Sam glanced around briefly before shrugging his shoulders.
"He's not an it, and how am I supposed to know where he's skipped off to? It's not like he's my squirrel!"
"You keep tellin' yourself that bro. In fact, if it helps, you could always pretend that it doesn'tlike you, although you'd just be kiddin' yourself. How about you try callin' it."
"Why me?"
"Cos you named it, so you get to call for it. Personally, I'll be over by that oak tree, not laughing. Not one bit. Off you go then!"
-o-
Dean had blatantly lied. He knew it and Sam knew it. The instant Sam, whilst wandering around, began to shout "Brad! Here Brad! Come on Brad. Where are you Brad?" Dean lost all semblance of self control and was soon encouraging and egging his brother on with helpful taunts like Try soundin' like Angelina, I bet he'll come then, whilst tears of laughter streamed down his face.
"Hum. Excuse me, Sir. ... Sir? ... Ex. Excuse me?"
-o-
The owner of the voice changed tactics. This human clearly wasn't hearing him above it's own laughter. A short, stubby finger poked Dean firmly in the back, twice, cringing when Dean's laughter abruptly ceased and the Hunter spun around, to find himself acting out his own slapstick comedic moment when, initially, there appeared to be no one behind him. A polite cough made Dean look down.
"Holy Snow White! It's you! I know who you are. You're the UmpalummMunchkins!"
The owner of the finger of pokingness frowned up at Dean.
"Hum. No Sir. We are simply Munchkins, without all that Humpyumpum part Sir. And, if I may be so bold? You and that rather, hum, noisy other one may now consider yourselves our honoured prisoners."
Dean folded his arms across his chest and gazed down at the gathering of short characters with a look of wry amusement.
"Your honoured prisoners? Really. Well, here's the thing. We're both a little busy right now, but if you tell me how we can get in touch with you, soon as we've time, we'll consider it and let you know our decision. Sound fair?"
-o-
Sam decided that enough was enough, he felt he had given it his best shot, if Brad wanted to stay hidden, fair enough. Turning to see what state his unhelpful brother was in, Sam saw that Dean was busy chatting with what appeared to be a huddle of young teens. Hurrying back to his brother, as Sam drew closer, he realised his mistake. The group members were all adults. Sam's speed increased when he realised with delight just who Dean was in conversation with. As he joined his brother, he was in time to hear the male Dean was talking to say "One moment Sir" and see him and his companions huddle tightly together, linked by their arms around the next one's shoulder. Muttering and whispers drifted out from the middle of the group, who were clearly having a debate. Sam stood himself by Dean's side.
"What's going on?"
"I think we're negotiating. They've offered to let us be their prisoners, I've said we're busy but we'll get back to them sometime."
"Oh. I see."
-o-
Sam clamped his hand over his mouth to counter his snigger reflex when a Munchkin head popped up out of the huddle, stared at himself and Dean, then dissappeared back into the huddle again. Dean gave him a nudge.
"C'mon. Let's get goin' while these guys chat amongst themselves."
"What about Brad?"
"What can I say? I'm sorry for your loss Sam. Maybe he made a nice supper for some starving owl?"
Somehow Dean's words didn't help.
-o-
It was Grinlaff who was nominated spokesperson yet again. The argument being that it had been him who had been given the instruction to get these humans, or as it turned out, the one human and his friend the giant. The rest of the group felt they were merely tagging along as support, and wouldn't be held responsible if things went sweet green oddly shaped fruit shaped. Which, they realised, it just had.
-o-
The Munchkins stood side by side in a line and gazed at the empty patch of ground that their supposed prisoners had been standing on just moments before. All eyes turned to Grinlaff.
"Hum. I'll go take a look, shall I?"
There was a mass nodding of heads and the group watched expectantly as Grinlaff cautiously approached the previously occupied patch of ground. Hands clasped behind his back, Grinlaff slowly walked up and down and side to side across the whole area, his back curved as he bent over and stared at each single blade of grass, searching for clues. He repeated his search three times before straightening up and nodding his head wisely. Grinlaff turned to face his expectant audience.
"Hum. There are no clues gentlemen. It is, therefore, entirely reasonable to deduce, that our sneaky and dishonourable prisoners have in fact, disappeared."
His audience turned to one another in confusion. Taking a deep breath, one member of the group took a hesitant step forward.
"Excuse me, but, kinda...Didn't we kinda know that already Grinlaff?"
Grinlaff smiled benignly at the questioner.
"An excellent question there Chucluk, and one which I shall now, hum, answer. It most certainly will, I imagine, have appeared that we knew that already. But, my fine gentlemen, I put it to, hum, you that not a single one of us, and I include my good self, hum, not one of us could actually know! However, as a result of my close inspection of the alleged ground, we can now say with absolute certainty that, hum, we do know!"
There was a collective gasp at the sheer enormity of Grinlaff's pronouncement. Grinlaff held up a hand for silence.
"Now. Can anyone, hum, explain how we know this? ... Anyone? ... No? Deary daisy gentlemen! Not a single one of, hum, you? Very well. Allow me to, hum, assist. The reason we now know my friends, hum, is because there are no clues! Do you see?"
Chucluk slowly raised his hand. Grinlaff was pleased to see that one of the group, at least, appeared to have understood. Grinlaff beckoned the younger Munchkin forward and invited him to occupy centre stage. Chucluck glanced at the waiting faces of his friends. Taking, a deep breath, he stated with supreme confidence...
"No. Kinda."
The Munchkin's answer initially drew instantaneous applause from all of his companions, until Chucluck's answer actually began to sink in. The applause quickly stuttered and slowed, before dieing out completely. Grinlaff shook his head despairingly at the suddenly disconcerted Chucluck.
"Master Chucluck. Hum. Would you care to explain yourself? I for one, am most curious to, hum, hear your reasons as to why, exactly, you don't see!"
Chucluck was initially lost for words. Entirely over-come by Grinlaff's generosity. He couldn't remember any other occasion when he had been made to feel this proud of himself before, ever! Grinlaff was entrusting to him the task of ensuring everyone else gathered in front of him were fully understanding of the astonishing and incredible fact which Grinlaff's thorough investigation of the alleged area had brought to light. Chucluck gazed along the line of Munchkins, wanting to affirm that they all had their eyes fixed on him.
"My kinda wise and learned companions; it is my honour to tell you that kinda the reason you don't see, is because the two strangers have kinda gone and disappeared!"
The light of understanding suddenly dawned on the faces of each of his awe-inspired peers, all of whom began to enthusiastically applaud and whistle the beaming Chucluck once again. Grinlaff marched down the line sternly, glaring at each individual in fury.
"Stop that! Hum. Stop that I say! All of you. Hum. Stop that right now! This really will not do ... It's the wrong, hum, answer! Listen to me, hum. It's all in the clues, and there are no clues..."
With debate and counter argument still in full swing, the youngest Munchkin of them all eventually gave up completely. Spotting a patch of five leaf clover, he laid himself down on his front and set too at the very important task of counting the leaves on each individual sprig, just to make sure.
-oOo-
New discovery : Writing Munchkins leaves me in need of a stiff drink!;p