Padme followed her new animal friends until they reached a small clearing in the woods where there was a beautiful little cottage.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" Padme said. "I think I'll like it here."
"I'm sure you will." Estrella said, but then she noticed the sun's position. "Uh oh. You're on your own for now, Princess. Don't worry. Go right inside. I've got somewhere I need to be."
"I think I'll be okay, Estrella. Thank you for bringing me here."
"De nada."
And off Estrella flew.
Padme and the woodland creatures walked over to a window and looked inside. It was dark.
No one else seemed to be home. So, Padme opened the door and started to look around.
Sure enough, no one was home. But, Padme hurt her foot on something.
"Ouch!"
The woodland critters were startled by Padme's cry.
Padme looked down and found a horseshoe on the floor that she'd stubbed her toe on. And she picked it up.
"What's a horseshoe doing on the floor?" she wondered out loud.
Padme looked around and found what must've been the kitchen and dining room. The table had seven chairs surrounding it.
"There must be a whole family living here." Padme said, looking around with disapproval. "And by the look of it, a very untidy family."
Padme picked up some hay that was on the table, and a wrench that was there too. And in a pot, she found some old meat that smelled like it'd been left out there for days.
"Eww!" Padme pinched her nose at the foul stench. "When was the last time someone cleaned around here?"
The whole cottage was a mess!
The fireplace was covered with enough dust to build a dust castle ten feet tall, making some of the animals sneeze. There were cobwebs everywhere, there were mountains of dirty dishes all over the kitchen, and the floor was covered with hay, hoofprints, metal pieces, tools, and some broken toys.
"And just look at that broom!" Padme gasped. She tsked. "Why, they've never swept this room. You'd think the adults here would... what if there are only kids here? And Estrella?"
Padme realized Estrella never told her who lived there. For all she knew, this house was home to orphans with only an alicorn to take care of them. But then, Padme had an idea.
"We'll clean this place up and surprise them." she announced. "Then maybe they'll let me stay."
Padme gave all the critters different jobs and picked up the broom.
The birds twittered a bugle call, and together, everyone got to work.
Padme: Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace
Padme got to sweeping, and all the animals got to work helping out. The bunnies and squirrels dusted with their tails, the birds picked things up with their talons, and the deer picked things up with their mouths or carried dirty clothes on their antlers to be taken to the nearby pond to be washed.
Judging by the sizes and styles of some of the clothes, there were definitely grown men living in the cottage and at least a couple of kids.
And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom is someone that you love
And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune
Padme, however, had to correct some of the animals on how to work.
"No, no, little deer. Don't lick the dishes." Padme said. "Everyone, dishes in the sink."
When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work
Padme also caught some squirrels trying to hide dust under a rug.
"Don't even think about it." Padme said sternly.
So, the two squirrels swept the dust into a little hole in the wall, only for it to be thrown right back out and kicked in their faces by an angry mouse whose home they filled with dust.
Padme humming a merry tune as she and the animals did more and more dusting of the cottage. The whole place was looking better by the minute as they continued cleaning. There were a few sneezes here and there, but they were making a lot of progress.
Padme also mopped the floor of all the hoofprints left by what had to be at least three other horses that lived there, and she fixed up the stable too, where there were stalls with names above them. One of them had Estrella's, obviously. There were also the names Pinto, Banjo, Indira, Teatra, Maybelle, and Remix.
The birds even filled a vase with some pretty flowers on the table.
The dirty clothes were all scrubbed and washed in the pond and hung on the clothesline to dry.
So whistle while you work.
Before they knew it, the house was so clean you practically eat off the floors. Padme even got to cooking a nice dinner to surprise the residents when they returned.