The room that Melissa was in was bright and peaceful. She noticed some birds outside her window, she felt at peace and happy for a moment, until she thought about her pets, alone in the hot stuffy tent, in the middle of the forest, in the middle of nowhere, where they're not familiar. She then started to have a panic attack and jumped out of bed and ran towards the door. As she was trying to get out, she ran into a heavy but slender frame, as she sprawled out onto the cold, clean floor. She then heard the figure gasp as she felt a slight touch of his hand as he picked her up.

Bruno: O-oh I-I'm s-so sorry miss but where are you going in such a hurry?!

Then she looked up and saw the green ruana. She let out a quick squeak as she quickly got up, and brushed herself off.

Melissa: Oh, ah'm so sorry but ah'I really must go, mah pets might be worried sick about meh, well the four of them will, Hans is a different story though. Ya're not what Ah'I expected under Ya'r uh… poncho thing…..

Then he seemed hurt by this.

Melissa: It's not a bad thin', it's just hard picturin' ya like that, ya know.

Bruno: Yeah I know, I get that a lot. I guess I've could have been an actor, (nervous laughter)

Melissa: Well ya could have fooled meh in fact, Ah'I thought ya was intimidatin' but the real ya is very sweet, kind, polite, and not as intimidatin'. Ah'm sorry but ah'I really should get goin'.

Bruno: A-Are you sure you wouldn't want something to eat first, my sister is the best cook in the village.

Melissa: Nice offer, but Ah'I can't leave my babies in a stuffy tent for long.

Bruno: Oh, ok….I just thought you could eat something.

Then Melissa got mad.

Melissa: Are ya callin' meh fat?!

Bruno: Oh, no no no! I just thought you were hungry, I think you look nice regardless of your size….plus I like plump women….ugh, I'm sorry I haven't gotten out much as of late, and I don't know how to talk to women, and I should shut up now. (Nervous laughter)

Melissa blushes.

Melissa: Oh, no it's fine, Ah'I just never talk to guys as much you know.

Bruno: Oh, so you like girls?

Melissa: Well Ah'I like both, Ah'I don't discriminate. Oh, Ah'm sorry Ah'I snap Ah'm just emotional from the traumatic experience from earlier.

Bruno: I know, and I get it….

Melissa: So um… who else do Ah'I have ta thank for savin' little old meh from those horrible men?

Bruno: Well um… my two brothers-in-law, my niece Luisa she finished the fight and carried you here, and me I guess….

Melissa: Oh,… well thank ya, and tell them thank ya…

Just then Felix, Augustin, and Luisa came near the pair.

Bruno: Well, looks like you can tell them now.

Melissa blushed as she quickly looked down and bowed.

Melissa: Oh, um… thank ya guys for savin' meh this afternoon.

Felix: Oh, it's cool baby girl, though it was all Bruno's doing, right, Augustin.

He said smacking Augustin in the shoulder.

Augustin: Of course, if it wasn't for Bruno we probably wouldn't have known.

Then Melissa somewhat smiled at Bruno, as he blushes.

Melissa: Well thank ya'll and Bruno for um savin' meh.

Felix, Augustin, Luisa, and Bruno: Um you're welcome…

Bruno: Oh, I forgot to ask your name.

Melissa: Oh, it's Melissa

Bruno: Oh, Melissa, that's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman like yourself.

By this point, Felix, Augustin, and Luisa were rolling their eyes at this point.

Felix: Ok, you two get a room, eh!

Melissa: Oh, look at the time Ah'I must go now!

Felix: Hey why don't Bruno take you home, so you won't run into trouble again.

Augustin: Should we…..

Then Felix stopped Augustin and shook his head. Then they let them go. As they left the front door, they walked together until they came to the hole in the hedge. They stopped abruptly as they looked through the fullage.

Bruno: So, you're not from the village?!

Melissa: What gave ya that idea?! I mean clearly Ah'm paler than the moon, and Ah'I has a thick southern accent, that's not common ta ya'lls country. Take ya'r pick.

Bruno: You could have been here for a while. So where are you staying?

Then she grabbed his hand and lead him through the hedge to the Otherside. The path that she leads him, was the same path that he found Abuela and Maribel near the same river where his father died. After a while, they came to a small tent that had a mix of barking, meowing, squealing, and hissing. She opens the tent to have Itchy and Diablo greet Melissa first, then the two cats. The dogs noticed Bruno, the cats stayed by Melissa as the dogs started barking.

Melissa: Itchy, Diablo! Please be nice to our guest.

Then he noticed an alive owl on a bird perch and a cage on a table.

Bruno: So, what's a Hedgehog?

Melissa: It's like a mouse, but bigger, oh and it has quills all over his back. That's why Ah'I either call him ouch mouse, or cactus cat.

Bruno: So, you keep something that can poke you?!

Then Melissa took a rubber glove and went to the cage on a small table. She opened the cage with one gloved hand and moved the box house over to find a white and black spiked ball. After a few moments, the spiked ball moved and opened to reveal a small face, that poked up looking at the pair in annoyance. She then picked him up, as he raised his quills, ducked his head, and started hissing.

Bruno: Is that normal for him to do that?

Melissa: Well he always greeted meh like this, ah'I thank he hates meh.

Bruno: You know I got this wonderful little nephew that can help you with your problem.

Melissa: How, how is he goin' ta help.

Bruno: Well I can't say, but let's just say he's got a way with animals.

Melissa: Oh, how old is he?!

Bruno: Oh, he's five, but he's really smart for his age.

Melissa: How is a five-year-old gonna help with sir Hiss-a lot?!

Bruno: What do you got to lose?

Then Bruno gave her a serious look as he held his hand out to her. She then chuckled as She put her hand in his slightly bigger hands. Then she grabbed Hans's small travel bag and pulled him out as a small spiked ball and put him in. then she looked to her other pets.

Melissa: Ok, ya'll behave while Ah'm gone ok, Ah'I be back soon.

Then Bruno was the first to leave the tent. She then followed suit, as she got out he looked at her with concern and confusion.

Bruno: So, how long have you been out here by yourself.

Melissa: Uh maybe a couple of months.

Then Bruno gasps in shock.

Bruno: You've been here for two months alone by yourself in the forest, where there can be strange men hunting wild animals.

Melissa: Well ah've been for the most part very lucky, though Ah'I did have a few weird experiences. The first time at maybe around sunset a tucan flew over heading over to ya'r guy's direction. Then not even a few moments later Ah'I heard that same tucan screeching and a bunch of birds and other animals rushed to the sound, the last of the animals was the leopard, and he came runnin' by, Ah'I just stopped and stared, then the leopard started again. Ah'I was so mesmerized by the way it looked at meh.

Then the second time Ah'I may have taken a peek of some man bathin' in the river, not purposely mind ya, Ah'I just happened ta look over while ah'I was doin' mah laundry, and he was twig skinny, but buff-ish, he might have had rats with him, but his legs tho…..

Then Bruno turned bet red.

Bruno: D-Did you happen to see….everything?!

Then Melissa turned bet red, but then smirked.

Melissa: O-oh was that ya that day.

She said teasingly.

Bruno: Y-Yes, yes it was! I needed to get clean and….

Melissa: So ya bathed in the river?! Was ya'r tub broken or somethin'?

Bruno: No,…. It's kind of complicated….

Melissa: Hey, it's cool, Ah'I was messin' with ya. If ya don't want ta talk about it, ah'I understand. So, about ya'r nephew.

Bruno: Oh, yes right, I'm sorry about your problem, right. It slipped my mind.

Then they started walking back to casita. As they were walking back they saw Luisa was taking a break by a nearby tree.

Bruno: Hey Luisa, have you seen little Antonio.

She thought for a moment. Then she spoke.

Luisa: No, I haven't seen him for a while, why?

Bruno: Oh, well my new friend has a small animal problem, nothing too serious but it would be nice to know where he is.

Luisa: Well the last place I saw him, he was with his animals, and I think he was with Maria.

Bruno: Of course! Thanks, Luisa!

Then he grabbed her and kissed her on the forehead. Then he grabbed Melissa and ran off to Antonio's room.

Luisa: You're welcome, oh, and I'm glad you're awake new girl!

Melissa: Thank ya!