(Slouchy)

Sassette slept soundly, her ears twitching in dreamy bliss. Smurfette sat next to her, still stroking her shiny hair. I sat on the wooden stool next to her and watched Smurfette. Somehow, she looked exhausted. We smurflings were the ones who were kept up all night by Sassette's coughing. Yet she looked drained emotionally, physically, and mentally. As if the energy to sit and comfort her adopted younger sister was just too much to smurf.

Farmer cast a glance between Smurfette and Sassette and started to stand. "Orright, you boys." He said, wringing his hands a bit, "Time t' get back out to th' fields."

We shook our heads almost in sync. "Aww, we wanna stay!" Snappy declared.

Farmer hauled us all up by the waistbands of our pants. "An' if y'wanna eat in th' winter, y'all'll help me get th' crops harvested." He said firmly, "Gwan, GIT!"

Snappy grumbled, dragging his feet out the door. I shot a quick glance at Smurfette and Sassette, and grudgingly followed them. On the walk back to the fields, Snappy was mumbling under his breath, Nat was staring at the ground and Farmer… well he didn't look like he had much emotion at all at the moment. "How come we had t' leave, Farmer!" Snappy said at last, "Sassette's our friend too! Not JUST Smurfette's!"

Farmer took a deep breath, "There's more to it, Snappy." He said plainly.

"What more is there to it?" Nat asked, sounding sadly confused, "Sassette's our friend. Sassette is also Smurfette's friend. Then we have t' go, an' Smurfette stays?"

"Yeah," I said, "Tha' doesn' sound very fair."

Farmer stopped walking. "You kids're prolly too young t' understand…" he muttered.

"Wha's there t' understand?" Snappy asked, losing whatever patience he has.

Farmer turned around, a sad, solemn look on his face. "They're 'doptive SISTERS." He said plainly.

We all shrugged. "Yeah, so?" I said, "Nat n' Snappy're my 'dopted brothers."

"Tha's diff'rent, shugah." Farmer said, finding a stump to sit on, "Smurfette an' Sassette are th' only two girls, right?"

We all nodded. "Bu' Sassette acts more like US than Smurfette." Nat added.

"Even so," Farmer explained, "Now, Ah dunno bout girls too much, but this much Ah do know: women like t' bond with other women. Then, they're fiercely loyal t' true female an' female friendships. An' a sisterhood is like friendship on FIRE... Just 'magine how close tha' is."

I couldn't imagine a bond like that with anyone. I'd never really thought about it that way… I knew Smurfette and Sassette were real close and all… Sassette really admired her, and Smurfette was always real close to Sassette. But I had no idea that friendship was so… Powerful…

Snappy muttered in defeat. Farmer stood from his seat on the stump. "NOW do you understand?" he asked.

We nodded a little, though I really don't think I did. "Good. Then y' see, they need some time, jus' them two." He added, "B'sides… we need t' get th' crops in th' silo if we're gon' make it through th' winter."

I'd almost forgotten about winter… The summer was just ending. It was almost fall. Then Brainy was gonna start smurfing us with all his dumb "lessons" and school stuff. Not looking forward to that.

The four of us worked out in the fields, mostly silently, for a few hours. It wasn't too long before we heard Greedy's dinner triangle ringing in the village. "You kids go'n wash up," Farmer said, taking off his gloves and tossing them into the wheelbarrow, "Ah'm gon' go check on Sassette."

Snappy, Nat and I were pretty much silent when we washed our hands and faces. Normally we'd all be fighting over the washbasin and the mirror behind it, but instead things were just… Quieter… More serious… With Sassette being so sick and all… That's how it'd been for the last two weeks or so... She never had the energy to come play with us, so we couldn't play all the make-believe games that involved her… And the ones we made up ourselves weren't any fun. We didn't have enough for a fair game of Smurfball, and none of the grown-ups ever wanted to play it with us, so that left that out. Not even our old string-a-lings had an appeal anymore. And when she wasn't feeling too tired to play, she'd always have to take a lot of breaks to catch her breath. And that cough… It'd become almost a permanent thing with her. Some nights she couldn't even sleep because she just couldn't stop coughing. I felt so bad for her… I wished she'd feel better…

"Les' go check on Sassette." Nat said once we'd all washed up.

Snappy and I agreed that'd be a good thing to do. We left the bunkhouse and started walking to Papa smurf's lab, still not saying much. Once we'd reached Papa smurf's house, we found the windows dark. "Gimmie a boost!" Snappy said, putting his hands on the windowsill.

Nat twined his fingers to make a step for Snappy and tried to hoist him up. Snappy heaved himself up so he could look in the window. "See anything?" Nat asked, still holding him up.

Snappy shook his head. "Nuh-uh!" he said, "They musta gone t' dinner."

Nat let him down and cracked his knuckles. "Geez! Ya really oughta smurf a little weight, Snappy!" he complained.

"Aw, lay off, Nat!" Snappy stuck his tongue out at him. "Gram'pa says I'm big for my age!"

"If you're big for your age, then I'm a hedgehog that flies!" Nat retorted.

"Guys… Can't we jus' go get dinner?" I yawned.

They did this all the time. Nothing new. But somehow, I just didn't feel patient enough to listen to it. They both nodded and started walking away. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and followed them at a slower pace. We all walked to Greedy's mess hall. I pushed the big wooden doors, letting them swing wide open with a loud creak. My eyes wandered to our normal table. Sassette was sitting there, Smurfette just next to her. She looked just as she did this morning, much more vibrant and full of life. She saw us and immediately stood up. She ran right over to us, a big smile on her face. She took us to the ground in some form of tackle-hug. "Hi, guys!" she hummed contentedly.

Snappy rubbed his tail. "Oww, Sassette! Tha' hurt!" he grumbled.

I smiled a little and rolled my eyes. "Howlin' honeybadgers! I'm sorry, Snappy!" she apologized helping us up. "I jus' had the scariest dream when I was sleepin…"

"Wha' kinda dream?" I asked, stepping in line behind Nat and Snappy.

"A real scary one, Slouchy!" she closed her eyes in memory. "I was in a big, white room… an' there was all these… these things in white coats! They had these masks… an' they took me, an had me smurfed down to'a big, white bed… "She shuttered in memory, "Then I- I saw you… an' Nat, an' Snappy…"

Nat and Snappy turned around at the mention of their names. "An- an- an- y'tried t' smurf me outta there… b-but-!" her voice caught in her throat. "Th—They took you away from me!"

Her knees shook a little and she whimpered, remembering it. I don't know why, but I felt like I had to. I reached out for her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don' cry, Sassette." I said, "We're right here. We're not goin' anywhere."

She looked up at me, and used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. "Thanks, Slouchy." She smiled a little. "You guys're th' smurfiest."

(Smurfette)

I watched the smurflings chatting and conversing, loud and animated like always.

Like when before Sassette was so sick…

"You seem anxious, Smurfette," Vanity shook me from my thoughts, watching me in his mirror.

"Yeah," Hefty added, "You've barely touched your food."

I turned my attention from the chattering smurflings to my friend that sat directly to my right. "Oh, Vanity, Hefty…" I muttered, "I feel so nervous… with Sassette being so… so…"

I couldn't even finish the thought. "What if something happens to her, Vanity?" I asked, "I- I- I don't know what I'd do!"

"Oh, pish- smurfs, Smurfette," he said, giving me a little hug around the waist, "You know as well as I do that Papa smurf'll have an antidote for her. It's just a matter of time."

I sighed a little, tilting my head a little so it rested against his shoulder. "I guess you're right…" I murmured.

He nudged me a little. "Naturally, Smurfette." He boasted.

I smiled a little, then moved my head from his shoulder and ate another bite of roll and spoonful of soup. I watched as Nat made a goalpost with his thumbs and forefingers. Sassette sat across from him and held a small square of bread to the table with her index finger. With one simple flick of her other finger, she fired the square of bread across the table, through the little goalpost Nat had set up. The "goal" was celebrated by all the smurflings, and rewarded by some roughhousing and loud hoots and hollers.

I smiled a little and laughed. The four of them were always so happy and lively! Even in situations like these… The four smurflings were met with a disapproving finger waggle from Brainy. "Smurflings, smurflings, smurflings," he chastised. "Food is not for playing!"

"You're right," Sassette said, tossing and catching the remainder of her roll in her hand, "it's for smurfing BRAINYS!"

She tore of a piece of the roll, then started pelting Brainy with the pieces. The other three smurflings followed suit, laughing and firing more pieces of bread at Brainy. Brainy shielded his face to protect his glasses. "Aah!! You smurflings are sure gonna be in trouble when Papa smurf smurfs THIS!" He squealed slightly, backing away.

"When Papa smurf hears about what, Brainy?" I heard a familiar voice.

Brainy turned around, only to see Papa smurf standing behind him, a slightly amused look on his face. His face had the same cheery look he'd always had. But somehow, his stance, the look in his eyes, it just… Didn't seem right… "Papa smurrrf!" Brainy whined, pointing at the smurflings. "They were throwing food at me!" he tattled.

Snappy rolled his eyes a little and sheepishly studied his reflection in his soup. Nat looked away with a wide smirk. Slouchy yawned and smiled smugly. Sassette looked up at Papa smurf with doe-like eyes. "Gallopin' grasshoppers, Brainy! We're real sorry we were throwin' food at you," She wrung her hands, keeping her eyes wide and innocent-looking. "We jus' wanted t' play with ya! You understand, right Pappy?"

Papa smurf practically froze when her gaze rested on him. He smiled widely and patted Sassette on the shoulder, chuckling a little. Before he could get his two pennies in, Brainy chimed in. "Oh, Papa smurf! You can't REALLY smurf for that innocent act!" he said disbelievingly.

"It's not an act, Brainy!" she pouted, looking hurt.

Brainy raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. Papa smurf chuckled a little, and gave Brainy a little nudge. "Oh, Brainy. Where's your sense of humor?" he smiled.

It seemed to take all his effort to look back at Sassette. "Now, are you really, honestly sorry?" he asked her.

She nodded firmly. "I sure am, Pappy!" she said.

Papa smurf gave her a little pat and smiled. "There we go. Smurf hands and make up." He gestured to Brainy.

Brainy grumbled as he reached out for Sassette's little hand. He stormed off in my direction, muttering under his breath. "Hmmph! She's got him smurfed around her little finger!" he muttered.

Papa smurf gestured for Sassette to go back to her friends, and the smurflings continued their little game as if nothing had happened. Papa smurf watched them a moment, a certain look of sorrow in his eyes. Something was definitely wrong. Every single fiber of my female intuition was screaming that something was very, very wrong. I could just feel it… Papa smurf started walking away from the smurflings table (having tried and failed a round or two of the game himself of course) and approached me, that same lost look in his eyes. "Good evening, Smurfette." He said, smiling casually.

"Hi Papa smurf." I smiled back. "What'd Homnibus have to say?"

He seemed to cringe for a moment, then averted his eyes when he answered. "Ehm—plenty…" he muttered, "Smurfette, would you mind coming to my lab after supper? We have urgent matters to discuss."

My stomach twisted into a tight knot. "Em—sure, Papa smurf…" I said plainly, a concerned look crossing my features, "Is something unsmurfy, Papa smurf?"

He cast a seemingly pained glance back at the smurflings, who had abandoned their new game for a friendly game of "Down by the Banks". "Something is very unsmurfy, smurfette…" Papa smurf murmured quietly.

That knot that had twisted itself up in my belly seemed to set itself on fire. "What's the matter then?" I asked, shifting on the bench so that I completely faced him. "What's wrong with my little sister?"

Papa smurf looked away at the mention of Sassette. "Now's neither the time, nor the place, Smurfette." he whispered, gesturing to the rest of the smurfs, "I'll tell you after supper."

He hurried away to the line, looking almost…. Scared? No. That's not like Papa smurf… I thought to myself, feeling my anxiety growing. Hefty, who'd been listening to most of the exchange, put a hand on my shoulder, and hugged me slightly. "Hey…. Hey…" he said gently squeezing me, "It'll be all right… You'll see…"

I hoped and prayed he was right…

I couldn't finish the rest of my soup having spoken to Papa smurf. I couldn't put the thought that something could be really, really wrong with Sassette out of my head. Once the others had started dispersing, I brought my bowl to Greedy. "Hey! Smurfette! You didn't even finish your soup!" he said, sounding surprised, "I made your favorite- barley-vegetable. "

I distractedly looked back at him. I probably hurt his feelings. Yet he looked more confused than hurt. "Oh, the soup was smurfy, Greedy." I assured him with a genuine smile, "but… I… I just have a lot smurfing my mind right now… I just wasn't all that hungry…"

Greedy bit his lip a little and looked at the dishes in the tub. "Don't s'pose it's anything I can help with?" he shrugged, his hand absentmindedly wandering for an unclaimed dinner roll.

I smiled a little and shook my head. "It's okay, Greedy. Really. Or at least it'll BE okay…" I said, wishing I could believe myself.

He watched me leave, concern in his eyes. I stopped for a minute at the smurflings table, watching them actually EAT their food instead of flicking it at each other. Sassette seemed to notice my presence, because she turned around and gave me one of her famous wide smiles. "Hi, Smurfette!" she chimed happily.

She looks so happy… Could she really be as sick as we think? "Hi, Sassette." I smiled back.

She kept her smile, until a little coughing chased it away. It was over fast, but still sounded awful. I felt my heart sink a little deeper with every little dry cough. She turned back to me, a weaker smile than before. "I- I have to go, Sassette," I tore myself away, trying not to feel guilty for such a hasty retreat. "See you later."

I hurried along to Papa smurf's lab, hoping he'd have better news than I thought. I approached the red- and-white topped mushroom bungalow, then knocked on the door lightly. I waited for a moment, and the door opened up. Papa stood in the doorway, an anxious look in his eyes. "Ah, Smurfette, please come in." he said, inviting me inside.

I stepped through the doorway, then closed the door behind me. I found comfort in the familiar sounds of bubbling potions and the crackle of the fire in the hearth. The whole lab seemed in a state of disarray, little to no rhyme or reason as to where things were left. That too was a strangely familiar sight, seeing as Papa smurf had a hundred warm bodies to look after and little time to himself. With a loud scrape of chair over floor, Papa smurf pulled a chair out next to him. "You'd… You'd best sit down for this, Smurfette." He said, solemnly.

My anxiety was growing by the minute. I sat slowly on the chair, and Papa smurf sat down just across from me. "I… I went to see Homnibus today," he reminded me, "He thinks it may be something very serious."

My heart was breaking with each passing second. "Wh—What could it be…?" I asked, "could it be a…. a…"

My voice caught in my throat. "…Consumption…?" I could barely even whisper.

My vision became cloudy with tears. My heart pounded in my chest. Papa smurf put his hands on mine. "No, no, Smurfette." He assured me, "Everysmurf in the village has already been immunized against tuberculosis."

I breathed a miniscule sigh of relief. There was no illness worse than tuberculosis. "So then what did Homnibus suggest we do?" I asked, shaking myself from my numb anxiety.

"He's recommended we visit the Miraguans."

"Th- the Miraguans…?" I asked, my heart sinking into my chest. "It- It's really that bad…?"

He nodded. A long while ago, before Gargamel ever created me and I joined the village, the smurfs were almost wiped out by a strange illness, to which no one seemed to smurf a cure for. But a kingdom far away over the mountains called Miraqua managed to save them with their progressive medical and technological advances in exchange for occasional help regarding Papa smurf's magical expertise.

Papa smurf moved his hands from mine and scratched his beard in thought. There was a quiet knock on the door. "Y-Yes, come in," Papa smurf called.

The door opened with a quiet click. Brainy stuck his head inside and swiveled his head to see Papa smurf. "Ah, Brainy." He said, faking a smile. "Did you smurf what I asked?"

"Oh, yes, Papa smurf!" Brainy beamed, "Sassette's right here, just like I said I'd brought her. I said I brought her, and I did! You can allllways count on me, Papa smurf, because its-"

"Thank you, Brainy," Papa smurf politely cut him off before he went into one of his monologues. "Would you smurf me another favor, and ehm- go help Greedy with the supper dishes?"

The disappointment was written all over the bespectacled smurf's face. "Yes, Papa smurf." He drudged out, dissatisfied with the task ahead.

Sassette rushed through the door excitedly, slamming the door behind her and running right over to Papa smurf. "Hi, Pappy!" she chimed happily.

"Hello, Sassette." He smiled a little.

"Brainy tol' me you needed t' talk t' me…" she said, putting her hands behind her back and fidgeting her foot a little. "M' I in trouble for smurfin' Brainy with bread earlier?"

Papa smurf chuckled a little, shaking his head. "No, no, Sassette, you're not in trouble…" he said, "but I…. I have something to tell you..."

She planted her bottom on a little stool, and looked up at Papa smurf, her eyes wide and head tilted. Papa smurf seemed to force himself to look into her eyes. "I… I visited Homnibus today…" he said solemnly.

Sassette smiled a little. "Happy hippos, Pappy!" she chimed, "How is he?"

Papa smurf smiled a little at her and ruffled her hat. "He is very well, Sassette." He said, a look of pain in his eyes. "B-but… I'm afraid I may have some bad news…"

Sassette's smile disappeared, and she tilted her head. "H-Homnibus…. Thinks that something may be very… Unsmurfy… Going on… A-and he's said it would be best if we visited the doctors that helped us a long time ago…" Papa smurf said to the smallish smurfling, fighting tears.

Sassette looked scared. No, I could practically feel it, she was terrified. Her eyebrows were arched in almost a confused worry. Her bottom lip was upturned, and her head was at an angle. "I-it might be best if we leave first thing tomorrow…" Papa smurf said, taking her hand and giving it a little squeeze. "It will be all right, Sassette."

Her bottom lip twitched a little, and she sniffled a little bit. Papa smurf already knew what would come next. He schooched his chair nearer to her and wrapped her in his arms, rocking a little and soothing the child. "It'll be alright, my little Sassette… It'll be alright…." He shushed her.

Sassette's little girl tears finally started to ebb, and she sniffled a little. "Feeling a little better now?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound nearly as dumb as I thought I did.

She nodded a little, but didn't stop sniffling. "W-we must prepare for the journey, Sassette." I said, taking her hand. "Come on…"

She sniffled some more and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. She and I walked back to the bunkhouse, where the smurflings were playing with some of their wooden toys. "Hiya, Sassette!" Nat said, sending a folded paper bird her way.

Sassette ducked out of the way of the paper toy and walked to the dresser. She was mostly silent as she opened her drawers and rooted around for clean overalls. "W'smatter?" Snappy asked, confused. "Why're you packin' stuff?"

I took the boys to the far side of the bunkhouse and explained the situation as delicately as I knew how. By the time I was done explaining, all three boys looked scared and sad. "Well, move over, Sassette!" Snappy said, walking right over to the dresser and opening another drawer. "We're goin' t' Mirasg… Mirgua… We're goin' t' tha' doctor place too!"

"Yeah," Slouchy added, moving around Snappy to a drawer right next to his feet. "We're goin' too."

Nat joined the other two boys and started rooting through a drawer at Sassette's knees. She smiled at her friends and immediately started roughhousing with them a little. "Well- ehm- I suppose I'd best let Papa smurf know we'll have a few more joining us, then." I laughed a little, letting them "pack."

(Slouchy)

In a little while, it was bedtime. Papa smurf came into our room and tucked us all in, like he did every night. "Papa smurf, will you read us a story?" Nat asked, sitting up above me in his bunk.

"Not tonight, Nat." Papa smurf said, "You smurflings need a good full night's sleep for tomorrow."

"Bu' we're not…. We're not tired…" Snappy said sluggishly.

Papa smurf chuckled a little as he tucked him in. "Of course you're not, Snappy." He said, amused.

Papa smurf tucked me in, and I nestled tiredly under the covers. "G'nite, Papa smurf." I muttered tiredly.

He chuckled a little in reply, and ruffled my hat. "Goodnight, Slouchy." He said softly. "Smurfy dreams."

He went to Sassette's bunk and tucked her in too. She yawned widely, then gave Papa smurf a big hug. "G'nite Pappy…" she yawned, "see y' in th' morning…"

"Goodnight, Sassette." He said smiling slightly.

He walked to the door and blew out the candle. "Goodnight, my little smurflings. Smurfy dreams."

It wasn't very long until I was finally asleep. But sometime during the night I got woken up by a loud noise. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but the noise persisted. I sat up in my bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I tried to figure out what the noise was. Then I realized: Sassette was coughing again. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and looked up at Sassette's bunk. She was sitting up, facing the wall, and coughing. I got out of bed and climbed up to where she was sitting. "Sassette?" I said.

She turned around to face me. She looked… So unlike the Sassette I knew… her skin looked pale and sickly… She had dark circles under her eyes. She had wrapped herself up in her blanket, but she looked cold. "S-Slouchy…" she rasped. "Did I… did I wake you up?"

I nodded a little and climbed up onto the bed with her. "It's ok, Sassette." I said, trying to hold back a yawn. "Sorry you don' feel good."

She turned towards me and wrapped herself in the blanket. "Need me t' go get Papa smurf?" I asked.

She shook her head and sighed a little. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat next to me. "I'm scared, Slouchy..." she said, her voice cracking a little, "I'm real scared…"

She sniffled a little. "Wh- wha'f somethin' really is wrong with me?" she asked, "Wha'f… wha'f I….?" she couldn't even finish.

She sniffled more and started crying a little bit into her blanket. I patted her on the back. "Please don' cry, Sassette." I said, feeling a weird ache in my tummy, "It'll be ok… I promise…"

She dried her eyes and leaned against me, putting her head on my shoulder. "Th-thanks Slouchy…" she muttered. "Better not forget tha' promise."

I blushed a lot. She just… looked so scared… This felt so wrong…. She's only 130 years old, and she's gotta be scared about this…? I wished there was more I could smurf to make her feel better.

She sat there with her head on my shoulder, coughing occasionally, for a little while longer. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall back asleep. "Are you sure you don' wan' me t' go get Papa smurf?" I asked her.

She shook her head no. She'd lost her voice sometime during the night. But the hug she gave me and the sad look in her eyes said what she couldn't. Please don't go… I'm scared… I squeezed her hand. "Don' worry… I won' go." I told her.

She breathed a silent sigh and sniffled a little more. I did my best to comfort her, but I guess that really wasn't smurfing very much. It wasn't too long before the sun shone through the window of the bunkhouse. Papa smurf came in to wake us all up and get us ready for the journey. He noticed me and Sassette sitting together on her bed and arched his eyebrows in a confused and a bit shocked look. "Sassette woke up coughin'," I explained, "an' couldn' fall back asleep… I jus'… stayed up."

Papa smurf sighed a little. "You should have gotten me, Slouchy," He said, gently shaking Snappy, "I would've brought her something to help."

"It was late… she didn' wan' wake anyone up." I shrugged.

Papa smurf nodded a little, then took Sassette's hand. "It's time to get ready to go, Sassette."

Sassette buried her face a little in the blanket she was wrapped up in before she climbed down from the bed to get dressed. She got her pink overalls and went behind her changing scrim. I got some clothes from my drawer and faced the wall as Papa smurf woke up Nat and Snappy and left to go find Feathers. We all got dressed in silence, then got the backpacks we'd packed the night before. We all walked to the village square, still not saying anything. We arrived at the village square where Feathers sat, cleaning her downy feathers with her long orange beak. Sassette walked up to the crane and snuggled a little in her soft down. Feathers cooed and ruffled her white feathers.

Soon we saw Smurfette and Papa smurf approach, both carrying traveling backpacks. They started attaching a travel harness to Feathers's back. Nat sat by the white bird's head, petting it gently and whispering to her. Snappy sat in the grass, picking little pieces of grass and tearing them between his fingers. I just sat next to him and closed my eyes. I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, holding my hat on my head so it wouldn't fall off. Farmer and Vanity were approaching the village square. Farmer was carrying a backpack over his shoulder and talking to Vanity. "R'member, shugah. Th' eggplant HAS t' be harvested b'fore th' end'a th' week. Otherwise they'll wither." Farmer said, moving the pack on his shoulder.

"Okay, Farmer," Vanity said, fixing the flower in his hat and watching his reflection in his mirror. "It'll get taken care of."

Farmer put down his backpack next to Feathers. "Okai, shugah." He said.

With a couple of clicking noises, the light harness was safely secured to Feathers. "Right. Time for us to go." Papa smurf said, tying all our bags down to the harness.

Snappy looked up from his grass- picking and scattered his pile of grass pickings. He stood up and climbed up on Feathers's back. Nat helped Sassette up and they tied themselves down. I tried to climb up, but I was too short to reach. Farmer gave Vanity a hug, whispering in his ear. Vanity rested his head on his chest, talking quietly back to him. Farmer gave him a squeeze, then started walking to Feathers. "Need a boost, Shugah?" he asked me with a small smile.

"Yeah." I replied.

He gave me a little boost so I could reach the harness, then climbed up with me. I secured myself to the harness and yawned. Papa smurf sat at the front. "Is everysmurf ready?"

We all nodded in reply. Feathers flapped her wings and leapt into the air, going higher and higher up. I held on tight and held my hat against my head. Soon enough, she stopped getting higher, and glided above the clouds. "We have a long journey ahead of us," Papa smurf said, turning back to face us. "Slouchy, you and Sassette had best get some rest."

We sure didn't need to be told twice. Sassette fell asleep real quick, and I did too.