The Smuggler's Way, Part I

The next morning...

"So," Joy asked, fastening the strap of her traveling bag as she walked, "how exactly are we supposed to get past the gates? If we don't have those special coins..."

"Simple, darlin'," Marcella replied, kicking a pebble out of the way. "Yours truly, havin' been commissioned by some of them cows in the first place, has a special way back in." She sniffed. "A back way."

Grimm nodded. "Makes sense. A criminal's gotta have a criminal's way in and out, right?"

Marcella stuck her tongue out at him. "But you're right, shug. I've got a special arrangement with a smuggler. She can get us in 'n' out of the Queendom."

"Nice!" Joy giggled. "So where do we meet this smuggler?"

"Right down there, m'dear." Marcella stopped at the edge of a ridge and pointed down. At the foot of the ridge and just beyond was a small port town. A bevy of ships were docked along the edge of the town. "My contact should still be there."

The kangaroo led them down the ridge.

It was a modest town, but bustling. Folks -- some of them bovine, most of them not -- scuttled from place to place, selling their wears, carrying freight in from the docks...

Marcella led them to the docks, whereupon they came across a tiny tavern built into the side of what appeared to be an enormous warehouse. "Wait here," she said, heading inside.

Grimm and Joy sat on an overturned spool of rope, waiting. The bull looked out at the mouth of the river, watching as it flowed to the sea. It'd been a while since he'd been on the water, and part of him missed it.

He glanced at Joy and saw that she'd taken out some paper and a pencil. She was sketching the pier, paying special attention to the workers. She must have sensed Grimm watching, for she paused and looked up at him. He smiled down at her. She smiled back. Grimm didn't say anything. He just reached down, placed his hand on the cow's thigh, and gently squeezed. She purred happily at his touch.

Joy went back to sketching. Grimm went back to watching.

Marcella emerged from the tavern. "Alright, friends," she said, clapping her hands together, "come on in."