Tiny's Friends

Tiny and Penny-dog have been smitten since the moment they met, and were destined to be friends forever. They behave as all sisters might when they bicker, tease and giggle; but they are also gentle and kind, listening when one needs to talk, holding tightly when the other needs comfort. When Penny-dog trembles in the howling wind, Tiny steps ahead to shield her from the squall. And when Tiny’s little legs begin to ache on their morning forest walks, Penny-dog invites Tiny to clamber upon her back. It’s a friendship both deep and true; a love that makes life just a little sweeter.

Dr. Faith Constanza is one of Treetop’s most brilliant doctors. She recently accepted a position with the Safe Hands Now Medical Facility, and has become a bit of a local celebrity due to her exuberant bedside manner and voracious appetite for cake-baking. In her spare time, Dr. Constanza is a member of the Treetops Community Theater, where she played alongside Tiny in the spring performance of Bugsy Malone. She is fierce and sassy, and loves to spend Sunday mornings in bed reading the New Pork Times with her grumpy old kitty McCavity, and a cheeky chocolate fudge sundae. Look out for Dr. Constanza’s cameo appearance in Tiny’s upcoming chapbook, ‘Seven Days of Monsters’.

Her name is Celestine and she is the wise and beautiful Prophet Owl. As one of the last of the Celestial Elders, she is the most powerful and highly respected of her clan. This extraordinary bird is seen as an enigma, living by herself in the Lonely Tree, and traveling only by night. She is as gentle and enchanting as the day she first arrived, although when that truly was, no one can say. Please try not to worry if Tiny hasn’t come home at night, she will be under Celestine’s protection, understanding the mysteries of the Universe, our planet and its inhabitants. She will never speak of her journeys, that is a burden she must carry alone. Tiny loves Celestine with all of her heart; spend a few hours with her exploring the stars, and you will understand why.

Liesel Greenleaf is one of Tiny’s dearest companions. They met in the Library at Laurel Heights where Liesel works as head librarian, and runs the ever popular Thursday night Dungeons and Dragons Club. They share a love for reading and for books, which is lucky for Tiny who has VIP access to all the latest titles. Liesel is a quiet, gentle sort, but don’t be fooled by her soft sleepy eyes, she’s a bit of a card-shark and plays a mean game of Old Maid. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! As an avid long-distance runner, you might catch a glimpse of her as she flies through town, or even sharing a carrot juice with Tiny at the Clementine Cafe discussing their favorite books, no doubt.

If you’ve ever traveled through the village of Treetops, it’s likely that you’ve seen the Lonely Tree which marks the entrance to Celestine’s Temple. Legend has it that Sweet Briar herself planted the first seed, and countless birds and animals have since nursed from her sap and found sanctuary in her loving arms. But this isn’t the end of the story. Come a little closer, what do you see? That’s right, a door. A door hidden deep in the trunk of Lonely Tree. It’s been said that many a curious human has clambered through that opening, never to return. Where do they go, fellow Traveler? It’s a question few can answer. Perhaps it’s an entrance to the underworld, or a portal to the other dimension? Be sure to ask Tiny next time you see her. If it’s adventure you’re seeking, return when the moon is full and Lonely Tree’s magic is at it’s most potent. And don’t forget to say goodbye to your loved ones, we wouldn’t want them to worry.

Mustafa and Nigel live in a charming little yurt close to the western boundary of Misty Ripple Meadow. It’s a rustic life, but a happy one, and a far cry from the tyranny of Reggie’s Smoke and Mirror Circus, where they lived for many years under what was later described as “simply dreadful conditions”. It was Tiny that finally helped them escape, and find a new home in Treetops with a second chance at happiness. Partway through the summer season, Nigel and Mustafa’s fate was sealed. The Finley-Family Flea-Circus was exiting the stage after a mediocre performance of Swan Lake, just as Mustafa the Flying Llama was taking his position at the center-stage trapeze. Their eyes met, the stars aligned, and they’ve been inseparable every since. Nigel and Mustafa are currently rehearsing for a new show; an exciting blend of storytelling, performance and puppetry that aims to educate the public about tolerance and interspecies relationships. With Tiny’s help, it’s sure to be a big hit. Look for local show dates in the Treetops Tribune.

Rocio is one busy butterfly; not only is she a member of the Insecta royal family, but she one of Paloma Airway’s most senior pilots, and devoted wife and mother to husband Thiago and twins, Beatrix and Valentina. Rocio is always on the move; you might find her jet-setting across the country, taking her family on their favourite long-haul trip from Mexico to North America, or tirelessly campaigning for the Protection of Pollinators. When Thiago isn’t caring for their twin girls, he’s managing the Milkweed Roadhouse, a hip little jazz cafe in the Monarch Quarter of Upper Treetops. It’s terribly swish and Tiny is lucky enough to be on the guest list. Sometimes baby-butterfly sitting can have its perks. . .

If you’re looking for an experience that could change your life forever, look no further than Pinker than Tin—Dana Bear’s global food-truck—open evenings and weekends throughout the summer. You might be asking, ‘What makes it so special?’ You see fellow Traveler, it’s not just the mouthwatering dishes that are prepared with locally, hand-picked ingredients and the finest spices from around the world, or the awe-inspiring recipes that Dana Bear lovingly crafts each morning. It’s not the mind-blowing musical sets, or the magical ambiance with the canopy festooned with fairy-lights and fragrant honeysuckle vines. It’s not even the laughter, or the love, or the friendship, or the fortune cookies, or the stories, or the sustenance, or the sense that you belong. It’s everything together, in one delicious bite. It’s the very essence of being alive. Ready to step out of your comfort zone? Try the Magnificent Curl, a dish so exquisite, words cannot do it justice. It’s one of Tiny’s favorites, and this week’s special. Try it for yourself and see. Bon appétit!

It is a truth regionally acknowledged that Woodmint is the finest, most upstanding badger in the valley of Treetops. He was kind and considerate as a cub, and had grown into a responsible and charming young mammal. When he’s not snuffling in his sizable and impressive vegetable garden, you might find him studying in the library, or volunteering for his favourite charity, Holes for Moles. Woodmint first met Tiny during a particularly tense Dungeons and Dragons evening at the Library on Lemon Tree Lane. They quickly discovered they shared a passion for party-planning, and have since successfully organized the Feast of Midwinter celebration for three years running. It’s fair to say they make a winning team! Woodmint has a passion for early childhood education, and hopes to run his own school one day, which he dreams of naming the Marsupial Montessori. In the meantime, he’s recently been promoted to manager of Sprouts Day Nursery (Four Legs Division), an accomplishment he’s extremely proud of.

Mary Margaret Maguire has been head Mouse-Keeper at the Smythe-Stevens residence for almost all her days. The position has been in the family for generations; Mary Margaret followed in the (very small) footsteps of her mother Marjorie Mabel, her mother before, Madeleine Minwin, and going right back to the infamous Maggie Mae (well it was the 1980’s). In return for her service--and discretion--Mary Margaret receives bed and board, and a modest allowance. Access to the cheese cellar is an added benefit, although Mary Margaret suspects she may have developed a lactose intolerance; next week’s visit to Dr.Faith will help to clear up any concerns. Mary Margaret has been a regular at Tiny’s Sunday Storytime Club, and hopes to one day read from her short story collection, ‘Ordinary Mouse, Extraordinary Dreams’ which she writes in the few stolen moments before work each morning. Some say the Maguire women are quite mad to work in the old farmhouse, what with the rumors of the hauntings and strange goings on; but the truth is, Mary Margaret enjoys the occasional bout of the heebie-jeebies. It adds a little spice to an otherwise unremarkable day.

Millicent Hogwin lives on the banks of the River Biddy-Bee, in the idyllic village of Raven Hills. Millicent and Tiny met first as pen-pals, and after numerous cards and care-packages, their friendship has blossomed. Tiny keeps her precious letters in an old biscuit tin, but Millicent is less sentimental, and uses Tiny’s notes to line the little cots of her incoming hoglets. Millicent proudly runs Hoglet Haven, the largest Orphan Hoglet Farm in the North country. She currently has twelve wee beasties under her care, with whom she is firm, yet fair, and never short on love. Millicent knows the challenges that lie ahead for these dear creatures, having been orphaned herself at a tender age, and forced to make her way through a cruel and chaotic world. The day that Lady Luck smiled on Millicent was her greatest blessing. Winning the jackpot at the Raven Hills County Fair allowed her to fulfill her childhood dream, and Hoglet Haven finally opened it’s hedgerows. There’s another dream that Millicent rarely speak of, and that’s of having afternoon tea with the Queen. She knows it’s complete fantasy, but she’s just an old romantic at heart.

Elektra Hinton-Lovejoy is unlike any princess you’re ever likely to meet. Elektra believes she stems from royalty, and a direct descendent of the miniature ponies that once roamed the Greek Island of Skyros. In truth, she has been living on Sweet Fern’s Flower Farm since she was foal. When she’s not visiting hospice patients with Fern at the Safe Hands Now Medical Facility, she’s munching on meadow-grass and daydreaming in the sun. She does however, have one connection with royalty—at the tender age of three, she managed to photo-bomb the Royal Tour of the City of Mighty Oaks. It was a proud moment. Tiny and Elektra became friends after Treetops’ inaugural Flower Festival. While Elektra was generously donating free pony-rides to the dear residents of THUMP*, Tiny was acting-president the Flower-Crown Committee. How Elektra became the first Flower-Crown winner, only Tiny can say, but Elektra has been wearing that dusty old tiara ever since. When you see her, please be sure to give her a curtsy or a bow, you’ll be making an old girl very happy.

*THUMP is the Treetops Home for Undervalued and Misunderstood Pets

Gwend’lynn lives a solitary life. It’s not that he’s unsociable—on the contrary—he’s always been a popular peacock, and was quite the party-bird in his youth. Legend has it that he started Treetops’ only speakeasy, the Serpent and the Peacock. But we’ll leave it at that fellow Traveler, as the stories would make you hair curl! Gwend’lynn has been in the spotlight since he was a peachick, having spent his formative years both backstage and on countless photo-shoots. With aspiring actors for parents, striking looks, and a handsome plume, it’s no surprise that he followed in the family claw-steps, and became the world’s most successful avian-supermodel. Have you noticed that Gwend’lynn goes only by his first name? If you were to ask him, he’d likely tell you that peacocks of his ilk don’t have surnames; think Prince, or Cher, or Dave. You might recognize him from the pages of International House & Garden, where he preened and strutted through stately homes across the land, until one day, he’d simply had enough. “Surely there has to be more to life?” He confided to Tiny after their Sunday Storytelling Slam. And so Gwend’lynn embarked on a voyage of self-discovery, which ended under a lean-to in the Wild Briar Wood, and with it a sense of peace that he had never before known.