Bounder Brock Foxburr and his wife Lily were in the kitchen in their small hobbit hole in the town of Scary. Brock was looking anxiously out of the window, pacing around a little, then peering out again, and Lily was getting flustered and annoyed at her husbands wandering.
"Sit down," she ordered "You're doing no good wandering about my kitchen, and your getting in my way!" Brock smiled apologetically and dragged a small chair to the window, and sat peering up the lane. Lily tutted at him
"She'll be back soon, and that'll be that, and you can both get your minds off this silly obsession of hers once and for all. It's not right, and you know it. There hasn't been a lady Bounder to my knowledge, and that's not going to change today." Lily said, nodding her head matter of factly, and busied herself preparing lunch.
"Now, now Lily, we both know our Meribella has what it takes, and that's a fact. If anyone can do it, it's her. And I for one am keeping my fingers crossed." Brock replied. Lily pretended not hear, and hummed a tune to herself for the next few minutes, while Brock remained seated. Suddenly he shot up, and jumped once with a broad smile, he turned to his shocked wife and laughed, pointing at her.
"Haha, I told you, I told you, didn't I tell you, take a look down there Lily Foxburr and tell me I didn't tell you!" Brock exclaimed, and with that he darted from the kitchen, and Lily heard the front door open as he shot out. She went to the window and peered out, and much to her dismay, she saw her precious daughter, Meribella Foxburr, strolling proudly down the lane with her head held high, wearing a brand new Bounder's uniform. She frowned and said low to herself "No good will come of this, mark my words."
Outside, Brock stook smiling proudly at his daughter as she approached, and when she saw him she smiled and snapped off a salute.
"Bounder Foxburr." She addressed him with an ecstatic smile, and Brock bowed grandly to her "Bounder Foxburr yourself, Ma'am" He smirked back at her and she ran to him, hugging him tightly. After a moment or two she hastily stepped back and glanced around, remembering she was in uniform, and wanting to make the right impression. Brock held her at arms length looking her over, as Lily stepped out the door, and looked at her daughter. Tears filled her eyes, and Meribella walked to her and hugged her lightly.
"Oh Ma, don't worry yourself, I know what I'm doin'. I'll be safe and sound, you'll see." Meribella said, trying to comfort her mother, and Lily simply sniffed and nodded, retreating into the kitchen, her dreams of a daughter to help her cook and clean dashed finally. Brock simply shook his head with a sigh, then grinned wickedly at Meribella.
"C'mon you, I've got a little present for making it today." He said, and walked off behind the house. Meribella shook her head and followed him, yelling "What if I didn't make it?" When she finally caught up with him she stopped and gasped. Standing beside her father was Fella, a pony of Farmer Longfellow's she had visited often. She looked long at Fella, then to her dad, who was wearing a satisfied smile as he patted the pony, who was looking about with a bored expression.
"Now I don't want any questions about what he cost, or how I got him, what matters is, he's yours, y'hear?" Brock said. Once more he hugged Meribella tightly and looked at her proudly "I'd best go see to your mother, poor dear's probably crying into the stew." And he walked off back to the hole. Meribella watched him go, and turned to Fella, she ran to him and hugged his muscular neck, whispering to him "I made it Fella, I'm a Bounder at last." ... Fella simply lowerd his head to munch on the grass, stepping forward he knocked her flat on her backside. With a jolt she landed, and peered up at the pony, frowning "Oh, charming." ....
