Eventually, energy had run out and Katrina, Demitri, and Tomo were ready for their picnic.  They headed back to where they had left it, but the picnic basket wasn't there.

Tomo went up and investigated the blanket.

*smells like frogs*

"Tomo thinks it's frogs."

"Demitri, that's impossible, dear.  All the frogs have gone to sleep for the winter.  I think some teenagers must have taken it."

"Tomo's nose isn't wrong."

Katrina didn't know how to handle this. She knew that Demitri had an active imagination, but this was going to far.

"How do you know that Tomo thinks it's frogs?"

"He told me."

"Cats don't talk, Demitri."

"He didn't talks out loud with his mouth.  He talked in my head."

Great, now her son was hearing voices.

"How do you know it's Tomo."

"'Cuz it sounds like Tomo."

"Ok, how about a game.  You turn around and I'll show Tomo a number of fingers, he can tell you and then you can tell me."

"What about the picnic basket?"

"We'll worry about that later. This is more important."

Demitri explained the game to Tomo.

*this is a silly game.  there is not pouncing or batting*

"It's a grown up's game."

*i don't want to grow up then*

"Shhh!  We better play.  The sooner we play, the sooner it's over."

Demitri turn around and closed his eyes.

"Ready momma."

Katrina held up two fingers.

"OK how many fingers am I holding up."

"Tomo says that you are have two fingers straight and the other fingers and the thumb folded down on your right hand which is held up the the air.  You have the other hand in your lap.  Now you are holding up all your fingers in your right hand.  Can we stop now?  Tomo is getting bored and he thinks a better game would be 'Pounce on the Fingers Under the Leaves'."

"Ok -- you two go play."

Katrina needed time to think about this.  She could remember tales her grandmother told her about relatives that were able to talk to animals.  Her grandmother had said that all this modern technology was destroying the magic and kids today didn't believe enough to develop the magic skills.  I guess Grandma was wrong.

Katrina felt a small tap on her left shoulder.  Thinking it was Demitri, she turned around.  No one was there.  She felt someone tap her on the right shoulder. She spun around faster, but still there was no one behind her.  These are the kinds of tricks teenagers pull. Then something pulled her hair.  She reached behind her and was able to grab something.  It was smooth and slimy.  She felt something like a wet oven mitt bite her arm.  She let go with a yelp.

"Momma!  Look -- the basket is back!  well it's sorta back."

Katrina twisted so she could see where she had set up.  The basket was indead back in almost the same spot as before.  Almost, because now it was under the blanket rather than on top. She lifted the blanket.  All their food was still there.

"Demitri, did Tomo see what happened?"  I can't beleive I just asked that question.

"He says that it was a frog with a duck's nose and it walks on two legs and it has a funny hair cut."

That didn't sound like a teenager.

"How big was it?"

"Tomo says that it was a bit bigger than him."

"We should grab our things while we can and head for home."

They quickly folded up the blanket and stuffed it in the basket..  Then Demitri grabbed Tomo and Katrina grabbed the basket and they walked back to the apartment, with their eyes peeled for frogs with duck bills and funny haircuts.