Chapter 4 - A City Adventure

Rayni woke up the next morning to hear a little bird chirping outside her window.
She was excited to be visiting the City today! She put on her favourite outfit, got out of bed and made her way to the bus stop. 

Kapp'n picked her up minuets later. "Wow lass dressed to the nines I see!" he commented.

 "Well the city be approaching have fun me wee snapper!" Rayni thanked Kapp'n for the ride as she stepped off the bus.
She was very excited to see the city for herself, wandering where to go first!

She noticed a beautiful fountain, how wonderful it would be if her own town had one of these she mused.

She decided to throw in a spare bell and make a wish.

"Please let me find something wonderful to do with my time" she wished to herself silently.

How lovely it would be to fill her days with a new hobby.

Rayni came across nice looking building which had Ivy growing up the walls. She decided to make this her first stop.

She wandered inside to find a mysterious looking den, covered in exotic fabrics.

Katrina the cat greeted Rayni "Take a seat my dear, for I can foresee what lies ahead."

"I.. I'm not sure, I was just out for a wander really..." Rayni stammered, unsure that she wanted to see in to her future.

"Do not be afraid child, I see you seek something more to life. Some wonderful way to fill your days?"

Rayni was shocked, it was as if Katrina could see her thoughts.

She thought back to the wish she had made at the fountain earlier as she sat down, now quite intrigued by what Katrina had to say.

"I see patterns, lots of patterns, I see you very content. A new venture lies ahead in the near future. Do not worry yourself child, the world works in mysterious ways.

It looks like Acrewood needed you, just as much as you needed Acrewood. All will become clear eventually."

"I never mentioned Acrewood..." Rayni said.

"You did not have to child, it is written, I can see it in your palm, a fork in the road, a change, a twist, a new adventure. You will not regret your decision to settle in a new place, a settle you will, in time."

Rayni thanked Katrina as she left, feeling a little bemused that she seemed to know so much about her.

The next place she visited was the Happy Room Academy. She met an otter called Lyle who explained all about interior design, and pointed her to a show room in the back.

Apparently this was modelled on Bettina's cottage, somewhere Rayni had yet to visit.
The place looked beautiful and so cosy! Rayni couldn't wait until she could have her own house extended, and afford nice furniture for it!

"If you like the look of this place Rayni you should pay a visit to Gracie Grace whilst you are in the city! They sell the most wonderful furniture, although they have a price tag to match!" Lyle said cheerily.
"Oh I will definitely go and have a look around! Thank you Lyle!" Rayni replied.

She spotted Gracie Grace as soon as she stepped out of the door. It looked very luxurious!

Rayni gasped at the gorgeous display as soon as she set foot inside. The silky fabrics and décor were something she could only dream of. 'This room would be fit for a princess!' she thought to herself.

As Rayni looked around she spotted some clothes to the right end of the store.
"Oh Labelle!" She said to the saleswoman "These clothes are gorgeous!" She especially liked the butterfly dress, although it was well out of her price range.

"Well Gracie is well know for her clothing Rayni, she used to travel all over the world with her designs before opening up a shop in the city."

Rayni left the shop, her head filled with all the wonderful items and clothing she had discovered.
It was getting rather late by this time, and Rayni thought she must begin to head home. On her way to the bus stop she noticed some bright lights twinkling around the theatre, and could not resist a peak inside.

"Want to see the show?" she was asked by someone running the ticket booth. "We have a special show for newcomers."
Rayni had never been to the theatre before, and it did sound rather exciting! She decided that she definitely had the time to see the show before heading home!

She sat in the theatre watching the flashing light, waiting for the red velvet curtains to open.
When the show began it was wonderful, Rayni very much enjoyed sitting there watching the performance on stage, she felt as though she were in her own little world and didn't want to leave when the curtains closed.

The bus was already at the stop waiting for her to hop on for the drive home.
"Well me wee sea turtle, enjoy the big city did ya?" Kapp'n asked. "Me, I always enjoy the city but say there is no-where like home!"
Rayni thought so too as the bus pulled up by the gate of Acrewood, she found herself happily skipping along to the Roost, eager to tell Brewster all about her adventure.

Brewster had begun to rather enjoy Rayni's daily visits himself, and was very pleased to see her as she entered the coffee shop. As he poured her a coffee Rayni excitedly told him all about the city.

"Oh Brewster I can't stop thinking about Gracie Grace! The designs there are so wonderful! If only I could work in a place like that I would be so happy!"
"My my, you certainly do seem to have perked up today!" Brewster acknowledged.
"I had such a good time! I had my fortune told by Katrina, I met Lyle at the Happy Room Academy, and went to the theatre which was wonderful! But Gracie Grace had to be my favourite thing about the city, I must visit again!" Rayni replied.

"Yes, there certainly is more for you to discover in the City yet. Although first you might want to pay a visit to somewhere a little closer to home... If you wander up by the lake tomorrow Rayni you will see a shop called the Able Sisters, they too are well known for their clothes. Maybe you should see what delights they have in store?"
"Oh a clothes store in Acrewood? I had no idea! Yes Brewster that definitely sounds like somewhere I would like to pay a visit!"

On her way home Rayni thought how lucky she was to have a friend like Brewster to tell her all about Acrewood, he was a wise old bird.
Meanwhile Brewster decided to call his good friend Sable. "I think you can expect a very important little visitor tomorrow who might just be able to help you in more ways then one" he cooed.

xxx