Charming was in charge," Granny said.
"That's her problem now. We still have to deal with Baba Yaga," Mr. Canis replied. "The truth is, someone has to keep an eye on her. I should track her and make sure she doesn't get too close to the town."
"No," Granny Relda said. "Jacob will take care of that."
"Me?" Uncle Jake cried. "She threatened to eat me once."
"I'll go with you," Puck said. "I'm learning a lot from the old witch."
"Fine. Mr. Canis, I was hoping you would look after the girls," Granny suggested. "What about the case?" Daphne said.
Granny shook her head.
"Liebling,
I'm afraid we're going to have to put detective work on hold. There are too many emergencies to deal with, and we can't be everywhere at the same time."
"But--" Sabrina started, but her grandmother threw up her hands.
"We just can't. Now, I have to get ready. Ms. White has agreed to take me to the bank. I'm applying for a loan to pay our taxes."
Everyone darted off in his or her own direction, leaving Sabrina and Daphne alone with Mr. Canis, who didn't look at all happy to be stuck with the girls.
"So... ," Sabrina said as she eyed the old man. His upper fangs had started to creep down his lips.
"So," he huffed.
"You're babysitting us, huh?"
Mr. Canis raised his eyebrows, acknowledging his new role. "Want to play a game?" Daphne asked. "We've got Candy Land."
Mr. Canis shifted uncomfortably.
"No!"
Daphne cried as she jumped to her feet. "I know what we can do. We can play dress-up!" Sabrina couldn't help but laugh.
"Perhaps we should continue with our tracking lessons," Mr. Canis said to the girls. "Put on your boots. We still have a few hours of daylight."
Mr. Canis led them around the back of the house and deep into the woods. The ground was muddy and there was still a chill in the air, but little buds were sprouting on tree limbs. Sabrina couldn't remember the last time she saw something growing, but soon spring would be in full bloom. Sabrina wondered what the forest would look like when it was fresh and alive.
They climbed along a small ravine and up a hill littered with sharp stones, then down into a gulch. A tiny creek trickled along with shards of ice floating on top of it.
"Are we about to lose the house?" Daphne asked the old man.
"Your grandmother is a resourceful woman," Mr. Canis said.
"That's not an answer," Sabrina said. She didn't want to anger the old man, which had become increasingly easy to do, but she needed him to be honest with them.
"She will not let you down, girls. In the time I have known her, she has never failed or disappointed. I trust her. You should as well."
"Three hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money," Sabrina pointed out.
"Yes, it is," the old man replied. "Fortunately, this situation will benefit you in your training. Stress is an enemy. It confuses us and makes us question ourselves. The calm, rational mind is the one that finds answers in difficult times. Remember, you will not always have the carefree lives of children, but you will always be Grimms and you will have to find ways to set aside private matters."
"So you want us to forget about the tax bill?" Daphne said.
"The three-hundred-thousand-dollar tax bill?" Sabrina added. Mr. Canis took an impatient breath. "Close your eyes." The girls did as they were told.
"In the past we have tracked deer and rabbits, as well as the family dog. You've learned to follow and recognize the prints of many wild animals. Today, you will follow the prints of the most dangerous animal of all--me. I will hide from you in this forest and you will have to use your senses and what I have taught you to find me. Your grandmother has achieved great skill at this with practice, and she uses these talents quite frequently. Remember--use your senses. Learn to trust what you see, smell, hear, and feel. Allow them to work together and you two should have no problem locating me."
"I've got a question," Daphne said.
There was no response.
"Mr.
"That's her problem now. We still have to deal with Baba Yaga," Mr. Canis replied. "The truth is, someone has to keep an eye on her. I should track her and make sure she doesn't get too close to the town."
"No," Granny Relda said. "Jacob will take care of that."
"Me?" Uncle Jake cried. "She threatened to eat me once."
"I'll go with you," Puck said. "I'm learning a lot from the old witch."
"Fine. Mr. Canis, I was hoping you would look after the girls," Granny suggested. "What about the case?" Daphne said.
Granny shook her head.
"Liebling,
I'm afraid we're going to have to put detective work on hold. There are too many emergencies to deal with, and we can't be everywhere at the same time."
"But--" Sabrina started, but her grandmother threw up her hands.
"We just can't. Now, I have to get ready. Ms. White has agreed to take me to the bank. I'm applying for a loan to pay our taxes."
Everyone darted off in his or her own direction, leaving Sabrina and Daphne alone with Mr. Canis, who didn't look at all happy to be stuck with the girls.
"So... ," Sabrina said as she eyed the old man. His upper fangs had started to creep down his lips.
"So," he huffed.
"You're babysitting us, huh?"
Mr. Canis raised his eyebrows, acknowledging his new role. "Want to play a game?" Daphne asked. "We've got Candy Land."
Mr. Canis shifted uncomfortably.
"No!"
Daphne cried as she jumped to her feet. "I know what we can do. We can play dress-up!" Sabrina couldn't help but laugh.
"Perhaps we should continue with our tracking lessons," Mr. Canis said to the girls. "Put on your boots. We still have a few hours of daylight."
Mr. Canis led them around the back of the house and deep into the woods. The ground was muddy and there was still a chill in the air, but little buds were sprouting on tree limbs. Sabrina couldn't remember the last time she saw something growing, but soon spring would be in full bloom. Sabrina wondered what the forest would look like when it was fresh and alive.
They climbed along a small ravine and up a hill littered with sharp stones, then down into a gulch. A tiny creek trickled along with shards of ice floating on top of it.
"Are we about to lose the house?" Daphne asked the old man.
"Your grandmother is a resourceful woman," Mr. Canis said.
"That's not an answer," Sabrina said. She didn't want to anger the old man, which had become increasingly easy to do, but she needed him to be honest with them.
"She will not let you down, girls. In the time I have known her, she has never failed or disappointed. I trust her. You should as well."
"Three hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money," Sabrina pointed out.
"Yes, it is," the old man replied. "Fortunately, this situation will benefit you in your training. Stress is an enemy. It confuses us and makes us question ourselves. The calm, rational mind is the one that finds answers in difficult times. Remember, you will not always have the carefree lives of children, but you will always be Grimms and you will have to find ways to set aside private matters."
"So you want us to forget about the tax bill?" Daphne said.
"The three-hundred-thousand-dollar tax bill?" Sabrina added. Mr. Canis took an impatient breath. "Close your eyes." The girls did as they were told.
"In the past we have tracked deer and rabbits, as well as the family dog. You've learned to follow and recognize the prints of many wild animals. Today, you will follow the prints of the most dangerous animal of all--me. I will hide from you in this forest and you will have to use your senses and what I have taught you to find me. Your grandmother has achieved great skill at this with practice, and she uses these talents quite frequently. Remember--use your senses. Learn to trust what you see, smell, hear, and feel. Allow them to work together and you two should have no problem locating me."
"I've got a question," Daphne said.
There was no response.
"Mr.
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