There was no doubt about the matter - the gnomes of the forest were facing a turning point that could possibly affect them all. Eleanora was more grateful than ever for Hector's presence at her side - because he was a city dwelling gnome, and in many ways it has to be said, much more in touch with modern human behaviour and beliefs - his advice and humour and basic optimism was proving ever more precious by the day. After all the meetings and airings of all manner of proposals, (some very wild indeed) what it came down to was a rather stark choice. Either the gnomes of the forest moved out (possibly up to the the more un-populated North) or they faced a future of integration with humans on their home turf.
Here Hector had waxed lyrical about city humans needing access to wild nature and how the forest was in a strong position to be saved because of the Old Lady owner and her son already having a deep love and history with the trees. Archimedes had had to step in and curb some of Hector's rather more long winded descriptions of terrorist gardening and the joys of abseiling, but even some of the hot headed young gnomes were beginning to find the idea of more human interaction somewhat attractive.
The trouble was that Aunt Mildred, for all of her unorthodox behaviours, was deeply resistant to facing any possibility of change to her home. She didn't trust humans much and in her experience, though the odd human was an exception, most were only out for their own interests. As far as she was concerned humans didn't even care about what gnomes looked like, all those statues of pot bellies and ugly noses, really the idea of closer interaction was more than she could tolerate. Hortensia and Archibold were taking her for a stroll through the snowdrops, as they walked and the gentle breeze and Spring sunlight eased their sadness, they discussed some of the realities that faced them.
'The problem is, that humans like to think that they own the land and sometimes that is a great folly. We know, because we have seen them come and go and the trees continue. Still they are capable of great damage when they move to make their mark, and sometimes as Archimedes says, in the long term who knows what is for the good?' Aunt Mildred snorted at Archibold's very muddled explanation and sucked fiercely on a mint humbug. 'Either we adapt, or we disperse - and our community is changed either way, pesky people thinking they know what is right'. Hortensia and Archibold smiled, by Aunt Mildred calling humans pesky, they knew she was beginning to let her feistiness override her fears.
They walked home in the golden light, cherishing the clarity and freshness of the afternoon. Soon the leaves would be in bud and there would be much work to be done. Hortensia was thinking of a nice onion soup for tea with cheese on toast and possibly some wild berry crumble for pudding. She tucked her arm around Aunt Mildred and gave her a hug, 'it will be alright in the end, you never know we might even like being with humans more!" Aunt Mildred smiled at her, but doubted very much that she would like being around humans on a daily basis, never-the-less her kindly niece was trying to cheer her up, so she sniffed loudly and offered her a mint humbug to make amends.
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