Planning Tiger Lily a Birthday Party

"And so for thirteen long years, the whereabouts of the princess remained a mystery, while deep in the forest, in a woodcutter's cottage, the Three Young Animal Girls carried out their well-laid plan. Living like mortals, they had reared the little girl as their own and called her Tiger Lily."

Looking out the window, Tiger Lily hummed a lovely tune called "I Wonder," attracting many bluebirds. For thirteen years, her hair had grown larger and her eyelashes longer, though she still had her peach skin, red hair, and blue eyes. Resting over her eyes were a pair of black square glasses (decorated with white lenses), and, on the left side of her head, there was a light yellow star barrette that complemented her outfit - a blue shirt with a yellow star on it, a black miniskirt that went down to her knees and matching pumps sheltering her feet, and a buttonless white lab coat that was worn open over her clothing - which went well with the white knee socks and black Mary Jane shoes covering her feet. She was indeed beautiful. As she hummed a tune, she closed the shutters to her window and walked away.

"On this her thirteenth birthday, the Three Young Animal Girls had planned a party and something extra special for her surprise."

Marie, Angel, and Nala were downstairs looking over a book of dresses, picking something out to make for Tiger Lily, who is actually Susan Test. By the time the day is over, they can finally tell her that she was a princess.

"Well, now about this one?" asked Nala, as they look over the book. And they found the perfect one.

"This is the one *I* picked." said Marie.

"Oh, she'll look beautiful in that!" Angel smiled.

"Now I thought of a few changes here..." said Marie.

"Uh-huh." said Nala.

In the book, the Three Young Animal Girls found a light blue dress similar to Merida's dress.

"Don't forget a pretty sash." said Angel.

"Yes, and we'll lace the shoulder line." said Marie.

"We'll make it lavender." said Nala.

Marie giggled. "Oh no, silly, fuschia."

"But..." Nala began.

"How about ocean blue?" suggested Angel.

"Of course, we'll need a pair of shoes and bloomers to match..." said Marie.

"Yes, but how are we going to get her out of the house?" asked Nala.

"Oh, I'll think of something." said Marie.

Of course, they didn't know that Tiger Lily walked down the stairs and into the living room and heard them.

"Well!" Tiger Lily smiled.

Marie, Angel, and Nala hid the book from the girl's eyes as she walked towards them. "And what are you three dears up to?"

"Up to?" repeated Nala.

"Up to?" repeated Angel.

"Up to?" repeated Marie.

"Eh, eh, eh, we, we, well, we, we ..." stuttered Marie, as she tried to say something. Tiger Lily continued to stare at the kitten, puppy, and lioness cub with a lovely smile. And she doesn't know that she was a princess and her real name was Susan.

As Marie tried to think of something, Nala spoke for her. "Want you to pick some berries." she finished.

"That's it, berries!" said Marie, as she handed Tiger Lily an ocean blue cloak with a hood attached to it and a decorative button at the neck and showed her to the door in a quick manner, leaving her confused about what was going on.

"Berries?" said a confused Tiger Lily, as she put the cloak around her shoulders, buttoned it up, and put up the hood.

"Lots of berries!" said Angel, as she, Marie, and Nala escorted her out the door.

"But I only picked berries yesterday." said Tiger Lily.

"Oh, we need more, dear." said Marie.

"Lots, lots, more!" added Angel.

"Yes!" said Nala.

Then the kitten, puppy, and lioness cub pushed Tiger Lily out of the cottage through the front door. She looked back with a suspicious look and smile on her face. Something's not right with them.

"Now hurry back, dear." said Marie.

"And don't go too far." said Nala.

"And don't speak to strangers." said Marie.

"Goodbye, dear!" called Angel.

"Goodbye!" called Nala.

"Goodbye!" called Marie.

"Goodbye!" said Tiger Lily, as she waved goodbye and walked off deep into the forest, carrying the basket in her hand.

Then the kitten, puppy, and lioness cub closed the door and got back inside. "I wonder if she suspects." said Nala thoughtfully.

"Of course not, come on. Will she be surprised!" said Marie, as they went around the room, gathering things. Marie went to the trunk and took out multiple fuschia fabrics and sheets as Angel went into the kitchen to find ingredients to make the birthday cake. All three are very excited. "A real birthday party!" said Nala.

"With a real birthday cake!" said Angel.

"Yes, and a dress a princess can be proud of!" said Marie.

"I'll get the wands." said Nala, as she headed up the stairs.

"Yes, you...the wands?" said Marie. But she was startled when Nala mentioned the wands and closed the trunk quickly.

"Oh no!" gasped Angel, who was also startled.

"No wands, Nala!" Marie warned.

"But the thirteen years are almost over" Nala protested.

"We're taking no chances." said Marie, as she handed Nala the fabrics for making the dress.

"But, I've never baked a fancy cake." said Nala.

"Oh, you won't have to, dear." said Marie

"I'm going to bake the cake!" Angel called from the next room.

"You?" asked Nala, who was kind of surprised.

"She's always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance." said Marie.

"Well,..." said Nala, who was not so sure about Marie cooking.

"I'm going to make it twelve layers with blue and white, star fruit, periwinkles..." said Angel, as she thought about what to put on the cake.

"And I'm making the dress." said Marie.

"But you can't sew, and she's never cooked!" said Nala.

"Oh, it's simple." chuckled Marie.

"All you do is follow the book." said Angel.

Marie pulled out a small stool and directed Nala to stand on it. "Up here, dear. You can be the dummy." she said.

"Well, I still say we ought to use magic." said Nala.

Then Marie threw a sheet of fuschia cloth over Nala and began cutting with a pair of scissors.

Then Angel laid all the ingredients for the cake before her. She looked into the book and read the ingredient instructions. "Flour, three cups." said Angel, as she searched for them, muttering, "Cups, cups, cups, cups, cups..." At that moment, Angel realized that the three cups of different sizes were already on the table and used them to pour flour into the bowl. "One, two, three."

Marie cut a circular hole into the sheet. "What's that for?" asked Nala.

"Well, it's got to have a hole in the bottom." replied Marie.

"That's for the feet to go through." added Angel.

Then Marie tossed the sheet over Nala again, and Nala noticed there was something wrong with the sheet. "It's fuschia!" said Nala.

"Oh, lovely shade, isn't it?" Marie smiled.

"But I wanted it lavender!" complained Nala.

"Now, dear, we decided *fuschia* was her color." said Marie, flatteringly.

"*You* decided?" asked Nala.

Marie giggled to herself as she left Nala inside the sheet and went over to get tape measure. Nala mumbled incoherently until Marie came back with the tape measure and wrapped some around the waist.

"Two eggs, fold in gently." said Angel, reading from the book. But she didn't understand what *fold in* meant. "Fold? Oh well." Angel shrugged, and she just put two eggs into the bowl and folded them in. She pressed down on the batter, and she heard the shells cracking, causing the batter to overflow from the bowl.

Now Nala was completely covered in the fuschia cloth from head to toe. "I can't breathe!" she called, whose voice was muffled under the sheets. Marie cut the cloth open at the top, and Nala popped her head and arms out and took a look at the dress from the inside. "It looks awful!" Nala complained.

"That's because it's on you, dear." said Marie, cutting the remaining cloth from the right side.

"Now yeast, one tsp. *Tsp*?" said Angel, looking into the book. This time, she didn't understand what the word *Tsp* meant.

"One teaspoon!" Nala corrected her.

"One teaspoon, of course!" Angel giggled sheepishly. She put the yeast on the teaspoon and finished adding the rest of the ingredients to the batter.

Then Marie measured the size of the dress. "Oh, gracious how the child has grown!' she exclaimed.

"Oh, it seems only yesterday we brought her here!" said Nala, remembering the old days.

"Just a tiny baby!" said Angel, remembering as well.

Then all of a sudden, Nala sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. Marie and Angel saw that.

"Why, Nala!" said Marie.

"Whatever is the matter, dear?" asked Angel.

"After today, she'll be a princess. And we won't have our little Tiger Lily!" Nala sobbed tearfully.

"Oh, Marie!" said Angel, who began to cry about Tiger Lily as well.

"Now, now, now, now, we...we...we...we all knew this day had to come." said Marie, shedding a tear and wiping it from her eye as well. It had been thirteen years, and they began to think of Tiger Lily as their own child that they never had.

"But why did it have to come so soon?" Tears slid down Angel's cheeks.

"After all, we've had her for thirteen years." said Marie.

"Thirteen wonderful years!" Nala said dreamily.

Then there was a moment of silence as they thought about the wonderful years they had with the child. They fed her, bathe her, and helped her go to sleep. Nala sniffled and wiped another tear from her eye again. Then suddenly, Marie changed her expression. "Good gracious, We're acting like a lot of ninnies! Come on, she'll be back before we get started." said Marie And they all resumed their work.