"We have a very nice house annoyingly far out of town," laughs Solvei. "Once in a while I convince Ghys to let me have a big party, and the rest of the time I either visit someone or I make friends with the deer."

"Are the deer friendly?"

"Not if they notice you."

"Your friendships are doomed."

"I make friends with the deer very stealthily."

"Sounds to me like you stalk them. Those poor deer. Who will save them."

"Come now. Would I stalk a deer? Look at this face," she says, with a look of comically exaggerated innocence.

"I bet you would stalk a deer. And probably put flower garlands on it, too, you monster."

"How dare you accuse me of such crimes! I am innocent! Innocent, I tell you!"

"Of all days for me to forget how to perform a citizen's arrest! It had to be this one!"

Solvei cracks up into helpless giggles.

"But if I ever catch you frolicking with deer, watch out."

"No, no. If you catch me frolicking with the deer, then my plan has succeeded and I am no longer stalking them."

"You'd be frolicking. The deer would be helplessly attempting to escape you, obviously."

She shakes her head firmly. "Not at all. The frolicking and flower garlands only begin once they have accepted my presence."

"Through insidious psychological conditioning. Unconscionable."

"Sitting still for hours on end until they think I am an oddly dressed tree, then bringing them food. The machinery of friendship!"

"Won't they? Oh, I see, I forgot a step. In between the tree impersonation and the bringing them food, I obviously have to ostentatiously kiss a girl."

"Ah, that makes everything all right, then."

"The lack of volunteers has of course been why befriending the deer has been taking me so long."

"A serious problem. I'm given to understand lesbians are rare around here."

"So it would appear. Of course, you never know. We could be surrounded by deceivers."