I heard only the leaves rustling softly.
"Do you understand? I'll give you until I count three to make an appearance! One!"
The glade remained deathly silent.
"Two!"
I thought I heard a stirring somewhere, as if a small, brittle twig had snapped in the underbrush.
"Three!"
And with that the little people suddenly appeared.
The leader—he seemed more wizened and bent than before—approached me slowly and warily as I stood there. The others all followed at a safe distance. I smiled to reassure them and then waved my arm in a friendly gesture of greeting.
"Good morning," I said.