The Romp

What's inside

        After clearing out the entrance to Liam's den, the Doctor is finally able to enter. Inside, the time lord finds a whole family: Liam is one of many.

        "Skrit chiir soo. Si Chiri." Liam introduces the Doctor.

        "Si Grir" "Kiir si Kaggh" "Ahrah, sos kir." The Doctor is bombarded with introductions.

        "Okay, I assume Liam has told you that he invited me to stay here?" the Doctor mumbles

        "Grii" says Joeseph, Liam's father. "Sah niir sao siin."

        "Oh, I won't be a bother." the Doctor replies, grinning through his tears. "I think you'll find that I can be quite helpful, too."

        After introductions, the Doctor explores the rest of the den. He sees a few tunnels that he can't fit through, and a quick examination reveals that they are almost unused. Reasoning that they must be for storing food in Winter, the Doctor moves on. A few tunnels later, he finds a very large one, heavily trafficked. It leads to a big pile of fish and vegetables. The storage tunnels. Interesting. He leaves it, feeling confused, and goes outside to help fish. After a few attempts, the Doctor gives up on catching them by swimming after them, the way Liam and his family do, and weaves a net from the vines on the nearby cliff. Having much more success this way, the fishing trip is quickly over. Over dinner, the Doctor asks about the unused tunnels. "Why do you have those two tunnels over that way-" the Doctor gestures "-that no one has used?"

        "Siir saraa?" responds Liam's sister, Megan.

        "I... what? I'll show you after dinner."

        After dinner, the Doctor goes with Megan to see the tunnels he found that afternoon. They are gone. "I don't understand," the Doctor tells Megan. "They were right here." Megan chirrups skeptically and walks back to the sleeping rooms. Watching her go, the Doctor doesn't see something. When he turns back, the tunnels are there again. "Wha-" the Doctor has no time to react before he is back in his sleeping room. "How? What? I... uh..."  the Doctor collapses.