Her mouth twitched, and she stuck her tongue out in an odd way. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and she tilted her head, almost as if trying to figure out what was happening. She smacked her lips again and again, shaking her head slightly. Something wasn’t right.
The caretaker, who had been tidying up nearby, noticed immediately. “Oh no! Lily, what did you eat?!” they exclaimed, rushing over. Lily sat down, rubbing her mouth with her tiny hands and making little clicking noises. Her lips puckered strangely, and her tongue kept darting out, as if the taste or sensation in her mouth was completely wrong.
The caretaker quickly scanned the ground around her and spotted a half-eaten chunk of something—not a fruit they had given her, but perhaps a piece of an unripe plant or something dropped by a bird. It wasn’t toxic, but it definitely wasn’t meant for Lily to eat.
Gently, the caretaker offered her a bit of clean water to wash her mouth. Lily sipped it, then shook her head dramatically, letting the water dribble out. She made the funniest face—half disgusted, half confused. It was clear she didn’t like whatever aftertaste was lingering.
“Poor girl,” the caretaker said softly, wiping her chin. Lily smacked her lips again, then made a loud “pppfff” noise, spraying tiny droplets everywhere. Even though it was a bit concerning, the sight was almost comical. Her big, expressive eyes told the whole story: “That was awful. Why did I even eat that?”
Within a few minutes, the bad taste seemed to fade, though Lily still looked a little suspicious of everything around her. She carefully sniffed a banana the caretaker offered, hesitating before taking a small, cautious bite. Once she realized the banana was safe and delicious, she relaxed, chewing happily and letting out a tiny sigh of relief.
The caretaker couldn’t help but chuckle. “Let that be a lesson, little one—just because it’s on the ground doesn’t mean it’s food.”
