#jellyqueue

Jamie pricked up his ears. “What’s the colour from?”

“Try some first.” The Doctor held out the long sundae spoon and with a mental shrug, Jamie tasted it.

“Mmm.”

“Good?”

“Aye. It’s sweet. Sort of –” His mind raced, trying to find a comparison. Some sort of tangy fruit juice, he supposed, but also – not that. Sort of fizzy – but smooth – melting in his mouth into something like honey.

“Isn’t it?” The Doctor fed him another spoonful. Jamie wasn’t sure if this was the customary way to eat it, but he wasn’t complaining. “Fascinating taste – it’s a sort of, well – a, a sort of nectar.”

“From flowers?” Jamie sucked the spoon clean.

“Well, not so much a nectar as a – secretion.”

“A what now?”

“Do you, ah – do you remember those fabulous beetles we saw in the forest?”

“Aye, the great big ones?” Shining things they were, with wings like polished jewels. But he didn’t see what that had to do with – oh. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes!”

Jamie looked at the bowl, feeling his stomach start to turn. “They eat beetles?”

“Not exactly,” said the Doctor. “More – milk them.”

“This is – beetle milk?”

“With ice!” the Doctor said brightly.

Jamie pushed the bowl away.

“Oh, come now,” said the Doctor. “You liked it before you knew what it was.”

“Aye, that was before I knew what it was!”

“Just a little more.” The Doctor scooped some up. “Hmm? For me?”

Jamie shook his head.

“Open wide! Here comes the aeroplane!” Waving the spoon at him, the Doctor started making strange, high-pitched noises. “Neee-ow! Nee-ow!”

“What’s an aeroplane?” said Jamie. “Hey – no! Mmm!” The Doctor prodded again at his mouth with the spoon, pushing at his closed lips. “Mmm!”

“Open up!” laughed the Doctor. “Neee-oww!”

Jamie batted him away and said, “if I eat some more will ye stop makin’ that noise?”