Story: A Friend In Need
“Wow! It’s cold out here this morning!” Pip, the deer mouse shivers.
“The leaves are turning colors and falling to the ground. Autumn is near,” Mia, the blue jay kicks over a few leaves foraging for acorns.
“Here’s another one!” Pip picks up an acorn.
“Hey, Pip! There are a bunch of acorns over there,” Mia points to the base of an oak tree.
“We almost have enough to last all winter,” Pip smiles, knowing there is plenty of food for the winter now.
“What do you think about checking with Rosemary, the rabbit? She might need help finishing her stash for the winter,” Mia suggests.
Pip nods, “Great idea! Let’s go check! Her burrow is not far from here.”
Rosemary sees them coming up the trail and frantically cries out, “Pip! Mia! Help! It’s my burrow! It’s… it’s collapsed!”
“Collapsed?” Mia gasps, “What happened?”
Shuddering, Rosemary gathers herself, “The… the rain last night… the rain and mud caused the entrance of my burrow to cave inward!”
“We can help you fix it, Rosemary!” Pip comforts her friend.
Mia nods, “Let’s see what we can do.”
Pip scurries to the burrow entrance for a closer look at the damage, “Mia look at this. The mud made a mess and the wall on this side caved.
Rosemary, still composing herself, stares at the damage, “Do you think I have to dig a new burrow?”
“Don’t worry, Rosemary,” Pip smiles. “We can fix it.”
“That’s right,”
Mia encourages. “We will clear away the mud and repair the wall. You will be back in your burrow soon.”
Rosemary smiles with a quiver, “Thank you both!”
Pip jumps up from the burrow entrance, “I will gather sticks for the wall. Mia, can you look for a few branches we can use? Rosemary, start clearing the mud and we will be right back to help you.”
“On it,” Mia chirps and takes off.
Rosemary digs her paws into the mud, “Yes, I can do that.”
“You’re doing great!” Pip calls to her friend. “We will have it repaired in no time.”
“I hope this works. This has always been my home.”
Pip pulls a branch over to the burrow, “Imagine sitting in a cozy warm room in your burrow this winter, Rosemary.”
Mia swoops down with a bundle of sticks, “I found these near the river. They should work nicely.”
Rosemary kicks the last of the mud away, “There! We can start the repairs.”
Pip inspects the opening of the entrance, “Let’s use the sticks to keep the walls from falling again.”
“This might work!” Rosemary’s exclaims.
Placing the final few sticks in position, Pip stops and looks down, “Did you feel that?”
“Feel what?” Rosemary realizes.
“Oh!” They each gasp!
Mia sees a crack in the back wall, “What’s crawling out of it? They are glowing!”
Staring at the sight, Pip exclaims, “Fireflies! They are firefly larvae!”
“But, where did they come from?” Mia whispers.
“Oh! I completely forgot!” Rosemary giggles. “There is a small room near the back of the burrow where they like to gather. I haven’t seen them in ages.”
Pip’s eyes sparkle in the glow, “They look like living lanterns.”
Mia chuckles, “They brighten up the burrow.”
“They do glow like stars, and make the place seem extra cozy,” Rosemary observes.
“It is beautiful,” Pip agrees.
Mia places the final stick to hold the new wall, “This is a fun repair job.”
“The lightning bugs are settling down now,” Rosemary packs the last of the dirt around the sticks to hold them in place.
Pip steps back and inspects their handiwork, “Looks good!”
“And, even better with firefly lanterns,” Mia winks.
Rosemary admires their work on the burrow, “Thank you both. It looks great!”
Mia adds, “You now have the best burrow in the Watercolor Woods! Imagine how cozy it will be this winter with fireflies glowing all around.”
“Warm and cozy!” Rosemary gazes into her burrow.
“It’s getting late, Mia,” Pip notices. “We need to head home. Enjoy the night in your newly lit burrow, Rosemary.”
Pip and Mia wave goodbye to their friend and head home to their cypress tree in the Watercolor Woods.
