In The Woods

Chapter 6

The Preparations
          Elm woke up.  It was very early and still very dark.  He stretched and looked around.  Stars still shimmered in the heavens like diamonds and Maple's leaves reflected the moonlight.  He smiled at his friend sleeping next to him.  Suddenly he jumped and looked around.  He had heard a soft rustling noise beneath him.
         Mole crawled under one of his roots, scratched his head, and yawned.  "G' mornin', Elm.  Boy is it a dark morning," he said, wiping the sleep from his eyes.  Elm laughed quietly. "Hush, Mole! You frightened me.  It's only four o' clock in the morning; that's why it's so dark!  You'd best go back to your home and get some sleep, or your wife will be worried when she wakes up."  Mole yawned again. "Okay, I'm tired anyway," he shrugged, his bright eyes glinting in the moonlight.  Then the scampering rustle was heard once more and Elm relaxed. 
         "Hello," whispered Raccoon, making poor Elm jump again and whip around. "What are you doing up?  I didn't know Elm trees were nocturnal!" he joked, munching on a fish.  "Ha, ha.  I'm not nocturnal, I was just thinking.  Today will be a busy day, getting ready for our war, and I was just thinking about it."  "I imagine it will be busy," agreed Raccoon. "You had best go back to sleep, because you'll need your energy in the morning.  I do my work at night, obviously, and while you are working, I'll be resting up! "  He smiled up at the tree. "I'm serious, get some rest!" he said gently, and then he, too, ran off.

         The sun came up bright and cheerful through a thin misty haze at about
7:00 am, and Elm had had a good night's sleep.  The sun's rays peeped in between his branches and spread gingerly across his face.  He woke up to Maple's gentle voice calling, "Elm, it will be a busy day today.  You'd best wake up," and her soft leaves brushing against his strong limbs. 
         Elm looked around for the second time that morning.  It was bright and sunny, and the dew still shimmered on his leaves.  Everyone was busy doing something, so he stationed himself with Hawk to help collect boulders to drag to the Meeting Hill.  Badger put Mole to work digging out gullies by the river where Raccoon got his fish.  Squirrel was busy planning the squirrel attacks.  Even Willow was busy doing something, if not a bit sulkily. Wolf was carrying Rabbit on his back, and when Elm looked at him funny and snickered, he smiled, blushed, and lowered his head slightly  and said he was helping her round up all the other rabbits while he found the wolves and bears. 
         They had to find everyone to set up a meeting to figure out their plan of action. Then Rabbit said, tugging at the thick fur on his shoulders, "Come on, Wolfy..." then she blushed, paused and said, "I mean, Wolf!  We have to find everybody before noon, or it'll be too late!"  "Okay, Little Bunny," he answered softly, and she giggled, waved at Elm, and they ran off to find the wolves, rabbits, and bears.  Elm just stood chuckling at them for a while.  Suddenly Old Oak's deep voice rumbled across the wood from the Meeting Hill.  Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen.
         "Today is a very busy day, and all of you know why; the Exterminator will arrive here late tomorrow, and we are creating our defence.  We must work together to keep our forest safe.  All of us must try our best.  One slacking animal or tree could be the downfall of the entire wood.  Let's do all we can to keep our forest safe."  "You all heard the man!" yelled out Mrs. Dormouse, whiskers twirling and fur very frizzy, "Let's protect our for'st and ourselves!  No slackin' from any o' you snifflers, or I'll be tannin' yer hide with me cane, I will!"
         "Well said," remarked Wolf jokingly.  Rabbit was still up on his back, messing with his ears and ruffling the fur on top of his head.  Every so often, Wolf would playfully snap at her and she would fall backwards giggling and have to grab onto his tail and climb back up.  Mrs. Dormouse turned on him and said, "Would ya'll like to test me?"  "No," he said, "not particularly."  "Well, yer pretty dang close to gettin' a downright sore bottom, ya'll are!"  He raised his eyebrows a bit and gave a half-smile.  Rabbit started to laugh at him, and so he chuckled, too.  Mrs. Dormouse eyed him suspiciously and rapped him on the head.  Then she turned on her heel and walked away.
         
         Now all the preparations were being made.  The wood was a bee-hive of excitement and full of activity.  Tomorrow would be their battle, and though they knew ghastly scenes were in store for them, they prepared calmly and cheerfully.  If all went well, there forest would be safe and the Exterminator would once again be driven out of their forest.  If not, all the trees would be cut down and the animals homeless and there would no longer be the Meeting Hill or dew covered leaves in the morning or spunky Old Mrs. Dormouse to cheer everyone up.  If they lost, the forest would be gone.