A light mist rising from the grass and plants of the small creek just moments away gave notice to the coming dawn. Soft, purple light began to grow beneath the far off trees. A crispness of air, almost audible, rushed into Sugarfoot’s nose as he softly awoke. Crickets chirping and a gentle gurgle of water were all that he could hear.
Now he understood why his elderly grandfather has always insisted on this location. The nearby spring ensured that water flowed year round; at a wonderfully constant temperature for the animals that depended on it. Grandfather had spent many seasons perfecting all of the hidden doors, compartments, and security features of his “resting spot”. Few creatures had the pain threshold to follow Grandpa and his friends into the back brush that he and the other members of the Earth Clan carefully groomed into ...
[ Continued ]
