AHW

Hi, I’m Maia.  I’m one mouse out of the many mice in the forest.  One fall morning I rushed outside to find a light frost that covered the grass.  I knew I shouldn’t be outside.  My mother told me that in the winter all the mouse-bats would come hunt on little mice playing in the frost.  The frost was nice and cool on my fur.  Suddenly, I heard the cry of an angry mouse-bat.  It was like metal scraping metal.  I ran and ran and ran even when my paws hurt. Mom was right.  Mouse-bats sounded very scary.  Just as I got home I saw its right wing sweep by.  After that horrible experience I knew if I wanted to enjoy winter.  I was going to have to practice scampering 10 meters.   I practiced all day under the stars and sun.  The wind was always blowing against me as I ran the 10 meters.  My legs were on fire.  I pumped them up and down racing down the track.  After a few months when the snow started to fall, I was convinced I could do it.  One morning I ran out into the snow and saw a deer-spider.  It’s 8 legs easily scampered towards me.  I wasn’t ready for this.  I was ready for a mouse-bat.  With speed it got me in its mouth and carried me away.  I laid there in the slobbery saliva watching its antlers sway side to side. In no time I closed my eyes and fell asleep.  After what seemed like decades I found myself in a small house.

“She’s awake Marge,” said a voice.

Suddenly a squirrel scampered over to me.

“Who are you young lady,” said the squirrel handing me a berry, “I’m Marge.”

“I’m Maia,” I replied  biting into the berry, “How’d I get here?”

“Oh the spider deer hung you on that branch and while he wasn’t looking I got you into our house,” said Marge.

“I need to get home,” I said.

“Oh, the mouse holes are a dangerous journey away my dear,” she said, “Well, let’s try.  We’ll set off tomorrow.”

The next day we set off on her hawk.  We were smoothly flying until I heard a mouse-bat.  The hawk, scared of the noise, swerved down under the tree leaves until we were well hidden from the mouse-bat.  Out of the blue I saw a deer spider.  It charged toward us at full speed.  Marge’s hawk changed direction and charged full speed towards a tree.  At first I thought we were going to crash, but then I noticed that there was a door in the tree.  It opened and we soared in. Inside was a small chipmunk.

“Hello, Marge,” said the chipmunk.

“Hi Gertrude,” said Marge, “I’d like to introduce you to Maia.”

“What’s she doin’ here,” said Gertrude.

“I’m helping her get home.  One of them deer spider got her,” said Marge.

“You stayin’ here for the night?  Mouse holes is 3 miles from here,” said Gertrude, “A 1 hour dash can get you there in a snap.”

Marge looked at me.  I thought she was debating weather to go or stay the night.

“We’re going honey.  Get on the hawk and we’ll be off,” said Marge.

We hopped onto the hawk and we were off.  We flew for hours and hours until I saw home.  Once we landed I rushed to my mother, who was in tears.  I promised her I’d never go outside in the winter again.  When I turned back to say thank you to Marge she was gone.  I always remembered Marge and my mother’s words.  I always missed Marge and wanted to say thanks for saving me.