A Walk In The Forest

 

            Cherry and Koba were both free range children. Why not? Every inch of the Great Forest was their dedicated playground. Ah, but the Silver River is another matter. The river moves through the Great Forest, a sort of interface with the outside world.
            One day that fall, Cherry and Koba were visiting Bunny Town and getting to know the new children, who were now old enough to come out and play, and get to know Cherry, and her nephew Koba. It was always alright with the mothers and fathers if their children played with Cherry near their burrows. They were not allowed to range the forest at their young ages.
            However, in any family, or extended family clan, there is always one. That special one who has a lust for adventure. One with a born-in need to raise his little head, lay back his ears and look further than his nest mates. Alas.
            This year the visionary was Leap, named for his father. From his birth, as soon as his eyes opened, he had been trying to leave the burrow. In fact, his mother was glad to have Cherry keep an eye on Leap. It gave her a few moments to attend to the other three without worrying.
            So, on that day, Leap and Cherry and Koba were sitting in the grass beside the trail running past Bunny Town. Leap was demonstrating his jumps to the cheers of the others. He obviously would be a very fine big rabbit someday.
            Suddenly he stopped jumping right in the middle of the path. He was facing the river and his nose was twitching, and quick as a bunny, as they say, he took off at a dead run up over the hillock between Bunny Town and the Silver River.
            Cherry and Koba had no choice but to follow him and bring him back to his mother.
            To gain the advantage of height, Cherry rose into the air over the path. Koba his blue star form, did the same.
            “Can you see him?” Cherry called.
            “He’s going straight to the river,” said Koba.
            The rushing water must have called to Leap, for that’s just where he was heading, as fast as he could go. The children followed close behind, and did capture little Leap just before he lept into the water. So it appeared that for that day, all was well in Bunny Town. Leap’s parents, Leaper and Missy, said he would have to stay indoors for two days, as punishment, to remind him about the rules.
            Oh, but while the children were catching Leap, an inflatable raft was drifting down the river, heading toward town. The occupants, two biology students from the local college, glanced up into the air near the tree line. Their mouths dropped open.
            They didn’t know what they were looking at. One hears of orbs, of course, but everybody knows that’s not real, thought Larry. But there it was, right there. A blue light, about as big as a beachball maybe. It was brilliantly shining, like some sort of heavenly body, he thought.
            Dianne, the other student, said, “What’s that!” when she saw Cherry’s small blond form aloft beside the blue light thing. “It’s carrying a rabbit!” she hollered.
            “No way!” said Larry, steering the raft toward the pebbly beach.
            “What are you doing?” said Dianne.
            “Can you imagine what would happen if we got photos? Don’t you want to be rich and famous, Di?” said Larry, with a plan in his eyes.
            He managed to beach the raft and tie it off on a very large granite boulder, which was right there and handy. They grabbed their cameras.
            Now, we know the situation with the Mouth of the Mountain. She is no longer able to swallow passersby, even those who are trespassing, but she does know a thing or two.
            As Larry and Dianne passed her, she laughed. They looked at each other, and kept walking.
            “Who was that?” said Dianne. Larry shrugged.
            “I see that blue thing down that path!” said Larry. Larry was no poet.
            In a moment they were among the trees. The path vanished, leaving only brush, in the dim light. Pushing his way through a large scratchy bush, he said, “They can’t be far ahead of us!”
            The light went out. It was as dark as midnight. Dianne grabbed the back of Larry’s belt and hung on. “I don’t know about this..” she said, but he kept walking.
            Something very large and dark flew over their heads. They could barely see it, but they could hear the big wings thrusting the air aside as it moved deeper into the forest.
            “Keep your camera ready,” said Larry.
            “I think we’re going in circles,” said Dianne. “I’m seeing the same brush, and broken places where you broke them, Larry. Let’s go back. I don’t think we’re getting any photos today.”
            But he wasn’t done yet. He pulled Dianne around in the dark for nearly an hour before he stopped and sighed.
            “I don’t even know anymore how to get back to the river,” he said.
            “There is a little light over there, let’s go that way,” said Dianne, pointing to her right.
            Larry was tired enough that he listened to Dianne, and complied. In a few minutes they could hear the river murmuring ahead of them where the light was stronger. Their steps quickened and soon they walked out onto the beach of the river.
            The raft was still there, just as they had left it. Larry untied it from the big boulder and shoved it into the water, allowing Dianne to hop in first. Just as it was clearing the rocky bottom, Larry hopped in too.
            The raft resumed its drift to the west.
            “You know what, Di. I didn’t see a thing, and neither did you. Right?” said Larry.
            “Right,” said Dianne, but actually she had, and she never forgot it either.

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