The Autumn had crept into the Elderberry Patch quietly. Suddenly, the blue skies and sunshine of Summer had turned into the grey skies and cold crisp of Autumness. The last of the Summer sunshine was burning away. It was being replaced by a cold crisp of wind. The leafs were starting fall from the sky like they were dancing in the wind. Other leafs fell into the woods near Elderberry Patch like snow falling from the clouds.
As the Autumn rolled on, the wind picked up in pace. It blew the trees to make them sound like ruffling waves from the Ocean.
This weather wasn't something you looked forward to as a wild animal. The Autumn isn't something that you looked forward to as a wild animal. The colder weather, the food is scarce - something which is not appealing to the furry critters in the woods. This was especially true for one little squirrel this year - Mr Nutty.
Mr Nutty lived in the Elderberry woods. The woods were mainly made up of oak trees. A stream ran through the middle of the woods. The woods had a meadow on one side of it, and the village on the other side of it. There were different animals that lived in this wood - foxes, badgers, deer, squirrels, frogs, and all different types of birds.
Mr Nutty was one of the many residents living in the Elderberry woods.
One Autumn morning; Mr Nutty was out gathering nuts in the woods. The sunshine suddenly disappeared - a cold icy air crept into the woods. It made Mr Nutty shiver; even his grey bushy tail shivered with the coldness.
He was on his way to his favourite tree. A tree where he always went each Autumn to collect food for the approaching Winter.
When he reached the tree, however, it was gone. Vanished. All that was left of the tree; was the destruction of it. Mr Nutty dropped the nut that he had been carrying in his mouth, in shock at what he had just discovered.
His little hands covered his mouth as he stood up straight in shock.
It was gone. The tree was gone.
The tree that Mr Nutty had relied on every Autumn to get him through the Autumn and Winter months, was destroyed.
Mr Nutty heard ruffling leafs coming from behind him. Someone was coming. Before Mr Nutty could turn around to see who was coming, a hedgehog stood there at his side. The hedgehog stood, stopping to stand there with Mr Nutty looking upon what was once the tree.
Mr Nutty turned to look at the hedgehog, to find that the hedgehog had a tear rolling down his eye. ''My home was there. In that tree.'' said the hedgehog, to Mr Nutty.
Mr Nutty looked half sad and half fearful a the hedgehog, ''What happened?'' asked Mr Nutty to the hedgehog.
''The humans. They logged it, just as I was coming home late this morning.'' replied the hedgehog tearfully.
The Animals of Elderberry Patch Autumn Cont...
Mr Nutty turned to look at the hedgehog who had a tear rolling down his eye.
''What happened?'' asked Mr Nutty
''My home was there. Under that tree.'' replied the hedgehog, nodding to what was the tree.
The squirrel looked fearful at what the hedgehog was telling him; he leaned slightly backwards, as if something was pulling his back backwards, and opened his eyes wide in fear.
The hedgehog continued to speak in a teary voice, ''The humans, they logged it just as I was coming home late this morning from being out at night looking for food. I came back to notice...this.'' more tears ran down his face.
Mr Nutty gasped, his eyes grew wider in fear, ''By on humes orders? I mean, by on who's orders?'' he said, shocked at what he was hearing.
Recalling what he saw, the hedgehog went on:
''I saw some men putting the logs of the tree in the van. The van read 'c o u n c I l' council. That's what the van said.''
Gasping and covering his mouth with his little hands again, the squirrel replied, 'But what are...council? What are the council?' he said while looking around, as if he was looking to see if there were humans around them.
The hedgehog turned his head slightly to Mr Nutty, looking at Mr Nutty, he said, ''The humans elect the councils. They elect the councils to serve them.'' he finished while trying to wipe his tears away from his eyes.
''Serve?!'' replied Mr Nutty in disbelief and shock. ''Serve...?! To do...to do THIS?!'' pointing his little arm at was once the tree.
''Yes.'' replied the hedgehog sadly.
''But my food...for Winter!'' replied Mr Nutty, as he walked towards the tree stump with both his arms out, pointing towards the tree stump.
Mr Nutty then through his head back and cried, ''IT'S GOOOOOOOOOONE!!'' he then clenched his fists and continued, ''How will I survive?! I have no food!''
Then he through both his arms back out, ''And your home...gone! Destroyed!''
''Spiky is my name'' replied the hedgehog, sniffling.
Mr Nutty turned around to look at Spiky, ''Spiky?!'' he replied with a slight nod. ''It's nice to meet you Spiky; I'm Mr Nutty.'' he walked forward with his arm stretched out. Spiky lifted both of his paws from the ground slightly, and shook Mr Nutty's paw. ''Nice to meet you Mr Nutty.''
He dropped his little hedgehog paws back down and shook his head slightly from left to right, ''Not just my home...my baby was in the tree when they logged it.'' another tear rolled down his eye. He nodded his head towards the tree stump again, ''I found him, my little baby, dead. He was lying in the entrances to the tree.'' more tears flooded out of him.
The look on Mr Nutty's face turned from one to fear; to one of sadness. Tears also swelled up in Mr Nutty's face.'' Your baby was in that tree?'' he replied sadly.
Holding back his tears, Spiky replied; ''Yes, it was our home.''
''But...but, I don't understand. Why would they kill your baby? Destroy your house? And, take away, take away, my food?'' Mr Nutty replied in a sad whisper.
Spiky sat down, with his hands clasped in front of his body; ''The humans elect the councils...to serve them.'' wiping a tear from his eye.
'Serve?!'' replied Mr Nutty in disbelief. His voice grew louder and angrier, ''SERVE?!...to do, THIS?!'' he said while pointing towards the log.
''Yes.'' replied the hedgehog wearily.
''BUT...but...what about my food for Winter?! How will I survived?! How will you survive, with no home? What have we ever done to them?!''
Out of nowhere, a deep voice from behind them said; ''Oh dear...we are in trouble!''
©JenniferHelenJohnstone
To Be Continued...