Blades of grass whispered to eachother the secrets of nature. The flowers that hid among them peaked above the tips, their vibrant petals shining in the twilight. The sky above revolved in cosmic synergy, pushing the moon into submission behind the mountain tops, and pulling the sun into its place, chasing away shy stars. This place was so tranquil, so quiet. Somewhere far off, hidden in the maze of the forest a wolf sang of it’s loneliness. It cried for it’s companions to come back to it. There was no response. Cumbersome dew drops hang lazily among the restless grass blades. A bramble bush sat in the center of this field. It’s was both a menace and a sanctuary.

Among it’s roots a mouse emerged. Timidly it gazed around, its big black eyes unblinking. Its nose twitched, whiskers sticking straight out. After a few rapid heartbeats of silence the creature shot out of it’s haven and ran for an oak tree. Once there it put its tiny paws on a nut and stuffed it into it’s cheek. Then another. With its mouth full it scampered back to its home, tail streaming out behind. It repeated this pattern three times. On the fourth time, the little mouse was under the tree stuffing its cheeks with food for the impending winter, when it sensed something. It froze, ears perked, eyes unblinking, nose twitching.

The wind rudely shoved the tree tops and they roared in protest. The one the mouse was sitting under swayed, it’s rigid trunk creaking. After the wind ceased its assault everything was silent. The mouse, after a second more, continued its search for food. Step by step it ventured closer to the woods, every other step pausing to listen. Then it stopped. There was something in the bushes. Something large. The mouse turned around and began to slink toward it’s home across the field. Then a fox exploded from the brush. The mouse leaped forward and ran, zigzagging through the grass. The predator behind it was close. It’s breath could be felt on the mouse’s tail. The pair tromped through the field, wildly trying to achieve their goals. The mouse furiously ran for the safety of its bramble bush, and the fox madly tried to capture its potential meal.

Closer and closer the sanctuary came. The mouse was tiring. Its little legs wouldn’t carry it much farther. The fox behind it was coming closer as well. Once or twice it’s paws could be felt on the poor mouse’s tail. A few seconds later the mouse was plunging into it’s hole under the roots. The bush bent and shook, and outside the fox yelped. There was a second of silence, then little bits of dirt and gravel began shower down on the scared little mouse. The light from the entrance flickered as the fox dug at the hole. Every now and then he stuck his nose down, trying to reach the mouse. The little furry rodent crept deeper and deeper into its burrow, way back to its deepest food stores. There it sat, catching its breath. It could faintly hear the fox still digging.

Nightfall came. The moon rose with its entourage of stars and chased the sun into hiding. The mouse had fallen asleep among it’s cache of acorns. It woke with a start and froze, listening. All was silent. It slowly crept towards the entrance hole. As he neared the stench of fox was overwhelming. The entrance was imploded by about three mouse lengths. There were gouge marks as deep as the mouse’s leg. It poked its head out and listened. The creature could only hear the racket of crickets. It took a timid few steps out and sat, ears perked, eyes unblinking, nose twitching. All was silent. So the mouse bravely skipped into the field. As it stopped to pick up a seed it heard rustling behind it. The mouse turned its head to see what it was and saw the fox leaning towards it. The fox spread his jaws and took the mouse, breaking its spine. After swallowing his meager snack, the fox trotted away, in search of more.