By CATE BARKER

“Kits, we are going to hunt, so stay here and don’t leave, we will be right back.”

The fellow kits mewed a yes as their parents trotted into the forest.

Elise turned to Malcome, “Are you sure it is safe to leave the kits in our den by themselves?’

“It’s fine. They are old enough to keep themselves safe. Plus, I told them to stay there,” Malcolme replied.

“If you say so,” Elise purred.

​Most of the time spent in the woods was more walking than hunting. 

Sure, mice and squirrels jumped out here and there, but they could not catch them.

“Shall we return home?’ Elise said to Malcome in an exasperated voice from all that chasing.

“Why not?” Malcolme replied disappointedly.

As they were walking back, a wolf jumped in their way!

By CATE BARKER

For as long as Alexa could remember she had lived on a farm.  

Sure, it had its ups and downs, but the one thing she didn’t like,  was that on the farm she did not have any friends. She had some friends at school, but nobody to play with since she didn’t live by many people.

​She walked across the edge of the forest separating it from the farm. She finally found a path leading into the forest. It was narrow and dark, but she didn’t care. It finally led into an empty spot in the forest. It was more than an empty spot, it was a magical place. It had a bustling stream with fish jumping in and out of the river. There was a big rock where she could sit on a patch of sunlight streaming in from a crack in the thick canopy, and an animal den. Alexa’s curiosity grew.

What animal lives in this den, she thought. She stepped toward the den and looked, but nothing was in it. 

“Honey, time for dinner,” she heard her mom holler. 

“I’ll see you later animal den, she thought, as she was leaving.