Journey to Hope: Free Reads

Pond-Sneak joins the Paradise Place

Told From Minnow's POV))

The swift, chilling winter winds were chilling my fur, and stinging my eyes. Winter time. Sometimes pleasant, other times nasty. 

Ever since Dusk learned how to make fire, us Paradise Place mongooses adapted that technology. We have a fire running in our most open part of the Water-pack meadow. A circle Rocks stacked and sealed by dry mud. The amber flame burned bright, glowing the snow under it orange. I was outside, in the snow, tired and worn out. My thick fur kept me from freezing.

Suddenly, I heard some snow crunching.

That was weird. Most of the pack was at a Willow Tree gathering, which took place in the day now. The mid-sun, or noon, of the half moon. 

I picked my head up, my long neck aching from laying in one cold spot for so long.

It was a skinny looking weasel. They had gray fur, and beady eyes full of curiosity. They looked like they meant no harm. They were much smaller than me, that's for sure.

"Hey there, you're on Water-pack territory, do you need something? If not, can you please make an exit?" I said.

They hesitated. "Oh, uh... well..." it was a male voice.

The weasel animal sighed. They looked at me for a good awkward moment.

"The name's Tritree, I'm a dog weasel from a sneak from the Quarry road trail. Oh, dog means male in our language, I ain't no canine," he said. I nodded.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Minnow, Second in Command of Water-pack. Do you need something, sir?" I asked.

"Well- what are you doing out in the cold? Our sneak is hiding in burrows, and we're froze. And- how are you so plump this time of year?" he asked with a rasp to is voice.

Plump? Rude. But he was right- all of us Paradise Place mongooses had more winter fat than other wild animals, due to our year long food supply. 

"Well... we are blessed by our- and your- afterlife. We were given a never frozen river, and prey population by the hundreds. This is the Paradise Place." I explained, trying not to brag.

Tritree just sighed. After some time of awkward eye contact, he turned his head to look at the river.

"Can I have a fish or two? My mate has pups, and the pups will die without their mother eating," he asked.

"Of course! Water-pack has plenty. We help those in need!" I answered with a peppy voice. I moved my head in a gesture for him to follow me. His head only came to my flank. He walked next to me, and we went to the stream. He looked at the large stream in awe. It wasn't ice."

"This is our stream. It feeds most of the Paradise Place during winter." I explained. He leaned his head in to get a closer look. After a moment, he poked his head up as fast as a bird does.

 "There's so much fish in here!" Tritree exclaimed. 

"Watch this," I whispered. I stepped one paw into the freezing river, and then another. I leaned my head close to the water. Two fish swam by my paw. Once another one swam by, I batted it's eyes with my paw to stun it for a second. Then, I slapped it out of the water with my paw, and bit it's neck. Dead fish.

"Woah!" He laughed, like a mongoose pup coming out of the burrow for the first time.

"I know right?" I laughed. He laughed too.

Soon, I looked behind me, and five more weasels- and three pups, were behind me.

"Sorry for spying on you- we just wanted to see if Tritree found a good place for us," a she-weasel said.

"Oh, that's good... wait, you're looking for a new home?" I asked.

The weasels nooded all at once. I sighed. Where would they stay? Shade-pack already took the good Ever-long forest territory.

"You guys can stay in Water-pack for a while while we find you a good home."

-------------

Three days later

The weasels loved living here. I smiled, watching the little kits play with the pups. 

"Minnow? Oh, there they are." Lupin said, walking back from across the stream with Pond.

"We found a nice place with a pond on the other side of the upper stream," Pond reported.

I nodded. 

Once I lead the new weasels to their new home, two immediately started digging burrows. The others stayed.

"Thank you for your kind hearts," Tritree squeaked with a calm smile.

"Of course!" I said. I paused before asking, "Does your sneak have a name?"

"Not before, but we decided on a name! Pond-sneak!" He exclaimed. He nuzzled my shoulder in a friendly way before bouncing off into his new territory.