Ash peered about the clearing to make absolutely sure he was alone. Satisfied that all was quiet, he searched the surrounding area for a sturdy twig and found one that had a fork on one end. He picked it up and tested the weight in his paws. It would do. Snapping off the forked section, he set it aside and began tossing debris from the clearing to create a relatively smooth surface next to the moss-covered log.
He grabbed his gathering basket from where it was hanging on the log and trotted it over to the base of a nearby tree, depositing it on the ground after he took a big bite from the strawberry inside. An old acorn half buried in the dirt caught his eye. He dug it up, brushed it off, and hurried over to the log, placing it on the knob where his gathering basket had hung only moments before. Nodding, he picked up the staff and stared at the acorn.
Stepping back into the clearing, he stood tall on his hindpaws and gripped the twig firmly. Raising it above his head, he swung it through the air, battling imaginary enemies with his makeshift staff. He grunted, stabbing an invisible foe with the sharp end and pulling it back, imaginary blood dripping from the tip. In one enormous leap, he launched himself into the air toward the log and struck the acorn hard, knocking it from its perch. It landed with a thud and tumbled across the dirt like the skull of a fallen enemy until it came to a rest nearby. Ash breathed hard. He did it. He took down his enemy. Now if he could just do that for real...
High in the canopy, a dark mousemaid and a woodpecker with a blind eye watched him. They glanced at one another, an unspoken conversation passing between them in the space of a second. There was more to this mouse than met the eye...
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