Kentucky Tails. Betsy Byrne

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      ‘I was so hungry; I wasn’t worried about it, till I had my belly full. That’s when I fell asleep, and awoke here in Kentucky. I chewed my way out of the bag.’ ‘I didn’t hear any sounds and thought I was alone. Of course it turned out that I wasn’t, but the lady opened the window in the room, and I escaped out of it.

      I have met Dexter, who has told me that under no circumstances am I to EVER go near his tree. That’s how I met your kind mate, Netta, and she nursed me back to health, with the help of your boys. I’m finding it very intriguing here, that I’m not sure if I’ll leave. I just feel that I was meant to always be here, I really do feel I’m ‘home.’ Peter smiled, as he sat back on one of the many tree knots above the surface of the branches.

      ‘Don’t worry about Dexter. We’re working on trying to find a way to strong arm him into leaving. He’s about the meanest cuss I’ve met in my life, and he has no right to try to control everyone. I’ve been on an excursion, trying to pick up any volunteers that would want to live here in peace, but help rid us of Dexter and his likes.’ ‘I’ve found more than a few, so I’m hoping that there won’t be any problems in trying to filter through the ones who are on their way back here.’

      Most of them have bedded down in thick brush or high up in the trees. They said that they’d feel safer attempting to come up the hill in the daylight. Netta pointed over to where the boys were, and a warm smile came on Peter’s face. ‘I’ve missed my family so much. Let’s get some sleep before the boys wake up.’

      Oh, that sounded nice, to relax and watch the stars, while the wind rocked the trees slowly in Mother Earth’s gentle wind.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      BULLIES NEVER PROSPER

      Nobody noticed until morning, that the nest that Netta had so lovingly made for her family had been enlarged. There were many colored threads woven within the twigs. There was material used to make the nest even more secure. As the sun arose, Penny, who was so use to being up early to watch the wondrous sun rise at the canyon, noticed a glimmer of gold, which had also been woven into the nest. Netta always kept a basket on the elbow of a branch, so she could take it with her to gather acorns and herbs.

      The basket was also very large with a huge bow at the top of the handle and a small card that said ‘welcome home, y’all!’ Someone must have come this morning. The family was so tired, and still sleeping hard, that they didn’t hear. The basket was filled with acorns that still had the morning dew on their backs. A pile of bird seed, whoever did this kind gesture, must have had to maneuver around the various birds.

      All of nature is famished after the long nights, which means that there are a lot more birds around than usual in the canyon. ‘Where did those seeds come from though’ Penny wondered. In the canyon, she didn’t remember ever finding food or bird seed just sitting on any random rock. Some animals knew the places that humans left food crumbs, or the snack stands that purposely left bird seed and bread crumbs out for all. There’s no snack stand here, so . . . ?

      Still, the sunrise was beautiful as always, just different than before. All of a sudden, Penny felt a light tap on her shoulder. As she spun around, there was Dexter, salivating over the basket. ‘No, you leave that alone.’

      ‘It’s for Peter’s homecoming, to share with his family, this morning.’ ‘I told you to stay away from me and to mind your own business you squirrely female.’

      He swung his hand back, ready to knock her off of the tree branch when someone behind him, grabbed his arm. ‘Didn’t your Mama ever teach you how to treat a female, you filled to the gill dung beetle?’ It was Peter, and he did to Dexter what was about to happen to Penny. When Dexter fell through the various branches, screaming like a banshee, he hit the ground with a thud. He was definitely hurt bad, because he even needed help to get up.

      ‘I better not find you in MY tree again, or anywhere near my family’, shouted Peter, (with a proud and erect stance, I must say). Dex was so hurt, he was unable to answer, but one of his two cronies that were there to bully the neighbors, picked Dexter up on one side, as his other buddy was already at his opposite side, ready to lift. ‘You’re going to be sorry for this, Peter, you know that’ as Hogarth, a rather large bunny shouted. Olver, the wolf was on the ground, laughing so hard, he rolled down the green, hilly grass. Peter was glad to see that Olver witnessed the incident as he was going to ask the wolf to join the crusade that would oust Dexter.

      Peter picked up one of the acorns and threw it with excellent aim. It hit Hogarth square between the eyes, ‘Be off with you, you bunch of bullies. Morn’in Hunter, I notice that we never see any of you tough guys out by yourself, what are you afraid of anyway?’ Hunter spit on the ground, ‘why don’t you come down the tree and talk to me that way.’ Peter laughed, ‘because, my friend, I’m out numbered at the moment and I’m not so stupid as to think I’d have much of a chance with all of you with your balled up fists.

      Speaking of out numbering, I got a little surprise for the lot of you; you’ll see it when or ‘if’ you dare to come back later today. Dexter had his arms around each of his friends, his head hanging down, and he was dragging his feet and moaning. The three of them just staggered off. There came crying from behind Peter, it was Netta. ‘Peter, why did you do that?’ You know that Dexter will be back now and bring an army of his cruel ones with him. Now I fear for our boys sake’. Peter went over to Netta and wrapped his arms around her, talking softly to her, while he patted her shoulder.

      ‘Don’t worry, love. I brought back so many who are as mean as that bunch, and like to be pushed around as much as anyone else. We’ll be alright, I promise you.’ ‘Look, said Penny handing the huge basket over to Netta. ‘Now you don’t have to go hunt for berries or acorns this morning and I even see that someone has also left you some cornbread-oh, it’s still warm!’

      Actually, Penny’s little ploy to try to get Netta’s mind off of what just happened seemed to work. Peter gave a quick glance over to Penny, as in thanking her for what she just did. Penny was so grateful to him for saving her from that awful fall from the tree, that she felt redeemed now. ‘Look here too, Netta, someone has woven gold threads in to your nest. I guess last night, we were all so tired, and it was too dark to see.’

      Netta started laughing, ‘Look Peter, the fireflies won’t be the only ones glowing soon,’ as she pointed in the direction of the two boys. They were rubbing their little eyes, just as one of them noticed, ‘cool, look Mama, Papa, someone wove some glowing threads in to where me and brother sleep. They could tell that the threads would glow, because they had seen the green color in the daytime before. ‘Fireflies won’t have anything on you boys, laughed Peter, ‘now that the action is all over, let’s eat’! ‘What action, Daddy? Oohh, cornbread, this one’s mine.’

      Little Chet never did have much of an attention span, but this time, Netta was grateful for that. Since all the neighbors were up, everyone decided to have a real break ’feast’; together.

      Mr. and Mrs. Bumpus had hidden acorns in nearby places so the little ones could hunt for them where their parents could still see them. There were many Red Tailed Hawks seen lately, and everyone was a bit on edge at the idea of not having their babies in sight. Fern and her little one’s collected a few huge baskets of various tree barks and the most scrumptious berries from the house next door’s garden.

      Most squirrels won’t try to get anything from over there. The man has a rifle, and is very cranky. Netta had just made a huge batch of the apple cider that everyone raved about. Penny had never seen a community come together like this. It was amazing to her.

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