Eric and The Fox
Chapter 19 - A Noisy Reunion
Chapter 20 - A Secret Talent
Written by Karen Backway
Read by Rachel Anderice
Unable to contain herself, Sylvie burst out from behind the rocks the moment she saw Eric and Lucas in the open field. She bounced along joyfully then she stopped suddenly, terrified.
“What’s the matter?” Eric called out to her. Bounding straight for her was a badger claws out ready to swat.
With a great leap, Eric lunged forward. Lucas slipped off his back, just before the badger and Eric tumbled to the ground. Sylvie ran to help Lucas, and Billy picked both Lucas and Sylvie up by the scruff of their necks, placed them on his back and clattered back to safety.
The stunned badger ran off as soon as he could, Eric threatening him if he dared return.
“All in a good day's work, huh?” Eric said when he returned to the rock.
Eric was smothered in hugs and kisses and reprimands.
“Running off like that, in The Champlain Hills and Ridges,” scolded Sylvie.
“Huh, as if you should talk,” argued Eric.
“Enough already,” interrupted Lucas. “Introductions please.”
“Oh, right. Lucas, this is Billy and Clarissa from The Twin Pine Valley Mountain Goat Herd. And Radar is a bee scout from the forest bee patrol. Everyone, this is Lucas, Chief of The Ferrets of Vallorest Island.”
“Valer-what island?” asked Lucas looking puzzled as did Vivian, Rod and Sylvie.
“Really? Vallorest Island is what the forest folk call the island. Vallorest is the forest and the valley combined and Vallorest Island, is well, the island. The puppers named it this past summer after the fall of the flat rock trail. I guess we should tell others that.”
“Perhaps a map is in order then,” interrupted Moon.
“Moon, Spunky!” cried Eric, leaping up and knocking them into a tumble.
“Oh here we go again, another noisy reunion in The Champlain Hills and Ridges,” complained Billy, laughing.
“Time to go,” said Spunky.
“Yes, yes,” said Clarissa. “Kids waiting.”
“And puppettes too,” added Moon.
“Puppettes?” asked Vivian, confused.
“Yes Mama, that is what the pupper gang calls the fox pups… puppettes,” explained Sylvie.
A very happy bunch, the group shared stories as they trotted along, Lucas riding on Eric’s back.
“There is a goat herd on Vallorest Island, Clarissa. Apparently they came up along the river from the south and settled onto The Horseshoe Cliffs of the island. Two does, Misty and Mello, helped us find and rescue Vivian and Rod from nasty badgers,” said Eric.
“Oh we must meet them someday,” said Clarissa. “That would be delightful.”
“There is a small problem with that,” added Eric.
“How is that?” asked Clarissa.
“The bridge we used to cross onto Vallorest Island is a one way bridge,” explained Eric. “There is an invisible barrier that stops passage back to the forest mainland.”
“That is how we got stranded on the island,” explained Rod. “We never would have left the puppettes, as you call them, willingly for so long.”
“And that is why we had to come home through The Champlain Hills and Ridges,” said Sylvie.
“Eric cast an amazing spell too,” said Sylvie, very proud of him.
“A spell? Eric?” asked Spunky. “Eric cast a spell? Did you know he could do that Moon?”
“No idea,” answered Moon. “Hmm. We must mention it to Shine and Sunny.”
“Truthfully I was bluffing,” said Eric. “I didn’t expect it to work.”
“Regardless, you freed us from months of slavery to those nasty badgers,” said Lucas. “Eric turned them into kind badgers who helped us escape some nasty badgers on the ridge.”
“Can we fetch you some water?” mocked Sylvie, giggling.
“Have a pleasant journey,” added Vivian, laughing.
“Interesting adventure you have to share, but this is our turn,” said Billy. “Someday we will hear the whole story.”
“Thanks for the adventure,” Clarissa said, waving as she and Billy turned toward home.
