by Inkwolf

(This was just a story I wanted to keep.. Simple, and kind of have the vibe and element of the book The Redwall by Brain Jacques, he’s my favorite author! Enjoy!)

It was a beautiful fall day on the banks of Crystal Creek, the sun reflected off the steady, clear stream of water, causing it to sparkle and gleam. A family of otters was playing the creek, splashing and laughing together. “Now stop that!” The sister otter, Lilac said, trying to block the water being splashed on her by her much bigger, older brother, Sampson. “Okay, okay,” Sampson stopped his splashing.

“Children!” Mother otter called, “Come out of the creek, it’s time for lunch.” Sampson and Lilac made their way out of the stream, accepting a towel from their father and thanking him, both wrapping themselves in the soft, wooly towel. “What did you bring, Da?” Lilac asked, sitting down on the blanket set out underneath a large ash tree that’s leaves were almost gone. “A nice, large, fresh summer salad,” Father otter said, taking out of the basket a container of salad enough for all four of them and more, “Fresh clover bread, a flask of cranberry juice, pea and carrot pot pie,” Father otter took out more of the basket’s contents, also getting plates, silverware, and glasses, “Honey glazed biscuits, pumpkin pie and plenty of lemon cream tarts.” he finished, laying out the last of the delicacies. Sampson licked his lips, rubbing his hands together, “Oh wow!” he said, eyeing the food hungrily, “They all smell so good.”

Meanwhile, nearby in the woods, a ferret and friend to Sampson and Lilac named Alexander was lounging, in fact, sleeping in the branch of a fir tree, snoring loudly. Suddenly, his eyes shot open, nose twitching and inhaling deeply. Alexander sat up, still sniffing the air, “What is that smell?” he asked himself, starting to climb down from the branch.

Elsewhere in the woods, Tia the beaver was working hard at building a dam in the river, when suddenly, she smelled something- Something really good! She set the heavy log she was carrying on her shoulder to the ground, “Perhaps I should investigate,” she pondered out loud, and soon confirmed to herself, “I will!” she marched westward toward the creek, and to where the smell was coming from.

Back at the creek, the family were about to dig into the food, they first had a prayer, and once Father otter finished with an “amen” they were surprised to look up and see Alexander the ferret, Tia the beaver, Benny the owl, and Rosemary the rabbit standing in front of them. “We were wondering where that smell came from,” Alexander said, and Rosemary nodded, “We were wondering if…” Benny continued for Rosemary, “If we could eat with you?” then Tia continued and finished, “If you have enough food to share, of course.”

“Could our friends eat with us, Ma?” Lilac asked, her brown eyes glittering with hope and anticipation. “Yeah, could they? We have plenty of food!” Sampson added, asking just as child-sounding as his sister. “I don’t know,” Mother said, looking to Father, “That is up to your father, he is the one who knows if we have enough, he packed the picnic.” everybeast looked to the father otter, but he quickly replied, giving a soft and kind smile to them, “There is plenty to go around! Dig in, everybeast!”

With grand smiles, the other creatures joined in, the otter family scooting over to make room on the blanket.

That afternoon was filled with good food, good fun, and good friends. They ate, drank, and laughed together.