P-Perry Partridge - story

“Hurry up. I’m getting cold,” Bushy-Red squealed.
Hanging upside down, his claws clutched a large maple tree. His squirrel-fuzzy fur coat trembled in the wind.

He was very impatient. His black nose wiggled nervously. And his best friend, P-Perry Partridge was being a slow poke. They were supposed to go on a picnic.

“I’m almost finished,” P-Perry said.

He was a young partridge and had to practice his flying. So he ran down the path once more. This time his three-toed feet left deep marks in the soft soil.

Feathers flapped faster and faster. This time he landed almost on top of Bushy-Red.

“Yikes! Watch it!” the squirrel squealed.

“Try running like Fred-Fox the next time. And keep your head up,” HOOTY Owl chuckled. She was another one of P-Perry’s good friends.

The little Partridge was determined to fly from the ground to higher branches. He tried seven more times before he had success. Thankfully, crash landing on the ground only hurt a little.

Now the three of them sat together. From up here they could see far away. Greenwoods, their homeland was in a beautiful valley.

“Look at the tall woods on both sides,” P-Perry said.

“I see them every day,” HOOTY added.

“Yah, but I don’t,“ Bushy-Red scolded. “I think this view is really neat. So there.”

“Now, now,” P-Perry interrupted. He did not want his friends to argue. But they usually did anyway.

Pretty Pasture looked yellow under the noonday sun. The high grass was a safe place for the Dee-Deer to sleep.

“I can even see a tiny lake,” P-Perry said. He had never flown this high before.

“That’s North Pond,” HOOTY quickly answered.

“I was at South Pond once,” Busy-Red said.

Their large branch swayed like a swing, back and forth, back and forth. The blowing wind was always testing their balance.

Just then, two fat floppy crows flew by. “Hello HOOTY!” they yelled.

“HELLOOO,” HOOTY politely answered.

“Cheers to you too, Bushy-Red,” they said.
Bushy-Red was puzzled. “What does Cheers mean?” he asked HOOTY.

“It means, Be Happy,” HOOTY answered.

“Thanks,” Bushy-Red said. “CHEERIES!” he yelled out. Somehow the word did not sound the same.

“Bye-Bye, P-Perry.” They watched until the fat floppy crows were almost at Three-Trees. It was a meeting place for everyone in Greenwoods.

“P-Perry quickly placed one wing against his beak. “BYEEE-BYEEE!!” he yelled until it became an echo in the valley.

The three friends decided it was time to begin their hike.

P-Perry flew from branch to branch. All that flying practice sure helped.

Bushy-Red scooted up and down trees in their path. He even searched around each one for any of his buried treasures.

And HOOTY followed with the food sack. It was heavy and she had to rest often.

Finally they stopped beside Creepy Creek. It sang strange noises as it wound like thread through the valley.

P-Perry and Bushy-Red now set out the snacks. After all, HOOTY had carried the food this far. And three friends had to share in the tasks.

There was fresh leaf-tips and bush cranberries for Perry. Left over pieces of mouse meat for HOOTY. A small branch full of Hazel nuts for Bushy-Red was a real treat.

After full tummies they rested.

”Remember what happened yesterday?” P-Perry asked.

“That Ra-Rabbit was sure lucky we came along,” HOOTY answered.

“Yes,” said Bushy-Red. “Something was wrapped around Ra-Rabbit’s front leg.” He and P-Perry did not know it was a circle of wire.

“It came from the Village of Walking-Trees. Beyond Greenwoods,” wise HOOTY said.

P-Perry had never heard of that Village before.
They had time to listen to another one of HOOTY’s stories. He was always warning them about the Walking Trees coming to their valley.

“One autumn time I heard sounds of thunder and saw lightning come through the branches. Then Dee-Deer fell to the ground and had to go to Forever Place.”

P-Perry wrapped his feathery arms around Bushy-Red. The squirrel was sure shaking.

“Please. No more stories about those unwelcome visitors,” P-Perry said.

Better moments began with a nice cold drink from Creepy Creek. Then there was time to play.

HOOTY hid first. She found a low branch on a thick pine tree. And they could not find her. She had to call out, “Hoot! Hoot!” until they did.

P-Perry Partridge decided to hide under a log pile. But his friends could not find him. He had to beat one wing loudly against a fallen tree.
Only then did both friends locate him.

Bushy-Red was soon tired of this game. So they continued on their journey. And they kept a watchful eye for “HUSHY-Hawk.”

If that hungry bird caught HOOTY, he would eat her. Or, if he had a huge appetite, he might scoop up all of them, one by one.

They also had to be careful of C-C Coyote. And W-Wolf. They lived in the Dark Woods, way past North Pond.

Three friends now went for a swim.

They jumped and flew together off huge Rough Rock. It was better than a diving board. They shouted and splashed noisily.

And shook wet feathers and fur at each other.
After a nice rest, they headed home.

This time they walked across Pretty Pasture. And rushed past Lightning Tree.

“Long ago, a crooked arrow came from the sky, “ HOOTY said. “And bent that tree.”

They sang songs and laughed and yelled a lot.
Three friends hopped skipped and flew, with P-Perry leading the way.

Their happy sounds carried across the sky.
High above ‘Eagle Eyes’ slowly flapped her eagle wings. She was making sure three friends returned home safely.

Soon Greenwoods turned dark.

It made P-Perry Partridge and Bushy-Red very sleepy.

And HOOTY flew off until tomorrow.

* * *

© Richard & Esther Provencher