The Squirrel's Rabbit Friend

The Squirrel's Rabbit Friend Jane MEADOW

High in the tallest oak tree lived Hazel, a small squirrel with russet-orange fur and a bushy tail that curled above her back like a soft orange question mark. Every morning she leaped from branch to branch, her red acorn-cap satchel bouncing at her side. The whole forest stretched below her like a green and golden map. 'The treetops are the best place in the world,' she chirped to the wind. 1

One breezy day, a rabbit hopped into the clearing beneath Hazel's oak. He had soft grey fur, long upright ears with pink inner lining, and a blue scarf tied loosely around his neck. 'Hello up there!' he called. 'I'm Pip. I'm new to this forest.' Hazel peeked down through the leaves. 'I'm Hazel! Come up and see the view!' But Pip's ears drooped. 'I can't climb,' he said quietly. 2

Hazel scampered down to meet him, her tail flicking with curiosity. Pip showed her how he hopped—boing, boing, boing —over logs and stones. 'And I can dig,' he said proudly, scooping a little hollow in the soft earth. Hazel tried to dig too, but her paws were made for gripping branches, not soil. 'I can't do that,' she sighed. For a moment, neither of them knew what to say. 3

Then Hazel had an idea. Her dark brown eyes sparkled. 'You can't climb, and I can't dig,' she said. 'But what if we made a trail that uses both?' Pip tilted his head. 'A trail?' 'Yes!' said Hazel. 'Treetop viewpoints for me, ground-level tunnels for you, all connected together!' Pip's pink nose twitched with excitement. 'A friendship trail!' he cried. 'Let's start right now.' 4

They began at the base of the oak. Pip dug a snug tunnel beneath the roots, patting the soil smooth with his strong back feet. Hazel gathered twigs and woven grass to line the tunnel's walls. 'It's cozy in here!' Pip called from inside, his voice echoing happily. Hazel peered into the dark opening. 'And it comes out right by the big flat stone!' she said. 'Perfect for a lookout.' 5

Next, Hazel chose a sturdy branch and showed Pip how to build a little platform of sticks and moss. 'This is a viewpoint,' she explained. 'From here you can see the whole forest.' Pip couldn't climb up, but he could pass supplies from the ground. He tossed up twine and soft leaves, and Hazel caught every one. 'Teamwork!' she laughed, her bushy tail swaying for balance as she tied the last knot. 6

High above, Rowan the owl watched through his small round spectacles. His golden eyes blinked slowly. 'What are you two building?' he hooted. 'An adventure trail!' Pip answered from below. 'It connects the treetops and the ground so everyone can play.' Rowan nodded wisely. 'A fine idea,' he said. 'Trails are better when they welcome everyone. I shall tell the neighbours.' 7

Word spread through the forest. Bramble the hedgehog peeked out from under a fern, a green leaf tucked behind one ear. 'A tunnel?' he whispered shyly. 'I love tunnels.' Pip waved him over. 'Come try it!' Bramble scurried through the little passage and popped out the other side, his tiny nose twitching. 'It's wonderful!' he squeaked. 'I've never had a trail before.' 8

Hazel and Pip worked all afternoon. They laid a path of flat stones between the tunnel and the oak, so small paws wouldn't stumble. Pip dug two more tunnels—one under the berry bushes, one beneath the fallen log. Hazel built three more viewpoints, each one higher and grander than the last. 'The trail is growing!' she chirped, leaping from branch to branch to check every platform. 9

At last, the trail was finished. It wound from the tunnel under the roots, past the flat stone lookout, up to Hazel's highest viewpoint, and back down through the berry-bush passage. 'Let's test it together,' said Pip. He hopped through the tunnel while Hazel raced along the branches above. They met at the middle stone, laughing. 'It works!' they shouted. 'The whole trail works!' 10

Rowan fluttered down to inspect their work. He adjusted his spectacles and walked the whole path, hopping from stone to stone. 'Remarkable,' he said. 'But one thing is missing.' Hazel and Pip looked at each other. 'What?' they asked. Rowan smiled. 'A sign to invite everyone.' So they carved a wooden sign together: ALL FRIENDS WELCOME. Bramble helped paint the letters with berry juice. 11

That very evening, the neighbours came. A family of mice scurried through Pip's tunnels. Two young foxes bounded along the stone path. Bramble brought his cousin, who squeaked with delight at every turn. Hazel led a tour along the treetop viewpoints, calling down descriptions of everything she could see. Pip hopped below, pointing out the tunnels, and everyone found a part they loved. 12

When the sun began to set, the friends sat together on the flat stone. 'You know,' said Hazel, curling her tail around her paws, 'I thought the treetops were the best place in the world.' Pip leaned against her, his blue scarf fluttering. 'And I thought tunnels were,' he said. 'But the best place is wherever we're together.' Rowan hooted softly from his branch, and Bramble nodded, his leaf bobbing. 13

From that day on, Hazel and Pip met every morning at the trail. Some days they raced through the tunnels. Some days they sat on the high viewpoints and counted clouds. They learned that friends don't have to do the same things—they just have to find things everyone can enjoy. The trail grew busier and happier with every passing season.