A Tale for Winter

A Tale for Winter Rebecca Trenner_

It was a cold and miserable January, filled with rainstorms, harsh frosts and a gusty wind that made the trees creak, as their roots clung to the soil for support. The grass was clothed in a cloak of silver and the trees were tipped in white. Most of the animals of the forest were still in hibernation from the autumn months, safely sleeping in their grassy beds and earthly homes. All except one, a young bat named Vladimir, who had not been able to sleep for the howling of the wintry winds. Hanging from the branch of an old oak tree he shivered, with only his wings wrapped around his small body to keep him warm. His feet were bitterly cold and the icy coating on the branch made it hard for the tiny creature to hold on. Vladimir fell into the bed of fluffy snow and frozen grass beneath him. He was all on his own and feeling lonely without his friends, who were fast asleep, hibernating in their dark cave. Vladimir, who was freezing cold right through and missing all his furry friends, began to cry. Suddenly he heard a sniffling noise come from behind him. He turned around to see what looked like a small pile of brown pine needles wandering towards him. As the mysterious creature came closer it lifted its head up to reveal two dark beaded eyes and a funnel nose. It was a hedgehog, who had also been unable to sleep for the whistling of the winds. The hedgehog introduced himself as Horace, and explained that he too was feeling lonely, wandering the forest on his own whilst his friends slept in hibernation.

The wintry weather was getting worse and the snow was falling so thick the two animals were being buried alive. Both Vladimir and Horace decided they needed to find shelter, before they froze beneath a mound of snow. They trudged on through the snowy blanket for hours upon end, until they came across a shadowy cave, lurking at the deepest, darkest end of the forest. Although the cave was dark and fearsome it was a shelter from the snow and cold winds that had frozen the small creatures. They entered the mouth of the cave, anxious to see if ...

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Receiving no reply the two set about collecting some food and making a bed for the winter’s night ahead of them. The snow and squally winds were getting worse and creating a blizzard outside. The two animals realised they could be spending a few night in their new found cave.

It was fast approaching night, and both Horace and Vladimir were very tired from their long day battling against the winter weather. They lay their heads down on their grassy beds , and both fell fast asleep. After just a few hours of slumber Vladimir was woken by a grumbling noise coming from the bottom of the cave. He woke, startled to see a huge grizzly bear approaching him. The bear looked hungry and his stomach was rumbling so loudly it woke Horace too. The immense animal towered over Horace and Vladimir, and both were so frightened they could not move. The bear was coming closer and closer, and with a great sweep of its paw it tried to attack Horace. Nervous and fearful the young hedgehog curled himself up into a prickly ball. As the bear’s paw came in contact with Horace’s spiky outer skin the forceful beast lurched his head up in pain and began to whimper. Seeing this as a chance to escape, Horace uncurled himself and started to leave the cave with Vladimir flying close behind him. But the bear was not finished with either of the pair. He was starving hungry and in desperate need of food, a tasty bat or a succulent hedgehog were just what he needed. Seeing Vladimir flying about, the bear stood upright and with both his paws began forcefully striking the bat’s flight path, desperately trying to knock him from his flight. Vladimir flew in a zigzag pattern, flying high then low, sweeping from one side to another anxiously attempting to escape the bear. But the bear was too fierce. With a huge clout he knocked the little bat from the air to the floor of the cave.

Horace, who was hiding in between the branches of a bramble bush, watched as the huge bear carried Vladimir to the bottom of the cave, ready to eat him for dinner. As Horace slyly followed the bear to the end of the cave he noticed a huge cooking pot, with steam rising from it’s top. He wanted to help Vladimir, but he knew he was no match for an enormous grizzly bear and would probably be caught and put in the cooking pot as well. He watched as the bear placed Vladimir on a sturdy wooden table and took both the salt and pepper to the pot, to season the broth boiling within it. He added a pinch of Rosemary, two sticks of cinnamon, some elderflower branches and a teaspoon of something green and slimy from a jar. He stirred the mixture with a large wooden stick and sniffed the aroma of his homemade broth. The soup was ready, all excluding one ingredient, a fresh infant bat. By this time Vladimir had woken from his unconsciousness and was yelping, restlessly trying to escape, but the bear had held the bat down and was ready to drop him into the cooking pot. His feeble screams echoed through the cave, bouncing off the walls into the forest. The bear licked his lips, for bat soup was one of his favourite meals, and a dish he had not eaten in a long time. He lifted Vladimir above the cooking pot so he could feel the heat of the steam rising from the bubbling broth. Just as the bear was about to let go of Vladimir, a huge congregate of bats came flooding into the cave. So many that the bear was blinded by the sight of them and fell over letting go of Vladimir, who flew straight into the crowd of bats, gathered within the cave. Neither Horace nor Vladimir knew that the snow outside had melted and the animals had come out of hibernation. The bats had heard Vladimir’s cries for help and had come to rescue him from the ravenous grizzly bear. Vladimir was extremely happy to be reunited with all his bat friends, who he introduced to Horace. Some of Horace’s friends had come along too, having heard all the noise coming from the cave and mistaking it for a post-hibernation party! Once all the bats had settled and found places to hang from, the bear stood up. He saw that the snow outside had melted and padded out of the cave to find a tasty tree to feed from. With a free cave all to themselves, the small creatures of the forest had a party until the sun came up. Whilst the bear found himself an alternative soup recipe, made from woodlice and dandelions, rather than bats.