by Nut Jump (Nut Jump is a chipmunk)
“Hey Kick, see the lily pads on the pond down there?” Nut shouts across to his sister as they soar on their crow rides. Coll, Nut’s crow partner, shakes his head up and down, up and down. He begins to circle and slide toward the water.
“Caw, caw, caw,” he agrees with Nut.
“Let’s beat them to that splash, Nell,” Kick laughs. She and crow Nell slip to the ground. The sun curls everything and Nell and Coll’s feathers spark with black.
The water feels cool, the current gentle. Nut runs and leaps! He lands in the middle of a lily pad! Water rushes over his feet, but he does not stay, but leaps again, and again, jumping from pad to pad to pad! The lily pads bow and swong under him, pushing him up or sideways, even down. But his strong haunches keep him skittering along, till finally a lily pad sends him flying askew into water! It’s cool and sweet.
“Ha, ha, ha!” Nut snorkles, as he rises to the surface.
Behind him Nell, crow arms raised, leaps the green pads.
“Hee, hee, heeee, hee,” laughs Kick, “you got eight, Nut, but what a dance!”
“You try,” shouts Nut, and swims in to shore.
“After you, Coll,” says Kick, smiling at her friend.
“I plan on spearing a few fish when I fall,” says Coll. “I’m hungry for dinner!”
“Yum!” says Kick.
