TITLE: Rebel Explores the Woods By Elizabeth Budd 02/08/07 |
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND |
Rebel was a beautiful silvery-gray cat. He lived in a little brick house near the woods. His people took very good care of him. He always had enough food and water. His litter box was always clean.
Rebel took good care of his people, too. He kept mice and moles out of the yard. He played with the silly toys they bought him.
Next door lived three black and white cows. A big white dog named Murphy lived there, too. He had long floppy ears and a waggy tail.
Rebel liked the cows. But Murphy chased Rebel up trees and stood at the bottom, looking up and laughing. Rebel didn’t like being laughed at.
Rebel liked walking in the woods with his people. Every day they found something new.
One day they found a clump of yellow daffodils.
Another day they saw bright red strawberries.
They even discovered a pond!
Rebel wanted to catch the fish swimming in the water. But he didn’t like getting his silvery-gray fur wet.
Rebel never explored the woods alone.
He stalked mice and moles in his own backyard.
He climbed trees to keep away from Murphy.
He took naps in the flower garden.
He was always on the porch when his people came home.
But one morning, Rebel thought about the yellow daffodils.
He thought about the bright red strawberries.
He thought about the fish swimming in the pond.
He decided to explore the woods all by himself.
So when his people left for work, Rebel sneaked out.
He ran away from the brick house.
He ran toward the yellow daffodils.
He ran toward the bright red strawberries.
He ran toward the pond to catch fish. At least he thought he was running toward the pond.
Rebel stopped running. He’d never been alone in the woods. He wasn’t sure he liked it. He looked around.
Where were the yellow daffodils?
Where were the bright red strawberries?
Where was the pond with the fish swimming in it?
Suddenly, Rebel heard a noise in the leaves. A cat with three little kittens was walking near him. At least he thought she was a cat.
She had shiny black fur and a white stripe down her back.
She was not happy to see Rebel. She bared her teeth and growled, “Grrrrrr.” Rebel scooted under a bush. He didn’t like her at all.
When she was gone, Rebel crawled out. He began walking through the woods again. He looked this way and that way.
There were the daffodils!
There were the bright red strawberries!
There was the pond with the fish swimming in it!
He liked exploring the woods.
Suddenly, Rebel stopped. A red dog was running toward him. At least Rebel thought he was a dog.
He had black socks on his long legs. His tail was very fluffy. His sharp nose was pointing straight at Rebel. His beady black eyes were staring at him.
Rebel ran! He ran as fast as he could!
He ran past the yellow daffodils!
He ran past the bright red strawberries!
He ran past the pond with fish swimming in it!
He jumped inside a huge pile of broken tree branches! The fox ran around and around the pile. Rebel watched him.
Suddenly, the fox ran away! Rebel was alone. At least he thought he was alone.
“Woof! Woof!”
Rebel peeked through the branches again. He saw the big white dog with the long floppy ears and waggy tail. Murphy was right outside Rebel’s hiding place.
Rebel crawled out. He rubbed against Murphy’s white fur. He peeked around Murphy’s long floppy ears.
Murphy licked Rebel’s silvery-gray fur with his red tongue. Rebel didn’t like being licked.
He ran toward his little brick house. At least he thought he was running toward the house.
He raced up a tall tree. He looked through the branches. There were the three black and white cows!
There was his little brick house!
And there were his people, looking for him!
“Rebel! Rebel!” they shouted.
“Meow,” he answered. He looked down. Murphy was standing at the bottom of the tree, looking up and laughing.
Rebel liked being home.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.