Our friend Murray - Chapter 5

It was now mid-day and our friend Murray was resting from his torrid date with the stream now below him.

“Gentry! What a morning this has been.”

And with that, our friend Murray walked along the limb above the stream to greet the other side and get his eight feet on solid ground once again. The wind was strong in this area of the forest and he moved solidly and purposefully with each step. He could see a wide open area before him with an imposing barn in the near distance. He decided to continue in that direction and see where the day would take him at this juncture.

“You certainly seem to be having quite a day, Murray.”

“Oh, well, yes, indeed. Quite a day!”

“What would you say is next for you?”

“Oh I shouldn’t shudder to guess. I will see what comes naturally before me.”

“Life is always full of befores and afters.”

“Yes, and right now, I am no longer after too much adventure, for I have certainly had more than enough before me already.”

“Time to rest?”

“Yes, soon after I get over to that barn.”

And with that, our friend Murray continued on through the open plain slowly but assuredly toward the barn before him.

There was a simple hole in the ground directly to his right. Suddenly a small nose popped out of the hole, wriggling and sniffing around, with short whiskers on either side. Our friend Murray took little notice and shuffled along the way.

However, our friend Bess, the prairie dog, was taking distinct notice of our friend Murray and all of the surroundings. For she wanted to make sure her pups would be safe to frolic in the afternoon sun. After our friend Bess felt assured that the spider posed no harm to her family, she jumped out of the burrow and four of her little pups followed her out.

Bess spoke out over to our friend Murray, “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“Why yes, it is. I’ve been having an adventure.”

“You’re not from around these parts, are you sweet pea?”

“I’m from inside the forest behind me and traveled across the stream today.”

“Well, welcome to the open plain. My pups and I are about to forage for some lunch.”

“Interesting indeed, pray tell, what do you like to eat? I certainly hope it is not spiders.”

“Oh, dearie, no, don’t you worry about a thing like that, you hear?”

“Well that does certainly improve my own situation.”

One of the pups quietly whispered to his mom and our friend Bess turned to him and said, “Why that’s a spider, child. They eat mostly bugs and build fantastic webs with string.”

He quickly returned to her ear and whispered again.

“Now, now, you can say hi to him from here. We have a busy day today and so does he. We mustn’t interfere with his day.”

The pup turned towards our friend Murray and yelled out a happy hello.

“Why hello young thing. My name is Murray.”

“Nice to meet you Mr. Murray!”

Our friend Bess grabbed her four pups and said it was time for them to go. Our friend Murray continued on his way through the dirt and grass before him. He was certainly meeting all kinds of new friends on this day.