Lily's Second Winter

There is no doubt it was summer. The blazing sun shone. The vibrant flowers danced below. The sweet smell of summer filled the air. Plentiful were the juicy, delicious leaves.

Lily had spent her countless days enjoying herself; laying in the sun, eating, brushing her fur and, her favorite, sleeping. Meanwhile, she observed the raccoon how he worked so hard preparing for winter. She ensured herself that she had plenty of time and would prepare later. "Soon the sun will vanish," she thought to herself, "why waste the precious hours, I would rather be soaking up the sun before it goes." And so she did.

"Also, I can also use that fine cave,' she thought of the cave that she had used last year. She could remember it almost as if it was yesterday. It was pleasantly snug and toasty.

Weeks passed without her truly considering her near future. A few weeks later, Lily woke up from her bed (with her conscience back), high up in eucalyptus trees. The wind was whistling loud and clear. The sun had began to fade. She saw that the leaves, once plentiful, were now diminishing. Soon the leaves would fall. The Lily now realized fall was coming shortly. She was dismayed. She had collected no food, and had yet to find a new house, that would keep her dry and warm. The small cozy cave on the hillside, that she dreamt of, was taken. She decided that she would find one within the next few days. Those days came in the blink of an eye. She was sure she still had some time and decided definitely to do it tomorrow.

Soon winter calls came and indeed winter did creep in. It was chilly! She couldn't find food.

She pondered of how quickly the summer had passed.

Before she could come up with any reasonable ideas, she was disturbed by her two main s...

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...such despair and pitied her. He gave her an unfavorable job, his housekeeper. She would be responsible for cleaning and cooking. They made an agreement, "If you survive and do as I say, then you may eat the leftovers from my table.

Feeling pleased for herself, Lily smiled and hummed quietly, hoping Thumper would not hear. If he did hear, she didn't know what would happen. She swept his house from the loose dirt, until every last one of them was now out of sight. She worked hard, that she was sore by the next morning. Thumper was pleased with her and decided that she could sleep on the floor of his living room by the door, until the cold departed.

Lily survives winter. She will continually know to prepare at the right time. To show her gratitude to the rabbit, she promised to visit him occasionaly. And sometimes when Lily did stop by, she brought a treat or a gift.