Kazana Forest And Its Chipmunks
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, humans had been polluting and destroying nature more and more rapidly. In the recent years, people had started to realize that we needed to protect our environment, otherwise all the species would become extinct and humans would be in danger, too. So the federal government of Goloria had decided to make large forests into national forests. This way, the animals can live in peace and breed their young.
One of the national forests happened to be beside Klabador Town—the Kazana Forest. This national forest was well-known for its chipmunks. The chipmunks had orange fur coats like foxes. However, the special thing was that they had a white stripe on their tails. These unique chipmunks occasionally came into town to search for food. Normally, people were only allowed in certain areas of the forest. The other regions were restricted and only the rangers had permission to enter when it was obligatory. But no one knew that there was one exception. A young boy named Roger lived beside the forest in a little abandoned shack. He entered and exited the forest whenever he wanted to.
Roger never knew who his parents were. He had been living here ever since he was very little. The only things he knew about were his little shack and Kazana Forest. This morning, Roger was going into the forest to hunt. He put his sling shot at his belt and went to sharpen some stones into pointed arrows. He also packed some raisins, berries and nuts into a leather pouch, just in case he was hungry. When everything was prepared, Roger closed his eyes and stepped into the cozy sunlight.
His dark brown, spiky hair turned into a warmer shade of colour in the sun. With his eyes closed, he inhaled and let the cold morning air fill his lungs. He exhaled and slowly opened his eyes.
“Aagh!” Roger yelled and spontaneously jumped back a little. A boy around his height was standing at the door. He had slick blond hair and his skin was fair compared to Roger’s tanned skin. Roger was really surprised because no one had ever come to this place, for everyone thought this shack was abandoned. “What have you come here for?” Roger asked suspiciously.
“My name is Edwin. I lived in Klabador Town before, but I ran away from home. I was looking for a new place to live in and I found this shack. I thought no one lived here. But when I was about to go in, you came out of the shack. I’m sorry I had scared you.”
Roger deliberated that for a moment. Edwin turned to leave. “Wait, Edwin!” called Roger, “Do you want to live with me? My shack is big enough for two.” Roger thought it was slightly lonely living all by himself.
Edwin turned around, “Really? That’s awesome!” So Edwin put his luggage in the shack and went hunting with Roger.
Roger had been in and out of the restricted regions countless times without being caught. He knew that there was a hole in the fence that led to Kazana Forest and was hidden by a blackberry bush. Now, he was going to share this secret passage with his new friend, Edwin. Roger taught him how to hunt with a sling shot and sharp rocks. He even made one for Edwin. Edwin was really observant and a quick learner, too. A few weeks later, Edwin caught a deer all by himself. Roger was exceedingly impressed. Roger also showed him a meadow he had found deep in the woods. They sometimes would lie there all afternoon and watch the patches of puffy clouds float by.
One day, when Roger and Edwin came back from a hike in the forest, Roger showed Edwin something special. “This is a strange green stone I had found in the forest when I was little. Do you know what kind of stone it is? You read a lot of books about rocks when you were in Klabador Town. So you must know what this is. ” Edwin marveled at the beautiful rock and carefully turned it around and around in his hands. This glamorous stone was in the shape of a hexagon.
“I think this is a piece of emerald. A rich lady must have dropped it in the forest.” Edwin replied.
“It’s an emerald, eh?” Roger said, pronouncing the word over and over appreciatively.
The next morning, Edwin woke up with a strong cough. He had gotten a cold. “Roger, I don’t think I can go hunting with you today. I think I had caught a cold.”
“It’s okay. I can go by myself. You just stay here and have some sleep.” Roger told Edwin and smiled, “I’ll be back real soon!” Roger said.
“By the way, it’s so hot today. Leave the door open a little, I need some fresh air.” Edwin called to him. So Roger left the door half open and left.
Luck wasn’t on Roger’s side today. He had only caught three pheasants. When Edwin woke up, Roger was already back. Roger looked at him suspiciously, “Did you take my green emerald? I put it on the table yesterday.”
“I was sleeping the whole time you were hunting. Did you lose it? How did the hunting go?” Edwin yawned and got up with a cough. He went got a pitcher and poured himself a cup of water.
“But you’re the only one who lives here besides me! Tell me where my emerald is!” Roger stood up and demanded. He was aggravated.
“I told you already! I was sleeping the whole time! I don’t have it!” Edwin got to his feet as well.
They argued on and on and on until Roger finally lost his patience, “That’s it! I’m never going to talk to you ever again until you give me back my emerald!”
“Fine!” was Edwin’s short, furious reply.
For the next few days, Roger and Edwin didn’t talk to each other. They hunted separately and slept with their backs facing each other. Edwin’s hunting skills weren’t as good as Roger’s. When he couldn’t catch his prey, he would go into town and buy food with the money he had saved up before he came to live with Roger. Roger’s hunt didn’t go as smoothly and efficiently as before without Edwin’s keen eyes. When they went to rest in the meadow, they kept such a great distance that they their voices wouldn’t be audible even if they yelled at each other. They both missed each other’s company. No one was there to talk to when they were bored. No one would count the clouds with them in the meadow. However, they still wouldn’t talk to each other no matter how lonely or bored they felt.
One day, Edwin accidentally knocked over Roger’s water bottle when he passed by. Just when they were about to get into another fight, they heard a chipmunk’s sound. They turned their heads to where the chipmunk was. All of its fur was reddish brown except the distinctive white stripe on its puffy tail. It was Kazana Forest’s special kind of chipmunk. In its mouth was Roger’s gorgeous green emerald!
They got down on both of their hands and slowly crawled towards the incautious chipmunk. They closed in from opposite sides. The curious chipmunk was playing with the emerald in its hands, totally unaware of the situation. Suddenly, Roger jumped and stretched his arms forward. The startled chipmunk noticed in time to escape. But it didn’t get far because Edwin was on the other side. He captured the chipmunk and cautiously took the emerald out of its small claws.
“So you were the one who was causing us trouble, aren’t you! You made me so angry with my best friend, Edwin!” Roger said sternly to the terrified, but innocently-looking chipmunk. Roger apologized to Edwin about accusing him. And Edwin apologized to him for yelling at him. They both grinned.
“Friends?” Roger asked and stretched his hand out.
“Friends,” Edwin shook his hand with agreement.
From that day on, Roger and Edwin never got into any fights again. They trusted each other genuinely. Sometimes, they would even put some nuts on the trees for Kazana Forest’s special chipmunk.
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