Glenda the Wendle Chapter 6 part 1

Chapter  6.

 

Glenda The Wendle Meets Gladys.

Glenda had spent most of the cold winter months fast asleep. Glenda awoke on the first warm day of spring. She stood up and stretched and yawned. She got up and went to the food store. It had been a good winter and there was still plenty left. She had a good breakfast. Next, she got a brush and swept the leaves and grass which had kept her warm and snug over winter, out in to Feggy Wood. Then, she went back in and had another breakfast. If you had been asleep all winter you too, would need a good breakfast or two when you awoke.

    Her boyfriend Glen was not in the den, but there was a note pinned to the door. It read. “Gone to see how the other Wendles have fared this winter. You were asleep, so I did not like to disturb you.”

    Glenda carefully brushed her fur until it was shiny and flat. She did it even though she knew that it was a waste of time. As soon as she went outside, it would curl up and pick up leaves and twigs and moss, like it always did. A nicely brushed Glenda opened the door and looked out. She said to herself. “I am sure I looked out here in winter and everywhere was white.”

She must have said it out loud as a Tell-tale bird said, “That would be snow. There was a lot of it this winter.”

“I think I went out in it,” said Glenda. She thought for a moment. “I think I went out and played in the snow with someone called Stanley Schneewhomper.”

She looked up at the bird. “Do you know if I did, or was it just a strange dream?”

 

 

The Tell-Tale Bird.

“No idea, I didn't see you,” said the tell-tale bird. “Most of the winter we huddle together to keep warm and only go out when we have to. Mind you there are some odd creatures around when it snows.”

Glenda took a deep breath. “Well,” she announced. “I am going to find out if I did.” She closed the door and wended her way through Feggy Wood. “I remember going out in to the field on the edge of the wood,” she said to the tell-tale bird which was following her.

At the edge of Feggy Wood, Glenda stopped. Wendles really do not like going out of the trees. They are far happier when they can stand next to a tree and hide.

Glenda took a deep breath and went out on to the grass. “I am sure I remember sliding down the hill on a piece of wood,” she said. She looked at the grass. It was flattened as if someone or something had been on it. “I remember building a Snow monster at the bottom of the hill,” she said.

She looked around. There were some pieces of branch which could have been the arms of the snow monster, but she could not find the Holly leaves which she remembered using for its teeth, nor could she see the red berries which Stanley had added. “I am still not sure it really happened,” she said.

Quickly she went back into Feggy Wood where she felt much safer. “I know,” she said. “The Schneewhomper told me that they slept in summer in a cave in the deepest, darkest, coldest part of the Wood. I shall go and see if I can find it.”

“You do that,” said the tell-tale bird. “But you will have to go on your own. I need to find something to eat.” With that he flew away.

Glenda wended her way through Feggy Wood. She came to a part where she had never been before. The ground changed from nice dry leaves to moss and as she put her foot down water oozed between her toes. The trees too were different. Here they had black trunks instead of the green, brown, grey ones in Feggy Wood. The roots of the trees stuck up out of the ground making it very hard to walk.

 

 

The Dark Trees.

Glenda did not feel very happy in this part of Feggy Wood. She could not hide against these trees. However, she carried on until she came to a small clearing. “This must be the centre of the Wood,” she thought. It was certainly dark and cold.

 

 

     Right in the centre was a set of rocks.

Right in the centre was a set of rocks. In between two of the rocks was a crack. It did not look big enough for a creature to squeeze into, but right outside it was a footprint in the mud.

Glenda gave a cry of delight, she remembered the footprints which she had followed and this was exactly the same. “I did see a Schneewhomper and played in the snow,” she said. No-one answered, but she heard a rustling in the trees. Glenda felt scared. She turned round and began to walk back the way she had come. Like many creatures Wendles seem to know when they are being watched. The fur on the back of her neck stood up all on its own. She looked behind her, but she could not see anyone. Even so, she knew that she was being followed.

 As quickly as the tree roots would let her, she scrambled through the black stemmed trees until she reached Feggy Wood. There she stood next to a tree and kept very still. If you had been watching her you would have thought that she had suddenly disappeared.

She watched as a strange creature came slowly out of the black trees. It was about the same size as Glenda and like her covered in curly fur, except that this fur was black and grey and dark green.

“Just right for hiding among the black trees,” thought Glenda. Apart from the dark fur, the newcomer could have been Glenda's sister.

“Oh dear,” it said. “I have lost it.” The creature sighed and sat down on a log.

“Lost what?” Glenda asked.

The creature jumped up. “Where are you?” it asked and sounded rather scared.

Glenda left the safety of her tree. “Here I am,” she said. “What have you lost?”

“I lost you,” said the creature. “I was following you.”

“Why?” asked Glenda.

“I was supposed to be keeping guard over the Schneewhomper's cave, but I fell asleep. It is very boring watching the cave. You are the first creature to ever come to look at it.”

“Why do you need to guard the cave?” asked Glenda.

“They guard us in winter when we are asleep and in return, we guard them when they sleep in summer. They are very rare now you know. There are only four of them left, Stanley, Stella, Simon and Brian.”

“I met Stanley,” said Glenda. “We played in the snow.”

“Yes,” said the creature. “He is very silly. Stella is much more sensible and Simon is the cleverest.”

“And Brian?” asked Glenda.

Hurriedly, the creature answered, “We don't talk about Brian.”

The creature sat down on the log again. Glenda sat next to it. “My name is Glenda, what's yours?”

“Gladys,” said the creature.

“Pleased to meet you, Gladys,” said Glenda.

“Pleased to meet you, Glenda,” said Gladys.