A Cosy Night In the Burrow

A Cosy Night in the Burrow The winter wind whistled through the tall oak trees. Snowflakes drifted down from the grey sky like tiny white feathers. It was beautiful, but it was very cold. Pip walked through the woods. Their boots crunched on the frosty leaves. They pulled their scarf tighter around their neck. The forest was quiet and still. Suddenly, a tiny nose poked out from a hole between the roots of a great tree. Whiskers twitched in the frosty air. It was a little brown mouse. "Burr," squeaked the mouse. "It is far too cold to be outside." The mouse looked up with kind, black eyes. It waved a tiny paw. "Please come in," said the mouse. "My burrow is warm and safe." Pip smiled. "Thank you," they said. They crouched down low. Magic seemed to twinkle in the air. As they crawled into the burrow, the space became just the right size. It was lined with soft moss and dry leaves. It smelled like earth and sweet roots. A small fire crackled in the hearth, casting a golden glow on the walls. "This is lovely," said Pip. They sat down on a tuft of wool. The mouse poured two tiny cups of acorn tea. The steam warmed their noses. Suddenly, there was a tap, tap, tap at the wooden door. The mouse scurried to open it. A little bird with a bright red chest hopped inside, shivering and shaking the snow from its wings. It was a robin. "Oh dear," chirped the robin. "My branch is frozen solid. Is there any space by your fire?" The mouse looked at the small room. Then, the mouse looked at their guest. Pip nodded. "There is always room for one more," said Pip. The robin fluttered its wings happily. It hopped onto a twig near the fire. Now there were three friends in the burrow. The mouse, the child, and the robin. They drank their tea and listened to the wind howl outside. Scratch, scratch, scratch. A sound came from the tunnel entrance. The door creaked open again. A velvety black nose appeared, followed by two large digging paws. It was a mole, wearing tiny spectacles that were fogged up from the cold. "Excuse me," mumbled the mole. "The ground is too hard to dig tonight. I have nowhere to sleep. Could I possibly squeeze in?" The burrow was getting quite full. The robin tucked its head under its wing. The mouse twitched its nose. Pip scooted over. "There is always room for one more," said Pip. The mole sighed with relief. It waddled in and curled up on a soft patch of dry grass. Now there were four friends in the burrow. The mouse, the child, the robin, and the mole. The fire popped and crackled. The warmth made everyone feel sleepy. Just as their eyes were closing, there was the tiniest squeak at the door. It opened a crack. A very small creature with big, round eyes and a fluffy tail peeked inside. It was a dormouse, looking very tired. "I woke up for a snack," yawned the dormouse. "But I lost my way in the snow. Is there a tiny corner for me?" The burrow was packed tight. The mole was already snoring. The robin was fluffed up like a ball. Pip looked around. They saw a small space right in the middle of the pile. "There is always room for one more," said Pip. The dormouse scurried in and nestled right between the mole and the child. Now there were five friends in the burrow. "One mouse," counted Pip. "One robin. One mole. One dormouse. And me." Five friends, safe and warm. The wind blew harder outside, but inside the burrow, everything was peaceful. The mouse blew out the candle. The fire turned to glowing embers. "Goodnight," whispered Pip. The pile of friends snuggled closer together. They slept soundly through the long, cold night. When morning came, the sun shone bright and clear. The snow glittered like diamonds. One by one, the animals woke up. They stretched their legs and wings. They thanked the mouse for the shelter. Pip crawled out last. They stood up and brushed the moss from their coat. The mouse waved from the doorway. "Come back soon," squeaked the mouse. Pip waved back. "I will," said Pip. They walked home through the sparkling woods, feeling warm inside and out. The end.