Brandy's Writers Cramp: Forest Neighbors

Forest Neighbors

hunder cracked so heavily that the waters of the small pond rippled fiercely! Then, there was another blinding flash, followed by an even louder kettle rumble. And the wind sliced over the water that made it cooler than desired.

How long will this last, the old frog wondered. He took shelter between a couple of large lining rocks in the pond. Nighttime storms were never welcomed. Better for bugs, though, after the storm ended.

His young metamorphosed frogs (males and females), without tails, experienced their first summer thunderstorm. His new mate was as skittish as the young frogs, so she huddled near to him. The older female just took the storm in stride. She merely dozed, as the storm raged.

Thank goodness, it was a short lived noisemaker – all there was now was the rain. How nice.

George, the name the humans gave the old frog, began his “all clear” croaking cadence. His voice was deep and resonated off the rocks that lined around the small pond. The little chirpy tree frogs began their nighttime song. All was at it should be. The rain had subsided.

Gracie, the name they gave the older female frog, woke more to the calmer night. She croaked right along with George. The younger female, who hadn’t been named yet, just moved from George’s side. She glided to a lily pad to sit to snatch bug snacks. The young frogs gobbled what tidbits they could get in the water. They were still learning what to eat.

The human’s burrow, a massive structure by the pond, was quiet and dark. They must be sleeping, as humans do.

The humans, a male and a female, had built the pond many seasons ago. When George first learned of the water, he set up his burrow to attract a mate. Gracie came to him very quickly. He liked these humans. The other humans would chase him, which made him hide deeper into the near swamp. He didn’t like the swamp. Too many furred creatures that were as bad as the chasing humans.

There was a furred creature with these humans, but it wasn’t allowed to roam the pond’s area. They would bring the creature – a dog, it was called – while they sat by the pond. The dog was very interested in the frogs, especially George. However, it never got into the pond’s water.

Now, he merely lived in the pond with his current family.

With the calls from other big frogs, the night air was filled with the nocturnal serenade. Crickets would harmonize. Very soothing, even for frogs.

The storm had ended, but George sensed a different concern. A danger for the pond. He had sensed this danger before.

He swam to the other side of the pond, and then hopped onto a tall rock to see what he could see. He tucked his long hind legs underneath him to look near the trees away from the pond. Gracie had the same sensation, but stayed in the pond and summoned the young female to come to her, along with the other young frogs.

Then, with his excellent ability to see at night, George saw it – he saw the snake as it silently slithered closer to him. Snakes had been close before. However, because the pond is in an open area, they usually stayed more in the tree line; in the shadows, out of sight.

This was a large snake, not a small grass snake. A larger Garter Snake. It would eat as many frogs as it could handle!

George hopped back into the pond and saw where Gracie had hid the others. He climbed on another large rock. He wanted to lure the snake away. He was ready to hop as far away as he could to direct this predator from his family. The new batch of tadpoles were in danger, as well. All the other nocturnal amphibians were quiet, didn’t want to draw attention.

The snake must be super hungry, to come into the open.

He felt the snake would follow him. He knew he would satisfy this snake’s hunger.

The snake went into the pond’s water, went toward George. It noticed the cowering frogs between rocks. Easily gobbled a few tadpoles.

George made like he was injured (a ploy performed by many animals) to lure the snake away. He extended one hind leg and let out with a loud “Bbbrrrruuukkk!!” With that sound, the snake turned back to the bigger frog and quickly slithered through the water to him. It saw George’s “injured” leg.

When the snake attempted to catapult itself up onto the rock, George made a giant leap off the rock, into the opened grass area. The snake followed!

He wanted to keep out of the snakes reach, but needed to get it farther from the pond; his family.

They chased all over the wet open area! To the right – to the left – forward – back! The snake made a wide circle to get behind the frog; to corral the big frog back where there was additional appetizing food. The frog was fast, but the snake was faster. It made a lunge to George, but the frog pushed off with his powerful hind legs!

With this push, though, even frogs can have a sprain. George had been less active in the pond. He felt the sharp pain of a sprain. He wanted to move through this pain. He tried to jump away, but it hurt way too much. Now, his limp was real – not faked. The snake sensed this.

George gingerly moved away as best as he could. The snake enjoyed this. It knew the frog was injured and he would eat it very soon.

If a snake could smile, that was what it wore on its face.

The old frog crawled slowly. He sensed the closeness of the snake, not much he could do. His frog mind began to think of the times in this welcoming pond, of his little family, all the tadpoles he’d never see grow into frogs, if the snake had its way. George let out a sorrowful croak. Gracie heard and answered him with her sad lament.

The snake was within a few feet. Closer. Closer.

Then, there was a screeching sound from above! A flap of wide-spread wings swooped to the ground behind George! As quickly as this happened, George lost the sense of the nasty snake. It was gone.

He looked up and saw that a large owl had gathered the snake in its powerful talons. The owl had the snake’s head crushed in one of its talons, killed. She would feast on the snake with her owlets.

George breathed with such relief! He knew this owl. She lived in her nest in the near trees, but she had been hunting in a different forest. He had helped her escape a fox, about a year ago, when the air was just turning cool for the new season.

The fox had attacked her when she had downed a squirming squirrel. It injured a foot and the tip of one wing. She was unable to quickly fly off! George did the only thing he could to help her. When the fox was about to pounce, to kill her, George jumped at the fox, which startled it! The owl was able to fly up to her nest.

With the owl’s interception, George was able to limp back to his family. All the frogs greeted him as happily as frogs could be. George and Gracie and all the others, old enough to join in, resumed their joyful nighttime songs.

From then on, it was known that good neighbors were better to have, even in the animal kingdom.

CROAK -- CROAK