Read Kindred Woods free: the opening chapter

First Blooms

Barnaby twitched his nose, sniffing the air. It smelled…different. Not bad, exactly, just…uncertain. He hopped nervously from one paw to the other, his whiskers trembling. Winter had been long this year, the snow deep and the cold biting. Now, the sun felt warm on his fur, but a worry burrowed in his chest.

“Do you think they’re alright?” he whispered, mostly to himself.

Squeaky, a blur of reddish-brown fur, zipped down from a branch of the towering oak tree. “Who? Alright with what? You’re mumbling, Barnaby!”

“The wildflowers,” Barnaby said, his voice small. “In the meadow. The snow stayed so long. What if it hurt them? What if none of them bloomed?”

Squeaky landed with a soft thud and tilted her head. “Oh, Barnaby. You worry too much! Of course they bloomed. The sun’s been shining for days. Come on, let’s go see.”

Barnaby hesitated. The wildflower meadow was his favorite place in Whisperwind Forest. But what if Squeaky was wrong? What if it was just…brown and empty? The thought made his paws feel heavy.

“I don’t know, Squeaky. Maybe it’s best to stay near the burrow, just in case.”

“In case of what? Sad flowers?” Squeaky laughed, a bright, cheerful sound. “Professor Hoot always says, ‘A little look will tell you more than a lot of guessing.’ And I agree!” She nudged Barnaby with her nose. “Besides, I promised Finley I’d help him find the best dandelions for his paintings. You can come with us, or you can worry here all by yourself.”

Professor Hoot, perched on a thick branch, smoothed a feather with his beak. He’d been watching the two friends from above. He understood Barnaby’s worry. It wasn’t that Barnaby didn't want to be brave, it was that his mind often jumped to the worst possible thing that could happen.

“Squeaky has a good point, Barnaby,” Professor Hoot called down, his voice a gentle rumble. “Sometimes the best way to calm a worry is to simply see for yourself.”

Barnaby sighed. He knew they were right. He wanted to be brave. He wanted to enjoy the spring. Slowly, he began to hop towards the meadow, Squeaky bouncing ahead, her tail a cheerful flag. Even Finley, usually busy chasing butterflies, trotted alongside, humming a little tune.

As they neared the meadow, Barnaby braced himself. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, picturing withered stems and bare earth. Then, he opened them.

He gasped.

The meadow wasn’t brown and empty. It was…alive. A riot of color stretched before them. Bluebells nodded in the breeze, their delicate bells ringing silently. Bright yellow buttercups dotted the green grass, and pink clover formed a soft carpet. Bees buzzed happily, flitting from blossom to blossom.

“See?” Squeaky chirped. “I told you! Isn't it wonderful?”

Barnaby stared, his heart swelling with relief. It was wonderful. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the sweet scent of flowers.

Finley was already rolling in the clover, laughing. “These tickle!” he exclaimed.

Barnaby cautiously stepped into the meadow, his paws sinking into the soft grass. He reached out and gently touched a bluebell. It felt cool and smooth against his fur. A tiny smile touched his lips.

But as Barnaby explored, something caught his eye. A patch of ground near the babbling brook, usually covered in vibrant purple vetch, was…bare. Just muddy earth. And a single, broken stem lay nearby.

Barnaby’s worry returned, a cold knot in his tummy. The meadow was beautiful, yes, but not perfect. Something had still been hurt.

He pointed with a trembling paw. “Look,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s not all okay. Something happened here.”

Squeaky followed his gaze. Her playful energy dimmed. “Oh,” she said softly. “That’s…strange.”

Professor Hoot glided down from a nearby branch, landing gently beside them. He examined the broken stem with a thoughtful expression.

“Hmm,” he murmured. “This looks like more than just a winter chill. Something else happened here.” He paused, his wise eyes scanning the brook bank. “And I have a feeling we’re about to find out what.”

The sample ends here.