Free Poppy and Ereth by Avi

eat.
    â€œOh well,” said Poppy, “sometimes an old mouse still has to do what a young mouse has to do,” and she stepped into the tunnel.

CHAPTER 20
Poppy in the Tunnel
    T HE FARTHER P OPPY WENT into the tunnel, the darker it became. Once, twice, she looked back over her shoulder. When she looked a third time, the entryway was no longer visible, no lighter than when Poppy had first entered the bat cave. Though this made her hesitate, she reminded herself that it was the best way to get home, and she continued on, feeling her way through the darkness with her front paws.
    As Poppy crept forward, she pitched her ears ahead and wiggled her nose to catch any sound or smell that might alert her to trouble. At first there was nothing to alarm her. Then she heard a tiny sound.
    Stopping immediately, Poppy became extra alert. She listened, sniffed, and stared into the darkness. The soundrepeated itself, but so tantalizingly brief and faint, it was impossible to identify. She inched forward. Within moments the noise came again, and this time Poppy knew she had detected the steady breathing of a sleeping animal.
    Though apprehensive, she continued to creep forward, paused, and stuck up her nose. A gentle flow of air suggested that the end of the tunnel was not too far. But mingled in that same breeze between her and the outside was the scent of an animal.
    Wondering if it would be best to retreat and ask Luci to fly her home, Poppy peered back into the darkness. She reminded herself that there was no certainty she’d be able to find her young friend. Besides, she was very hungry and there was no food in the cave. Maybe, she thought, the animal ahead is no one I need worry about.
    She would have to see for herself.
    Taking a deep breath, Poppy continued forward with extreme caution. Every few steps she paused to look, listen, and smell.
    When a faint light bloomed ahead, Poppy halted. The cave entrance must be really close. Just the thought gave her new energy. Though she wanted to race forward and dance in the sunlight, she held back. The breathing sound was still there. Be cautious! all her instincts insisted. Be very cautious.
    She went on. Her whiskers soon detected a stronger flow of warm air coming in her direction, and the breathing sound grew even louder. She was getting closer.
    Poppy sat up on her hind legs, lifted her nose, and took a deep breath. She had no doubt: it was the scent of a large animal. But what kind of animal? Friendly? Unfriendly? Indifferent to mice or not? Impossible to tell. Anothersniff. The scent was oddly familiar, teasingly vague. But who was it? She could not place it.

    She continued to creep forward. The farther she went, the more the light grew until she no longer had to feel her way. She could see.
    Poppy approached a sharp bend in the tunnel. Though she would have liked to bolt forward, she took a careful peek around the corner. After so much darkness, the glare of the bright sunlight blinded her momentarily. Blinking, she drew back, rubbed her eyes with her paws, and took another look. Once Poppy adjusted to the brightness, she could see the entryway as well as bushes beyond. And just inside the entryway lay a large animal curled up in a ball.
    To her disgust and horror, she also saw the scattered remains of bones, remnants of small creatures—like herself—that this monster presumably had eaten.
    As Poppy scrutinized the animal, its ears—long and pointy—perked up and twitched. Then the creature rearranged itself, shifted about, and briefly waved a long, bushy red tail. Its claws extended, then retracted. With its eyes closed, the animal lifted its head, revealing a long, delicately pointed nose replete with black whiskers. Finally, it gave a wide yawn, showing manysharp teeth, then lowered its head and curled up into a ball again.
    By then Poppy knew exactly who it was: Bounder the fox.

CHAPTER 21
The Fire
    T HE BRANCH on the Bannock Hill hazelnut tree