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continued to burn, the flame moving steadily until it reached the dry trunk of the tree. Fed by more fuel, the fire burned brighter and hotter. It burned up, and it burned down. As it burned, a thin ribbon of dark smoke rose into the sky.
    The fire soon reached the ground, setting aflame the brittle dry grasses and dead leaves that lay close by.
    Before long, the entire crown of Bannock Hill was smoldering, creating a dark cloud of smoke and making the air even hazier than it already had been.
    When a gentle burst of wind touched the hilltop, the whole summit exploded into flames. As the fire’s intensity increased, it began to spread down the hill in the direction of Tar Road and the wooden bridge over Glitter Creek.
    Beyond the creek lay Dimwood Forest.

CHAPTER 22
Ereth Looks at Himself
    E RETH CROUCHED in the deepest, darkest part of his hollow log. Now and again he gnawed noisily on an old, dry twig. Finding it tasteless, he stopped often only to start again when he could think of nothing else to do.
    â€œI suppose it has to be me who plans Poppy’s funeral,” he grumbled. “Nobody else offered. Nobody else could. How typical. They leave everything to me. What would Dimwood Forest be without me? Trees!”
    The porcupine closed his eyes, shifted his prickly bulk, and twitched his tail until his quills rattled.
    â€œWhat’s important,” he declared, “is that it be a dignified funeral. All about Poppy. So everyone will learn what a wonderful creature she was. Nobody like her in the whole forest. No one. Not even…me.”
    He closed his eyes and tried to remember how—itseemed so long ago—he had first met Poppy. Ah, yes! It was a fox, named Bounder, who had chased her into his log. “Funny how that happened,” Ereth mused. “Silly mouse! Poppy thought I was going to eat her. As if I’d eat meat. Yuck! Meat is disgusting.”
    Then Ereth thought about all the things he should have said to Poppy when she was alive. “There never was any time,” he whispered. “How could I say the things I should have said if she didn’t let me say them? She was always so busy. I never expected she would just fly off the way she did. Not bothering to say good-bye. Just…poof! Gone! Not very polite.”
    The more Ereth thought about Poppy, the more agitated he became until, unable to stay still, he heaved himself up and waddled out of his log. “I mustn’t think about her anymore,” he said. “It’s making me crazy. Anyway, it’s about time I started to think of myself.”
    Even so, he was unable to keep himself from trudging up to Poppy’s snag, staring at it bleakly, shaking his head in dismay, and then turning to lumber into the woods.
    As Ereth went along, he grumbled about his aching muscles, bad food, the lack of salt, and the air, which was hot, thick as glue and just as sticky. He felt heavy, and itchy.
    Surely this was the hottest day of all, so hot even the forest insects were silent. He was convinced that he was thesole creature moving, for the only sounds he heard were his own footsteps on the parched grass. The sound—scratchy and crunchy—irritated him.

    â€œWith Poppy gone, nothing is good!” he muttered. “If I could, I’d march right out of the world. But where would I go?”
    Ereth continued on, grumbling and grunting, not caring where he was going, knowing only that he was heading into the deep woods, away from his home, away from everyone.
    He reached a place where the trees grew so close eventhe air seemed to be made of shadows. He looked about. Nothing moved. Nothing stirred. “I’m all alone,” he whispered. “Utterly alone.”
    As he gazed forlornly about, he noticed a large boulder sticking out of the ground. One side of it glistened, sparkled almost. Curious, Ereth drew nearer and saw that embedded in the large stone was a piece of bright mica. He started