The Heron and the Otter

Early in the morning, Iris was taking her young out. “Come in you two, todays the day you’ve been waiting for” whispered Iris. Suddenly she froze.

“Don’t move” insisted their mother. Then a heron flew past. Finally mother gave the all clear, and Willow rushed ahead running to the mud slide, mother and fern ran after her, then they heard a horrible screech, Willow!

That was the last they saw of Willow. They headed both to the den, mother thought long and hard and finally decided that it was time they rest.

“Fern I know that Willow just killed, but I think we need to leave and find a new and safe territory”.

“But mother what about the Heron”.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan so we can keep safe, we’re going to swim in the river and use a ferry as a defensive protection from the heron”.

The next morning Fern and his mother headed out into the river, and started swimming but Fern kept going under, so he went on his mothers back and they swam faster, by fern paddling as quick as he could.

Then the Iris heard a ferry come up behind them and it started. Fern fell of his mothers back and into the water but surprisingly he started swimming. All of a sudden they heard the blood-curdling screech of the heron.

“Right move closer to the front of the boat but keep some space between you” instructed Iris. Then the heron flew over the boat.

“Mum. What now?”

“Go deep under and swim, fast!”

“Because the heron can’t get its beak to the bottom of the river” when they looked around above the river they saw a huge field of grass and hills of mud, to their amazement they saw willow lying in the grass with their father who was using his herbs to heal her.

They came out of the river and spotted a small but lush den for them to live in.