BLOSSOMS

BBLOSSOMA

There was a time when trees bore no fruit, and birds rested among rocks and scrubs.

The land was forever wintertime, stark and grim. The trees branches jutting angrily at the sky, their leaveless twisted spindles magnified into grotesque shapes, whose  eerie shadows frightened the forest creatures whenever they ventured out by the moonlight.

The trees trunks were rock-hard and their branches had series of sharp closely-spaced thorns that stung and cut any creature who tried either to climb or alit on them. Squirrels, or birds, or bears, they all kept trying. They kept failing. Only beehives still hung from the highest branches, staying attached by the bees intricate webbing. Their buzzing was both a beacon and a warning.

The life of the birds was mostly affected. Their existence was both harsh and short... exhausted after long flights having to land where predators watched and waited .Nests always at risk, being the food more than finding food, birds were in danger of becoming extinct. The only ones safe were the birds of prey, who added to the other bird's misery.

During these fearful times,there was borne a bird of unparalleled spirit. The smallest of the small,, the weakest of the weak....his name was Binki, a mini-wak. The mini-wak was the tiniest woodpecker of the planet, even smaller then the black  chinned hummingbird.

Binki, who chirped a wondrous note the first time he smelled the fragrance of the apricot bush,saw the blueness of the sky and felt the warmth  of his mothers protective body. He never stopped smiling or winking at his brother Dinki, whenever his mother told and retold him the rules,   and recited the dangers that existed out beyond their small cave. Dinki winked in fear and Binki winked in disbelief. Their eye movement had a subtle difference,even that their mother never picked up.

Time passed in many winks,and they grew big enough to leave their deep crevices in the Ninth Boulder, covered by  twigs and scrubs.Their bills were long enough and strong enough to form a chisel  to forage for ants and grubs. Their tongues were sticky enough to keep their meal from wandering off.

One final time mom called them back as they crossd the threshold . "Don't ever go above the shrub lines.. Dart from leaf to leaf when foraging... Always know where the next crevice is..  Hawks are watching.. Wolves are watching ...You are both appetizers to them", she choked."Remember that...remember Dad, and never go as high as the tree branch ...Never... Got that.?"

A LARGER WORLD

Their life, outside the Boulder started early on a day, following a night of dreams of terrors and wonders.They were flitting from the boulder ,  their mothers nervous eyes to far off bushes whose Eederberry leaves shaded them. Stinky barely looking out exposing only his eyes.

"Get back here  You can be seen. "Dinki chided.

"I  can see !   Binki sang . "Can see a chipmunk running.. there's a hawk!
"HAWK?! Dinki totally disappeared beneath the foliage.
"And the meadows...the trees..."
"Trees...let's go back. It's enough for one day."
"Go, it's not enough for one moment." Binki eyes widened.
They parted ways. Binki was sure that Dinki would be okay.

Binki day was a series of daring hides and seeks. He always seemed to be "it". So many creatures to see and so many places to flee to safety. And to top it off,the finding of a treasure. A small, thick tree branch hidden below loads of thickets. A brancgph to play all the games Dinki and he had heard about from their Dad. Oh how he wished Dinki could share the fun with him. Well. He just had to pretend he was!
"What us your most important mission?"
Dinki thought of all the dangers  surrounding the bush He blinked, "to live another day."
Binki thought of all the wonders he had encountered. He couldn't wait for the next sun set. "To Live
He winked.

CREATURES
Other days started the same way. Dinki would not leave his Bush. The h, the bush...Binki stories were enough...but pleading with him to actually come and see the rest of the forest.

And see it Binki did.So many flowers, so many bugs and those other critters that Mom had told...no worries about...that ate  birds like them.

His little wings flipped all day...dart and hide dart and hide, dart til he found himself in an exposed Open Meadow with no place to hide. It was those yellow flowers. A field of them. His eyes glazed by their beauty. He's so nothing else. Till he saw the Black Hawk swooping down. He flopped furiously heading for the shelf of shrubs. But he knew he was too slow.He took what he thought was his last breath. When he saw the badger among the yellow haze. He discovered safety could be a large pile of fur.

The badger was startled by the impact. His attention was quickly fixed on the hawk. Sharp bared teeth and claws shown in the sunlight. The hawk veered off  and Binki ..lived for another day.

Another day meant many other shrubs and animals, as Binki expanded "  exlorations, landing on baggers, oppossums and then a black creature. The one with the white stripe, like a landing beacon. Leaving Binki with more than a new memory. Dinki blinked and  almost fell off his branch.

"I promise ...to stay away..."he winked...And he stayedbaway...from Dinki and Mom. For the first time he slept in his own little crevice,far enough to nit be smelled.

 Without Dinki to talk to he had time to reflect on his adventure and imagine the coming days,  and  one animal was at the center of his 

BOZZLE

BOZZLE was the Lord of the forest.Ten foot tall, black and brown,  with paws that fell anyone or anything that cut in his way. He wasn't very grateful , so alot got in his way. He was always mad. And especially mad about honey.

Ever since  the wild winds of the season blew part of a hive off a tree and he tasted the sticky goo,,,no savored  the sweet golden nectar, nothiing else satisfied his hunger 

Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, his sweet tooth  just yearned for the honey. He even ate bees, hoping for a hint of honey...NOTHING!

 

EVeryday sometimes early and sometimes late, the sweet tooth went off and his thindersome gait was heard throughout the forest as he galloped to the Great oak,hoping for some drop to fall. His patience always evaporated as he sniffed air,leaning on the tree and he climbed as high as he could  til his paws were cut and bloodied.Too Sorrento rnsclimb anymore. He remained motionless,eyes staring at the huvfe,clin ging to the tree trunk,a huge ball of glistening fur for all to see...Binki thought the sight was majestic.

Binki knew Bozzle and the giant oak were all part of his destiny. He just needed the right moment....the right spot...the right...his eyes closed and he dreamed ,smiling through the night.  Smells fade and dreams do too...But sometimes there occurs a time where reality, however dreamlike unrolls an opportunity,  that can make a mini wak rub  his eyes

On a windy day, that same month, destiny called.There stood Bozzle, braced against a tree,using it as a scratch pad trying to rid himself of his bug passengers. When he dropped to all fours, Binki didn't hesitate boarding the bear express.He landed on Boozles' back at a point when Bozzle's teeth could not reach, nor his paws could claw.

The bear shook to rid himself of him,then moved through the scratchy shrubs..."Bam, Bam.Bozzle knocked them down...but still Binki held on. "Bam, Bam", Bozzle trampled the berry bushes full of thoruns and hung on.

More than Holding on, he snacked on the bugs, also along for Th he ride.Bpzzle was a mobile lunch wagon  Bozzle, finally stuffed, liked the massage that Binkis beak provided, and and the itching of those areas to get at bugs had finally stopped.

Binki knew that he could stay. He had earned his rife.Now no one would dare bother him.An allegiance was formed.

What a day! A royal como through the forest. Days of his small trips

at once. And he couldwatch without fear till time oak tree...the unknown.

THE GIANT OAK

Bozzle started up the tree. Binky was so holding on so tight to his fur, that in  his excitement he tore a patch off. Bozzle didn't flinch.  Only honey was in his nostrils, his eyes,and his brain.

As th at went higher, Binki could see 5he whole forest expand. He wanted to fly over it...soar. It was so vast..but He held on tight. 

Then came the branches,thistles, the mains from zBozle. He could go no higher again. He clung and eyed the bees,circling the hive, many branch's. Above the black, brown intruder..

Binki now had time to look around. The branches were like his treasures. He hopped off Bozzle and settled safely in between some thustles.The world was his money. He understood Bozzle. Inhaling the delicate fragrance, he could not resist pecking with his sharp beak. He pecked gently.Then he pecked faster and faster,penetrating the inner surface, releasing a flowing liquid. It must be a honey tree.?!

He moved to other spots and more of the liquid flowed out. Sooftening,,.,Giving  sap pent up fir centuries in the tree.

IN THE NEW AGE

It was the beginning of the NEW AGE of all leaves and  fruit.Binki didn't know. Bozzle didn't know...but the trees did the whole forest of trees knew. The whole firest knew and had awaited the visits from Binki...and Dinki, and all the other mini -waks to fully live and give life.

BOZZLE lived enough seasons to again taste honey, to the bees dismay and it was as sweet as a memory.

In the same season Dinki stood beside Binki on a branch of the Great oak,hidden amongst it's leaves,something unusual happening. The view was lush with trees that  had blossomed and flowered. He The sky filled with every hue of  crisscrossing birds. Highlighted by the rising of that huge ball of light Binki blinked...not in fright...but in awe.

Binki too felt a stirring in his breast. As he gazed at the panorama he sensed someone or something out there. He could not help but wink! And on that morn of wonder, something happened.  He told his children...and they told  their children.

Someone...or something WINKED back..!