Badger…

Yawning I open my eyes and wonder how long I’ve been asleep… slowly…. I become aware of my surroundings..

I feel the soft warm earth around me… hear the pulse of other hearts beating alongside my own…. feel the touch of their bodies next to mine…

Here in the snug darkness.. a faint ray of light shines in from the outside though it be yet night .
The moon is high and full… so that even the shrubs and bushes concealing the entrance to our home… cannot keep her out… O great silver Moon.. who gives all that she falls upon a different and mysterious hue…

Sleep now.. I whisper as the last tired cub closes its eyes and forgets to feed.


Freedom calls …
And feeling the need to stretch my legs…I carefully ease myself from beneath my sweet burden and move forward to the edge of the den…
Sticking my nose outside greedily and sniffing in the cool night air…

It has been a while since I last fed and feeling hungry I quickly begin to dig the earth with my strong front legs ….breaking though the surface with my claws then bury my nose searching…

Pressing aside the soft grass and leaves.. I’m in luck and feeling a soft root tug it out crunching eagerly and then search for more…


My ears twitch at the sound of someone approaching. but relax when on lifting my nose just a little I see the familiar form of my mate returning.
He gives a gentle growl of greeting…and leaves an offering of food at my feet… which I quickly consume..


Just in time for in the distance I hear the sounds of dogs and men... bad things happen sometimes so we hurry inside.. and keep very quiet and still…

But my heart will not.. it shouts... " not me!.. not me! … " and the babes sensing my anxiety begin to whimper… ( Shhhh.. not a sound…)

Silently I cry unto the silver Moon to help us.. and she hearing my plea hides at once behind a cloud.. leaving our home shrouded in a darkness so thick.. that the danger of discovery passes us by.. and we begin to breathe again..

The wood which had for a moment frozen with fear for what might be… once more comes to life and from somewhere deep within begins to sing.