Forest Guardians Chronicles: A Matter of Humanity Beth Roose (good books for high schoolers TXT) 📖

you, know you are loved!” Bev walked over and put her hand on Freda. Her neck was bloody and was bleeding all over Freda’s blue wing. This had to have happened not long ago. It was a deliberate kill. A fox would have dragged them off. Bev caught something moving under the straw in Coco’s cage. She reached in as Freda watched Bev. She uncovered a baby and it looked just like Coco. Bev began digging through all the straw.

Bev picked up the newborn baby and said, “Coco, I will raise this tiny baby with Freda. She and I will be this wee one’s mommies.” Freda laid lifeless Coco back into the cage. Bev laid the baby bunny into Freda’s wing. Freda pulled the little newborn close to her body and snuggled it in the down under her feathers. “You keep it warm and let’s go back to the house so I can mix up some formula for it.” Both headed for the house. Bev opened the door for Freda to walk into the kitchen She had both wings wrapped around the newborn bunny. Bev was warming up the formula and was hunting in the drawer for an eye dropper. Bev was frustrated she could not locate the eye dropper.

“It is okay, Bev, take a breath. Baby bunny’s fine.” Bev looked over to Freda and smiled at the wonderful love she could feel from Freda. Bev turned her attention back to the messy drawer in the kitchen. Then she slammed the drawer shut and bound up the steps. Taking three steps at a time. She reached the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, and there was the eye dropper. She grabbed it from the cabinet and did not bother to shut the medicine cabinet door. She ran past Freda to the formula that appeared to be warm enough. She poured it into a bowl and walked over to Freda.

“Okay, can you please cradle our newborn so we can feed?” Freda repositioned the newborn. Bev filled the eyedropper with the formula and put it just inside the newborn’s mouth. He drank willingly. Both Bev and Freda were happy to see he or she was a fighter. As Bev continued to feed, she looked into Freda's loving eyes.

“You know, we must give this cutie a name. Why don’t you pick a name?”

Freda looked up at Bev and said, “I think Coco would have liked the name Hazel. Are you good with that?”

“I am. I think it is a lovely name. Now what if it is a boy?”

Freda looked at Bev and said she is a girl. A momma knows these things.”

Bev laughed, “Well, let me look.” Bev lifted Hazel from the cradle of Freda’s wings. “How about that? You’re right, Freda. It is a little girl. And the spitting image of her momma, Coco. Would you stay with Hazel while I go take care of the rabbits and clean up the mess? You know, Freda, this is all my fault. Travis, my boyfriend, well, now my fiancé, came while I was feeding and proposed to me in the barn. I was surprised and so happy. We went into the house and then out for dinner. I did not close the door when I got home from dinner. The death of Coco, Beggar, Peanut, Daisy, Luke, and Larry is all my fault.” Bev was crying as she left the kitchen and went into the barn.

Freda knew the next few days would be hard on Bev. She knew she had to get word to Cleg soon.  She looked down at the sleeping newborn Hazel. She was snuggled against Freda and wrapped in her wings.

5

The Deceit

Travis was at the courthouse in the city of Stow. He applied for the marriage license and was attempting to schedule the wedding for two days later on Friday. The Judge Bev went to school with was not available, however several of the other Judges had availability. Travis told the clerk it did not matter, just assign one for Friday at 1pm just after lunch. As he walked away from the clerk, he was happy two things were complete. He decided to head to Bev’s next and pick her up to go dress shopping. He thought that would be a nice surprise for her. He would show her he booked the Judge for Friday and had the License. Hope she does not resist the fast turnaround.  As he exited the courthouse, He googled for a B&B in Mohican State Park for a two-night stay. Seri suggested the Mohican Castle. He decided that was perfect and asked Seri to dial. The receptionist answered, and Travis booked the bridal suite. As he was about to hang up and was proud of himself for getting so much done ad all before noon, the clerk said in a frightening voice, “Don’t be stupid,” then hung up the phone. Travis was speechless. He shook his head as he drove and said, “Oh GOD, they are everywhere.” I hate shapeshifters, he thought to himself.  I must figure out how to recognize them. If the Natives can recognize them I sure as heck can. Ok, next stop Bev’s and will be one step closer to riches beyond my imagination. 

As Travis arrived at the farm, he pulled down the long driveway to the barn. Even from just off the road he could see Bev working with a load in the wheelbarrow. The closer he got he could tell there was some sort of animal in the wheelbarrow, but there was a significant amount of blood that he could see on the animal and on the floor of the barn. He thought, what in the heck is going on. Then he threw his hands in the air and said, “Doesn’t it figure. There goes my plans for today.” Then he thought to himself, OH NO. THIS WILL NOT RUIN MY CHANCE FOR WEALTH. Before he got out of the car, he said out loud, “Be calm, be supportive,