Hedgehog vs Badger

Wren paused to look up at the bird sitting on a branch above her head. Its pretty plumage setting it apart from the natural colours of the leaves. She smiled at its song, listening to the music of the forest. A whinny called out to her, distracting her from the bird. Scout and Winter were waiting for her up ahead. They were smiling in amusement. Oops. Wren hurried to catch up, ears shyly pulled back. “Sorry.”

The white mare giggled warmly. “Always distracted by some creature or another, dear Wren.”

The sooty buckskin stallion with white patches dripping over much of his body grinned. “It’s a good thing we’re not in any hurry to get anywhere.”

Winter snorted in amusement, shooting him a smirk. “Just have to make sure we keep an eye on her, much like a distractible foal.”

“Hey,” Wren protested softly. The classic champagne coated mare eyed them both with a pout, though she wasn’t really offended by their teasing. It wasn’t the first time she’d stopped to take a closer look at something, or paused to check on an animal. She couldn’t help it. She loved the world and it was fascinating. How could she not want to look at everything? The fact that other loshenkas didn’t stop to watch in wonder was the real travesty. It was also one of the reasons why she was picked on back in her old herd before she and Winter struck out on their own. The older mare praised her curious mind and often said to hold onto her wide eyed wonder of the world. They were fortunate to have found Scout to join their little group. He didn’t seem to mind her little quirks.

Smiling, Scout flicked the end of his extra long tail under her chin. “Chin up, sweet Wren. We just don’t want you to get lost.”

She huffed playfully. “Maybe it’s you two who will get lost.”

“At least I’ll always know how to get back because I didn’t have my head in the clouds,” he teased.

“But I can always ask for help, because the other creatures like me,” she sassed back.

“And somehow I’m left trying to keep you two out of trouble,” Winter shook her head with a fond chuckle.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Scout huffed as he walked off. “I never get into trouble.” Just then his tail brushed by a bush, getting it caught in some particularly nasty thorns. He stopped short and shot the offending bush a glare.

The mares laughed.

“It’s not that funny,” he grumbled, attempting to tug himself free.

“It’s a little funny,” smirked Winter as she approached. Scout just snorted and she took the opportunity to grab his tail in her mouth. She gave it a yank, and pulled his tail from the bush.

“Yowch,” he quickly retreated and curled his tail around to check on it. “Did you have to be so harsh?”

“You did want to get out, didn’t you?” said Winter.

He merely snorted in reply.

Wren examined the bush that he’d just been freed from. Several long dark hairs remained tangled in the thorns. “You left the birds some nesting material.”

“Glad I could be of service,” he muttered. Shaking his head, he next spoke with a more serious tone, “Back to what I was saying before Wren got distracted: I think we should try to find something more permanent. A small stretch of land where we could be safe. Somewhere to call our own.”

“It would be nice, but we might actually be safer remaining nomadic,” countered Winter. “At least this way, we don’t have to fight for land, or defend from other stallions trying to take it.”

Wren frowned worriedly as the white mare left out ‘or us’, knowing that land wasn’t the only thing that stallions fought for. Wren didn’t want to be fought over just to be another mare to be added to a stallion’s fold. The last one had treated them as things to be controlled. Scout was different. He didn’t claim them. He’d offered nothing but his protection and friendship. In fact when they’d found him, he’d been even more lost than they were.

“You might have a point…” Scout replied dejectedly. “I’m not strong enough or fast enough to defend us from anyone that tries to come against us.”

Winter nudged his shoulder with her nose as she urged the group onward. “You’re not alone. Anyone who tries to fight one of us, fights all of us.”

He nodded, giving her a grateful smile as they walked in step. “We’re in this together.”

Wren paused, her mind sorting through several ideas and possibilities. She liked the idea of living somewhere but also didn’t want to meet other horses. So what if they could somehow have both? Trotting to catch up, she asked, “What if we found somewhere secret? Like finding a place hidden from everyone else? Then we could stay in one place because no one would be able to find us.”

Winter smiled. “It’s a nice idea but if it’s difficult to find, how are we supposed to find it?”

“Because we’re looking for it,” she replied with youthful optimism. “Everyone else will miss it because they’re not looking for it like we are.”

“It’s a nice thought, but unlikely,” Winter said, trying to let her down gently.

Wren hung her head, still disappointed regardless.

“Hey,” Scout attempted to cheer her up, “that doesn’t mean that we don’t go looking. Wherever we go, we can keep searching. You never know what we might find.”

“Really?” Wren’s ears perked hopefully.

“Of course,” Winter conceded. “There is no harm in keeping an eye out for somewhere like that.”

Encouraged by their words, Wren smiled happily. She was hopeful that they would find somewhere to call their home.

….

That afternoon the small herd was grazing among the trees, nibbling on the pockets of grass growing in the dappled sunlight. A soft sound to her left made Wren pause. Her ears flicked towards the sound, a quiet sobbing almost buried by the natural sounds of the forest. Curious, she wandered closer to where it was coming from, a nearby thorny bush. Lowering her head, she tried to look through the leaves but couldn’t see anything.

“Are you alright?” she called gently. “I’d like to help if I can."

She heard a sniffle from within the bush. “Oh I don’t think you can. All is hopeless and I’m never getting home to my babies.”

“Are you hurt? Maybe there’s something I can get you?”

“You seem very sweet, but I don’t think that there’s anything anyone can do.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Wren pressed. “Why don’t you try me? I’m sure together we can think of something.”

A soft sniffle came in response and she heard shuffling. A hedgehog ambled out of the bush to look up at her. “Oh my. A horse.”

Wren chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what I am. What can I help you with?”

The hedgehog sat on the ground and looked up at her. “I can’t get home. The path I take is being guarded by a mean badger. He attacked me earlier when I tried to pass. I barely got away with my life and now I’ll never get home to my family.”

“Just one badger? I think I could probably talk to him.”

The little hedgehog shook her head. “I doubt he could be talked to. He threatened to eat me if I ever came near that way again.”

“There’s no harm in trying and if he doesn’t want to be reasonable, my friends and I can keep him distracted while you go past. We’ll get you home one way or the other,” Wren assured her.

“You’d do that for me?” the hedgehog looked up at her with wide teary eyes.

“Of course. Let’s go tell my friends and you can show us the way.”

Wren turned and trotted over Winter and Scout, the hedgehog running after her as fast as her little legs would carry her. She explained the situation to the others and they were both readily on board. The hedgehog expressed her gratitude and eagerly led them towards the place where she encountered the mean badger.

“It was just up ahead here,” she stopped to wave towards the trees creating a small animal track through the forest. “He’s been guarding this spot and stopping me from finding a way past.”

Scout moved to the front of the group. “Wren, you can try to talk him down, but otherwise I’ll keep him distracted while you two protect our hedgehog friend.”

She nodded and stepped up close behind him. When everyone was ready, Scout led the way through the track.

Wren called out, “Hey badger, sir, we’re just passing through. We’re not going to hurt anything.”

“No no no no no!” a cranky old badger came barrelling out of the undergrowth and reared up on his back legs. “Get out! You can’t come through here, it’s mine!”

Scout stood his ground. “We have every right to come this way as long as we’re passing through.”

“Um, we just want to go through this way, if that’s alright?” Wren spoke softly, brushing up against Scout to get a bit closer.

“No no no, you can’t come,” he growled, clicking his teeth at the horses.

“Well, we tried asking nicely,” snorted Scout, stomping a hoof on the ground.

“Are you ready to run?” Winter whispered to the hedgehog.

She nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Wait,” Wren slipped in front of Scout to talk to the badger. “Why can’t we go through? Is there something wrong with that?”

“Yes, it’s my land! You can’t be here. I won’t tolerate it!”

“Please? We won’t be long.”

“No. Get out!”

“I don’t think he’s listening,” murmured Winter.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work, Wren,” Scout nudged her shoulder. “Time for the backup plan.”

Ears lowered, Wren sighed and shuffled backward, letting Scout take the lead. The stallion stepped closer to the ornery badger. He flared his nostrils and stomped his hooves. “We’re heading through whether you like it or not.”

“You’re doing no such thing and I don’t like it,” the badger grumbled, not intimidated by the stallion’s display.

Scout flicked his tail at the other’s for them to go, while he argued with the stubborn badger.

Wren led the way, making her way past and doing her best to stay quiet. The little hedgehog ran after her, glancing nervously at the badger as she hurried after the mare. Bringing up the rear, Winter kept an eye on Scout and the badger, not particularly liking this plan, but nevertheless determined to protect the hedgehog from being attacked. The small party made it through without the old badger noticing and kept going. Best to keep moving and get out of his territory as quickly as possible.

“Which way now, little hedgehog?” Wren asked, pausing to look down at the small creature.

“It’s this way,” she kept running and took the lead.

Wren and Winter shared a glance, both a little worried about Scout, but following after the hedgehog anyway. He would catch up soon.

….

Meanwhile, Scout was still arguing with the badger whose patience was wearing thin.

“I’ve had about enough of you, you stupid good for nothing colt!” The badger rushed in and bit Scout’s leg.

The stallion let out a whinny. “Ow! Get off!”

He reared up, dislodging the badger and flinging him off. Blood trickled from the bite marks.

“Nothing less than you deserve!” the badger yelled, getting back on his feet, though not without a stumble.

Seeing him come back, Scout reared again, slamming his hooves down in front of the badger. The black and white creature hardly flinched and tried to go for another bite. Scout reared back and dodged away. He skittered back from the nasty creature. Snorting, he considered going for the kill. It wouldn’t be hard, he was much larger, heavier and had weapons on the end of his legs that could break bone. A quick wack to the skull or spine would do it. However, the thought of sweet Wren stopped him. She valued all creatures and wouldn’t want him to hurt the badger, even if he was being mean. Instead, he kept dancing away from the badger every time he got close.

After he supposed enough time had passed for the mares to get the hedgehog to safety, he decided he’d had enough of messing around with the old badger. “Fine, I’ll get out of here. I hope you enjoy your grouchy old life.”

With a final snort, Scout ran off into the forest. The badger ran after him yelling insults but Scout was too fast for him and quickly lost the other creature in the trees. He continued on in that direction for a bit longer before being sure that the badger wouldn’t follow him, only then did he circle around to go back and find Winter, Wren and the little hedgehog. He tracked them down easily enough; he wasn’t called Scout for nothing.

….

“Hey, how is everyone? Did you make it here alright?” Scout asked as he appeared through the trees.

“Scout! You made it back!” Wren rushed up to nuzzle his neck.

He blinked in surprise. “Uh yeah.”

The hedgehog grinned, also running forward, surrounded by her family. “Thank you so much, Mr Stallion.”

Winter looked him over in concern. “Your leg. It’s hurt.”

Everyone looked at his leg where the blood had started to dry.

“Oh that?” Scout hid the injured leg behind the other one. “It’s nothing. Just a little flesh wound, I’ll clean it in the next river and it’ll be fine.”

"You truly are my hero," the hedgehog said. Her family also cheered for his heroic act.

Wren grinned. "You did wonderfully, Scout."

The stallion looked away in embarrassment, muttering a soft, "You're welcome."

Winter nudged his shoulder. “Good work.” Then she turned to the reunited hedgehogs. “We’d best be going now. I’m glad we were able to return you to your family. Try not to bother that old badger again.”

“Oh you can be sure that we won’t be going anywhere near him again. Thank you again for taking care of me,” the hedgehog smiled gratefully.

“It was our pleasure,” Wren replied. “Anything to help out a fellow creature. Take care of yourselves.”

Winter nudged her companions onward and everyone said their goodbyes. As they left the hedgehog family behind, she spoke, “Let’s find you a river and get the blood cleaned off. We don’t need the scent to attract anything to us.”

Scout nodded, favouring his injured leg.

“Thank you,” Wren said quietly. “I know not many other horses would have been willing to help out a smaller creature.”

Scout smiled, “I’m happy we have such a kind hearted mare who wants to go out of her way for others.”

Winter looked over the pair fondly. “We can always be kind. Today it cost Scout a little pain, but he will heal. But I am glad that we were able to help.”

Wren pranced ahead, quickly pivoting on the spot so that she could face them. “I’m so glad to be with you guys.”

“We are very glad to be with you too,” Winter stepped up and laid her neck over Wren in a horse hug.

Scout too came up and nuzzled her neck. "I'm glad to have you both as well."

Wren nuzzled them both in return, happy tears in her eyes. She loved her new herd.