never seen.
"How adorable!" I breathed out the words, hoping they wouldn't frighten him. The reaction I got was quite different.
"Why, thank you." He popped the nut from his mouth and let it tumble to the ground as he came to a stand on his back legs.
If you think I'm a little bit crazy or even that I'm making all of this up, let me remind you that I'm quite sound of mind and was never one to fib. I know what I saw and equally what I heard. The fact of the matter is, the tiny chipmunk spoke and had the best manners I've ever encountered. Odd, but entirely common, as I was to find out.
"I'm Bootbeak," the chipmunk declared proudly before swooping low in a humble bow.
"And I-I'm Serenity." The words popped out of my mouth as halted as could be, a fact that embarrassed me despite the overall awkward feel.
The chipmunk quirked a curious look at me. "That's an unusual name."
"As is Bootbeak."
"Touche, madam, touche."
If the events of these morning moments hadn't been so startling, I would've been more in control of my faculties. As it was though, I was so shocked my entire attitude was surprisingly calm as if there wasn't a chipmunk lounging on my knee. And so, calm as a cucumber and twice as poised, I managed to continue the conversation.
"How did you get your name?"
Bootbeak crouched on the toadstool and thoughtfully rubbed his paw against his ear. "It's quite the story."
Keeping back a giggle, I instinctively ran a finger down his back. I realized a talking animal might not like being treated like a pet and retracted my finger, but Bootbeak seemed to have enjoyed it as his eyes lulled half closed. I resumed my stroking as he began his story.
"I was just a young thing, you understand. No bigger than a cricket at the time. My mother and father had been arguing over what to name me for some months until the decision to adhere to forest traditions prevailed and dashed their hopes of breaking tradition."
"What's the tradition?" I interrupted, earning myself an angry look from my new friend.
"How adorable!" I breathed out the words, hoping they wouldn't frighten him. The reaction I got was quite different.
"Why, thank you." He popped the nut from his mouth and let it tumble to the ground as he came to a stand on his back legs.
If you think I'm a little bit crazy or even that I'm making all of this up, let me remind you that I'm quite sound of mind and was never one to fib. I know what I saw and equally what I heard. The fact of the matter is, the tiny chipmunk spoke and had the best manners I've ever encountered. Odd, but entirely common, as I was to find out.
"I'm Bootbeak," the chipmunk declared proudly before swooping low in a humble bow.
"And I-I'm Serenity." The words popped out of my mouth as halted as could be, a fact that embarrassed me despite the overall awkward feel.
The chipmunk quirked a curious look at me. "That's an unusual name."
"As is Bootbeak."
"Touche, madam, touche."
If the events of these morning moments hadn't been so startling, I would've been more in control of my faculties. As it was though, I was so shocked my entire attitude was surprisingly calm as if there wasn't a chipmunk lounging on my knee. And so, calm as a cucumber and twice as poised, I managed to continue the conversation.
"How did you get your name?"
Bootbeak crouched on the toadstool and thoughtfully rubbed his paw against his ear. "It's quite the story."
Keeping back a giggle, I instinctively ran a finger down his back. I realized a talking animal might not like being treated like a pet and retracted my finger, but Bootbeak seemed to have enjoyed it as his eyes lulled half closed. I resumed my stroking as he began his story.
"I was just a young thing, you understand. No bigger than a cricket at the time. My mother and father had been arguing over what to name me for some months until the decision to adhere to forest traditions prevailed and dashed their hopes of breaking tradition."
"What's the tradition?" I interrupted, earning myself an angry look from my new friend.
