We were assigned a moral for WL and one of our assignments was to make up our own Canterbury Tale. Thanks a lot Chaucer for coming up with this unit in the first place. I can't finish anything even if you held me at gunpoint. But to my surprise, not only was I able to create a story from the top of my mind with no planning, I was also able to finish it. And also kind of semi like it. At least enough to share it with you.

Part I

Shadows in Gold

Dashing and slipping through numerous tree trunks, a young chipmunk raced through the field of forests. She jumped from branch to branch, not even pausing to wait for the swaying leaves to stop swinging at cautious angles. Her small beating heart raced with the adrenaline pounding through her veins. She abruptly screeched to a halt when she spotted white and gray that contrasted oddly against the blur of lush green leaves and brown bark.

Her round roasted-almond eyes met with luminous yellow ones and immediately, the message was passed. Before long, a low howl echoed through the woods, overwhelming the usual chatter of other creatures that occupied the vast land. A hushed note of silence suffocated the crisp sun-dipped air as all animals big and small shuffled and scurried to form a wide ring around the chipmunk.

"What is it?" asked a member from among the circle.

"Don't tell me they're burning the forest again!" shouted a frightened rabbit.

A few gasps from fellow skunks could be heard.

"Oh god, what is that smell?" exclaimed one of the nearby bears.

A baby skunk just born last September blushed as the humungous bear glanced suspiciously at him.

The mother responded defensively, "oh, as if you don't do that when you're scared."

"At least have some tomatoes handy the next time you-"

An annoying tapping of acorn against tree bark scattered the cloud of conversation and the chipmunk stepped forward for an announcement. All eyes stared at her with a mixture of fear and curiosity. She cleared her throat, "it's been informed from a fellow woodpecker that a nearby circus let lose some…exotic animals near the border of the forest."

Another wave of hushed voices flooded the air as the chipmunk tapped against the tree once more, "now, now. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

"How would you know?" shouted someone from the crowd, "did you see the beasts?"

"What do you mean exotic?"

"How many are there?"

"Why did they let them lose in the first place?!"

A large gray wolf growled, his neon yellow eyes contrasting oddly against his gray fur, "let her talk."

The chipmunk jumped at the chance, "there's been a minor accident with the humans and their traveling machines. It was said that a circus was heading to a nearby town when one of their transportation tipped over and released a few beasts. The woodpecker reported the sight of one of the animals being set free and it hit for the trees right when it got the chance. She didn't get a clear look at it because 'it disappeared like flowers in flames', as she had described in her own words. She knew that it had a long flexible tail and ears like a fox. Something like those feline pets that humans seems so fond of. Does anyone have any idea what it could be?"

"Feline pet…a cat?" offered the raccoon. He has the most knowledge about humans due to the constant time that he spends near their garbage.

"Sure, if that's what they call it."

"They're feisty things," commented a monarch butterfly resting on the trees, "they're always trying to catch us with their little claws."

The raccoon ignored him, "Does it have…spots?"

"I think so. Kind of strange isn't it?"

The raccoon frowned, "I think I know what it is."

All eyes gazed at him with intensified impatience. "Well?" shouted the mother skunk.

"It's what the humans would call a cheetah."

"That doesn't really explain much," commented the bear.

"It's a type of feline. A cat. But it's much bigger than the ones that the humans keep."

The owl leaned forward, "how do you know it's not some other species?"

"Because cheetahs are fast. Real fast. And they have spots all over their bodies."

"How do you know all this?" growled the wolf, suspicion dripping through his sharp words.

The raccoon turned toward the gray wolf, his black and gray mask of fur molding into an indescribable expression. "Read it in a book called National Geographic. Or something of the sort."

The wolf stared at him wordlessly, his expression just as illegible.

"Spots?" a few murmured amongst themselves.

The raccoon bobbed his head up and down, "it's what they're known for. I read in somewhere that they're the fastest animal on earth."

"I heard," said the chipmunk with a nut on each cheek, "that its fur can outshine the sun."

Fellow creatures murmured to their neighboring friends in hushed tones. Some were in awe while some were simply skeptical.

"Does it have feathers?" questioned the skunk mother's son.

"It's a cat, not a bird," chirped a hummingbird in a somewhat offensive tone.

"But if it does," reply the chipmunk, "I wouldn't be surprised if it's the color of rainbows." The wolf made out a scoff-like sound from the hummingbird fluttering next to his ear. If they weren't the only ones showing the same dislike about the cheetah, he would have snapped his teeth at her.

"Does it have a pot of gold underneath?" he smirked.

The chipmunk looked at him with naïve curiosity. "No," she replied, "Why would it?"

He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Maybe we can pour the gold around the area and distract the humans from burning down our homes, he thought to himself. Instead, he stepped forward, breaking apart from the circle, "I don't care if this thing has feathers like rainbows or spots like some kind of infected mushroom. What I care about is how much it's going to interfere with our lives." He looked at the raccoon expectantly.

"I don't know much about them; just that they like to hunt. Like you and your-" the raccoon stopped himself just in time. The wolf's piercing eyes glared at him, as if daring him to finish. He suppressed the urge to gulp in fear. "Like your species," he tried but the effort was futile. Everyone knew he was about to say 'pack'.

"Hunt?" he pressed, ignoring the sudden tension in the air.

"Yes. Things that looks like deer."

He visibly frowned at the news. "We'll deal with it when we need to," he decided after a few moments of silence. "If it crosses our territory than we'll call for another meeting." He turned around to depart, clearly dismissing the subject. He paused, one front paw lifted in mid-stride. "Before then," he added as an after thought, "I suggest everyone use their eyes and ears for what they're worth."

The others fell in silence, each pondering on his warning as his words echoed with the same caution as their fear. It wasn't before long that he disappeared beyond the woods, his fur swaying with the slightest breeze, blending so perfectly with the shadows as if he'd never been there at all.