Snow White and Grace couldn't help but cry because of this nightmare. The other animals were huddling close together, wishing that the nightmare would end. None of them knew that they were still surrounded by eyes. But those eyes were different. A family of bunnies and chipmunks appeared out of a hole and watched the cows, horse, rabbit, and the girl with curiosity and confusion. But they were not the only ones, an entire herd of forest animals appeared out of the shadows of the forest. Deers, squirrels, bunnies, chipmunks, quails, and even a few bluebirds. They all came closer towards the company, especially to the crying girl and cow.
One little bunny was more curiouser than the rest. It came closer to the girl and cow, and even sniffed at them. Snow White and Grace stood up from the ground and were a bit startled when they saw the bunny. The bunny got startled, too, and ran away with the other forest animals to their hiding spots. The other two cows, horse, and rabbit opened their eyes.
"Please, don't run away," Grace said.
With that, all the forest animals showed their heads.
"We won't hurt you," Snow White said, trying not to scare the forest animals.
"Uh, what happened? Where are all those scary trees and such?" Buck asked.
"Now, I don't even know if that was all real, but it was definitely scary," Lucky Jack said while he shook in fear.
"It's okay, Jack. Maybe it was just our imagination," Mrs. Calloway said.
"If that's true, then I guess we scared these little fellers," Maggie said.
"We're awfully sorry. We didn't mean to frighten you. But you don't know what we've been through," Snow White said as more of the forest animals took the courage to show themselves. "And all because we were afraid."
"It was so frightening. I never want to deal with that again," Grace said.
"Me, neither," Buck said while rocking.
"I didn't know you were scared about that whole ordeal." Maggie smirked at him.
"Me? What about you? I was totally not scared," Buck said with a cocky attitude.
"Says the horse that told us to 'run'," Maggie said with a raised eyebrow.
"Touché," Buck said.
"Maybe we were overreacting and let our imagination get the best of us," Mrs. Calloway said.
A familiar little bluebird flew from its nest to another branch.
"Oh, I'm so ashamed of the fuss I've made," Snow White said.
"So am I," Grace said. "And I sure hope Humbert will be all right when he faces the Queen again."
"Don't worry, Grace. Humbert sounds like a smart guy. He knows what he does," Maggie said with a smile.
"When things go bad, it's best not to think of the worst. We've got to think positively," Mrs. Calloway said to both Grace and Snow White.
The parents of the little bird flew at its side.
"What do you do when things go wrong?" Snow White asked the birds.
The adult birds twittered beautifully. Like they were singing.
"Oh! You sing a song!" Snow White said with a smile while clapping her hands with delight.
"What a good idea," Grace said with a smile.
"Wait a minute. Snow White can talk to forest animals, too?" Buck asked.
Grace nodded at Buck's question. The mouths of the newcomers went wide open.
The birds twittered yes.
"You don't think they're going to..." Buck said.
But before Buck could finish his sentence, Snow White also began to vocalize while the little bird mimicked her vocalizing. And then Grace began to vocalize, too, and the bird mimicked it, too.
"I think they do," Mrs. Calloway said while watching the scenery before her.
The little bird flew off the branch and landed on Snow White's finger while she vocalized with Grace. The bird began to mimic it. Its parents where nodding to each other, but when their child made a shrill note, they shut their eyes very close from the sound. The cows, horse, and rabbit covered their ears and clenched their teeth from the loud note.
"Dude, that bird got some lungs," Buck said.
The little bird looked at its parents and Buck. Snow White and Grace couldn't help but laugh. The little bird smiled. And suddenly, Snow White began to sing.
"With a smile and a song
Life is just like a bright, sunny day
Your cares fade away
And your heart is young"
While she sang, a male deer, a few raccoons and a family of quails heard it. A few birds twittered at that. Then all the forest animals began to come closer not only because of Snow White, but also because of Grace, who began to sang her next line of the song.
"With a smile and a song
All the world seems to waken anew
Rejoicing with you
As the song is sung"
The forest animals, and even a tortoise, came closer to the company. A little chipmunk got more closer and wiggling its tail cutely when Grace sang.
"There's no use in grumbling
When raindrops come tumbling"
Grace tried to pet it, but it ran away in a dash. But then it came back again with its little paws on Grace's hoof. Snow White was a bit busy with a fawn. She sang further.
"Remember you're the one
Who can fill the world with sunshine"
She petted the fawn, who gladly accepted it. Then a bunny came closer to the duo and the other forest animals went to the rest of the company. Each of them petted the animal they wanted to while Grace and Snow White sang in a duet.
"When you smile and you sing
Everything is in tune and it's spring
And life flows along
With a smile and a sooooooong"
The song ended and the animals were all smiling. Even the birds twittered happily. The cows, horse, and rabbit couldn't help but clap for Snow White and Grace.
"That was amazing!" Lucky Jack said.
Mrs. Calloway was busy petting a little chipmunk. "Oh, aren't you just the cutest thing."
"Wow, that was inspiring. I think that both your love for animals made your friendship even stronger," Maggie said. "Friends with a creature from another world. I gotta write a diary about that when we get back to Patch of Heaven," she said with sparkles in her eyes.
"Woohoo! Go, Snow White and Grace! Encore! Encore!" Buck said.
Snow White and Grace couldn't help but laugh.
"I really feel quite happy now. I'm sure we'll get along somehow," Snow White said.
"Everything's going to be all right," Grace said.
All the forest animals nodded at that.
"Isn't that supposed to be Mrs. Calloway's line?" Lucky Jack whispered to Maggie.
"I think it is," Maggie whispered back.
"I hope we don't have to stay in the forest," Mrs. Calloway said.
"That's right. We still need a place to sleep at night," Snow White said.
A bunny nodded at what she said.
"We can't sleep in the ground like bunnies," Maggie giggled.
The same bunny shook its head.
"Or in a tree like squirrels," Mrs. Calloway said.
The squirrels shook their heads.
"And I'm sure no nest would possibly be big enough for the six of us," Grace said.
"Maybe you know where we can stay," Snow White said to the birds. "In the woods somewhere?"
The birds twittered 'yes'.
"You do?" Grace asked.
The birds twittered once again 'yes'.
"Will you take us there?" Snow White asked.
The birds gently grabbed Snow White's cape and lead her further into the forest. The other forest animals also showed the cows, horse, and rabbit the way.
"Come on, guys. Follow the animals," Maggie said.
They went a little deeper in the forest. They were all happy that it wasn't dark and scary anymore. No evil trees or log crocodiles to worry about, just ordinary trees and the warmth of the sun. Oh, how it felt nice for them to see the light of day after that whole ordeal.