The morning mist hadn't risen to the sky yet, when a slight shake woke Joanna up from her sleep.
"Jonathan." Joanna said, giving her husband a shove.
Jonathan groaned and turned to one side. "Lemme sleep." He groggily said.
"Jonathan, wake up." Joanna said. Another rumble shook the room.
Jonathan sprung up. "What?"
"Jonathan?" Joanna asked with a trembling voice.
"I'll go check it out!" Jonathan said, throwing the sheets of him. He swung his legs to the side of the bed, but then clutched his stomach. "Then again …maybe not …"
"Jonathan, you can't do nothing while you still have those wounds." Joanna said. "I'll go check it out."
Joanna swung her cloak over her an went to the exit of their house. She sniffed in the cold morning air as she walked out.
Back in the house was Jonathan checking his bandages. The healing went very well, considering the damage he had sustained. Suddenly he heard someone running in the house.
"THE PLOW IS HERE!" he heard his wife yell. His eyes narrowed.
"WHAT? NOW?" Jonathan yelled, jumping out the bed, ignoring the pain his wounds yelled out. "He's a week too early."
"I KNOW!" Joanna yelled as she rounded up the kids.
"Mother, what about Timmy?" Teresa asked panicky.
"You get them to Aunt Shrew." Jonathan commanded his wife as he ran to the room where his ill son was. "I'll stay with Timmy."
"But …"
"NOW!" he yelled.
Joanna did what her husband said to her, briefly stopping to turn back to him, with a very worried and scared impression on her face. Then she ran out.
Jonathan opened the room of where his children slept and saw that Timmy was still asleep. Even with the horrific event happening outside his home, he managed to produce a smile at this sight. The entire room was shaking, rearranging the furniture, dirt pieces of roots fell from the ceiling, and still his sick son was snoring.
He ran to the bed and sat down, holding a paw on his son's chest, ready to grab him if the danger would be too great for them to stay.
After a few minutes, the roaring and rumbling stopped and the house turned quiet. Deadly quiet even.
He looked at his son, still asleep. After a few minutes making sure that nothing would happen again, he walked out the children's room.
He sighed when he saw the mess that the 'tractor-quake' had made. He had just started placing things back where they belonged, when he heard the chatter of his wife and Auntie Shrew.
"And I still think it would be a good idea." Auntie Shrew's voice said, with growing annoyance.
"Owls EAT mice." His wife's whimpering voice said.
"I know dear, you have said that a few times."
"What's that talk about owls I hear?" Jonathan asked as the two ladies walked in the room.
"Well, we stopped the tractor for now, but …" Auntie Shrew began.
" 'we'?" Joanna asked. "It was you who sabotages that tractor. I got scared and held on for my life. Even after the tractor stopped."
"So you got scared when trying something daring to protect your family." Auntie Shrew said. "Foolish, but daring."
"Could've happened to the best of us, Joanna." Jonathan said, taking his wife into his arms. "There is no need to feel ashamed about it. I'm just glad that everything worked out fine."
"Everything's not fine." Joanna cried out. "That tractor's gonna be up and running again soon."
"Then we need to find a more permanent solution." Jonathan said.
"that's why I suggest you go to the Great Owl, my dear." Auntie Shrew said. "He must know a solution."
The Great Owl. Jonathan's pupils narrowed. Memories started to flow. Him, a young mouse in a strange forest, embarking on a quest for a solution to save the Rat's hidden city.. His paws clutched around a red, glowing stone, showing no fear when presented to the Great Owl.
"He WILL know a solution." Jonathan said. "This I am certain."
"But what if …?" Joanna began. "Maybe …"
"There is no other way, love." Jonathan said.
"But I can't leave you or the kids alone." Joanna said.
Jonathan sighed opened his vest and ripped the bandages from his chest. "That's why I'm coming with you." He said, taking her hand into his.
"J-Jonathan. Y-Your injuries …" Joanna stammered, seeing her husband fully healed.
"Mr. Ages always knew how to make a good medicine." Jonathan said. "And there's no arguing with me, Joanna. Auntie Shrew can watch and protect the children."
"With my life, if necessary." Auntie shrew said, giving a loud tap with her cane. "But Jonathan, are your sure?"
"We're talking about my home, my family, my son." Jonathan said. "I'm sure."
"But …" Joanna began.
"Think about Timothy." Jonathan said. "Think about Martin, Teresa and Cynthia. We can't have something like this happen every season. This has to be done."
"But how are we going to get there?" Joanna asked. "The Great Forrest is so far away and we don't have time to walk all the way."
Jonathan smiled. "Didn't you tell me yesterday that you made a new feathery friend?"