The Farthing Wood Collection 1 by Colin Dann

alive with them. They were feeding from the remains of a scattering of pellets thrown in earlier by human hand. Sleek Otter’s hungry eyes almost popped out of her head. Here at last was real prey – unlimited prey – for the taking. She watched the trout’s darting movements as though mesmerized. She knew she must inform the other otters about this miraculous find. First, however, she meant to taste the trout for herself.
    She contemplated diving headfirst into the vat, but resisted the temptation. She hooked a good-sized fish from the water which fell with a splat on to the ground where it wriggled furiously. Sleek Otter bounded after it, trapping it with her front paws and killing it with one deep bite to the neck. The flesh was pink and delicious. She ate with the heightened relish of an animal starved of its natural prey for too long.
    ‘This place will be the saving of us,’ she told herself afterwards. ‘I must get back to the others.’
    Cautious as ever, Sleek Otter retraced her journey. Luckily the road was once more deserted and she crossed it again without any alarm. She was soon reunited with the other six fugitives. They showed no particular interest at first in her return. All of them were thoroughly dispirited.
    ‘Cheer up,’ Sleek Otter rallied them. ‘I’ve the bestnews possible. There’s a mass of fish just waiting to be eaten.’
    ‘Things are bad enough without your jokes,’ Slow Otter grumbled. ‘Of course there are fish, plenty of them. We know that. But exactly where they are is what we don’t know.’
    ‘You don’t understand,’ Sleek Otter chattered. ‘I’ve found them! Only a short journey from here. There’s more than enough for all of us. All we have to do is to take care. Believe me, it couldn’t be simpler. We must move from here and find convenient dens nearer the place with the fish where we can hide during daylight. Now, who’s ready to join me?’
    The others gaped at her, still not entirely convinced by her tale. No-one spoke.
    ‘Well, what’s the matter with you all?’ Sleek Otter cried in exasperation. ‘Aren’t you hungry?’
    ‘I’ll come with you,’ the lame otter said, ‘if you promise to go slowly.’
    ‘Can’t be too slow,’ she replied. ‘We must get under cover before dawn.’
    ‘I’ll do my best,’ he said.
    The bitch otters began to look excited. ‘And are there really fish … like we used to eat in the stream?’ one asked longingly.
    ‘Better. Bigger,’ Sleek Otter told her triumphantly.
    ‘Have you found a river?’ another one breathed, picturing an idyllic watercourse.
    ‘Er – no. Not exactly,’ Sleek Otter replied hesitantly, then added, ‘but there is water, naturally. And plenty of it.’
    The six looked less eager. ‘Is it a stream then?’ Slow Otter queried.
    ‘No. Not a stream.’
    ‘A pond?’ Lame Otter suggested. ‘Like in Farthing Wood?’
    ‘A sort of pond, I suppose,’ Sleek Otter answered vaguely. ‘But stop your questions, do! Come and see for yourselves!’
    ‘Do we have any choice?’ Slow Otter muttered. ‘If we stay here, we’ll certainly perish.’
    Lame Otter was weak; weaker than the rest. Like most of the others, he hadn’t eaten properly for several days. He took his time going across the first field. One of the bitch otters kept pace with him sympathetically. Sleek Otter reached the road together with the three other females. Slow Otter was some distance behind them and the other two brought up the rear.
    ‘Make haste,’ Sleek Otter shrilled to the stragglers. Although she was unfamiliar with roads and traffic, she sensed this strip of tarmac posed a threat. It smelt of danger, humans and sour fumes. The bitch otters loped across. Slow Otter reached the verge. They all heard a distant sound of an engine. Something approached. Frightened, Slow Otter accelerated and joined the leaders. The noise increased. Lame Otter and his companion weren’t sure whether to go on or turn