Apple Farm

Chapter One

Tolly peeps out from between two slightly soggy leaves and sticks her nose up in the air, sniffing left and right and back and forth.

When she smells nothing but earth and grass and rain she pokes her head and shoulders out of the tree and taking a deep breath she dashes out of the tree and darts across the grass towards the gray standing stone.

Arriving at the stone she presses her back flat against it and quickly looks all around. The wind ruffles her fur and whips blades of grass around her paws. Whiskers twitching and ears listening, she leans into the wind, peering hard to see if the big mean crow was slinking around.

Looking this way and that way she senses a dip in the wind, gathers herself up and dashes out across the field.

Her little body streaks across the grass, legs almost a blur, fur slicked back by the wind, eyes barely open, heading across the open patch of grass straight towards the bramble bush.

She spies a gap in the undergrowth and turns her body to aim for it. Her heart pounding, exhilaration running through her entire being, she speeds up as huge, juicy, luscious berries grow bigger in her eye line.

Diving into the undergrowth she leans against a bramble and takes a moment to catch her breath.

She cannot wait too long though as the deep, sweet smell of blackberries permeates the air all around her. Looking up and around she spots a particularly juicy berry almost bursting at its seams.

Gently climbing up to the berry she finds a comfy spot as close to the berry as possible and wiping her mouth carefully she leans in and sinks her teeth into its flesh.

Gloriously divine juices burst in her mouth and down her throat. She tears off a mouthful and devours it, savouring every last drop.