Nothing much happened to the moose King, not at first but slowly the giant creature began moving, struggling to get to his feet. He looked far from being the King of all the forest as he walked slowly into the late afternoon sunlight of the meadow. Limping, bruised and bloodied it was clear the brave animal had been very lucky to escape his encounter with the bears and wolves a few weeks earlier. He stopped not far from the river on a small rise and for a moment just seemed to be standing looking skywards smelling the air.
The howling of the wolves continued growing louder, getting closer. The low growl of many bears could be heard all around. It sounded as if there were hundreds of wild animals all heading towards the meadow and the small group of friends.
“What is it sis,” said Oli.
“I don’t know,” said Harri. “It might be they are looking for us but there are so many of them, I think they might have found out the moose King is still alive. Remember while ever he is still alive they can’t run the forest in their wild and mischievous way.”
“I think you are right Harriet,” said Claudia the moose, who had been with the children since their adventures in the forest began. “I think I need to move you children to somewhere safe fairly quickly, I get a feeling there is going to be some trouble.”
The children and Claudia stood in the meadow and watched in amazement, the moose who minutes earlier had been laying in the undergrowth weak and hurt was now standing on the small hill with his red buckled collar that was no longer faded and battered but bright red and shining in the sun. He seemed to grow and was getting bigger and stronger before their eyes, no signs of any cuts and bruises remained. More though than any of this, the thing that had left Harriet and Oliver standing and staring with their mouths wide open was the fact that his antlers seemed to be growing back.
Since his fight with the wolves and the loss of his collar the king Moose had not been able to grow his majestic power giving antlers, now though there was the first signs that they were growing. In minutes and right before the children’s eyes the King moose grew the most magnificent pair of antlers anyone had ever seen.
Then began his call, deep and loud he seemed to go on for many minutes it could surely be heard for many miles around. Standing tall and proud it must have been clear to anyone that this magnificent animal truly was the King of the forest.
Slowly the giant animal came down off the small hill and approached the little group of friends standing near to him and in a deep but gentle voice spoke.
“Thank you children, what you have done for me was very brave and I would like to be able to get you away from this meadow but that isn’t going to be possible. There will soon be a lot of trouble, the bears and wolves know I am here and are coming to finish their job, take my power and run the forest in their way. The safest place is going to be with me, Claudia bring your friends. You have done very well, everything that could be expected but now we all need to be together, I fear you and I Claudia may soon have to fight.”
The first wolves and bears began to appear on the edge of meadow, howling and growling for all they were worth the King moose knelt down.
“Come Harriet, Oliver climb up the safest place is going to be with me I told you, bring your young friends with you. Claudia will stand by my side for she is a much braver moose than she knows. The King, followed by Claudia walked back to the small hill near the river, what a strange site it must have been. Two huge moose each with two children on their backs, once again first the King and then Claudia began the low booming call.
By now the noise was so loud the children had to sit on the moose’s back with their hands over their ears but that of course was the least of their problems. For now the meadow was entirely circled with skulking, prowling wolves and thumping, growling bears moving slowly but steadily forwards, towards the friends.
