The Chipmunk's Last Hunt

The wind whipped through the trees as the chipmunk scurried along the forest floor. The fall season was upon them and the chipmunk was out on the last hunt for food to store away for winter. The chipmunk would scan the area for various nuts and fallen acorns, when he’d come upon a potential juicy morsel he would check its quality and then shove it in one of his two big cheeks.

He had been out for quite a long time and decided to extend his last hunt just to make sure he gathered as much as he could. He pushed onward, jamming more and more food into his cheeks, stretching them further than ever before. He seemed to be on a lucky streak and he wouldn’t let a little pain end the fruitful hunt. In his mind he dreamed of the fun filled feasts that he would be able to give to his family, nobody was going to hungry this winter. And the food kept coming, it seemed as though the little chipmunk was running directly to the awaiting pieces of food.

After a few extra hours even the chipmunk’s legs were urging him to quit. The sun’s light had just about gone completely and darkness was overcoming the forest. The chipmunk crammed another seed into his strained cheeks. This was when he decided it was time to go home, he figured he had enough food to feed his whole family at least two winters if need be. As the chipmunk turned to head home to his warm home a particularly small acorn fell from one of the aged trees above. It was already right in his path so the chipmunk figured he may as well pick up this last piece on his way home. He gathered the nut and opened his mouth slowly to put it in, but as he did he lost control of one of the acorns inside and it slipped causing every single piece of food to tumble and spit out of the chipmunk’s mouth. It was all over in only a matter of seconds but the chipmunk stood over the giant pile of food struck with shock. Just then a crack of thunder roared overhead and a streak of lightning shred through the sky, causing the chipmunk to jump. He knew his time was short and he did not have enough time to pick it all up before the storm began. As quickly as he could he gathered some seeds and shoved them in his cheeks, grabbed an armful of acorns and nuts and hurried home.

Instead of having a surplus the chipmunk family would have less food than normal that winter.