 It all started one morning about six months ago, they were doing the kitchen over and the door to the outside was gone. They had it covered with plastic, ha, ha, but that didn't stop me. Nope, I was to smart for them. I snuck in there and pulled it lose, just enough to squeeze through and get outside. I wasn't a newbie to being out side, Mommy had me out before with my harness on. So I figured I knew my way around. While I was sitting on the porch looking around, I saw this guy about my size running up and down the tree. Well, he looks friendly I thought, so I went down to talk to him.  Further down the yard, I saw another little guy. He was much smaller and had strips down his back and looked very busy also. I think I'll go and talk to him.  "Hello, how are you?" I said. He sat up and looked around, "Who, me?" he said. I smiled and said," Yah, you" Well, I'm kind of busy. I have all these seed to collect and store, and then I have grass to collect for my bed. So if you want to talk to me you will have to keep up. I can't stop and jabber jaw". With that, he scampered down a hole. I went over to the hole, but I was to big to fit down it. " I can't fit in the hole", I yelled down to him. "Dah, your not suppose to," he yeld back up at me. "Why not" I asked. " Because your not a chipmunk silly, do you think I want every critter in the world down here eating up my winter food?" There's that word again, I wonder what winter is? I kept walking and walking and I finally got to hungry and tired and decided to go home. It was then that I realized, I didn't know where I was. OH,NO!!!!! Where am I? I cried. I was lost, and didn't know what to do. Right then, I wanted my Mommy the worst way. I started to cry and then I heard this voice," What's the matter kid, ya lost?" Sob,sob, sniff, "yes I am "I said. "Can you help me?" That's when I noticed what the voice looked like. 
He looked sort of like me, but was much bigger and had no hair on his tail. "Who, who, are you?" I said. "My name is......., come to think of it, I don't have a name, but I'm a possum So you can call me what ever you want, ok?" "Sure, lets see, I think I'll call you .......Buddy, how's that?" "Fine with me kid, Buddy it is. Now, ya need a place to stay and something to eat right?" "Sure do Buddy, I'm really hungry and sleepy." " Ok kid, follow me. Buy the way, what is your name?" "I'm Scrappy, and I'm a ferret". " A ferret you say, dang, I never heard of your kind around these parts before. Where ya from? " " I lived in a house with people and a sister named Precious." "Do tell", Buddy said, "No wonder you ran away from home." " I didn't run away, I pouted, I just came outside and got lost." That's when Buddy stopped and looked at me and said " You know what kid? I don't think you have much smarts up between them stubby ears of yours. Why it a real dangerous place out here, even for us born and raised here and then you like an empty headed idiot come out here with absolutely no outside smarts at all and expect to make it? I don't think sooooo. I'll tell you one thing, your lucky to have run into me. I'll keep you safe till we find your home, ok?" " Geeee, thanks Buddy, I'm so happy to have you as a friend." 
Most nights nothing unusual happened, but one night I will never forget. It had gotten really cold and my thick suit wasn't even enough to keep me warm. As we were walking along, I noticed these little white things falling from the sky. "Buddy?" "Yah, kid?" "What's that falling from the sky?" I asked. "It's snow kid, why what did you think it was, sugar?" Buddy laughed. "It does this in the winter time." " Winter?" I said. "You mean this is winter?" Buddy stopped and looked at me with a look of pure disbelief and said, "Kid! I know you haven't been out all that long, but haven't you noticed how things have changed? Look at the trees, no leaves, the days are shorter and colder, there is very little food. This is winter. It's the hardest time of the year for us animals out here. Come on, let's get moving. The snow is starting to pile up and we still have a ways to go." As we walked along, I kept getting colder and colder. My suit was covered with a thick layer of snow and my legs had a hard time moving through it too. I had a hard time keeping up with Buddy and at one point Buddy turned around and saw I was having problems and said," climb up on my back kid and I'll ride you the rest of the way." He didn't have to ask twice. Up I went and I snuggled down into his nice warm fur. It felt so good and as I started to warm up I began to fall asleep. I don't know how long I was asleep when Buddy wispered,"Wake up, we have a problem." "Waaawaa, why?" I asked." Look up ahead" he said. Finally getting my eyes to focus, I could see two big animals up a tree just up ahead.  "What are they", I wispered to Buddy. "They're raccoons", Buddy wispered back, "and from the looks of it they're up to no good." As I looked around, I could see we were in a backyard of a house, and there was a large dog house next to the tree that the raccoons were in.
"Let's get a little closer, so we can hear what they're saying", said Buddy Slowly we crept closer and got to with in a coulpe of feet of the tree, there we heard them talking. One said,"You go get the bowl, and I'll wait here." No,no,no," wispered the other, "I'll stay here and you go get the bowl." They kept this up for a long time. As we waited, Buddy started to chuckle. "What's so funny", I whispered to Buddy? "Well", said Buddy, "I was just thinking of having a little fun." "Fun?, what kind of fun" I asked. "This here dog is a friend of mine and he doesn't like raccoons no how. seems one bit him when he was a puppy and he hasn't forgotten it. I think we'll just pay him a visit" ." Are you sure it's safe," I asked? He shook his head up and down a few time as we slowly and quietly made our way around the side of the dog house. Once we made it to the door, Buddy stuck his nose under the flap and we slid inside.I don't mind telling you, I was scared to death. There in front of me was the biggest, meanest, ugliest, dog I'd ever seen.  I buried my face down into Buddy's fur so I wouldn't have to look at him and prayed he wouldn't see me. The dog raised his head up and was about to say something when Buddy ssssssshed him. "You have company out there" Buddy whispered, "your favorite masked friends." The dog gave out a low growl and hissed, "what are they doing out there?" Buddy chuckled," after your food bowl, I believe. but so far neither one has the guts to come down for it. But, give them time, they will eventually. Then, you can have some fun." Dog gave him an evil grin and said, "Oh I'll have me some fun alright, I'll be wearing me a coonskin cap to bed tonight." They were both lauging over that when dog looked up and noticed me. " Hey, what's that thing on your back, you go and have a baby on me," dog asked? "No, no, no, it's my little buddy Scrappy. He got lost and I've been taking care of him" said Buddy. " Scrappy, say hello to Dog and Dog you say hello to Scrappy." " Hey Scrappy, any friend of his is a friend of mine." said dog. " Heee heeellooo", I managed to squeek out. Dog just grinned and said," he's a timid little thing, isn't he?" " No, he really isn't, once he gets to know you he will talk your ears off" said Buddy. While they were talking, I went to the door to see what was going on with the snow. Already it was up to my head and I was really getting worried. I was about to say something to Buddy when a noise cought my attention. "Buddy, Buddy, I hear something out there" I wispered. He turned to me and asked what did I hear. I told him I didn't know, but it sounded like a scratching noise. "Let me take a look" said Dog and he stuck his head out the door. What hapened after that is hard to tell. I do know there was a big growling and dog was out the door in a flash. Buddy went bounding out after him and I followed him. All I saw was dog rolling around with two raccons, one in his mouth and one on his back. Buddy was screaming at Dog something about not spoling his new hat. The raccoons were both yelling The one in dogs mouth was screaming," Let me go you mangy fleahound, I'll chew your nose off" "If that's what you want" Dog said, "here you go." And with that he flung him as far as he could. When he did that the other raccoon went running after his brother and with Dog hot on his heels. Now here is where things really get funny. There just happened to be a couple of other critters out there that night having their own hard time wading through the snow, and they were right in the line of the flying raccoon. Yes sir that was something to see. Tee hee. PLOP!!! Right on top of them. What were they you ask? OH, only two skunks.  Oh my what a sight that was. Here was one skunk flattend by the raccoon and the other one mowed over by dog chasing the other racoon.Well I don't mind telling you, you had two very angry skunks, yes sir you sure did. Poor dog didn't have a chance and neither did the coons. Dog never made it to his house before skunk number one squirted him right between his eyes. Dog let out a howl that could be heard a mile away. While he was rolling around the yard, the other skunk had nailed the two raccoons and they were rolling around the yard too. screaming their brains out. One tried to climb the tree and fell. He landed on the doghouse roof and slid down and flattened Buddy. Poor old Buddy, how he stunk to high heaven and was madder then an old wet hen. He started to chase the raccoon and ran smack dab into one of the skunks. Well, I don't need to tell you what happened then, It wasn't a pretty sight. Poor, poor Buddy. I had no idea possums could yell so loud. Well, I know you all are wondering what happened to me, right? Well, it's like this, nothing! You heard right, nothing. Being so small and hiding in the snow and not moving they didn't see me for quite some time. When they did, they walked over to me and gave me a funny look and then looked at each other. The biggest one said" Hey couz, what you doing out here?" "Couz?" I said. "Yah, fuzzbutt, your a Polecat and that makes you a cousin to us." " Why you hanging around with these varments?" "Well, Buddy the possum has been taking care of me ever since I got lost, and dog is a friend of his, and " And, and, and, is that all you can say? Why didn't you find your own kind to stay with?" "Welllll, I didn't know aout you, that's why" I said. By this time I was geting ticked and I guess it showed. " Ok then, we'll leave you to him" said the skunk and with that he flipped his big fluffy tail and walked off with his buddy. As they were leaving, I could hear one say to the other, " I bet he has fun sleeping with the possum now." All I heard was laughter fading into the distance and then nothing.
As I stood there, I knew I had to find shelter. Here I was all alone again, no Buddy to help me this time, I was on my own. I tried to walk through the snow, but my short little legs just couldn't do it. I had to tunnel through it and pop up every so often to see where I was and look for shelter. I don't know how long I did this, but I was really getting tired. Finally I saw a porch that had something that looked like a tunnel on it. If I can just make it up there, maybe I can rest for a while I thought
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