There once was a chipmunk. Her name was Cutie. She was a light fawn with white and black stripes. Her feet were pink. One day she went to go have lunch with the squirrels. They were going to have lunch in an oak tree. When Cutie arrived, she found out that her friends weren’t there yet. She waited about five minutes. When her friends got there, she discovered that they had a little baby sister squirrel.

During the picnic, a black crow with a hoarse voice flew in. He sat down next to them.

“Can I have some food too?” he asked.

Everyone screamed and ran away except for Cutie and the baby squirrel, Sarah.

“Everybody ran away because they’re still afraid of the birds. After the war, land animals don’t like them. I don’t mind birds that much, and little Sarah here was born after the war. She doesn’t know anything about it,” said Cutie.

The crow had a yellow beak, and red eyes, and black wings.

“I’m always trying to get the land animals to at least talk to me, but they always run away,” he said.

“I know,” said Cutie. ”At the very mention of birds, all the land animals run away.”

“Well, I’d better be going then,” said the crow.

“No, come back to my tree, please,” said Cutie. “Or there’s a very nice one near mine that you could have if you want it. It would be nice to have someone near or in my tree.”

“You live by yourself?” the crow asked.

“No. I have some pets.”

“Well, if we’re going to be friends, we should know each other’s names. I’m Harry.”

“And I’m Cutie.”

Then, Cutie said, “Can I fly home on your back?”

“Sure,” said Harry.

So they flew back to Cutie’s tree. As they flew, Cutie pointed out the tree where Harry might want to live.

Harry said, “That looks like a very nice, roomy tree.”

“Would you like to live in it?” Cutie asked.

“Yes, especially since it’s near you, Cutie.”

“This tree is my tree,” said Cutie.

“Landing!”

Cutie showed him around her tree, and said, “If you would like to live in my tree with me, this would be your room,” and she led him into a large, empty room. “You can take your bed and stuff and put it in here. There’s a bathroom off to the side too, just like there is in mine, and I can teach you how to weave a grass blanket if you like.”

“That would be nice,” said the crow.

“So you really are going to move in?” said Cutie, feeling very excited.

“I didn’t say that,” said the crow, “but now that you mention it, I think I will.”

“Great,” said Cutie, feeling more excited by the minute.

This was heading towards the best day ever! Then she thought, What about my friends? How will they like learning that there’s a crow living in my tree? But I don’t want Harry to feel left out. But I don’t want my friends to scream when they find all his bird stuff. But he wants to live here, and I don’t want to let him down.

Meanwhile, Harry was thinking, She’s so nice, and she’s not afraid of me, too. I’ve never met a land animal since the war ended. I would love to live with her.

Then there was a knock on the door. Cutie answered it. It was a little mouse. It was white.

“Hello. My name’s Amelia, but you can call me Milly. Are you Cutie?”

“How did you know about me?” Cutie asked.

“We both aren’t afraid of the birds,” said Milly.

“I thought that I was the only land animal who wasn’t afraid of the birds. Wow.”

Then she thought, Maybe Harry, Milly, and I can change a few other animals’ minds. Then we can get a few birds and go all over. When she told this to Harry and Milly, she thought they would explode with excitement.

They both gushed, “Wow, that is a great idea!!!”

“I’m glad you like it. Still, though, if you want,” (this part was directed to Milly), “you can get a few animals to come to me. And you,” she said, turning towards Harry, “can get some birds.”

Then there was another knock on the door.

“Another animal? We’ve two already.” Cutie said.

“Another?” Harry and Milly echoed.

“Mm-hm. Another,” Cutie answered. She went to the door. “It’s a gerbil.”

“Hello. Is this where Cutie the chipmunk lives?” It spoke so quietly that Cutie had to strain to hear it.

“I’m she. How did you know about me? Wait, don’t answer that. I think I know. We both aren’t afraid of the birds?”

“Yup. My name is Dora.”

Then the tree started to shake and groan.

“What’s happening?!” Dora shouted.

“I don’t know! Maybe an earthquake?! This has never happened before!” Cutie shouted back.

The tree became a mess of shouting as the animals conversed with each other. The tree slowly started to topple over a little bit.

“Everyone get out,” shouted Cutie, “and try to push the tree back up!”

The tree slowly started to lean to the other side.

“We did it,” cheered the animals.

“Now to convince the land animals and birds to live in harmony,” Cutie said to her friends.

They cheered again and clambered onto Harry’s back. Harry took off, and they soared over Cutie’s tree.

Cutie reached into her pocket and pulled out a bunch of brightly colored lollipops.

“I always leave home with a snack,” she said, and handed them each one.

“Yum,” the animals said. “Thanks, Cutie!”

“You’re welcome,” said Cutie. “Now let’s review our plan. First, we get a few birds. Second, we split up and go all over. Third, we convince the land and air animals to live in harmony!!”

They first went to Bird Land. Harry pointed out his former tree.

A Few Years Later…

Cutie was making a speech to the crowd.

She was saying, “And the only way we can truly be strong is when we work together, share our amazing ideas, and combine them into one, truly amazing idea. Do you agree?”

“Yes!” the crowd roared.

Cutie and her friends had been traveling around the forest and making speeches wherever they stopped. They had been a humongous success. All of the animals had agreed.

The End