Briar

The other animals in Hollowmere Valley are always busy. Hares run. Wolves trot. Mice scamper. Briar just sits.

"Don't you get bored?" asked Puck one day.

"Not at all," said Briar softly. "I have a very important job. I keep the Moonstone safe."

In the hiding game, the Moss village hides its Moonstone near the back of the meadow. And very often, right beside it, they put Briar. Because when any animal bumps into Briar, there is a soft pop! and that animal has to go home.

That evening, a big piece from the Reed village came creeping toward the Moss Moonstone. It came closer and closer. The Moss animals held their breath.

Bump. Pop!

It was a wolf, and the wolf went home.

Briar did not move. She did not even wiggle a leaf. But she felt warm and proud, all the way down to her roots.

Then another Reed piece came, very slowly, shuff, shuff. It bumped Briar gently. No pop! Briar rolled aside with a sleepy smile.