Leaves crunched under Sophie’s feet. It was still early in the morning. But Sophie’s chores were done and she was already halfway to Butterfly Brook.
She shifted her satchel to her other shoulder. Inside she had water and snacks and her painting supplies—some brushes and berries. Sophie always brought art supplies with her in case she saw something she just had to paint. She was already thinking about the scene she’d paint after they finished their fort today.
Step by step, Sophie’s feet carried her closer to Butterfly Brook. She thought about the advice her dad had given her about building.
“Try to use your strongest materials at the bottom of the structure,” Mr. Mouse had said the night before. “And don’t forget about windows! Light is important.”
Sophie pictured a fort with a skylight—a big window in the ceiling. Could we make something like that? Or maybe a fort with hanging vines for walls, so you could walk right through them! Or an underground fort with tunnels. Or—
“Ouch!” cried a little voice.
Sophie stopped in her tracks. Who had said that?
She looked all around and up into the trees. But Sophie didn’t see anyone. All she heard now was a cricket chirping.
She shrugged and kept walking. Crunch, crunch, crunch went the leaves under her feet. She walked and walked. Then, between two of her steps, she thought she heard other footsteps behind her.
Sophie stopped. The other footsteps stopped too. She turned.
There was no one there.
Sophie’s fur pricked up on her back. There was no reason to fear other animals in Silverlake Forest. But Sophie did feel like someone was following her. Why would they be hiding?
She walked on, faster this time. Faster and faster still. Then, suddenly, she whipped around.
This time, she saw something. A flash of gray disappeared behind a tree trunk. Sophie stood still, staring in that direction. As she looked more closely, she could see it.
A little mouse tail was sticking out from behind the tree.
Sophie marched over. “Winston!” she said. “What are you doing here?”
Winston was crouched down behind the tree. He stood up and smiled sheepishly at Sophie.
“You followed me?” Sophie asked her brother.
Winston nodded. “I wanted to come and help build the fort,” he said. “Can I? Pleeeease?”