Otter Chaos! Read Online Free PDF Page B

West later that day, laden with fresh crayfish and salmon. The fishing expedition had been a complete success and they encountered nothing more dangerous than a low-flying butterfly. The feast that followed was full of family cheer and everyone was happy to have their diet, and their lives, back to normal.
    The following day Papa Brown and Papa Black went out west again, but this time with Woody and Sooty, who paused every few moments to look, sniff and listen for danger. It was their first time out foraging in the forest and the pups’ enthusiasm was matched only by their excitement.
    â€œNow, always stay close,” said Papa Brown, as the otters dashed from one tree to the next, sneaking through the forest like furry ninjas. “And never spend too long out in the open, or in any high place where you might be spotted.”
    â€œHow do we find the stream?” asked Woody.
    â€œLook for clouds of tiny insects, and pay attention to where birds and dragonflies are flying to,” said Papa Brown, pointing overhead at a speckled thrush that was swooping in and out of the overhead branches, flying in the same direction they were heading. The thirsty thrush was swiftly followed by a pair of tiny warblers. “The birds always know where the water is because they are high up and have a good view.”
    â€œBut always remember that other animals will want to use the stream and are watching too,” warned Papa Black, pointing in the distance to where a lone wolf was wandering away in the opposite direction. “Not everyone is friendly, so you need to be aware of who’s about.”
    â€œThis is such a brilliant adventure!” Woody said to Sooty.
    â€œI know!” agreed Sooty. “Remind me to thank the beavers for stealing our fish. Without them we might never have been allowed to explore the Wild West!”
    The otter dads let the pups take the lead for the rest of the way. Sooty and Woody looked around the forest for clues to take them to the water, using all the new skills they had learnt, just like a treasure hunt. When the otters finally arrived at the stream they all leapt in to the water, darting and diving about, searching for fish to catch. Between the four of them, working together as a team, they managed to haul a feast of fishy goodness that would last both otter families for several days.
    Everyone was in high spirits on the way home, laden with fresh fish and not a single strand of riverweed. They laughed about how huge the crayfish were and how much fun it had been to chase them down; how the salmon leapt out of the water, so they had to catch them in the air, and how they found oysters hiding among the rocks. The otters were over halfway home when Papa Black suddenly froze and hushed the others. He stood tall on his hind legs and sniffed the air, whiskers twitching.

    Sooty was about to do the same, thinking this might be another training exercise on how to keep a look-out for danger in the forest, when his dad screeched at the top of his voice, dropped the haul of fish and nudged the pup forward with his nose.
    â€œRUN!” yelled Papa Black, and the pair raced away.
    Woody didn’t have time to wonder what was going on before Papa Brown did the same to him, and he immediately remembered what to do. The first lesson he and Sooty had been taught, before they even entered the forest, was to head for the river as fast as you can when the alarm is given, and not to look back.
    Woody and Sooty sprinted more quickly than they ever had before. They darted between trees, under bushes and over fallen branches. The young otters were fast, but nowhere near as fast as their dads, who ran just behind them, never overtaking but zigzagging from side to side with incredible speed.
    The pups could hear the footfalls of a much larger animal bearing down on them. The beast was puffing and panting as it tried to catch their nimble fathers, who were dashing about like deer. The chase