Otter Chaos! by Michael Broad Page B

it would be nice to have a room where he could have other pups over to play. He couldn’t wait to tell his best friend—
    â€œSooty!” gasped Woody, suddenly realising that moving upstream to another section of the river would mean leaving his friend behind. It was hard enough meeting up now with their dens on opposite banks of the river, but the extra distance would make it impossible for the young pups to see each other.
    Woody leapt out of bed and hurried to his parents’ chamber, which was empty, so he swam out of the den and up to the surface to find the riverbank full of thin branches and reeds. Mama and Papa were busy building rafts by moonlight.
    â€œI don’t want to move upriver!” he said. “I want to stay here.”
    â€œWhy would you want to stay in this tiny den when you can live at Cottonwood Lodge?” asked Papa, bending the thin branches and tying them with riverweed. “Don’t you want to have your own room any more?”
    â€œI do,” sighed Woody, sitting down heavily on the bank. “It’s just that Sooty lives on the other side of the river and I don’t want to leave him behind.”
    â€œOh, I’m sure he will understand,” said Mama, setting her weaving aside to stroke Woody’s head. “And when we’re all settled you can invite him to come and stay with us. There will be plenty of room in the new place and you can show him around the neighbourhood.”
    â€œCan Sooty really come and stay?” asked Woody, feeling excited again.
    â€œOf course,” said Papa. “The more the merrier!”
    â€œNow hurry off to bed,” said Mama. “We’re all going on a very big adventure tomorrow, but moving home is hard work so everyone needs a good night’s sleep.”
    â€œYes, Mama!” said Woody.
    The young pup dived into the river with a splash and scurried back to his chamber where his siblings were all sleeping soundly. Woody was now more excited than ever about the move because he could explore a whole new section of river with his best friend and have sleepovers too. He could just imagine Sooty’s face when he told him about the indoor splash pool and the mudslide at Cottonwood Lodge. What fun they were going to have together!

t the first light of dawn, the Brown family were already turfing out their beds and belongings, shoving them through the entrance of the den and letting everything float to the surface, to be piled on to the bobbing rafts. Mama and Papa had built a large one for the bedding and four smaller ones for supplies. The rafts were all anchored at the bank so everyone could add the last of their stuff.
    â€œCan I take this rock?” panted Chestnut, heaving a small boulder above the waterline, legs paddling frantically as he fought to stay afloat.
    â€œLike there won’t be rocks where we’re going,” Nutmeg sighed sarcastically, tossing her collection of clamshells on the raft. “What’s so special about that one?”
    â€œIt’s my favourite rock for smashing shellfish,” said Chestnut, cradling his rock like a baby and stroking it lovingly. “I really don’t think I can live without it.”
    â€œYou can take it if you carry it,” said Papa.
    â€œNever mind,” shrugged Chestnut, and he hurled it over his shoulder.
    The rock landed in a puddle on the bank and sent a great muddy SPLASH all over Coco, who had just come to the end of her lengthy morning grooming ritual.

    â€œMY FUR!” she shrieked. “MY BEAUTIFUL, WATERPROOF FUR!” She dived into the water after Chestnut, who raced round in circles until his big sister got tired and gave up the chase.
    â€œCan I ride on the big raft?” asked Beanie, packing the last of her snacks away with the food stores. She then took a handful back to cram in her mouth. “The one with all the bedding on it.”
    â€œThat’s for Grandma and