Camel colored, spiny and totally out of place, it lay there in the grass, the sun hitting its many lines and ridges casting shadows across its two major peaks. The wind blew through the long blades and the salty scent wafted through the air, teasing, tempting. The smell, so strong, so different attracted her attention. She turned sharply, lifting her head and froze, testing the air. Slowly she stepped forward, afraid of loosing the smell, wanting to follow the trail. More faintly it drifted past her again. Large nose leading the way, she picked through the trees, trying to avoid leaving behind a trail of her own. Her dark brown coat helped to hide her massive body in the forest, but danger still lay all around and she shouldn't be wondering alone so far from the others, but the smell, the smell, so attractive called her forward. Ahead the trees parted and a vast prairie sprawled in all directions. She stopped, wary of the open ground, but the salt on the air tempted her so. 'Not far,' she told herself, 'Just a little ways to see what makes such a succulent scent.' A few steps out of the trees was all it took to locate the source. Though small, exceptionally so in the eyes of one so big, she saw it laying there in the green grass. A tiny oblong object, multi-faceted and pinched in the middle, it lay there as on a platter made just for her. Her eyes widened in anticipation and one last time she scanned her surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary in sight. Slowly, deliberately, she stepped forward, eyes locked on the prize. Mechanically she made each step, drawn toward the tantalizing miniature object. Mouth watering in preparation she made the final steps until she stood directly above her siren, so small yet so powerful. A final preparatory breath and then gingerly she lowered her head.
THUD
Startled he yanked his head up, yet he barely moved. His head felt heavy as an echo ran through his bashed cranium and he pulled away again, still to no avail. What was wrong?! His head twisted to the side sharply, though he hadn't made the motion. Again, harshly his head was pulled down, seemingly of its own accord. Obviously he was stuck, or caught in something and so mustering all of his strength, he pulled hard and tried to step backward. He was successful in taking a small step, but the weight of his head felt as though it had increased and a sound caught his ear. A grunt, then the stomping of, what? Hooves? Could it be his own? HIs head stretched forward. No, those definitely weren't his hooves. He tried to see what the problem was, but he was trapped in a position that only allotted him a peripheral view and a direct line down his nose to the thing he had sought. Again a grunt and a tug and his head tipped downward. Then a hoof appeared next to his rippled mystery. A moose hoof. He shook his head and heard the familiar click and scrape of antlers to antlers. He had clashed with many of his brethren and that sound was all too familiar, but this feeling was not. Trapped, stuck, locked with seemingly no release.
"Quite a pickle huh?" He said.
"I don't think it's a pickle, but it is a something, or I wouldn't have come out here for it, and it's mine," she replied. "Now please let go."
"I can't. I think we're stuck."
"There must be a way. What if we..."
And for a time they twisted this way and that. Up, down and all around but after wearing themselves out, no change had been made. They were each stuck to a friend or foe that neither could see and they were stuck strong. Panting, they mutually agreed to rest.
"Well, what do we do?" She asked.
"I just don't know. But, lets take a minute to regroup." She nodded and his head bobbed necessary agreement. "I'm Bob by the way."
"Hey Bob, I'm-"
But at that moment they both heard a scurrying in the grass and a small tan animal with a long furry tail, bristled out all over appeared directly below them in the grass. It picked up their prize that still lay in the center of a now trampled circle of earth (they had been careful not to crush it) and held the thing to its face. In the creature's tiny hands, the once miniscule item looked oversized as it spun and tested it under its nose. And then, horrifically, its chomped the peanut under it protruding teeth and scampered through the brush and out of sight.
A moment passed and neither moose even dared breathe. Antlers locked, mouths agape, each one stood staring with one eye after their lost prize. Bob broke the silence.
"What now?"
