Boys By Frieda Von Steuben

After she set the last plate on the table, little Lady Frieda climbed onto her seat and waited for breakfast to be served. Earlier, her mother, Lady Sunflower, had let Frieda stir the muffin batter and spoon it into the muffin tin. The smell of bacon, muffins, eggs and coffee made the young child impatient to eat, she was starving.

When Sunflower placed a basket full of hot muffins onto the table, Frieda reached for one, but stopped when she caught her mother’s eye. “Young females wait for their father to come to the table.” Sunflower winked at her small daughter, “And, young females do not kick their legs under the table. Have patience child.”

“Yes, Mama.” Frieda tried very hard to be a young female, but it was hard with all the yummy smells and exciting things going on in her little world. “Will the boy in the shop be joining us for breakfast?”

Sunflower brought over a bowl of steaming hot scrambled eggs. “Weldon already ate his breakfast, a couple of those old stale biscuits and dried jerky his mother sends.” Sunflower klicked her tongue, “I know he likes my cooking, but why he refuses to eat it is beyond my understanding.” She bustled about and went to the door to call her mate, Wilbur.

“Sunny, Freddie, how are my girls?” Wilbur was always very happy and showered sunflower and Frieda with hugs and kisses. “I’m starving and I bet you are too Little One. Has Mama kept you waiting?” He kissed Sunflower again and gave a mock scoff, “You don’t have to keep Freddie waiting dear, she’s growing up fast, you gotta feed her or she’ll get smaller than she already is.”

Wilbur helped Sunflower with her chair, then sat, “OK now, bow your heads.” Wilbur held out his paws, ”We’re just your little creatures and we only have little voices, but we clap our paws in thanks for what you have given us, Maker.” He clapped his paws and rubbed them together, “Dig in girls.”

Frieda tucked right into her eggs while they were still hot and took a nibble of bacon. “Daddy?”

Wilbur was an expert answering questions from his youngest. He didn’t dare just say “what,” or “yes” without really paying attention. He knew Frieda would then respond with “I don’t know,” or “Yes what?” It was her little game she played to catch folks off guard who weren’t thinking what they were saying to a precocious child. “Ask your question Freddie.” Wilbur looked straight into Frieda’s eyes when he spoke to her.

“Daddy, why can’t the boy come out of the shop and play, or at least eat with us?” Frieda suddenly sat with her paws in her lap and looked concerned.

Wilbur sipped his coffee, then put his mug down, “We’ve gone over this before. I know that he looks quite young, but he’s a Journey Level I Watcher. He’s on duty with the Watcher Corps.” Wilbur reached over and patted Frieda’s cheek, “He’s here to keep his eye on the place, so we have to let him do his job his way.” The Watchers were the military that the small animals had formed to gather information and to protect important creatures. Lady Sunflower and Lady Frieda were the only royalty the small animals had and so they had their own Watcher.

Frieda sighed, picked up her spoon and scooped up some more egg, “I know, but it all seems a bit boring.” She paused and looked up again, “What about his bird, will Johan come in and join us? His mother doesn’t bring him biscuits and jerky.”

Wilbur laughed, “Johan will join us for mid morning tea, Freddie. He can’t resist your mother’s lemon seed cake.”

Frieda’s face lit up, she liked the little sparrow. “That’s great Daddy.”

Sunflower motioned for Frieda to continue eating. “I’ve got some good news, Frieda. Your cousin Dace is on holiday from school.” Sunflower buttered a muffin and set it on her plate, “She’ll be here in an hour or so.”

Dace was a young otter who had been adopted by the entire Wheezle clan after she had been found abandoned by the river as a baby. Dace was the same age as Frieda’s older sister Fritzi.

Frieda hadn’t finished her bite and sprayed a few crumbs, “Really? That’s great, we can play down by the creek then.”

Sunflower tried not to laugh as Frieda wiped crumbs off her jumper and put on a serious mom-face, “Young females do not talk with their mouths full at the table.” Frieda resisted all attempts that Sunflower made trying to grow up a well-mannered child.

After breakfast, Frieda helped her mother clear and wash the dishes, and sweep the floor. She carried out her dirty laundry from her room and carried the stove ashes outside to the ash barrel. After her chores were done, Sunflower let her go to her room to change into her play clothes.

When she was dressed, there was a knock on the back door and Frieda ran to open it up. Dace stood on the stoop and gave a little wave, “Hi’ya Freddie.”

Frieda grabbed Dace around the middle and gave her cousin a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, “Hi Dace, come in.” Frieda took Dace’s bag and dragged it down the hall to her room, “C’mon, you’re staying with me. You can sleep on my bed.”

Dace was an apprentice at the big school where all children of Glen Meadow attended to learn trades and crafts. Dace was studying how to prepare food and to work in a kitchen. School was out for a week of Spring Holiday and Dace came home to visit her adopted family. It was Wilbur and Sunflower’s turn to host Dace and this was the otter girl’s favorite place.

By ten O’clock, it was time for mid-morning tea and the two girls helped Sunflower set the table. Sunflower’s lemon seed cake was famous and the sweet herb tea she brewed filled the house with a delicious aroma. Sunflower instructed the girls to set six places at the breakfast table, they were expecting another guest.

Soon, Wilbur entered the kitchen from his shop and following right behind was a flutter of wings, Johan the sparrow flew in and landed on the back of one of the chairs. With such a showy entrance, nobody noticed Weldon quietly enter and shut the door. Wilbur pushed the young Watcher toward the table, “You sit between Sunny there and Miss Dace. Johan, your place is between me and Freddie there.”

Wilbur said a blessing over the food and soon everybody was served and got the serious business of eating. Johan hopped down off the back of the chair right down onto the table and pecked his serving of seed cake to bits, making somewhat of a mess on the table. Frieda was delighted at the expression her mother made, one of shock and horror at the sight of bird feet on the table and crumbs everywhere. But Sunflower didn’t say anything or reprimand the sparrow for his bad manners. Frieda was amazed that Johan got away with his mess. If Frieda had made a mess like that, she would have been scolded, “Young Females do not peck their cake with their snoots and spray crumbs all over the table.” Frieda giggled into her cup.

Weldon sat quietly and carefully ate his seed cake with a spoon without speaking. He didn’t spill a speck or slurp his tea, or dribble tea down the front of his shirt or wipe his mouth on his sleeve. But Frieda observed that when he was done, his plate was spotless and his spoon laid carefully on the plate to signal he was done. Weldon sat perfectly still and waited for Wilbur to finish. Frieda observed that Weldon was very respectful of her father and waited to be told what to do. Frieda looked down at the front of her shirt and dabbed at the blob of tea and crumbs she had spilled and felt embarrassed. When she looked up, she caught Weldon’s eye and he smiled at her and whispered, “It’s OK, Little One, nobody noticed.” Frieda took it to mean that her mother and father hadn’t noticed that she wasn’t being a good ‘Young Female.’ She smiled back at Weldon and drained her mug of tea.

Dace was the topic of conversation this morning. Wilbur and Sunflower asked many questions about Dace’s adventures in school. Many of their questions were asked in such a way so that Dace’s answers were meant to be exciting for Frieda. Frieda would be going to school in just a few months and she had become nervous about leaving home. Frieda saw right through her parents ploy, but she didn’t mind. Her parents were only trying to be helpful.

At last, teatime was over, Weldon and the two girls offered to help wash up the dishes while Johan, Sunflower and Wilbur sat in the front room to visit before getting back to work doing chores.

Wilbur stood up after awhile and called out to Frieda and Dace, “Girls, what are your plans for today? Are you going fishing?”

Frieda answered, “No, Papa. Dace and I want to go down to the creek and to see if the blackberries are ripe yet.” Frieda loved berries of all kinds and the blackberries down by the creek were especially sweet. “If they are, we’ll pick some for dinner tonight. Maybe we’ll pick enough for a pie.”

Wilbur was only slightly disappointed. If Frieda had said fishing, he would have dropped everything then and there to join in on a fishing expedition. But, he had a cabinet to finish for an impatient customer. “OK, you have fun and be safe, the creek’s still quite cold and fast this time of year.” He waved for Weldon to follow him back to the shop and left by the back door. As the door shut, Frieda caught Weldon’s eye again as he smiled and waved goodby. Frieda grinned and waved back.

Johan fluffed his feathers and chirped, “Well, I must be back to work, I’ve got patrol duty.” He hopped onto the back of the chair and test-flapped his wings. “I’ll check in on the girls during my rounds, Sunflower.” He flit to the open kitchen window, “Maybe, I’ll have a berry or two.”

After the dishes were done and the two cousins had changed into their hiking clothes, they were met at the door by Sunflower, “Here are your berry baskets, and I packed you a cold lunch in the big hamper. You can us it to empty your full berry baskets if there are a lot of berries. Be careful drinking water from the stream.” She could go on and on with instructions, such is the nature of mothers when sending their children off on adventures. “And by all means, don’t make yourself sick on berries, only pick the ripe ones…”

Frieda hugged her mother and giggled, “Yes, mother. We’ve picked berries before and I remember. The green ones make your tummy hurt.”

Sunflower smiled, “That’s my girl.” She hugged Dace and kissed her cheek, “Have fun girls.” Be home before twilight.”

The path to the stream was well worn, Frieda and her family often went to the stream for fish, berries, a swim, a picnic, the stream was one of her families favorite places to visit. It was only a few hundred yards away and the girls arrived at a clearing next to the stream within five minutes. Frieda wanted to strip to her fur right away and dive into the water, but Dace held her back. “It looks really swift, maybe we should wait until after lunch.”

Frieda agreed and the two girls got right to the business of scouting for berries. Within a few minutes, they found a thicket of blackberries in the bright sun that was loaded. After stuffing themselves with as many of the sweet berries as they could, they got to the work of filling their baskets.

They giggled and chit-chatted as they worked and Dace asked if Frieda was excited about starting school in the Fall. Frieda shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know. I’m a little nervous about it.”

Dace laughed, “But school is great, why would you be nervous about that?”

Frieda really didn’t know why she was nervous and didn’t answer back. She concentrated on reaching some of the plump berries deep within the briars without getting her clothes or fur stuck on the thorns. Dace pushed the subject, “Are you afraid of meeting the teachers?”

Frieda sighed, “Nope.” She tried to shut out her thoughts on the matter by reaching for a big berry just out of reach.

“Are you nervous about leaving home?” Dace knew she was being a little snot, but kept pushing.

“Nope.” Frieda got cranky about the questions but cursed the unreachable berry. “Stupid blackberry.”

“Are you nervous about boys?” Dace giggled, that was sure to get a response.

Frieda flopped down on the grass and licked a scratch on her paw, she had been able to reach the big berry. “No! I’m not nervous about boys. I know lots of boys and boys don’t make me nervous.”

Dace was delighted, She had never seen her little cousin so emotional before. “So, you know lots of boys. Do you have a crush on a boy?”

Frieda had never heard the word crush used in a sentence like that before, “A crush, what’s a crush?”

“You know, like when you really like a boy and you want to hang out with him.” Dace tried to sound like she had a lot of experiences with crushes on boys.

“Hang out?” Frieda liked the taste of her paw and licked all the berry juice off her fur.

Dace giggled, “Yeah, silly. You want him to be your special friend, maybe hold his paw, or even give him a kiss.” Dace made a dreamy kissy-face and closed her eyes.

Frieda wrinkled her nose. She couldn’t think of any boy she wanted to give a kiss to. Bretton Jeffrey-Pine was a snot, Harmon Elmshaven was a consummate liar and Norman Bieder just smelled funny. “You mean to just kiss them because you like them?” She was fond of giving out kisses, but only to those whom she truly cared about, like her mother or father or her older cousins Sparky or Bosco. “It sounds disgusting, like eating a bug.”

“Awe c’mon, there’s got to be some boy you have a crush on.” Dace gave a mock pouty-face.

Frieda thought for a moment and giggled a shy giggle, “Well, there is one boy I’m fascinated by.” She looked down at her toes, “I guess you could say that I have a crush on Johan Belding.”

Dace snorted, “The sparrow?” She wanted to laugh out loud but held her tongue. “Oh, he’s cute and all, but he’s a bird. Can a weasel and a bird hang out?”

Frieda was only slightly annoyed, “Well, he fascinates me. So, I guess you can call it a crush.” She gave a pouty-face back to Dace, “I’d like to hang out with him.”

Dace nodded and tried to calm her little cousin down, “Alright, it’s a good start. Your first crush is Johan because he’s fascinating. I get it, and he is cute.” She raised her eyebrows, “He’s married.”

Frieda harrumphed, “I didn’t say I wanted to marry him, just hang out, OK?”

Dace laughed, “OK, I get it. He’s cute, good choice.”

“I wonder if kissing a bird is possible.” Frieda giggled, “Or would it be too much like eating?” Both girls laughed and rolled on the grass until their sides hurt.

Frieda stood and picked up her basket, it was nearly full. “Hey, we’d better get back to work if we want pie for dinner.” And soon, both girls were back to picking berries.

At noon, they unloaded the hamper of food and found that Sunflower had made them a feast. There was a fried quail egg, wild onion and cheese sandwich on tangy sourdough bread for each girl. There were dried apricots seasoned with chili powder, roasted pine nuts, and a stoppered jar with cool sweet herb tea.

After lunch, the girls lay down in the dappled shade of a large fir tree to take a nap. But before they dozed off, Frieda had a question. “Dace?”

Dace yawned, “Ask your question, Frieda.”

“Who do you have a crush on?” Frieda returned the yawn.

Dace smiled as she imagined the face of the boy she was fascinated by. “Promise you won’t get mad.”

Frieda turned her head and looked over at Dace, her eyes were shut and she had just yawned again. “OK, I won’t get mad.”

“I only ask because I saw how you two waved at each other as we left.” Dace turned toward Frieda and blinked, “I like Weldon.” She closed her eyes and sighed.

Frieda observed the smile on Dace’s face and was confused. Well, why not, they are about the same age, maybe Dace is a little younger. Weldon wasn’t all that old, he only finished his Watcher apprenticeship last semester. He and Johan were living with them as their personal Watchers now until Frieda went to school. It was only natural that Dace should like Weldon, they were perfect for each other. “That’s sweet, Dace. He’s a nice boy.”

Dace sighed again. “I only wish he knew me better.” Dace rolled onto her side and curled up. “Take your nap Little One.”

After they woke, they worked furiously picking berries and made a game of it, who could fill their basket the fastest, who could empty their basket into the hamper the greatest number of times and who could keep their paws the cleanest. Frieda lost on all points, but not my much. Dace was bigger and faster and her brown fur hid much of the purple juice of the berries. Frieda’s pure white fur was a canvas of purple from her head to her toes, the only unstained part of her fur was covered by clothes.

They filled the hamper full of berries, enough to make half a dozen pies and still have some left over for berries and cream in the morning. Satisfied that their work was done, Frieda and Dace stripped to their fur to clean up in the stream. They found a small pool where the water was calm and waded in. The water was bitterly cold, much of it was runoff from the snow melting up on the hillsides surrounding the meadow. But after a few moments of splashing each other, the two cousins didn’t mind the cold and plunged under the water.

The sun was now heading lower in the sky toward the western side of the valley and it was time to prepare to go home, twilight would be in a few hours. They clamored out of the stream, shook the water from their fur and dried off in the sunlight and dozed off.

Back in the shop, Weldon was sweeping up the sawdust and shavings created by a day full of busy woodwork. Wilbur was cleaning his tools and sharpening his wood chisels when there was a burst of wings as Johan shot into the shed through the window. “Where are the girls?”

Weldon dropped his broom, “What’s going on?”

“Old Red Shadow the Hawk is back!” Johan was out of breath and ruffled his feathers. “Last report was that she was heading this way toward her old eyrie.”

Wilbur put down his chisel, “She’ll cross right over where Frieda is picking berries.”

Weldon didn’t hesitate, grabbed his sword and buckler, donned his hat and took up his staff. “I know the spot, I’ll find her.”

He ran out the door and without thinking, looked up, praying that there was no hawk circling overhead. He was both relieved, then terrified that he couldn’t see a hawk, what if Old Shadow had already attacked? Weasel was a favorite food of the raptor and Frieda was an easy target, her pure white fur was nearly impossible to disguise.

Just as he approached the stream, Weldon heard the shriek of the hawk, looked up and saw Red in her power dive. He yelled “HAWK!” and tackled Frieda to the ground just as the hawk’s talons struck right where Frieda had been standing.

Shadow beat her wings and climbed back toward the sky, “You can’t protect her Watcher!” The hawk circled higher and higher, “The white one is mine!” In moments, she was lost from view in the low clouds.

Weldon covered Frieda with his body and glanced up, Dace had picked up Weldon’s staff and held it like an ax, “Dace, get to that rock behind me.” Weldon motioned for Dace to move while he stayed still and kept a lookout. “Shadow eats otter too, you know.”

Dace was reluctant, but got behind Frieda and Weldon, she gripped the staff even harder. Weldon knelt and helped Frieda up, but kept his body over hers for protection. But he was too slow. Shadow screeched, her wings exploded overhead as she came out of her power dive, her talons extended and aimed straight at Weldon’s back.

Wack! The air was suddenly full of feathers and the graceful death-stroke of the raptor was transformed mid-flight into an explosion of feathers, wings, legs, dust and grass. Wack! “Get off them stupid bird!” Dace hit Shadow with Weldon’s staff again.

“You stupid meat sack! Get off me! Stop it with the stick!” Shadow regained her composure and scrambled to get back on her feet, “You little rat! Stop!” She was finally able to spread her wings and fend off another blow from the furious otter. “You’ll pay for this water-scum!” She hopped backward and managed to get airborne. “You haven’t seen the last of Countess Red Shadow, weasels!” There was nothing regal about her retreat, she swerved and jerked along in the air and finally disappeared over the horizon.

Weldon quickly checked to see that everybody was OK, then helped gather up all their gear. He allowed Dace to carry his staff, he carried the hamper full of berries and took up the rear guard. He shooed the girls up the trail and encouraged them to keep as low as they could while they ran. Upon arrival back home, everybody was out of breath, but Weldon managed to report what had happened to Frieda’s worried parents.

Sunflower sent Frieda and Dace off to the baths with no hope that Frieda would emerge any less purple. To calm herself, she got right to work rolling out pie crust for berry pies. She compelled Weldon to help her, and the work seemed to calm him too. Johan helped by making sure that the berries were sweet enough and nearly made himself sick gorging on fresh berries.

As Frieda and Dace toweled off and dressed for the evening Dace had a question. “Frieda?”

Frieda loved questions, “Ask your question Dace.”

“So what do you think of Me and Weldon?” Dace sat down to brush her tail.

Frieda wanted to be annoyed, but was still too nervous about what had happened earlier. “You saved his life. He owes you.” Frieda took her tail brush off the night stand and brushed out her long fluffy tail.

Dace smiled, it was a good answer. “But he saved your life, you owe him.”

“But that’s his job.” Frieda paused, “He’s good at it.” Why does Dace have to be this way? What is she saying? Why won’t she just be quiet about boys and girls and crushes and kissing? Frieda had to be honest with herself, she was annoyed. She loved Dace a lot, but this topic had gotten old.

Dace put her brush down, came to Frieda’s side and hugged her closely. “I have a confession.” Dace kissed Frieda’s cheek. And brushed a stray lock of fur from Frieda’s eyes. “I really don’t have a crush on Weldon, I just said that to make you jealous.”

Frieda hugged Dace back and rested her head on the otter’s shoulders. “I thought so, I sensed you were up to some shenanigans. But why?”

Dace sighed, “Because I’m the one who’s jealous of you.” She set her brush on the bedside table. “You have everything, a mom and a dad and somebody to love.”

Freida pushed away and stared hard into Dace’s eyes. “Yes, I love my mother and my father. What do you mean?”

Dace smiled a wry smile, “I saw the way you and Weldon look at each other. There’s a whole lot more than a crush going on there. Give it time, it could really become something wonderful.”

Frieda didn’t argue, but didn’t agree. “I don’t even know what a crush is, how could I be in love with Weldon?”

Dace hugged Frieda again, “I’ve got eyes, you know. He only has eyes for you. He hardly knows that I’m even here.” Dace sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. “Besides, I could never have a crush on a boy that I have to save all the time.” She made a chopping motion with her free paw.

The two girls giggled, then laughed until their sides hurt. They heard Sunflower call them to the kitchen for dinner and Dace said, “Race you to the kitchen!”

Of course Frieda lost, young females do not race in the house.