by Rina Heisel
“But it didn’t get you, Tobin.” She leaned in, pressed her forehead against his. “You’re still here. That’s what matters most.”
Tobin lay very still, letting his mom rub his back while he took deep breaths. “You’re alive, Tobin,” she said softly. “Everyone you love, and everyone you fought for, is alive.”
He nodded, looking around at the twigs surrounding them, realizing this place was completely unfamiliar. “Um, where exactly are we, Mom?”
“Inside a crown shrub, just off the creek bed.”
“On which side of the creek?”
“What?” She looked down, puzzled at first before understanding filled her eyes. “Our side of the creek.” Her brow furrowed as she continued. “So, I should tell you there is a . . . um, beaver, running patrols every now and again, standing guard outside with your father, sister, and Wiley. And a snake. I just about had a heart attack—”
“A snake?” Tobin’s heart leaped. “Black with a green stripe?”
The surprise on his mom’s face melted into a smile. “Yes, Tobin. We didn’t want to move you any farther, and you seem to have made a few new, interesting friends, so—”
“Mom, I have to go out there.” Tobin turned. Then he turned the other way. The shrub was really thick.
“That way.” His mom pointed. “And take it easy.”
Pressing his tail flat to his body, Tobin crawled between the twigs until he saw his companions. Talia and Wiley were entertaining themselves by trying to balance on an especially large pine cone. The light of morning spilled around them. He’d been sleeping a while. “Hey,” he called, wriggling free of the last spindles.
“There he is.” Wiley grinned from ear to ear and hopped to his side. “Would ya look at that tail? I always thought I’d lose more pieces than you.”
Tobin swerved his tail forward, examining the scabbed-over tip in his front paws. His mom was right, at least it was a clean snip.
“Crikes, Wiley,” Talia scolded. “Little soon for jokes, don’t ya think?”
Wiley shrugged, his paw pads up. “He’s been sleeping forever. I had to wait hours to say that.”
Tobin released his newly shortened tail. “Honestly, I always thought he’d lose more pieces, too.” Tobin gave a small smile. “Hey, how’s the eye?”
Wiley shrugged. “Swelling’s just about gone. And if I tilt my head back, I can see just about everything, so I know it’ll be okay.”
“That’s a relief,” Tobin said. Then he looked at Talia.
She looked different, too—not physically, he realized. He saw her differently. She jumped off Lookout Landing. She never cowered from the snake queen. Or Swallfyce. She trusted Hess.
“Tal.” Tobin set his paw on hers, and her huge moon eyes looked up. “We’d have never made it without you. Not me, Wiley, or Coal.”
Talia’s ears and nose flushed pink. “Well, you had the idea to chase—”
“But you jumped.” Tobin squeezed her paw. “You never gave up.”
Talia gave a little shrug. “I have a pretty great big brother to look up to,”
Tobin released her paw and looked from Talia to Wiley. “I’m so grateful for you two.”
Wiley gave a half smile, lifting his chin and nodding. “We know. We kind of like you, too.”
Tobin smiled, then looked over Wiley’s shoulder. “So where’s Hess? Mom said—”
Just then, a booming voice demanded their attention from behind. “The adventurers are home and reunited. And my eldest adventurer has emerged.”
Tobin turned to see a tan-and-black-speckled mouse walking toward them.
A smile spread across Tobin’s muzzle. “Dad!”
He clasped his paws around him in a tight embrace. His dad grumbled in his ear, “Don’t you ever, ever do anything like that again.”
“I won’t, Dad,” Tobin answered, closing his eyes and letting his dad squeeze some of the jitters away. Eventually Tobin looked up, and his dad loosened his grip.
“Dad, I just . . .” Where to begin? Tobin blinked. He’d broken the Rules. His choices put Talia and Wiley in danger. How could he explain this? “I just wanted to help. I didn’t think we’d ever . . .”
“Tobin,” his dad interrupted, laying his front paws on Tobin’s shoulders. “Lucky for us, we’ll have lots of time to talk about what you did and where the three of you went.”
Tobin wanted to say more, explain things, but the lump in his throat was really getting in the way. And besides that, his dad kept talking.
“What’s most important is that I know everything you did was for us. For your family.”
Tobin wanted to say That’s true, it was all for the family, but all he could manage was a nod.
“Right now,” his dad whispered, “if you’re up for it, I think your new friend needs your company.” His dad nodded toward an overgrown fern. “He’s keeping guard, as I’m told he likes to do.”
Hess sat coiled in the shade, gold eyes glimmering.
Upon seeing his friend, Tobin suddenly felt like his heart was about to burst. He sniffed and cleared his throat. “Thanks, Dad.” Pressing his tail to his side, Tobin walked over to the snake.
“Hess?” Tobin sat beside the big snake. There was so much to say, but one point was obvious. “For a minute I didn’t think we’d make it out of that creek.”
“That makes two of us,” Hess answered. “But I knew Keely could carry you, once we finally reached each other.”
Tobin shook his head. “It looked like the creek was going to carry you away forever.”
Hess sighed. “It almost did. Almost.” He smiled. “That’s one quick beaver. Somehow she got you to shore, then came back into the water and found me wrapped around a piece of driftwood. I hardly remember any of it.” Hess looked over to Talia and Wiley. “Honestly, your family’s been caring for me, too. I woke up not too long before you did.”
“Maybe Keely did hear me.” Tobin scratched his head. “I tried asking her to help you, but I don’t know if I got any words out. Where’s Keely now?”
Hess’s smile faded. “Back at the creek bed, maneuvering chunks of the tree bridge downstream.”
Tobin’s heart skipped a beat. “So, it’s gone? Broken down?”
Hess nodded and glanced toward the creek. Through the gaps in the shrub line, Tobin could see the glittering water. The water that once again separated the Great Burrow from the Arakni—or what was left of them. But it separated them from something else, too. “Hess,” said Tobin, “how are you going to get home?”
For a few moments, Hess just looked quietly out at the water. “I don’t know.”
“What about Keely?” Tobin asked.
Hess shook his head. “No, she almost drowned trying to carry me to shore. I’m a bit bulky and tend to wrap around important moving parts—like her legs and tail. I wouldn’t ask her to do it again.”
“Oh.”
They sat in silence for a few moments. “We’ll think of something.”
“I know,” the big snake answered.
Approaching pawsteps drew their attention. Talia and Wiley came and sat beside them, and the four friends watched the twinkling water.
“By the way.” Talia broke the silence. “All the Eldermice are in a total tizzy over our story. Some are even saying we may need to revisit some of the Rules. Can you believe it?”
“Hmm.” Tobin let the thought sink in a moment. “You know, I bet it’s been generations since any mouse has put the Rules to the test like we did. It’s probably time for review. And you should pitch your Rescue Scouts idea, too.”
“Well, climb aboard,” said Hess. “I’m ready to see this Great Burrow and give the elders something to really chatter about.”
Wiley hopped onto Hess’s back, his eyes round as cherries. “Hess, I’m really gonna like having you around.”
“But not for too long,” Talia added, putting a paw on Hess’s side. “We’ll find you a way home.”
Hess nodded as she clim
bed onto his back. “No real hurry. I’m not sure my family, especially my mother, is quite ready to see me again.”
“Hess.” Tobin’s mom set a paw on the serpent’s cheek. “I know there’s family that loves you on that side of the creek. And we’ll figure out a way to get you back to them, okay?”
“Thanks.” Hess nodded, and then smiled, looking to Tobin. “Want a ride?”
Tobin nodded. “But . . .” He looked at his injured tail still pressed into his side. “I don’t know if I should.”
“It’ll be a smooth ride. Promise.” Hess leaned over and plucked him up by the scruff of his neck, setting him beside Wiley.
Wiley gently nudged him. “You know we won’t let you fall.”
“I know.” Tobin smiled. “Just one thing.” He looked toward his dad, who was now joined by his mom and baby brother, Coal. “Do you guys want a ride, too?”
His mom raised a paw. “Thanks for the offer, but I think Coal’s riding days are over, at least until his eyes are open.”
Tobin’s dad nodded in agreement. “We’ll be right behind you. And Hess.” His father looked to the striped snake. “Everyone is expecting you at the Great Burrow. As long as you need it, you can call the burrow home.”
Hess dipped his head in return. “Thank you.”
Tobin patted the snake beneath him. Family. Eldermice. Baby news. The burrow.
Everything he’d once run from, he now happily slithered back to.
And he couldn’t fight the smile.
Acknowledgments
I think Tobin would agree that when you’re surrounded by supportive companions—the kind who will bravely walk an unfamiliar path with you—any journey is possible.
I’m so lucky to have had such companions. Growing up, playing on countless lakeshores with my brother, sister, and cousins, we were always encouraged to explore and be curious. To research and read and write. I had really great grown-ups in my life. Thank you, Mom and Dad and the wonderful Bellews and Wickmans.
Fast-forward a few (many) years, and the idea for a story about a brave mouse and an entire cast of creatures was born.
The idea first came while working in the field as an associate producer gathering video for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, where we did lots and lots of natural science segments. Thank you to the SDPB crew for encouraging learning, always.
Thank you to my writing group, the fabulous OWLs, for teaching me so much and starting me on the path to publication: Marlana Antifit, Jan Eldredge, José Iriarte, Lisa Iriarte, Vivi Barnes, Peggy Jackson, Jennye Kamin, Stephanie Spier, Christy Koehnlein, and Matt Tinley. Your continual support has meant the world.
Thank you to my group of publishing Super-Pros who met me on this path and led me the rest of the way: Marlo Berliner, my incredibly insightful and encouraging agent who believed in these mice from day one; Alice Jerman, editor extraordinaire with an endless supply of clever ideas, who can truly make words and stories sing; Clare Vaughn, assistant editor who provides invaluable guidance and great enthusiasm; artist Paul Scott Canavan illustrating a breathtaking cover that is truly a gateway into Tobin’s world; and artist Chris Dunn for gracing the interior pages with stunning artwork that captures the mood of the story perfectly. There are no words for how grateful I am to have worked with you all.
And my family, Rob, Lily, and Izzy—thank you for staying on this journey with me. I look forward to all our adventures ahead! To my whole huge Heisel family, you are all so supportive—thank you.
About the Author
Photo by © Lily H. Photography
RINA HEISEL has written the scripts for many natural science–themed documentaries and magazine segments. After eleven years producing educational television programs for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Rina found she especially enjoyed writing and filming segments centering on natural sciences, feeling as if she was getting a sneak peek into the animals’ secret worlds. Journey Beyond the Burrow is Rina’s first novel.
You can visit her online at www.rinaheisel.com.
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Copyright
JOURNEY BEYOND THE BURROW. Text copyright © 2021 by Rina Heisel. Interior art copyright © 2021 by Chris Dunn. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Cover art © 2021 by Paul Canavan
Cover design by Catherine Lee
Chapter opener art by Shutterstock/MicroOne
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Heisel, Rina, author.
Title: Journey beyond the burrow / Rina Heisel.
Description: First edition. | New York : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2021] | Audience: Ages 8–12. | Audience: Grades 4–6. | Summary: “When young mouse Tobin has his baby brother snatched from his burrow by monstrous spiders, Tobin and his friends must embark on a dangerous journey deep into their forest home to save him, encountering new friends along the way”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021000071 | ISBN 978-0-06-301603-3 (hardcover)
Subjects: CYAC: Mice—Fiction. | Forest animals—Fiction. | Rescues—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H44525 Jo 2021 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021000071
* * *
Digital Edition JULY 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-301605-7
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-301603-3
2122232425PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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