In the woodland clearing, a shiny acorn gleamed on the mossy stump.
A young hedgehog reached for it. So did a young squirrel. Their hands met on the shiny acorn.
"I found it first!" the squirrel snapped. The acorn rolled between the wildflower bushes. The hedgehog's quills stood straight up.
The hedgehog sat alone by the stump. It opened its mouth to say something, but no sound came out.
It held the acorn up to the light, turning it over and over. A butterfly landed on it, then fluttered away.
The hedgehog searched the wildflower bushes for berries, but a fat green caterpillar had eaten them all. It was sleeping right in the middle of the spot.
It reached for the acorn again, but it didn't feel special without the squirrel watching with big round eyes.
The hedgehog walked to the other side of the clearing. Its quills drooped low. "I'm sorry I called you a thief," it whispered.
The squirrel's ears twitched. It looked down at its scuffed paws. "I shouldn't have stormed off," it said.
Slowly, the squirrel pushed the acorn back toward the hedgehog.
The hedgehog and the squirrel sat together by the stump. They shared the acorn, crunching it in perfect unison.
Between them, the acorn shell cracked open and a tiny green sprout poked out. The hedgehog's quills relaxed. The squirrel leaned against it.
