John struggled to remain asleep. He had been having the most terrible dream, something about being lost in the woods with some kind of freakish animal hybrids. But the air felt a bit chilly and his bed was so soft and warm....
"I think he is waking up....."
"Really? That stuff should have kept him out for hours ..."
"Aw, he looks so cute when he is asleep! Let him sleep..."
The voices overlapped, noisy and intrusive to his tired mind trying to return to his dreams. Unfamiliar voices. He couldn't remember where he was or how he got there. John's rising anxiety and adrenaline levels quickly chased away the sleepiness clouding his mind. His eyes whipped open and he looked around the room.
The room was poorly lit with the red hues of a setting sun but John could still make out his surroundings. He appeared to be in some kind of log cabin, but the walls seemed odd. Instead of the alternating stacks of logs the wooden wall was one smooth piece of wood, almost like it had been carved directly into the tree. The room was sparsely furnished with just a few piles of straw and a large pile of nuts in the corner. A single open hole served as the only entrance or exit, allowing just a small amount of light to enter and illuminate the room.
But it was more than enough light to show the most striking feature of the room - two anthropomorphic squirrels staring at him just inches from his face. John reeled back in shock, pressing his back against his bed.
"Augh! Who are you? What did you do to me?" asked John in shock. His memory has still a little hazy.
"Humph!" said one of the squirrels in a very high feminine voice, crossing her arms and pouting. "Well, that's a fine way to say thank you after we rescued you from that mean gator. It wasn't easy, you know. You are pretty heavy!"
The other squirrel put a hand on its shoulder.
"Easy, Cindy. He is still waking up and might be a little confused, " said the other squirrel in a deeper yet still feminine voice. "My name in Wendy. And these are my sisters - Cindy and Mindy."
John didn't understand. He saw only two squirrels standing in front of him. Was the third standing outside or hidden in the room? Then John felt his bed move. He pulled on the blanket, or rather the fluffy tail he had assumed was his blanket. He turned around and saw the face of the third squirrel directly behind him, her body curled around him and warming him as a makeshift bed. It waved a clawed hand affectionately at him.
"Morning, sunshine. Did you have a good nap?" she asked playfully.
John worked his way free and jumped up off her body. Now out of bed, the chill of the room seemed much worse. And that was when John realized that he was nude. He reached down and covered his exposed genitalia.
"Can I have some clothes, please?" asked John angrily.
Mindy yawned and stretched, exposing her long teeth, then stood up and joined her sisters.
"Sorry, we can't help you with that. We don't have any clothes. Don't have much need for them, " said Wendy, running her hands down her furry body. "But you don't have to be modest on our account. We don't mind if you walk around in the nude."
Wendy smiled and her sisters giggled like schoolchildren. John did not find it as amusing and continued to shield his private parts.
"What's going on? Why did you bring me here?" asked John.
"Just take it easy. We are not trying to hurt you. It was just like Cindy said - we saw you with that gator and decided to rescue you. We brought you back to our home to keep you safe," said Wendy.
John's memories were still fuzzy. He did remember something about a skunk and a gator. But didn't the gator say that she was rescuing him, too? Hadn't she offered to help him? It was all so confusing, distinguishing reality from his dreams. But he did remember the dart. He could still feel the small pinprick hole in his neck.
"Why the hell did you knock me out?" asked John, still rubbing his sore neck.
"We didn't want to frighten you so we used something to sedate you. It helped to keep you calm and quiet while we moved you. It might make things a little confusing for a while, but it shouldn't have any long term effects. Like I said, we just want to help you, " said Wendy.
"Well, thanks and all that. But I think I better be on my way, " said John, making his way towards the hole that served as the door.
Wendy shrugged.
"Suit yourself," said Wendy with a sly smile. "You aren't our prisoner. You are free to go if you like..."
Cindy and Mindy giggled hysterically. It made John very uneasy. But they still made no attempt to stop him. John backed through the door, the air even more chilly outside the room. He almost slipped before he realized that he was standing on the branch of a tree suspended over a hundred feet off the ground. It was no wonder it was so cold and windy outside. The squirrel sisters lived in a knot on a tree!
Cindy leaned her head out and looked down, whistling.
"Whew, that is a long drop!" said Cindy.
"Yeah, I'd be careful if I were you," said Mindy. "I wouldn't want to get hurt climbing down."
John held onto the edge of the entrance, staring down. The branch swayed in the wind, making his vertigo worse.
"Take me down ... now!" said John weakly.
"Listen, it's late. It will be dark soon. The woods are not safe for anyone after dark. There are far worse things than gators down there. I don't want to risk my sister's lives. But if you spend the night with us, we will take you down in the morning ....if that is what you really want," said Wendy.
John sighed. What choice did he have?
"Fine, I'll stay," said John.
Cindy and Mindy squealed with glee and disappeared back into the hole. Wendy reached out a hand and helped John ease his way off the branch and back through the entrance. Although her fingers and palm were covered in pads, they were surprisingly soft.
"Thanks, " said John as he returned to the knothole room.
"Don't mention it, " said Wendy, brushing some fur behind her ear. It almost looked like she was blushing a little. But it was impossible to tell under all the fur.
Cindy and Mindy were running frantically around the room, tidying up their nests and preening themselves.
"Who are you people? How did you get here? And where are we?" asked John.
Wendy sighed.
"I know you must have a thousand questions. I can't answer them all, but I promise I'll do my best. It's late and I am very hungry. I know you must be too after your long day. What do you say we get something to eat first? We don't have much, but we are happy to share what we have. Would you like some nuts?" asked Wendy.
John wasn't particularly fond of nuts. But he was very hungry. And he thought it would rude to insult his host and refuse her offer...
"We might be able to find something else...." said Wendy a little defensively.
"No, I would love to have some nuts. Thank you very much," said John.
Wendy smiled widely. Then she clapped her hands at her sisters, who were bickering over some kind of homemade jewelry.
"Girls, it's time to eat. Would you mind serving our guest?" asked Wendy.
Cindy and Mindy immediately stopped fighting, dropping the forgotten jewelry and running to their private stash of nuts. They rummaged through them, selecting the best nuts, then scurried over to John and offered them up to him. John was careful to select an equal number from both girls, not showing any sign of favoritism. Soon they were all chowing down on their respective pile of nuts.
The squirrel girls ate quickly, nibbling and cramming their mouths with nuts. John thought it was a little cute how their furry cheeks puffed out as they ate. He gingerly took a bite of one of his nuts. It was surprisingly tasty.
"These are pretty good," said John as he chewed on another nut.
"You have to roast them just right," said Mindy proudly.
"You cook your food?" asked John.
"Of course we can cook," said Cindy in a huff, putting her hands on her hips. "We are not animals!"
Although her furry face and bulging cheeks did look like an animal to John, he knew it was better not to argue.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. I was just a little surprised. I mean, this is a tree. I didn't think it would be safe to cook in here," said John.
"That's why we cook on the ground. Duh!" said Cindy with annoyance.
"Ah, very smart. You must be an intelligent girl, " said John.
"That's what I am always telling them. See - he thinks I am smart," said Cindy proudly.
Wendy smiled, but said nothing.
Over the course of the dinner, John learned a lot about the squirrel sisters. Apparently, they were once human. But they had gotten lost in the park one day and could not find their way out. They spent their time hiding in the trees, living off the nuts and berries. Gradually they changed into squirrels. They had no idea what happened to John's clothes, nor their own. They had simply lost track of them after they no longer needed them.
Wendy didn't know much about the park. She had no idea why they changed into squirrels. Although the squirrel sisters had seen a large number of different animals in the forest, they had not made contact with any of them. They preferred to remain hidden and unseen for safety's sake. But John was the first human they had seen in a very long time so they decided to make an exception for him. When they saw him held captive by the gator while scavenging for food, they decided to save him.
"So you don't know if Lucy was dangerous?" asked John.
"Lucy? Is that her name?" asked Wendy.
John was a little surprised he remembered her name himself. But gradually his memory was returning.
"Well, I guess I really don't know. But she is an alligator, after all. A predator. We have seen some animals feeding off one another, as well as more than a few carcasses, so it seemed logical to assume so. I'll admit we might be wrong about her. But after what we have seen, it is better to be safe than sorry," said Wendy.
Wendy yawned widely.
"Sorry, John, but it is late. I think I am going to have to get some sleep. Care to join us?" asked Wendy.
John saw Cindy and Mindy curled into a ball, a tangle of fur and appendages bound together for warmth. Wendy got into position beside them.
"Um, no thanks, " said John.
"Suit yourself," said Wendy with a shrug. "But it can get pretty cold up here. Part of the price of safety. If you change your mind, you are welcome to join us."
Wendy snuggled up to her sisters, her face disappearing into Mindy's fur as she nuzzled her sister.
John looked at the cozy sisters with envy. His straw bed was not nearly as soft and warm as Mindy had been. But he still felt a little uncomfortable rubbing his nude body against strangers. Still, it was cold and they had offered.....