Hamish and Breeze were fishing. The moon hovered over them high in the sky. The river flow was slow.
“The river looks tired.” Breeze whispered.
“Lets hope the fish are hungry and tired.” Hamish stuck his fishing line in the water. The line ran from the water to a low branch of the oak tree. Near the top of the branch Hamish had fixed some tiny bells. “They will wake me when the fish has been caught.” He told Breeze who kept staring at the bells.
“I should have thought of some bells,” Breeze said and settled down for a nap.
They woke when a fox jumped onto Breeze’s chest. Breeze sat up and shouted “we’ve caught one.”
Hamish looked at their fishing lines.They sat quietly they didn’t jig about in the water. “I don’t think so, it was Harry the fox, blame him.”
Harry apologised to Breeze for waking him adding, “she scares me. And she is a little crazy as well.”
Breeze and Hamish watched the fox run across some stones along the river bed and vanish into the dark field behind them.
“I wonder who scares him. How shall we find out?” Hamish asked as he spotted a stripey sock lying on the path close to them. They walked to the sock. Hamish sniffed it. “Lovisma, it smells of lavender and she likes lavender.”
“Lovisma loves her crazy coloured socks, why would she drop it here?” Breeze walked along the path and found another sock, this one had dots on it. They continued through the wood finding out bits of clothes here and there. A hat sat on a gooseberry bush, a dress hung from a branch and a long scarf blew amongst the leaves in the willow tree. As they went they picked the items up and Breeze stuffed them in his pockets. He smiled because he had solved the puzzle.
“I know a crazy collie who likes to steal socks, but I won’t set Lovisma on her.”Breeze said. “I like crazy collies called Ellie.”
The sun was rising and the moon was heading to bed as they arrived at Lovisma’s house. Elegant and Lovisma were in the kitchen arguing. They could hear because the windows were open.
“I don’t understand who steals our clothes? I mean who would want to do it and why?”
“It is very bothersome. It means we have to keep zapping up new socks. It is a little tiresome.” Lovisma told her older sister.
“What I don’t understand is how it always happens when it is your turn to do the laundry. It is strange.” Elegant said.
“Let’s be kind neighbour’s and return the washing.” Hamish suggested. “Afterall Elegant is a very kind witch.”
They emptied Breeze’s giant pockets and left the socks and hats in a heap on the porch.
“Go hide.” Hamish told Breeze.
Breeze ran into the wood, Hamish rang the doorbell, then hid.
Elegant answered the door saying, “Good morning….” She stopped and stared at the heap of washing. Then she did a little jig and dance on the front porch before pointing her wand at the clothes and ordering them to march indoors.
Breeze and Hamish heard Elegant say, “Good news Lovisma, you won’t be bored today, some kind neighbour has found our washing.Now lets make sure these socks in pairs.”
The two friends decided doing nice things made them extra hungry so they forgot about their fishing lines and went to Hamish’s house to cook an extra large breakfast.
Mudpile Wood 