Tiny Feet

She is running with caution, carefully placing one foot in front of the other, balancing her light weight to ensure she stays on her path. It might look like an easy undertaking, but this is only the case because every muscle in her body is trained for this. She is mastering obstacles with ease, always keeping aware of her surroundings and potential threads. The bark is rough underneath her feet, giving her grip and guiding her. She is following the exact same direction in which the branches grew a long time ago. There is a leafy obstacle coming up right in front of her. But no problem, a swift swing to the right and she is back on track. She can feel the sun on her back, smell various scents in the air, and hear sounds from far away and close by - forming her very own impression of this very moment.

She keeps going, having a clear goal and being determined to reach it. Something inside of her tells her that time is of the essence. Bigger branches appear in front of her, blocking her way. A brief look to her left reveals that there might be an easier path. A quick but skilful and precise jump to the neighbouring branch solves her problem easily. The muscles in her legs are working together to vault her light body through the air. For a few fractions of a second she is flying. Her long tail functioning as a rudder in the air. Then her feet hit the neighbouring branch. Her legs are cushioning her jump and on she goes. Further toward her goal, placing her small feet with incredible precision. She can feel how the branches are getting thinner and easier to bend the further she moves away from the trunk. She has to go a bit slower on those thin branches. But there are numerous places where neighbouring trees meet, their branches intertwining like a complex network. This way she can easily move from one tree to the other and effortlessly navigate through the lofty maze.

But suddenly, she stops. Listening and holding entirely still. The wind is going softly through her hair, bringing new scents with it. The breeze is telling her to go higher, avoiding something further down. A dangerous furry creature is slowly crawling in her direction. Its eyes are fixed on her. She knows that she is safe up here but must not get closer to the ground. So that's what she does: climbing up with no trouble, going higher towards the cloudy sky. One foot at a time, carefully, but at a high pace, she moves on, always keeping aware of the danger below.

After her run through the high-lying network of branches, she finally finds her way to one very specific tree. It is a tree she knows especially well and which holds a precious treasure inside. This is where she has build her home the last couple of weeks. And now her kids are waiting for her. With a last glance at the cat, which is still sitting several feet underneath her, she slips into the whole in the stem and has finally arrived at home. The noises from outside are muffled in her cavity and the air is warm and brings an earthy scent with it. Her three little babies are already waiting for her, all squished together in the small hollow, keeping each other warm. The siblings' eyes are still closed and they are entirely dependent on her. A squirrel's life can be exhausting. But she is tenacious and clever. She knows what to do to keep them safe and well fed. But to ensure that, she needs to feed properly as well. Today her nut hunt was successful, so now she can lie down between her little ones, exhausted but content. And as soon as she squeezes herself in the middle of the furry bundle, twelve tiny feet start to move and find their way to mommy's belly after a long afternoon of waiting.

Tamara Müller