Over the next few days, the necessary plans came to fruition, and all interested parties were identified and invited. The time appointed was the darkest part of the night, to ensure safety for the wary denizens of the wild places.

As their people completed the Saturday’s tidying up, and leaving things in readiness for the Sunday, Old Mistress noticed that the eight cats were much in evidence.

“I don’t know,” she said, “the Ginger Nuts hardly came to see the visitors, but now they are in and out of the garden, like dogs at a fair!”

“Mew, mew, we need to position ourselves, quite spread out, at all entrances routes to our garden 

domain,” said the old furry Mopprag, “to provide an introduction and welcome to all who attend.”

The foxes were the first to arrive. It was very easy for them, since they had raised another family underneath the summerhouse earlier in the Spring.

Bobby Bunny came bouncing around, with a couple of very timid wild rabbits, whom he was continually reassuring.

“I’ve escaped again!” he announced to Squimps, “and I’m looking forward to a night of adventure, with all this badger and fox friction resolved.”

Winston, the Lancashire Terrier, and Henry the old black Labrador, as representatives for the local dogs, pushed through the hedges, with their eyes glowing with anticipation.

A hedgehog contingent soon joined in, led by Old HedgeDog.

“Oi’ve brought my musical relatives,” he said shyly to Tigtoes, “hopefully the talks will go well, and a few relaxing folk songs will smooth the final agreement.”


Mungojerrie spotted the badgers, ambling about, looking a little lost in unfamiliar territory. He stepped forward to introduce himself, explained briefly what was happening, and led them through the gardens to the meeting ground. He suddenly spotted his Old Mistress going back into the house, with the last few things. He put his paw on the first badger’s nose, whose sudden halt caused the second one to collide with the first. The ensuing kerfuffle caused some sharp cracks from twigs and branches. Old Mistress looked up quickly and peered into the gloom of the garden. She spotted Mungo’s light ginger plume of a tail and the white stripes on the badgers’ faces.

“I don’t know,” she said, returning to the house, “I’m sure I’ve just seen Mungo with a badger!”


The larger animals sat quietly round on benches and chairs, talking in their groups. The Ginger Nuts passed round small snacks, the preparation of which had been overseen by Old HedgeDog who was well versed in the dietary ways of the wild.


Just as Tabbo was saying, ‘who are we missing’, the Mopprag was wondering where the Space Lynxes were. There was chattering and scurrying and several Grey Squirrels bounced off nearby tree branches to join the party. Simultaneously a number of plump grey rats, with perhaps one or two brown ones, sneaked out from the bushes to represent the views of the preyed upon rodent members.