Maury the Moose Takes a Bet

By HM_Braverman

The shadows grew longer.
The sun disappeared.
The night and moon soon began to appear.
Snow started falling, silent and cold,
Home was much better, the bet now felt old.

Maury the moose
shivered and swayed
No longer feeling quite so brave
For his beautiful forest,
inviting by day,
Now Looked dreadfully spooky and grave.

His knees felt all knobbly,
his long legs all wobbly
His large furry body seemed small
And he wished he was snuggled down
warm in his bed
Curled up in a tight little ball.

What use were his antlers,
such small little nubs
They wouldn't protect him at all
What had he been thinking,
to come out alone?
Then he jumped at a frightening call.

"What's that? Who are you?" He called out in the dark
Trumpeting a small squeaky "moooo."
"Please show yourself, I really don't like,
spooky things in the night who say BOO!"
"Hooo Hooo," said an owl swooping silently down,
he'd been sitting up in a tree,
"There's nothing to fear, Maury my dear, it's only little old me."

"Oh Harold, you scared me! I jumped a mile, I really can't see a thing"

"Maury my friend, what are you doing out here," Harold said, ruffling his wings.

"It was Billy's idea, he said I couldn't last, a night here alone in the cold. He said, 'There's no way, a little scared moose, like you could ever be bold.'"

"Oh Maury, you goose, you silly moose, don't listen to that silly sprite. Billy's never set foot alone in the woods, not once in the day or the night."

"Really?" Said Maury, who pushed back his shoulders, standing a little bit straighter, "So I'm braver than him!" Maury said with a grin, feeling a million times better.

"Braver maybe, but sillier too, these woods are no place for a moose pup like you. Now you follow me, I'm taking you home, follow my hooting;

HOO-HOOOOOO."

Maury ran after Harold
So glad to go home
He followed him back to his glade
And wouldn't you know,
Right there was his mom,
Relieved, but displeased that he'd strayed.

Maury thanked Harold and nuzzled his mom,
And told her about Billy's bet.
His mother said, "Maury, I love you so much,
You're the bravest moose I've ever met."