That thought led to another: he would go to the creek and follow it for as long as he could. He’d let the creek lead him.
His decision filled Mephitis with new energy. He hurried along and soon reached the bank of the creek, which he scrambled down so fast, he could hardly stop himself.
Except—someone was already there.
“Watch it, stink tail,” said the porcupine. “You almost ran into me. That wouldn’t be too smart.”
When Mephitis realized it was the porcupine who lived near Junior’s place, he backed away. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Didn’t see you.”
“Try opening your eyes,” muttered Ereth.
“I said I’m sorry,” said the skunk. He wheeled about and started off down the side of the creek.
“Hold it!” cried Ereth.
Mephitis stopped.
“You aren’t, by any crumb-covered chance, Junior’s skunk friend, are you?”
“What if I was?”
“Then what are you doing here? Weren’t you going with Poppy? Where is she?”
“Junior went to that mouse family house. I don’t know where Miss Poppy is.”
“How come you’re not with them?” said Ereth.
“Changed my mind.”
“Glad you have a mind to change,” said Ereth.
“Buzz you,” said the skunk, and started off again.
“Hey, whisper wit,” cried Ereth. “Did you get into a fight with Poppy?”
Mephitis stopped. “No way.”
“You rude to her? She send you home?”
“Why should I be nasty to her?”
“Because you’re a teenager, snot soup.”
“Hey, what is it with you?” said Mephitis. “How come you’re always saying mean things? I’d never be rude to Miss Poppy. I like her.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, she treats me decent, not like some I could mention.”
“She treats everyone nice,” muttered Ereth.
“Even you?” asked Mephitis.
“’Specially me,” said Ereth.
“That’s a stretch.”
“Hey, blot brain, are you looking to get a prickly tail in your face?” Ereth advanced on the skunk.
“Get any closer, pincushion,” returned Mephitis, “and you’ll get some stink in your snout.” He spun about, stood on his front paws, and aimed his backside right at Ereth.
“Snake suspenders!” cried Ereth, retreating a few steps. “Don’t get yourself in an uproar. I was just worried about Poppy.”
Mephitis lowered himself and took a few steps away, but then paused and looked around at Ereth. “The thing is,” he said, “we got separated from Miss Poppy.”
“How come?”
“Me and Junior went ahead. Figured she’d catch up to us. But then Junior went on his own.”
“How come you didn’t go with him?”
Mephitis looked away. “I don’t belong there. I mean, it’s just for mice. Anyway, that Aunt Lilly didn’t like me.”
“And you let that bother you?”
“I guess.”
“She didn’t like me, either,” said Ereth.
“You’re right. She didn’t.”
“What did she say?”
“Said you were ‘big and ungainly.’” Mephitis pursed his lips and folded his paws together as he repeated Lilly’s words in his best imitation of her dainty speech.
“That mouse,” said Ereth, “has as much brains as the pointy end of a sharp pin. What did Poppy say?”
“Told Lilly you were her best friend.”
“Which is why,” said the porcupine, “I thought I’d hang around in case she needed me.”
“Know what? I chased a bear away from her.”
“How’d you manage that?”
“My stink.”
“Good for you!” cried Ereth. “A little stink in the right place can make the world sweeter.”
“You really think so?”
“Hey, would you like things to be all one color?”
“No.”
“Okay, then: what stinks up my nose could be sweet up yours.”
Mephitis grinned. “Do you think I should stay around, too?” he asked.
Ereth stared at the skunk. “Suffering spider slippers. Between my quills and your stench, there isn’t much the two of us couldn’t chase off.”
Mephitis laughed. “That’s cool.”
“Except I think we should get a little closer to that Gray House. Keep an eye on things.”
“You mean me—with you?” said Mephitis.
“Depends how choosy you are about friends,” said Ereth.
“Junior is always talking about you. About the things you say and do. Would you talk to me like that?”
“Dolphin dandruff! There’s nothing special about the way I talk. I’ll talk to you the way I talk to everybody. What’s your name, anyway?”
“Mephitis.”
“Okay, Misfit, let’s go.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Not ‘sir.’ The name is Ereth.”
Mephitis grinned, as side by side the skunk and the porcupine started back toward Gray House. As they went, Ereth talked and Mephitis listened.
CHAPTER 22
Poppy at Gray House
POPPY, STANDING NEXT TO LUNGWORT on the front porch, with Sweet Cicely and Lilly close behind, looked out over the milling crowd of mice. Wishing she knew where Junior was, Poppy made a movement to leave the porch, only to be restrained by Lungwort.
“I need to make a speech,” said Lungwort, “and you need to be here.”
“What sort of speech?” said Poppy.
“I’m going to announce that you are about to become the new leader of our family.”
“Papa, please! I never said I would. I don’t want to be. I don’t live here. I have a family elsewhere. I’m going back home soon.”
“Nonsense,” said Lungwort. “We’ll work out the details later. I need to inform everybody that you’re going to deal with the bulldozer.”
“Papa! I told you: I don’t know what to do.”
Lilly, who was standing right behind her, whispered, “Poppy, please don’t argue with him. He’ll only get upset.”
“It will upset me a lot more,” returned Poppy.
“Poppy,” Sweet Cicely added, “you know your papa always does what’s best for everyone.”
“But—”
“Can’t you,” said Lilly, “show a little respect?”
Poppy tried to remember where she had heard that phrase before. But mice were now clustered all around and on the porch, and she did not want to argue in front of them, so she stayed put.
Lungwort went toward his regular speech-making place, an old straw hat. He tried to climb it on his own but found the going difficult. It was Lilly and Sweet Cicely who rushed forward. Pushing from below, they helped the old mouse ease into the hat’s crown. Once there, Lungwort coughed twice, tapped his thimble cap down over his head—pushing his ears
