The morning sun spilled over the quiet little town, painting everything in a warm glow. For a while, it felt peaceful. But peace didn't last long. A rumble came from the edge of the market street—like a storm rolling in. Then they appeared.
A group of raccoons swaggered into the square, dressed in tattered coats, their eyes gleaming with mischief. They kicked over baskets, scattered grain, and snatched food right off the stalls. The leader, a tall raccoon with a scar across his eye, cracked his knuckles and grinned.
"This town belongs to us now! Hand over your goods, or else!" he barked.
The villagers froze. Chickens, ducks, goats—even the shopkeeper cows—trembled in fear. Nobody dared resist.
In the middle of this chaos, Teddy sat tied to a post near the square fountain, still the "weird human" everyone whispered about. He struggled against the ropes, grunting softly. The gangsters' shouting covered up the sound of the knots loosening. His wrists burned, but finally, the rope snapped free.
This is my chance… I can run, Teddy thought, rubbing his sore wrists. He looked toward the woods. He could vanish before anyone noticed. But then—
"Cheep! Cheep!"
A panicked cry. Teddy's head whipped around. A group of tiny chicks had wandered too close to the mob. The raccoon leader's heavy boot nearly came down on one.
Without thinking, Teddy leapt forward. "Hey!"
He scooped the chicks into his arms, shielding them with his body. The raccoon gang froze. Their leader's grin faltered. "Wait a second… he's not an animal… he's… a human?"
The words sent a shiver through the gang. One by one, their cocky smirks melted into wide-eyed horror.
"A human?!"
"No way, no way, no way!"
"We're not messing with that thing!"
Like leaves in the wind, the raccoon gang scattered, yelping and scrambling over each other to get out of the square. Within seconds, the once-mighty gangsters were gone, tails between their legs.
Teddy stood there, breathless, chicks clutched against his chest. His knees shook, but he managed a grin. "Phew…" he exhaled, collapsing onto the cobblestones.
The mother hen and proud rooster rushed over, eyes wet with tears. They bowed low, feathers trembling. "Thank you! Thank you, brave one! You saved our babies!"
The chicks wriggled back to their parents, chirping happily. The rooster pressed his wings together in a formal salute. The hen wiped her tears, smiling at Teddy as though he were the most noble hero she had ever seen.
The uproar of the raccoon gang had barely settled when the townsfolk realized something else—there was still a human in their midst. Teddy.
The mayor, an old, proud stork with a chain of keys jingling from his neck, puffed up his wool and pointed his cane at Teddy.
"Don't let him run! Lock him up before he brings more trouble!"
Before Teddy could explain himself, a group of guards—mostly hawks and cranes—grabbed him roughly by the arms. His hood, already torn off earlier, lay useless in the dust. He struggled, but they tied him with thick ropes.
"Wait—! I just saved the chicks!" Teddy protested, his voice cracking as they dragged him. "You all saw it, right? I'm not the enemy!"
But the mob of animals shouted over him.
"Dangerous!"
"A human can't be trusted!"
"He'll bring ruin to us all!"
The mayor, puffing with self-importance, ordered a large iron cage to be hauled into the square. The bars were dented and old, once used to hold rowdy goats who refused to pay taxes. They shoved Teddy inside and locked the door with a loud clang.
The townsfolk gathered around, their eyes filled with suspicion and fear. Tomatoes, cabbages, and even eggs began to fly through the air, splattering against the cage.
"Monster!" a goose shouted.
"Go back where you came from!" barked a dog vendor.
Teddy flinched as a rotten tomato burst against his cheek. He gritted his teeth, clutching the bars.
"Seriously?! After all that? I just wanted to help!"
But the more he spoke, the louder the crowd jeered.
Then, breaking through the crowd came two frantic voices.
"Teddy!"
The duck sisters, Riya and Lila, pushed their way forward. Riya, the older sister, was trembling with anger as much as fear. Lila, the younger one, had tears streaming down her face.
"What have you done?!" Riya snapped, her feathers bristling. "We told you to stay home!"
"You promised!" Lila sobbed, gripping the bars of the cage. "Why did you have to sneak out? Look at you now!"
Teddy looked at them, shame softening his defiance. "I… I just wanted to see the town. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Riya turned on the mayor, glaring up at him despite her smaller frame. "Let him go! He's not a threat. He's just—just stubborn!"
But the mayor shook his head solemnly. "No. Until we are sure of his intentions, the human stays locked away. For the safety of all."
The crowd murmured in agreement, though a few townsfolk shifted uneasily, remembering how Teddy had saved the chicks. The hen and cock who had nearly lost their children stepped forward, eyes glistening.
"He saved our babies," the hen whispered. "If it weren't for him, they'd be gone."
"Yes," the cock added firmly. "He may be human, but he is no monster."
The mayor hesitated, he sighed nervously, but he did not give the order to release Teddy. Instead, he turned away, leaving the cage as a spectacle for the town.
Riya and Lila stayed behind, pressing close to the bars.
"Teddy, listen to me," Riya said, her voice cracking despite her effort to sound strong. "You can't do things your way here. You'll only get yourself hurt—or worse."
Lila sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Please, don't scare us like this again. Promise you'll stay inside from now on. Please."
Teddy leaned his head against the cold bars, guilt gnawing at him. "I… promise."
The sisters exchanged a glance, then both grabbed the lock, tugging at it in vain. Finally, with sharp words and even sharper glares at the mayor, they managed to convince the guards to release him into their custody—but not without a warning.
"Grounded," Riya muttered darkly as they dragged Teddy away.
"Forever," Lila added, still sniffling.
As they marched him home, the crowd dispersed, but not without lingering looks of distrust. Teddy's heart sank. He had saved lives, but all they saw was a threat.
And now, his freedom felt farther away than ever.