Perri Page #4

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but this time, too,

the current turns the marten back.

Nature has many designs

for winter living.

Squirrels are semi-hibernators,

which simply means

they eat a little, sleep a lot,

and, in Perri's case at least,

have the oddest dreams.

This time, her dream begins

as Perri hears

an eerie but familiar sound.

(OWL HOOTING)

And then an ancient enemy appears,

but soon the vision fades, dissolves,

becomes but one small part

of a winter fantasy in Wildwood Heart.

(HOOTING)

The winter passes

and spring comes again

to Wildwood Heart

and to the mountain meadow.

Of all of nature's many times

and seasons, this is the happiest,

for this is the time of together.

Together time is the time of year

When winter's over and spring is here

A wonderful season

And there's a good reason

For this is together time

Together time is the time to share

These happy hours beyond compare

All nature is waiting

So no hesitating

For this is together time

One is too few

Two is just right

To welcome

this wonderful time of delight

Two is the thing

in the brightness of spring

Two of everything

Let come what may, it's together time

When two together will always find

The joy in the story

Of spring and its glory

For this is together time

(FROGS CROAKING)

One is too few

Two is just right

To welcome

this wonderful time of delight

Two is the thing

in the brightness of spring

Two of everything

Let come what may, it's together time

When two together will always find

The joy in the story

Of spring and its glory

For this is together time

For this is together time

NARRATOR:
The time of together

comes to every creature

in the Wildwood Heart,

and so,

on one of these bright spring mornings,

Perri awakens

with a new awareness in her breast.

The barrier between herself and Porro

has been withdrawn.

This, Perri clearly understands.

Her time of together has come.

Her moment of fulfillment is at hand.

On the midden log below,

Porro also knows

and pours his all

into a soulful mating call.

(CHATTERING)

Perri speaks,

(CHATTERING)

and Porro's weak.

Then she sees

that he needs to be encouraged,

so she leaves her tree

to join him on the midden.

(CHIRPING)

Porro finds this close proximity

even more unnerving.

Of course, she is bewitching,

and he would mention this,

except he's taken

with a sort of speechless twitching.

Perri coaxes.

(PERRI CHIRPS)

And the bashful Porro would,

of course, give in,

but he never gets the chance.

(THUNDER CLAPPING)

Fire, the dread destroyer

all wild things fear.

(PERRI CHIRPING)

Perri, terrified,

races for the safety of the tree,

but in a forest fire,

this is where the greatest danger lies.

(SQUEALING)

Porro senses this,

tries to call her down.

(CHATTERING)

(PERRI SQUEALS)

Now, driven by the flames,

Porro, too, must seek a refuge.

(CHIRPING)

(SQUEALING)

Now the heat and smoke

become too much to bear.

Porro makes a desperate try.

(PORRO CHIRPING)

His winter home beneath the ground.

There may be safety here.

But for Perri every hope,

it seems, is lost

as all of Wildwood Heart

becomes a seething holocaust.

(PERRI SQUEALS)

Just in time,

Perri breaks the grip of fear.

(SQUEALING)

When nature,

in another change of mood,

sends down the cooling rains,

the mountain wilderness is spared.

Only Wildwood Heart

will wear the mark of fire,

and this, too, in time, nature will repair.

It's no surprise, of course,

that Porro rises from the ruins

safe and sound.

He sees the desolation all around

but doesn't wait to mourn or meditate.

He hurries straight

for Perri's burned-out pine-tree snag.

(CHIRPING)

He has no feeling of alarm,

no thought

that Perri may have come to harm.

If Perri isn't here, he will find her.

(CHIRPING)

Porro should have waited

just a little longer,

for Perri, too, remembers

she has a rendezvous to keep.

And so she preens, prepares

and then sets out

to find the midden log,

quite unaware that all the while,

there's been a witness here.

And this time,

the forest fire has supplied

the bridge so long denied.

Perri finds the midden log

but not her mate,

and at this most untimely time,

she calmly settles down to wait.

Enter Porro returning from his quest.

(PORRO CHATTERING)

Perri hears the warning,

knows that danger is near,

but where?

One instant more may be too late,

and so Porro

makes the utmost sacrifice.

Though death may be the price,

he will attract the marten to himself.

(MARTEN SNARLING)

(RAVENS CAWING)

(SQUEALING)

(GROWLS)

(PORRO SQUEALS)

(GROWLS)

Perri sees,

and Perri knows.

(YOWLING)

It is the kill.

And now the moment after.

Never is the forest quite so still.

Perri is aware of death.

She is bereft and mourns her loss.

It is the marten

that the wildcat takes away.

Nor will Perri grieve for Porro very long

because, you see, there is no need.

He always could outwit that cat,

and here's the living proof of that.

(PORRO CHIRPING)

(PORRO CHATTERING)

Perri hears and feels within her breast

a warm, upwelling happiness.

And so nature in her wondrous way

writes the happy ending to our play.

Together time is the time to share

These happy hours beyond compare

All nature is waiting

So no hesitating

For this is together time

One is too few

Two is just right

To welcome

this wonderful time of delight

Two is the thing

in the brightness of spring

Two of everything

Let come what may, it's together time

When two together will always find

The joy in the story

Of spring and its glory

For this is together time

For this is together time

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