The Wild Princess

chased by fate

Night falls, and Princess Eloise has left the hill behind, finding a comfortable spot beneath the trees. She brushes away some leaves before lying down, her gaze drifting up to the starry sky. The sight reminds her of the cherished moments she spent with her late grandmother.

"Grandmother, I miss you... Mother, Father, I'm sorry..." she whispers softly before sleep overtakes her.

The forest hums with the peaceful chirping of crickets and the gentle rustling of the wind. But amidst the serenity, soft whispers emerge—raccoons.

"Look! It's the creature!" one of them whispers.

"So weird!"

"Shh! You'll wake her up!"

Four raccoons creep out of the shadows, cautiously approaching the sleeping Princess Eloise. Their eyes lock onto her coronet, gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

"So shiny!" One raccoon marvels.

"Quick! Let's grab it!" urges another.

One of the raccoons gets shoved forward by the others, clearly hesitant. "Why me?" he whispers in protest, his eyes wide with uncertainty.

"Because you're the smallest! You can get in and out quickly!" One raccoon insists, nudging him closer.

"Yeah, you're the fastest!" Another adds, grinning mischievously. "Don't worry, she won't wake up."

The small raccoon glances back at his companions, clearly not convinced. "But what if she does?"

"Then you're on your own!" the last raccoon teases, snickering under his breath. The others quickly shush him.

Reluctantly, the little raccoon inches toward Princess Eloise, eyeing the coronet that sits loosely atop her head. His paws tremble as he reaches out, silently hoping she doesn’t stir.

"Oh, boy," the raccoon mutters, inching closer to Princess Eloise’s head. He stretches his paw, trembling slightly as he reaches for the coronet. His fellow raccoons huddle together, eyes wide with anticipation, barely daring to breathe. Slowly, he grasps the coronet and begins to lift it from her head.

They all exhale in unison, relieved, as the raccoon carefully brings the coronet back to them. "Good work!" one of them whispers excitedly, patting him on the back.

"Thanks!" he grins proudly. "So, what are we gonna do with it?"

"We'll trade it with the squirrels for their nuts!" one raccoon exclaimed.

"No! We'll trade it with the bald eagles for their nest!" the other countered.

Before any of them can go on, one of them, caught up in the excitement, accidentally shouts, "We’re rich!"

The sound echoes through the forest, startling Princess Eloise awake. Her eyes fly open, and the raccoons freeze, eyes wide in terror.

"Oh no..." one of them mutters under his breath.

Princess Eloise wakes up and spots her coronet in the paws of the small raccoon. “Hey! That’s mine!” she shouts, scrambling to her feet.

"Scatter!" one of the raccoons yells, and the group bolts in different directions. Without a second thought, Princess Eloise chases after the one holding her coronet, weaving through the trees as the mischievous creature darts ahead, zigzagging to avoid capture.

Princess Eloise sprints after the raccoon, her feet pounding against the forest floor. Just as she gets close, the raccoon tosses the coronet to another in the group.

"Got it!" the second raccoon shouts, taking off in a different direction. Eloise skids to a stop, frustrated, and changes course to follow him. But just as she’s about to reach the second raccoon, he tosses it to another.