Sometimes, when she has no other choice because the Woodland Glen is a tangled mess of fallen tress, rubble and detritus that there is no room to walk or slither or hop, the Head Chipmunk climbs to the tallest tree she can find, above the Golden Eagle's nest and up to the highest branch....and leaps.
Only after she has left the safety of the tallest tree does the Chipmunk realize she is bound to the laws of gravity and that she doesn't have actual wings. There is a deep panic not only about the possibilities of the ground suddenly rushing up to greet her but also that going above the Golden Eagle's head is probably not a great idea.
But above the Golden Eagle's head is the only way to the magical "Upper Canopy" of the Forest where decisions are made and resources are handed out and sometimes, when the Golden Eagle is sleeping or refuses to carry messages from the Glen to the Canopy, the Chipmunk thinks she has no choice. So she leaps.
Courage and stupidity are hard to tell apart.
But what about the gravity? And the lack of wings? And the Golden Eagle who stares up from her nest with incredulity at the suddenly airborne Chipmunk (who's eyes are closed as she is frantically visualizing herself to be a flying squirrel)?
Stayed tuned. Maybe gravity will win. Maybe the Chipmunk will reach the Canopy before she splats on the forest floor. Maybe the Golden Eagle will take flight, pluck the Chipmunk from the air and tear her limb from limb before devouring her.
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