It was still very cold. Too early in the year for the official start of Spring, but he needed to stretch his bones. He slithered passed the others with whom he shared the same old crawdad burrow. As he got closer to the burrow’s entrance, he stuck out his tongue and sensed the outside world. He used all his muscles to climb out and was happy to be greeted by the warmth of the sun on a chilly winter day. Outside the burrow, or hibernaculum, was a plethora of sunning spots. Large river rocks were down in the dry creek bed, and logs were further up the embankment. He chose the logs. It would be a harder climb to get to the logs, but an easier way back to the burrow if he got in trouble. As he writhed up the embankment, he could feel every bone in his cylindrical body ache. He was slower than ever after a long hibernation. This was just what he needed to wake up his cold stiff body. |
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