Hetty the Hedgehog and the Animal Snatchers: Hetty the Hedgehog, #1

By Cheryl Lee-White

An animal adventure story for children 7 - 11 years old about friendship, courage and not giving up.

When Hetty the Hedgehogs friends are kidnapped she is the only one that can find and save them. After losing her own family when she was young she is determined not to lose her friends too. She sets out on a difficult journey to rescue them, battling mean Seagulls, overcoming obstacles and coming face to face with the animal snatchers.
She may be little but she is no ordinary hedgehog but will her training be enough to achieve such a big rescue?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cheryl Lee-White
• Release date: Nov 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223857754

Book preview

Chapter 1

Training

K eep up, Hetty, laughed Rocky.

Keep up, keep up! I can beat you with my eyes closed, she yelled back at him, her little legs running as fast as they could go.

She zig-zagged in and out of the carrot tops trying to dodge the mud that was flicking off Rocky’s paws just in front of her.

Once out of the vegetable patch, she threw herself into a ball and began rolling towards the finish line at full speed.

She hurtled forwards, her spikes clipping the edge of Rocky’s leg.

Aaaahhhh! he yelled, leaping high into the air.

Hetty was oblivious to Rocky’s cry and carried on rolling right underneath him.

She reached the last obstacle.

Uncurled herself and pushed off from her back legs.

Using her forward motion, she leapt high into the air.

She then somersaulted over the ride-on toy car, landing curled up into a ball.

She rolled on to claim the victory over the finish line.

Click!

That is a new record, Hetty, two minutes thirty-eight seconds and you beat Rocky again, praised Shadow.

That’s not fair! I would have beaten her this time if she hadn’t spiked my legs, he moaned, stumbling behind her across the finish line.

Ah, stop your whining. I would have beaten you anyway. Spikes or no spikes.

I could have beaten you this time, I was in front of you to start with.

No, you couldn’t. I was just warming up. Face it, hedgehogs are just better.

Well, you’re no ordinary hedgehog. Hedgehogs should be slow and helpless, and they certainly shouldn’t be able to do somersaults.

Phst, who wants to be ordinary. There is no fun in that, and I certainly don’t ever want to be helpless.

That’s why Hetty trains so hard, so she isn’t helpless, Shadow added.

Yes, that’s right. I need to be fit and strong to take on any danger that may come my way… well, come our way, Hetty replied matter-of-factly.

What danger’s that, Hetty? A big worm coming from the veg patch to tickle our paws?! laughed Rocky sarcastically.

Hetty shot him a look.

Sensing he had annoyed her with his comment – and being slightly scared of her – he stopped laughing at once.

We may all be safe here now, but if one day we do find ourselves in any danger, I want to make sure I am ready to protect us all.

Rocky, not wanting to upset Hetty further, just nodded in agreement.

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The back door of the house swung open and there was a faint rustling noise like that of a food bowl, followed by a familiar little voice. Rocky! Shadow!

Rocky’s ears shot straight up, and his tail began wagging away.

Yay, dinner time! Rocky shouted as he turned and sprinted towards the house. See you later, Hetty, he said, not even turning around to look back at them.

Hetty shook her head. Typical dog, always follows his belly.

Well, if he ran that fast earlier, he would have done a lot better at the obstacle course, added Shadow.

She and Hetty looked at each other and began laughing. It was true, Rocky only ever seemed to put in an effort when food was involved.

I suppose I’d better head in as well, before Rocky eats my dinner too.

Rocky would take your food too?

His favourite thing to eat is our owner’s smelly slippers, so I wouldn’t put it past him to eat my food. He eats anything in sight.

Ha ha ha, he does love food.

Yeah, he certainly does. Anyway, bye Hetty, see you tomorrow.

With that, Shadow strolled gracefully across the garden back to the house. Her long, elegant tail swung in the air from side to side as she dodged every muddy patch of the garden, so as not to get her paws dirty. She wasn’t a big fan of dirt and liked to keep herself pristine at all times.

Hetty had not long woken up and, after an early evening of running obstacle courses, she was starting to feel rather hungry herself. The sun was beginning to set, so Hetty headed off on an evening of foraging. Out to the fields she went, in search of the juiciest of worms.

Chapter 2

The Break-in

O i, get away! Shadow shouted as she hit Rocky over the head with her well-manicured paw.

Sorry, Shadow, I was so hungry. You weren’t here and your bowl was just sitting there.

Gosh, Rocky, you really will eat anything, Shadow scolded as she pushed Rocky out of the way and began munching on her food while she still had some left.

After dinner, Rocky played with their owner Lewis, while Shadow went to lie down on the sofa. She walked up and down the sofa sussing out the warmest, most comfortable spot, before curling herself up and dozing off to sleep.

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Shadow was jolted awake. A noise from outside had woken her up and now she had an uneasy sense something wasn’t right.

It was pitch black in the living room and her owners had long gone up to bed. She could see Rocky over in the corner fast asleep, snoring away in his bed.

There was the noise again.

This time coming from the back door.

Shadow quickly dived off the sofa. Her senses were telling her something wasn’t right.

Quick, get up, get up! She shook Rocky, trying to wake him.

Uh, wh-what’s going on, why are you shaking me?

Quickly, get up. I hear noises outside. I feel something is wrong.

Rocky opened up his mouth to tell her she was imagining things but, before he could reply, they both heard a noise that sounded like a door opening. He leapt out of his bed now on full alert, his ears and tail pointing straight up. Being a Doberman, he looked fierce and ready to attack.

Shadow and Rocky crept towards the back of the house from where they’d heard the sound. They pushed open the kitchen door as they heard what sounded like voices in the utility room. The pair were now both on full alert. As they got to the doorway, a strange man walked round the corner.

Grrrr!

Good doggy, good doggy, the man whispered to Rocky to try and calm him down.

Grrrr! Rocky took a step closer as the strange man started to back away. Grrr! He wrinkled his lip up with his growl exposing his sharp teeth.

Edward, quick, where is that sausage? said the man in a panicked whisper.

A second figure then emerged from the darkness and came into view.

Good boy, good boy, repeated the second man.

Rocky quickly turned his attention to the second man who was walking towards him.

Grrr! Rocky wasn’t giving up; he couldn’t be fooled by their sweet talk.

It’s okay, here, take this, the man said gently whilst throwing a big juicy sausage at Rocky’s feet.

Grrr… oooh! Rocky had started to growl but his stomach took over.

No, Rocky, what are you doing? Shadow called after him, but it was too late. Rocky had wolfed the sausage down.

The men stood quietly, a big smile crossing their faces as they looked on at them.

Shadow, the kitchen is spinning, I don’t feel right, declared Rocky