Hi everyone, welcome to Day 9 of 30 Days Wild and it’s Friday!! The air was warm and still this evening so we took a drive to Killykeegan Nature Reserve. It’s a really beautiful place and perfect for adventure. Mum and Dad do their thing and let us play (13 isn’t too old to play, right?).

With the grown ups out of sight, the battle began, carefully treading over limestone pavement, I avoided slugs as I went. Stealthily tracking my enemies. Bláthnaid and Lorcan were on the run,  in hiding amongst the Blackthorn and Hazel. I heard far away giggles and snorts. I didn’t want to find them yet, I wanted them to wait, I wanted to ambush them! When they were just in sight  I pounced, rawwwwrrrrrr. Scared faces, running feet, giggles. Cow pats, brambles and oh my, the midges!!! They were running for their lives from the hunter, Then, silence. I law low in a ditch and waited. Meadow Pippit bobbed around and the micro moths were resting in the reeds. My own breathing was too loud. I moved forward and I pounced on Bláthnaid! Prisoner of war!!!! She shrieked, giggled and her cheeks were pink. We moved on together, scanning the rocks for a flash of blue. Listening for heavy footprints. He was gone. Then we saw him crouched down, ‘a hare!!!’ he breathed loudly.  We sat together. The mystic creature appeared like magic, ears pricked up, eyes searching. It was a moment that could only have been given without asking. Serendipity. We were in a place, ready for adventure…and grazed knees and thistle pricks and itchy scalps and scratchy eyes from the pollen. It is  exhilarating, it is childhood. Running over the rocks together, jumping off ledges. Hands placed on cold stone as we vault, twist and run. Empty open space inhabited by only wild things, including us.

Laughing, we scanned the scene and saw mum and dad watching something from the car park. The Hare, again. The sun was setting and we were parched and in need of cooling down. To the car, where the spell is disbanded, ready in waiting, for the next day.

I hope you enjoyed reading my little adventure! Thanks to mum and dad for taking pictures from a distance! 😉

Dara