The Wild Robot

CHAPTER 51 THE AUTUMN

The days were getting shorter. The air was getting crisper. And one morning, Roz walked out to find a layer of frost on the garden. Autumn had come to the island.

The tree leaves, which had been green for the robot’s entire life, turned yellow and orange and red. Then they let go of their branches and floated down to the ground, and the forest gradually filled with the sounds of creatures scurrying through dead leaves. Tree nuts were also falling, thunking onto roots and rocks and occasionally clanging off the robot. The smell of flowers faded as blossoms withered. All the rich scents and colors of the island were draining away.

The animals were also changing. Furry animals were growing more fur. Feathery animals were growing more feathers. Scaly animals were starting to look for new homes.

“Yurp. It’s cooling off,” croaked one frog to another. “Before long it’ll be time for sleeping.”

“Yurp. I’d better start looking for a good hole,” croaked the second frog. “Have you found one yet?”

“Nah,” croaked the first frog. “I’ll look for a hole next week. For now, I’m going to enjoy the warm sunlight while it lasts. Yurp.”

Many of the island animals were already thinking about their winter hibernation. Frogs, bees, snakes, and even bears would soon disappear and spend the next few months resting out of sight.

And then there were the birds. Some birds, like owls and woodpeckers, would spend the winter nesting and eating the island’s few remaining edibles. But the migratory birds were preparing for the long journey south to their warm wintering grounds. And among the birds destined to leave were the geese.