Racum Raccoon's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Racum walked home through Dark Forest with a white feather basket tucked under his arm. Easter Bunny had called him a hero at the ceremony, had placed this tribute at the altar for everyone to see. But the honor sat strange in his chest, like something that didn't quite fit. He reached his old tree just as the sun dipped below the branches. His small wooden shed stood nearby, tools hanging neat on the walls inside. He'd built it last spring so he'd always have what he needed when someone called. The shed door hung open. On the workbench sat a thick textbook with bright patterns on the cover and a note tucked underneath. Racum picked up the note. The handwriting was shaky, pressed hard into the paper. "Need help with mathematics. Too hard to do alone. Please." He turned it over. No name. Just those words and the book left waiting. He pulled his notepad from his back pocket and wrote a quick reply. "I'll be at the shed tomorrow after breakfast. Bring the problems you're stuck on." He pinned it to the shed door where it could be seen from the path. The tightness in his chest finally eased. This wasn't about being honored at an altar. This was someone who actually needed what he could give.