9 Awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga!

CHAPTER NINE Awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga! Titus was about to start his morning exercises. 'Oooooh! Aaaargh! Ow! Yikes!' he yelped, as he bent down to tie his shoelaces on his trainers. Then he started to stretch this way and that, making a 'hrnnnnnng' noise every time he moved. 'For Pete's sake, will you keep it down?' moaned Frank, who was wearing sunglasses and sipping his morning coffee. But Titus began doing star jumps, yelping with every jump. 'This is so stressful,' sighed Frank. 'Please stop exercising, Titus. It's bad for my health.' Out of the corner of his owlish eye, Frank noticed something small and furry rolling towards the caravan. When it reached them, it unfurled itself and Frank saw that it was, in fact, Willow. He swooped down and perched on the long wooden picnic table outside the caravan.

'Can I have some coffee, Frank?' asked Willow. 'No,' said Frank. 'You're too young. Also, since when did bunnies like coffee?' 'I don't actually,' said Willow, wrinkling her adorable nose. 'Just thought I might try something new. I'm having an identity crisis, you see.' 'Are you now?' said Frank. 'What does that mean?' Willow sat at the table. She picked up Titus's leftover toast crusts and dipped them in to a small pot of jam before chewing them thoughtfully for a while. 'I'm just not sure who I am,' she said eventually. 'When I'm hanging out here with you guys, or with Ted, I'm Willow. But when I'm at home with my mum and my 374 brothers and sisters, I feel like a different kind of Willow.' 'Hnnnnnngh!' said Titus, who was trying to do some press- ups. 'Sorry Willow, I am listening, I promise. It's just terribly hard moving these old bones of mine. Huuuurgh!' Frank drained his coffee cup and poured himself another. 'Well,' he said eventually. 'Maybe the answer is that it's absolutely fine to be both Willows?' 'Yeah, but what if there's a secret THIRD Willow?' said Willow. 'Who's an amazing crime-fighting genius? Or brilliant at playing the bassoon? What if I'm actually meant to be best friends with a giraffe called Errol who lives three hundred miles away?!' And she tugged at her ears in frustration. Frank patted Willow on the head, which she hated, but allowed on this occasion because she knew he was being nice.

'Listen, just focus on what you have. You've already got a best friend,' said Frank. 'He lives here in Grimwood and his name is Ted.' Willow looked floopily at her toast crusts. 'We had a big fight,' she said quietly. 'About nothing, really. It was stupid.' Titus crawled up from the ground and eased himself onto the bench, huffing and puffing from all the exercise. 'Well, why don't you just say sorry to Ted,' he said, reaching over for more buttery toast. 'He's a sensitive soul. He'll want to be friends again.' Willow picked up the pot of jam and licked it clean. 'You're right!' she said, perking up. 'It was a silly old fight about nothing. I'll say sorry to him RIGHT NOW.' Titus smiled. 'Excellent news, young bunny, excellent news.'

Willow boinged over to the Grimwood Players' Theatre as it was time for another dance session. Anoushka was already warming up. 'Hey, like, little bunny,' she said, calling Willow over. 'Where's your friend?' Willow looked around at the various animals stretching or jogging on the spot but couldn't see Ted anywhere. 'He's not here yet,' frowned Willow. 'But he will be soon! What are we doing today then?' Anoushka looked serious. 'We're going to be learning an ancient magical crow dance,' she said. 'Wicked!' said Willow. 'I was kinda hoping you'd say that,' said Anoushka. 'Because your party crow friend needs two dancers to nail it for her. And they have to be friends, or whatever. So that's you guys, right?' Willow saluted.

'Right! Anything that helps Sharon is fine by me,' said Willow. 'Me and Ted are fast learners. Oh, he'll be well excited when we tell him! Can I tell him, please can I tell him?' Anoushka nodded and sipped some dingleberry tea. A squirrel flew through the air and collided with a tree trunk. 'They just can't help themselves,' said Willow, shaking her head. Just then, she spotted Ted sauntering over. He looked… different. His fur was slicked back, and he was wearing sunglasses and what looked like Nancy's battered old leather jacket. 'Um, hi Ted!' said Willow, who had bounded over to him immediately. 'Cool shades!' Ted glanced over at Willow.

'Thanks,' he mumbled, not really looking at her. 'So, um, I've been thinking,' said Willow. 'I wanted to say sorry for shouting and everything. I was being a right wally.' Ted looked up at Willow and shrugged. 'Sure,' he said. 'Whatever. It's, like, cool.' 'Great!' said Willow, and she gave Ted a massive squeeze. But instead of hugging her back, Ted just stood there until she stopped. And then he walked off. Willow blinked in confusion a few times, and then her ears drooped. 'T… Ted?' she said. She had wanted to tell him all about learning the special dance for Sharon. But Ted was now high