10 THE CHANGES

CHAPTER 10 THE CHANGES The coastal waters were thick with a type of seaweed called kelp. Undersea forests of tall, leafy stems swayed with the movement of the waves and made a rich habitat for sea creatures. But as the poison tide spread along the coast, dead kelp began washing ashore. Crashing waves sent poison sea spray into the air. Wind then carried the spray inland, where it settled on grasses and flowers and trees, turning them gray and brittle. Land animals who lived near the ocean had no choice but to retreat far into the island. The Great Meadow was overrun by swarms of mice and snakes and frogs. Sea otters invaded streams and ponds, gobbling up freshwater fish and driving out many of the longtime residents. As fish became harder to find, bears were forced to eat nuts and berries, and that forced the deer and the hares and the squirrels to find other sources of food. Seabirds packed into the wetlands, but they soon gave up and flew across the ocean in search of new homes. Other birds followed. With fewer birds to eat

the insects, their population exploded, and the sweet sound of birdsong was replaced with the constant buzzing of scaly little wings. More animals were living in a smaller area, which meant less food and water and shelter for everyone. Species that never should have crossed paths were fighting over territory. The sounds of angry voices filled the air. The Dawn Truce, that beloved tradition, was abandoned because there was so little trust left between the animals. The island had always been a perfectly balanced environment, but the poison tide was more than it could take.