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The evening sky blushed bonfire red as Kanbi emerged from his daylong slumber. The little Koala stretched and yawned, clinging to the forked branches of the gum with strong, grey fured arms and long sharp black claws.
It was late December, the forests of Corroboree Falls were warm and lush. Gum leaves, stirring in the hot northerly breeze, shimmered, silver and ruby, as the setting sun's rays lanced through the branches. The season was good. There had been plenty of summer rain to feed the mighty blue gums, their leaves were delicous, sweet and plump.
Twice the horizon had reddened and turned angry with the distant roar of bush fires but the wind had been kind, the fires had passed by harmlessly. Many times their world had trembled while terrible thunder and lightening of fierce tropical storms split the night skies above. But no tree had been struck, no family or friend mortally wounded.
Life was good indeed, and especially so today for Jitabidi was coming home.
