The narrator, Danny, is a wildlife photographer who spends time in northern Sweden photographing red squirrels. He has a close relationship with a family of squirrels and even gives them names.
In March, he discovers four baby squirrels who were abandoned by their mother. He is advised by wildlife rescues to take the baby squirrels into captivity, but finds it challenging to capture them. The next morning, he returns to find three baby squirrels.
Over the next few weeks, he spends several hours each day observing the squirrels. He is able to identify each squirrel and even names them: Baby Pear, Baby Moomin, Chiborashka, and Little Flame. He also discovers that the squirrels are learning how to navigate the forest and assert dominance.
In July, baby Moomin and Little Flame disappear, and Danny fears the worst. He returns to Sweden in November to find Baby Pear and Chiborashka, who have survived. He continues to observe them, forming a strong connection with them.
In December, Danny witnesses two baby squirrels, which he recognizes as Baby Pear and Chiborashka, who have survived and found a new home. He reflects on the strong connection he has formed with these animals, and how it has taught him about patience, perseverance, and the importance of forming connections with individual wild animals.
1. The speaker is a wildlife photographer who names the squirrels he encounters.
2. The speaker rescues four baby squirrels and befriends a family of wild squirrels in northern Sweden.
3. The speaker arrives in a winter wonderland in March, where the temperatures regularly drop to minus 30 Celsius.
4. The speaker becomes particularly fond of the red squirrel, appreciating its charismatic personality and adorable face.
5. The animals in the area are well adapted to the freezing temperatures, with thick winter coats, white plumage, and strategies for surviving winter.
6. The speaker discovers three baby red squirrels in the forest, and later identifies them as Baby Pear, Baby Moomin, Chiborashka, and Little Flame.
7. The speaker spends hours each day in the forest, waiting and watching the squirrels.
8. The baby squirrels are able to eat on their own after about seven weeks of age.
9. The speaker learns that squirrels spend a lot of time chasing each other around trees, which is playful but also teaches them how to assert dominance.
10. The speaker leaves the forest after five months, but promises to return soon.
11. In early November, the speaker returns to the forest to find Baby Pear and Chiborashka.
12. The speaker discovers that both Baby Pear and Chiborashka have survived and found new homes elsewhere.
13. The speaker forms a strong connection with the squirrels, understanding their different personalities and behaviors.
14. The speaker discovers that Baby Pear and Chiborashka are allies, often playing together and having arguments over fruit.
15. The speaker is surprised and delighted when Baby Pear and Chiborashka are found in his house in Sweden, calling them the "little one" and "cute animals".