Alena was asleep in bed.
Outside, a slug moved smoothly out from under the century plant. It traveled in a wide, wobbly arc across the bricks and into the flower bed, where it nibbled lacy holes in the leaf of a petunia seedling. Its silvery path glittered in the moonlight.
A whiskery opossum waddled across the yard, stopping at a dripping faucet to drink. She had seven babies in her pouch, and she was very thirsty.
Two striped skunks strolled delicately into the garden to dig for roots. When the spotted owl passed above them, one stamped in alarm, raising its tail to spray.
Three raccoons came along next. They pulled the lid off the garbage can using their strong, long fingers and jumped in to look for food. When…
