Overture Downs more than could be chewed

His response was garbled around the stick.

I'm not! You just need to pull harder!

But there was a very good reason his would-be-rescuer struggled to actually rescue him besides her smaller physique. Beneath the snow, the stubborn boy managed to hook a limb around one of the main beams of the moose's antler, adding its immensely dragging weight to his own. Swiftlet had no intention of abandoning his treasure, but fortunately for him the mysterious forces of the world had no intention of abandoning him to his own stupidity.

His paw slipped in perfect timing with another good heave from the stranger. Disconnected from the moose head, Swiftlet was plucked free from the trap in an unceremonious fashion. His face plowed into the snow before he clambered to his paws and found better footing.

Woohoo!

Swiftlet howled with excitement. But his celebration came to an abrupt halt when he saw the mighty boards sticking out of the drifts. Still in that damned hole.

His ears dropped. His shoulders sagged.

And once again, he grooooaaaned.