Far from the Tree 2018

On a sunny beach, a young raccoon embarks on an adventurous quest with her father, who sports a prominent scar across his left eye. As they step out from the safety of the woods in pursuit of food, the raccoon swiftly becomes distracted and wanders away from her father’s watchful gaze. Despite her father’s urgent pleas for her to stay close, he becomes preoccupied with digging for oysters. In her exploration, the inquisitive raccoon discovers a seashell, enchanted by the soothing sounds of the ocean waves resonating within it. However, her father soon catches wind of this diversion and in a fit of frustration, he shatters her newfound treasure.

As the story unfolds, the young raccoon naïvely follows a seagull to its flock, inadvertently leading herself into peril when a lurking coyote spots her. The chase that ensues leaves her with a painful scar on her nose. Just in the nick of time, her father intervenes, confronting the coyote and climbing a tree to offer a fierce reprimand to his daughter for straying too far, using his own scar as a stern reminder of the dangers in their world.

Fast forward to years later, the raccoon has matured into an adult and returns to the beach, this time accompanied by her own son, who mimics her youthful behavior. When he courts danger by trying to follow the seagulls toward the shore, she instinctively scolds him, only to realize that she is echoing the very same parental guidance her father once imparted to her. In a heartfelt moment of understanding, the two reconcile and make their way back to the familiar tree, where she lovingly presents her son with a seashell, bridging generations of lessons learned and love shared.