That's me, Fred the housecat.

When my family leaves for the day, I don't just sit inside watching the world go by.

I become...

Nature Cat, backyard explorer extraordinaire!

♪ Oh, go go go ♪ Tally-ho!

♪ Go go go ♪ Tally-ho!

♪ We're climbing up the trees now ♪ ♪ We're swinging through the breeze now ♪ ♪ We're getting muddy knees now ♪ ♪ With Nature Cat ♪ ♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪ ♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪ ♪ So what are we waiting for ♪ ♪ We're so excited to explore ♪ ♪ All that nature has in store with Nature Cat ♪ ♪ Go go go ♪ Tally-ho!

♪ Go go go ♪ Tally-ho!

♪ He's our favourite nature guide ♪ ♪ We just can't wait to get ♪ Outside!

♪ We're swinging through the trees now ♪ ♪ We're jumping in the leaves now ♪ ♪ We're getting muddy knees now ♪ With Nature Cat!

Tally-ho!

♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪ Tally-ho!

NATURE CAT: The Mighty Mountain.

We have attempted to to climb your majestic peak for weeks, but to no avail.

Will we ever make it?

We're going to get up there, man.

We've come so close.

We sure are, too, too, also.

But we've tried everything we know about climbing and I just don't know what else we can do.

So you're giving up, huh, Nature Cat?

Whoa!

To give up is not an option, Ronald.

We will see the glorious Mighty Mountain peak.

We just need to simply-- Need to achieve-- We-- Well, first we need to-- Yes, Nature Cat?

Go on.

I don't know what we need.

Oh, Nature Cat, I know exactly what we need to get to the peak.

Ha-ha!

See?

Daisy knows what we need.

What do we need?

Granny Bunny!

Hello, everyone.

Oh, oh, oh!

Hi, Granny Bunny.

It's me, Hal.

Oh.

Hi, Hal, honey.

NATURE CAT: Granny Bunny.

You can help us get to the peak of Mighty Mountain?

Oh, you bet I can.

Because I am a Mighty Mountaineer, an expert mountain climber.

Granny Bunny never ceases to amaze.

NATURE CAT & SQUEEKS: Oh, yeah.

Granny Bunny will lead us to the peak of the Mighty Mountain.

GRANNY BUNNY: You betcha.

Oh, Granny Bunny, I don't know how to thank you.

Me, too.

HAL: Me, too, too, as well.

DAISY: Yay, Granny Bunny!

ALL: Huh?

Oh, how could I not get in on a Granny Bunny group hug?

You guys, I got the first aid kit and whistles.

And I have the duct tape and food.

Uh, Hal, honey dear, do you have the tent?

HAL: Aye-aye, Granny Bunny.

I sure do.

Love you, Granny Bunny.

Oh, good, honey.

And Nature Cat has the sleeping bags?

I certainly do, Granny Bunny, and with them a slight little question.

Uh, why do we even need these sleeping bags?

Because the secret to making it to the top of the Mighty Mountain peak is to break up the trip into two days and camp out on the mountain.

Uh, camping?

You mean sleeping outside?

Not inside my safe cozy house?

We sleep out under the stars in the fresh air, with the sound of insects and owls lulling us to sleep.

But you see, I have never slept outside of my house before.

(Chuckling nervously) RONALD: Ha!

I love camping out.

You do, Ronald?

Yep.

I'm coming too.

Oh, what's the matter, Nature Cat?

Giving up already?

Never!

I am going to get to the top of Mighty Mountain peak even if I have to sleep on a mountain to do it.

Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!

I can't wait to get to the peak.

Now Hal, honey, getting to the top of the mountain is amazing, but there are also so many other amazing things to see along the way.

You got that right, Granny.

We already know what's on this mountain.

Yeah, we've started this climb a bunch of times.

We're, uh, pretty much pros.

So you know about Yikes-A-Rooney Point?

Um, what?

How about Brown Bear Falls?

Nope.

How come we haven't seen any of these places?

Well, I'm taking you up the south side of the mountain.

That's the trail with the most fun stuff to see.

And then we camp out right here at Camp Out Ridge.

"Camp out."

Oh.

(Chuckling nervously) Yes.

"Camp out."

Gulp.

Camp out?

Yes!

Now, come on.

Let's climb and have some fun.

(Shuddering) Camping out.

Why did it have to be camping out?

Oh, great climbing, everyone.

RONALD: Ooh!

Are we there yet?

Ronald, dear, would you like us to slow the pace down for you?

Slow down the pace?

(Cackling) Don't be silly.

You just try and keep up with The Ronald.

Ha-ha!

Whoa!

Ah, ah.

Whoa.

Uh, yeah, yeah.

Maybe we should go a little slower.

Okey-dokey, dear.

And we can also take a rest.

We're almost at our first stop: Yikes-A-Rooney Point.

Just out of curiosity, why do they call it Yikes-A-Rooney Point?

See for yourself.

Yikes-a-rooney!

Exactly.

Is it really that great?

ALL: Yikes-a-rooney!

DAISY: Man, oh, man.

It's so beautiful.

Yes.

So beautiful, Daisy.

I think even the most beautiful, and there's no possible way to top it.

So, back down the mountain so we can sleep in our very own beds.

So, what you're saying is you're giving up.

Is that right, Nature Cat?

Me, give up?

(Laughing) Never!

Onward and yonward.

Okay, so, what's the next stop, Granny Bunny?

Next stop is Brown Bear Falls.

Where?

I don't see it.

Where?

Sometimes it's hard to see, Hal, honey.

Use your ears and listen for the sound of water.

(Birds chirping) (Water whooshing in the distance) Oh, wait.

I hear it.

This way.

Behold Brown Bear Falls.

ALL: Ooh!

Why do they call it Brown Bear Falls, Granny Bunny?

This waterfall doesn't look like a bear to me.

It's not named for the waterfall.

It's named for the brown bears who live here.

Look.

Aw.

I got to get a picture of the bear in action.

Remember, darlings, we need to keep a safe distance.

SQUEEKS: Yeah, don't worry about that.

No way I'm going near that.

Oh, that bear is awesome.

(Shutter clicking) GRANNY BUNNY: All right, gang.

The sun is going down.

Let's head to Camp Out Ridge so we can set up camp.

Yeah!

Camp Out Ridge, baby.

You can do this, Nature Cat!

You can do this.

MAN: You sure can, Nature Cat.

Huh?

Hey, good luck, man.

Ah, look at that.

So beautiful.

What a nice place to sleep.

(Whispering) Why are we sleeping here?

Oh, there's no better place, Squeeks, honey.

The ground is smooth to lay our sleeping bags on and it has a shady place, so it won't get too hot and sunny in the morning.

This is the best camping spot on the whole mountain.

O-kay.

(Chuckling nervously) Looks perfect to me.

Okay: Daisy, Squeeks and Ronald, you all set up the tent.

Hal, will you help me with dinner?

Okay.

Yeah.

And Nature Cat, you get the sleeping bags unrolled and ready.

"Sleeping bags."

DAISY: Mmm.

Dinner is delicious, Granny Bunny.

Mm-hmm.

It really is.

Now, make sure everyone cleans up all the scraps of food and puts them in this metal container.

We don't want any wild animals dropping by for a snack.

Wild animals?

Snack?

(Shuddering) Ooh!

Don't worry, dear.

We just need to follow the camp out rules and all will be okay.

Understood, Granny Bunny, but I just had the craziest thought.

Now, I'm just riffing here, but what if-- This is so fantastic.

What if we all left right now and went down the mountain and slept inside our house?

It's too dark, Nature Cat.

Trust me.

You'll see.

Camping out is fun.

And when you wake up in the morning, we're going to head right to the top of Mighty Mountain peak, and that's a sight to behold.

Uh, I do very badly want to see the peak.

You can do this, Nature Cat.

Come on.

Let's all get some sleep.

Yep, sleeping in a tent outside is easy.

Can't wait.

Gulp.

Come on, Nature Cat!

Go to sleep.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

(Someone whimpering) Except for that.

Daisy, Squeeks, is that you?

Hal?

Granny Bunny?

Anything friendly?

Aah!

What is it?

(Whimpering continues) Ronald?

(Clearing throat, feigning snoring) Ronald, I know that you are up.

I just heard you.

Oh, hey.

Uh, what time is it?

I was sleeping so soundly.

Ronald, I heard you.

You were making a scared sound.

Me, scared?

Ha!

(Owl hooting) What was that?

Hold me, Nature Cat!

Hold me.

Hey.

You really are scared, aren't you?

If you must know, Nature Cat, yes, I'm scared.

I've never camped out before either.

Come on, Ronald.

We can do this together.

I know we can.

Will you look at that.

Beautiful.

Hey, where are Nature Cat and Ronald?

(Snoring) Aw.

Hey.

(Yawning) BOTH: Huh?

Ah.

Huh.

We did it!

Well, you made it through your first night of sleeping away from home.

How do you feel?

I feel great!

Sleeping away from home wasn't bad at all.

Not at all, Nature Cat.

This is it.

We're almost at the top.

Let's count down.

ALL: Five, four, three, two, One!

We did it!

We made it to the top of Mighty Mountain peak.

ALL: Ahh!

RONALD: Now, that's nice.

NATURE CAT: This is the most beautiful sight mine eyes have ever seen.

We finally made it to the peak of Mighty Mountain.

I can't thank you enough, Granny Bunny, for guiding us to the peak: safely, soundly and well rested.

Nothing better than a Granny Bunny group hug.

Let's take a picture to remember this moment forever.

Say "Mighty Mountain peak."

Mighty Mountain peak.

(Shutter clicking) HAL: Love you, Granny Bunny.

SQUEEKS: Oo-wee!

Giddyap, Nature Cat.

Yee-haw!

DAISY: Woo!

And it's neck and neck for the first race of spring.

Cat Beauty trails Hal Biscuit but only by a hair.

Who, me?

I'll tell you, folks, I've never seen anything like it.

Cat Beauty takes the lead.

Hal Biscuit.

Cat Beauty.

Hal Biscuit.

The finish line is just up ahead.

Who will be first to cross it?

It could be, it might be-- The spotted salamander!

The crowd goes wild.

Huh?

SQUEEKS: Wow.

Looks like we had another competitor.

(Panting) I don't know why I'm panting.

I was just sitting.

Well done, spotted salamander.

I deem you the winner of the first race of spring.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Daisy, and this is Nature Cat, Squeeks and Hal.

Hi there.

Fern is the name.

Hi, Fern.

That's a nice name.

Hey, cool.

Never met a salamander before.

Nice to meet you.

Wonderful to meet you, Fern.

And since you won the race, in addition to the beautiful flowers, you get to be serenaded by me.

♪ You are the champion ♪ ♪ My salamander friend ♪ ♪ You won the race ♪ ♪ At the very end ♪ Yeah, Nature Cat, I love that song.

Really, really I do.

But, um, I have something a little more important to do.

Oh, well!

And what, pray tell, could be more important than being serenaded for winning a pretend horsey race?

Well, I need to lay my eggs.

Okay, that is more important.

(Clearing throat) Excuse me?

Where does a salamander like you lay their eggs?

The safest place in the forest, of course.

Ooh, wait!

Don't tell me.

In a big nest like a birdie?

No, sir.

Hmm.

Interesting quandary.

What about a hollow log?

Nope.

One of those little boxes at the bank with a key?

That's pretty safe.

Oh, even safer than that, honey.

I'm heading out to the pond in the middle of the forest.

Uh, pond?

I hate to tell you this, Fern, but there is no pond in the middle of the forest.

Nature Cat, there most certainly is.

Uh, I don't think so, Fern.

For you see, I know these woods like the back of my hand.

Dear me!

What is on the back of my hand?

Uh, Nature Cat, there is a pond out there.

I should know.

I was born there.

If you give me a lift, I'll show you myself.

You're on, Fern.

Hitch a ride on my hat.

Now, which the way to the pond?

Thataway.

Onward and pond-ward.

I like the way you think, Fern.

Tally-ho!

Okay, now the pond is just up ahead on the other side of those trees.

Fern, I've been to this area a million times.

There is absolutely no pond.

That's a pond.

Whoa!

NATURE CAT: Where did this come-- I've never seen this.

What he's trying to say.

Welcome to a vernal pond.

But Nature Cat is right.

A pond hasn't always been here.

We came here in the fall.

Roll flashback, please.

We were playing leapfrog and Nature Cat jumped into a pile of leaves.

Tally-ho!

There was no pond, just a small depression in the ground.

And then when we went sledding last winter, there was no frozen pond.

Tally-snow!

Aah!

FERN: Nope, it's called a vernal pond.

"Vernal" means "spring," and that's when this pond happens.

So did the pond just magically appear?

Well, kind of.

After last winter, the snow melted and that, along with the rain we've been having, filled up this sunken space.

It happens every year.

Voila.

A vernal pond.

Why I'd love to hear more about this vernal pond.

How about you give it to me in song form?

Hit it!

♪ Frog, toad, and salamander ♪ ♪ All have one great wish ♪ ♪ A safe place to lay our eggs ♪ ♪ That's in water but away from fish ♪ ♪ So when the snow melts and spring comes ♪ ♪ A cool thing occurs ♪ What's that?

♪ Some water sticks around to form a temporary habitat ♪ Wow!

♪ Vernal pond a vernal pond ♪ ♪ It's only here for part of the year ♪ ♪ Then, poof, it's gone ♪ ♪ Migrating ducks stop for a swim ♪ ♪ And birds like to nest around the rim ♪ ♪ They never starve-a live off the larva ♪ ♪ Vernal pond ♪ ♪ This is the best-est for bugs and insects ♪ ♪ Vernal pond ♪ ♪ Fairy shrimp thrive here live their whole lives here ♪ ♪ For an amphibian it beats the Caribbean ♪ ♪ You've learned your lesson a shallow depression ♪ ♪ Makes vernal ponds ♪ It's just amazing how so much life can happen in a pond so small.

Yeah, so the duck says, "Put it on my bill."

(Laughing) Girl, you crack me up.

You mean "quack" me up.

(Laughing) (Croaking) (Panting excitedly) Hey, Fern.

You said there was no fish in the pond, but I am seeing something in here.

Oh, sugar, those are the fairy shrimp.

Fairies?

Wow, this pond is really magical.

No, no.

Not fairies, Hal, honey.

Fairy shrimp.

Oh, okay.

Well, how did they get there?

Oh, wait.

Don't tell me.

A shrimp fairy!

Oh, no, not quite.

Those are newly hatched fairy shrimp.

They live their whole lives in just a few months.

They hatch from eggs, grow up and lay their own eggs all before this pond dries up so it can happen again next year.

But wait, what?

Hold on.

The eggs can survive even when the pond dries up?

What?

You betcha, Daisy.

And next year, those eggs will hatch and start the next generation of fairy shrimp.

(Gasping) Hello, fairy shrimp!

It's me, Hal.

Huh?

Uh, speaking of eggs-- Yes, right.

The whole reason we're here.

I mean, not we.

It's you.

That's why you're here, Fern.

Well, that is right, Nature Cat.

So I just need to find a safe place here at the vernal pond.

Okay, we can help.

Ooh!

How about there?

FERN: You mean those rocks?

Sure, why?

No good?

Uh, Nature Cat, I don't need a rock; I need the pond.

Actually, I need the pond water for my eggs, just like the frogs and toads.

Now, we all start out as eggs in the water.

Right.

How about over there?

FERN: Oh, that looks jim-dandy.

Oh, this is lovely.

♪ Ah-ha-ha ♪ ♪ Standing with my back to Fern while she lays her eggs ♪ Well, mission accomplished.

Nailed it.

Wow, they're so cool.

(Crying) Oh, Fern.

They look exactly like you.

They're eggs, Hal.

Yeah, I know, but still.

DAISY: Excuse me, Fern?

Not to get too personal, but what's that clear jelly stuff covering your eggs?

Oh, that gel helps keep my eggs safe.

And I like this pond because there are no fish here.

Fish like to eat eggs like these.

And just look around at all the other eggs laid here: frog eggs, toad eggs and more salamander eggs, all in this little pond.

Well, thank you for giving me a lift to the pond, Nature Cat.

NATURE CAT: Nah, come on.

More like thank you for showing us this brand new world.

Uh, guys?

It's starting to get dark.

We should be getting back.

Say, come back in a month or so to see the baby salamanders.

Mmm!

The cutest things you ever did see.

I already can't wait.

Fern, it would be an honour to return to your pond.

SQUEEKS: Okay, pony.

You ready for a rematch?

NATURE CAT: Oh, it's so on.

Giddyap, Hal Biscuit.

Oh, no.

Oh, yes!

So long, Fern.

Bye, Fern.

Miss you already.

Now, what do you say we fast-forward about a month?

(Gasping) DAISY: Hey, guys, look!

Fern's eggs are gone and now there are tadpoles.

And it looks like these tadpoles will be salamanders soon, maybe next time we visit.

Woo-hoo!

NATURE CAT: Oh, wow!

I just can't wait to see Fern's babies.

You think they're still cute little tadpoles?

No, I don't think so.

Fern's babies should be all-out salamanders.

Oh, it's going to be the best.

Huh?

Wait.

Where's the pond?

Where's all the critters?

It's the end of the summer.

The pond dried up.

And it'll never come back?

Oh, don't worry, Hal.

It'll come back next spring.

Oh, Fern, I wish I got to meet your salamander babies.

Come on, guys.

Nothing to see here.

ANIMAL: Hey, Nature Cat.

Hi.

Who are-- Hi, Nature Cat.

Hello to you as well.

That's Uncle Nature Cat to you.

Fern!

Oh, I'm so glad I got to see you and meet your full-grown babies.

They're so cute.

Hi, I'm Caroline.

Aw, hello there, little Caroline.

I'm Daisy.

I like your ears.

Aw, thank you.

I like your tail.

Whoa.

You're, like, enormous.

(Chuckling) Yeah, I like you.

Well, now that they can survive on land, they're headed out to their new homes.

But we'll all be back next spring, along with the ducks and frogs and fairy shrimp and such.

Oh, yeah.

The fairy shrimp eggs are sleeping here until the pond comes back.

Shh.

Be quiet, okay?

♪ Hush, little fairy shrimp, don't say a word ♪ ♪ Hal's going to sing you a song that rhymes a lot ♪ It was so great seeing y'all before we go.

Thanks for everything.

Bye, Fern.

Bye, babies, and all of you that grow up so fast.

Bye-bye.

Later, skaters.

See you later.

Goodbye!

See you next spring.

♪