The Red Fox (Part-4)

By Eindra's Story Corner

The echo of the howl seemed to die down as Red fox let go of the dead creature’s tail. He could see the badger’s grey fur covered in red blood pouring out from him. Todd sat down and licked his paws that were covered in blood. “Old scrap of fur” growled Todd. Red fox raised his head from the sounds of patting paws to the entrance of the trap. “What’s going on here?” growled Rocky. “Would you just stop running for such-“ he broke off as he saw the limp body of the badger. “Told you it’s true.” snapped Hunter at Rocky. 

It was the next day from the incident of the badger. Red fox yawned and swatted his paws at Hunter. Hunter rolled his back on him and wined “go away” Red fox yipped with a playful tone. Hunter drew his paws to his ears and shut pressed them to his head blocking whatever sound red fox would make. Red fox heard a yip from Todd who was calling to him. Red fox patted toward him. “Your mom is going to take you to her sister.” he told him. Their mother got up and stood beside him. “Don’t worry.” she told Todd. Todd nodded and patted to Hunter to wake him up. 

His mother’s eyes were gleaming like the sunlight. Hunter patted up to him yawning with his mouth opened wide. Rocky followed Hunter to Red fox. They got out of the burrow and their mother turned to the thick and tall grass instead of the forest. Rocky opened his mouth to urge but no words came out. She led them into the tall grass and made her way to a big den. She squeezed through the small entrance as Red fox followed her. When they made it inside, Red fox could see six foxes in the den. One of the foxes went up to them and said “Greetings Felix!” Felix nodded her head and replied “you too, Flower” Flower nodded too. “It’s good to see you again.” They all settled down on their spots. A black fox jerked his head behind his mother to take a good look at them. His eyes flew toward Red fox with astonishment. “It was a pity we separated.” his mother commented. Flower nodded in agreement. “This is whisky.” she told them pointing at the big fox sitting at the edge. 

Flower flicked her ears to signal to her kits to come and introduce themselves. The black fox nervously patted forward to meet them but before he could get to them, a bright yellow coloured fox leaped out of nowhere. “Hi, I’m Honey!” she burst out. The black fox hesitated for a moment and told them “I’m Mist.” A pair of foxes stepped out to them and they said “Hi! We’re twins! I’m Ginger and I’m Ash.” Hunter bounded up to them and said “I’m Hunter” “and I’m Red fox.” Red fox put in. Mist’s eyes widen. “You’re Red fox?” he asked. Red fox nodded his head. “That’s hardly a name.” said Mist. “I think it’s not a name.” Honey pointed out. Ginger and Ash shot her a glance. “That’s rude.” said Ginger. “Learn your manners, Honey.” Ash added with a swish of his tail. “Keep your fur on. We’re just meeting friends.” he growled at them. “Yeah mind you for once.” Mist added. Rocky stepped out and asked “I’m Rocky. Would I be in this conversation?” Honey turned her gaze to Rocky and growled “Would you mind not hiding from this?” Rocky lashed his tail furiously. Red fox knew that she was going to be beaten up by him like how he had always been defeated. “You’re going to be dead to the bone.” Rocky retorted. Honey gave him an annoyed stare then leaped to her paws. “It’s so on.” she yowled. 

Red fox jumped between them and yowled “Stop this is no place to fight” “like you don’t want to” retorted Rocky. Mist leaped onto Honey and said “Oh, no, you’re not getting a single claw out.” Honey glared at him then scrambled to her paws. “Oh fine.” she snorted crossly. “If that fur ball wont say a word.”

Red fox swished his tail goodbye to the foxes and squeezed out of the hole from his mother. It was great meeting other foxes like him especially knowing that he wasn’t the only one. They got back to the den and had a good nap.

He woke up in his old burrow. He yawned and got up. This was the day that they would have to live together or separate up. He got on his paws and lay down resting a bit. Hunter woke up soon enough Hunter and Rocky were awake. “Looks like the time has come.” said Rocky with a look of disgust on his face. Rocky was now a much better hunter than them and was the oldest of all. “Mom said that the oldest got to choose what we will do.” he said proudly. He paused for a moment with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. ”We’ll go separate.” he told them with a swish of his tail. “But mom said it’s better to stay together.” protested Hunter. Rocky turned his gaze to him. “Fine you can stay with me.” he told him. Hunter’s face brightened up and asked once more “How about Red fox? Can he stay too?” Rocky’s head shot to Red fox and growled “No” he lashed his tail at him. “Now get out of our den.” Red fox’s eyes widen with dismay. He opened his mouth to urge but he thought the better of it. “Oh please?” asked Hunter bounding up to Rocky. “No and that’s the only answer I will give” he told him. 

“Then I’m going with Red fox.” Hunter yipped. Rocky’s head spun around to face him. “Do that then we were never brothers.” he growled. “Now get out of my den or I’ll rip your fur off.” Hunter looked at Red fox in dismay. He touched noses with him and whispered “Rocky knows best.” Red fox nodded sulkily. He wanted to protest but he kept quiet. He waved his tail goodbye and trotted out of the burrow.

The sunlight burned his pelt as he rose out of the burrow. “I guess this is the last time.” he murmured to himself. He forced himself not to look back as he patted across the stream. Before he went into the deep forest, he looked back at the burrow. He could see Rocky watching with a sly look in his eyes. Red fox leaped to his paws and vanished into the forest. 

When he got to the other side, he thought he’ll catch some prey around there. He patted onto the sharp grass that stung his paws. He sniffed the air to see if he could scent anything around here. He smelt another fox walking nearby. He crouched down, his belly brushing the ground. He hid under the grass to see who the intruder was. He could hear the paw steps draw closer and closer. He braced himself for an attack when he caught a glance of white fur. He popped his head up to see Artic swishing her tail desperately. She spun around from the noise he had made and said “You scared me for a second there.” Red fox sat down and told her “Me, too.” Artic sniffed the air again. “Where are your brothers? Surely, they decided to stay together.” Red fox fell silent. He opened his mouth to speak but closed them back again. Artic nodded as he had reply. “Star just went with our parents and trying to keep up to them so I’m alone too.” Red fox flicked his ears with disbelief. Star was a great hunter and he and Artic would have been an unbreakable team. “I have no company myself.” murmured Red fox. “I can join you.” suggested Artic with a gleam in her eye. 

They both trotted back into the forest and hunted together. The night drew closer as the two foxes tried to find a place for the night. “I can ask Mist and the others if we can stay for the night.” suggested Red fox. “They got a big den after all.” he added. They patted into the tall grass reaching the small entrance. Red fox yipped to see if they were home. Gradually, another yip echoed out of the hole and they both slipped in.

When Red fox got in, he could see Mist and Honey standing with their tails twitching. “Greetings” echoed Red fox. Artic nodded her head in agreement. “Red fox!” cried out Mist as he jumped out from the darkness. “I didn’t think that it would be you!” Red fox nodded. He looked around and asked “Where’s Ginger and Ash?” Another figure leaped out from the shadows. “Ha!” cried out Honey. “They said they did not want to stay with a pair of unmannered foxes.” snorted Honey. Artic burst into laughter. “They’re the ones unmannered for saying that.” she sneered. “Yeah” Mist jumped in. Silence ran over the foxes for a moment until Red fox asked “You won’t mind another pair of foxes moving in?” Mist and Honey exchanged glances. “I’m not really sure about it but why not?” Honey pointed out. “Works for me too.” said Mist. Artic jumped with delight. Red fox gave them a grateful glance. 

The sun shone from the hole of the cave. Red fox woke up to see himself sleeping on a bed of moss. He saw Honey raising her paw to Mist. He patted to them. Honey spun around. “Look at my paw!” she exclaimed. Red fox peered at her paw that was shining yellow. He raised his own paw to see a normal green pad. “That’s unusual.” said Mist looking at his own paw. “Today must be special.” said Red fox saying his thoughts out aloud. “But, that’s not all.” insisted Honey. She put her paw down and lightly patted to her moss. She touched her paw to the moss and it shone brightly as it spread like ice. “Wow!” called out Mist as he leaped to her. “How’d you do that” he asked her. “I don’t know.” shrugged Honey. Artic patted to them with wide frightened eyes. “Is it winter?” she asked to them. “No?” replied Red fox confused. Artic flicked her ears uncomfortably. She pointed towards her moss with her paw which was frozen like ice. 

“Then who did that?” she asked. Mist leaped toward and patted it with his paw. “It’s cold” he reported. Artic sat down puzzled. Red fox stared at her bed with disbelief. He was feeling as hot as ever. How could there be a frozen bed in this temperature? He could feel his paws burning like fire. He stood up and looked around the cave. He saw a glass of ice on the bottom of Artic’s paws. “Hey what’s that?” he called out to her. Artic looked stunned with disbelief. “What’s what?” she asked. Red fox pointed at her paws with his tail. “That” he repeated. Artic jumped surprised. She shook her paws off. Red fox sniffed the thin sheet of ice and touched it with his paw. Instantly, the ice melted away turning the spot into a green flame that only lasted a second. Red fox whimpered and backed away. 

Mist’s eyes widen with surprise. Artic stepped a few paces back from the flames. Honey leaped to him. “Cool” she exclaimed. She turned her head to Mist and yipped “Let’s see what you can do.” she crouched down playfully as Mist stood where he was. He shrugged. “I don’t know maybe you guys are early.” Honey snorted. “You’re older than me.” Mist sighed and patted his paw in the air. From the shadow, a black fox that looked like Mist appeared and was swatting his paw at him. “Ow!” cried out Honey as she backed away from the big shadow. Mist stopped and the shadow faded away with not a trace left to find it. “Do it again!” persuaded Honey. Mist shook his head. Artic patted to him and yipped “That was pretty awesome.” 

Red fox was still where he was. His mind was deep in thought. Why were they born like this? If they were, what was the purpose? His thoughts where interrupted when a huge shadow casted itself in front of the burrow’s entrance. It first looked like an adorable cat with wings flying in the air. “I could feel some here.” said the voice. They saw another shadow rise from behind her. “I think they just started they won’t beat us.” The first shadow snickered and looped in the air. “Or so they don’t know the real us.” The other patted her paw at her. “Keep your voice down.” he growled not like those nice fairy anymore. “They might hear us.” he told her with a much deeper and evil tone. “Fine” said the other. They twisted themselves and dropped onto the ground. The shadows changed and one became a big creature with his claws sticking out of its paws. It had a horn on its head that was only an inch long. The other became big rabbit but more ferocious. Its ears stuck out like long strings and had two sharp teeth poking out. They patted away from the den echoing the sound of their paw steps in their ears.

 To be continued...

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