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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The Red Fox (Part-3)

By Eindra's Story Corner

Rocky yowled as Red fox bit his tail hard. “Stop lying Red fox!” wailed Rocky through the pain. “I caught it and you didn’t catch any!” Red fox bit his tail harder by those words. He swatted his paws at his ears and tried to pull them off. Hunter gekkered at Rocky. He jumped onto Rocky and bit on his front leg. “Stop!” yelled their mom but her voice was drowned out by Rocky’s yowl of pain. Rocky tried to push them away by swatting his paws at him. “You think we’re fools?!” yelled Hunter with his leg in his jaws. “Of course, you all are fools! I caught these and I can fight you off easily.  You should be scared of me cause I can hunt better than you!” He tried to stand on his paws to make him look fearless but he was pinned to the ground. “You’re the fool.” gekkered Red fox letting go of his tail. “If you caught this, why not let mother smell who’s scent is on it?” sneered Red fox. 

Hunter let go of Rocky’s leg and yipped “Yeah!” Rocky stood on his paws his eyes filled with fear for a moment but it disappeared as he said “You fools! Mom doesn’t need to smell them. She already knew that I caught it!” he insisted. Their mother shook her head. “I can only smell Hunter’s and Red fox’s scent here. Are you lying Rocky?” she asked with a bit of anger in her tone.  Rocky shrank down to his paws and murmured “Yes…” Hunter and Red fox looked  at each other and clapped their tails together. Their mother stood up and gave an angry glance at Rocky. She called to him sternly “Come here now, Rocky!” Rocky’s tail drooped as he went to their mother. Red fox could feel his tummy longing to eat the bird. He went to it and tear out all the feathers and ate it within a few gulps. Red fox swiped his fangs and lay down. Hunter ate half of his fish and lay down beside him. Their father got up and ate the rest of the rabbit he had bought yesterday. 

When Rocky came back, Hunter called to him “I saved you some fish!” he told him as he walked sulkily to them. Rocky gekkered at him first, then said “Thanks. I guess..”  He ate the fish in one gulp. Then he grunted to them “I’m sorry.” Then he patted to the side of the burrow and slept without another word.

Red fox flicked his ear. He couldn’t believe what he had heard Rocky say. He was feeling a bit sleepy by now. He opened his mouth and yawned. He curled up beside Rocky and fell to sleep. Hunter swished his tail. Then he patted beside Red fox and slept.

The next morning Red fox opened his eyes and saw the sunlight streaming through the holes. He stood up on his paws sleepily and turned around to see Hunter and Rocky still fast asleep. At the other side of the burrow, his mother and father were still fast asleep too. He patted to where Hunter was sleeping and swatted his paws at him. 

Hunter blinked open his eyes. He raised his head to see Red fox in front of him. “What is it?” he asked. Red fox let out an amused yip. “Wake up you sleepy head!” he told him. Hunter shook his head and stood on his paws. “Ha! You woke me up so that you can have some company right?” Red fox shifted his paws and told him. “Of course! Why not? I mean Rocky will yowl at me if I woke him up” both foxes fell down to the ground laughing. 

“Yeah..right” laughed Hunter. Red fox could barely get on his paws.  When they had stopped laughing, Felix, their mother woke up. She looked up at them and licked her paws. She sat down and looked at Rocky who was still asleep. Their father also woke up and sat on his paws. “Why isn’t Rocky awake yet?” he asked to the two small foxes. Hunter looked at Red fox but Red fox didn’t hesitate as he said “I don’t know” Todd nodded. “You better wake him up.” he told them. “We’re going to meet a few of the best hunters.” Red fox eyes widen. He patted to Rocky. He nudged his nose to Rocky’s fur. 

Rocky woke up and swatted his paws at him. “Go away” he murmured. His eyes were still closed. “I can’t. Todd told me to wake you up.” Rocky blinked his eyes. “Fine” he murmured. He stood on his paws Rocky patted up to Todd and swished his tail. Their father nodded at them and went out of the tunnel. The three foxes followed him close behind. When they got deep into the woods his father flicked his ears to keep them silent. They got to the other side of the forest and they saw a big fox and two foxes beside him. Todd sat down. When the big fox saw, him he patted up to him with the two foxes following close behind.

“Greetings brother” said the big fox. Red fox looked at him with amazement. Todd’s brother was also one of the best hunters in the forest! Todd nodded. “I see that you bought your kits with you too Hog.” He told him. “Today as you said we are in a truce.” Hog dipped his head respectfully. “I will keep my word.” he told him. Hog sat next to Todd and flicked his ears to the kits. The two young foxes raced to them as Rocky eyed them curiously. Red fox leaped to his paws as the two foxes drew closer. “HI!” said one of the foxes with white fur. “How are you?” Red fox shifted his paws uncomfortably. “I’m good.” he told her. The white fox nodded her head. When Red fox could see her more clearly, she had blue eyes and a glint of blue on the tip of her tail. “My name is Artic!” she yipped. Red fox nodded and replied “Mine’s Red fox.” Artic flicked her ear. “Red fox?” she echoed. “Is that even a name?” the other fox came bounding up to them panting. “Hi!” he called out to them. “My name is Star. How about you guys?” Red fox turned his face to him. “I’m Red fox.” he introduced himself. Rocky and Hunter stepped forward and introduced themselves too. When they had finished, Artic stepped forward with her delicate paws and told them. “I’m Artic.” There was silence for a moment as Rocky just stared at them. 

Hunter patted up to Artic and gave her a friendly nod. Star raced off to Red fox and told him. “Wow! You look so awesome with that red fur!” Red fox gave him a slight nod. Before Star can say another word, Artic patted up to them and swatted her paw at Red fox. “Guess you’re different like me in the litter.” she sneered. Red fox warped his tail around him. He flicked his ears shyly. Artic patted to Hunter and Star came up to him. “What’s it like being the odd one out like Artic?” Star asked him. “Artic won’t listen to me.” he told him with a glance at his sister. “Well..” replied Red fox. He hesitated for a while. He looked up at the grey sky and said “You won’t know it until you’re one of them.”

The sun was rising higher as Red fox swished his tail goodbye to Artic and Star. They followed Todd into the deep forest and back out again. They patted into the burrow as their mother greeted them. Todd had caught a sparrow and a blackbird on the way. Hunter leaped excitedly toward her. “Today we met Artic and Star!” he yipped before anyone could say a word. “No fair!” yowled Rocky. “I wanted to tell her!” Rocky lashed his tail furiously. “Too late” snorted Hunter. Red fox patted away from them and had a bite of the sparrow. “Then I’m going to tell her what happened.” sneered Rocky. He swished his tail with satisfaction. “Not if I can help it!” cried Hunter and he leaped forward to push Rocky off his paws. Rocky gekkered at him and tried to get on his paws. They started play fighting and their mother patted toward him. 

“So what happened?” she asked to Red fox. Red fox looked up at his meal and licked his nose clean. Rocky and Hunter were still play fighting and didn’t notice. Red fox looked at them and turned back to his mother. “We met Dad’s brother Hog.” He told her. He drew his eyes toward Hunter and Rocky who had stopped fighting and were drawing closer to argue. Hunter stood where he was but Rocky patted to them with a determined look on his face. Red fox took a deep breath and replied back to her “then-“but he broke off as Rocky glared at him. Red fox backed away from him and slide off to Hunter. Hunter gave a flick of his ears in defeat. “He always gets what he wants.” murmured Red fox. Hunter nodded sulkily. They watched as their mother nodded at every word he said. “Nah” said Hunter out aloud. “We’ll be better hunters than him!” he told him. Red fox nodded silently to him. Hunter patted to the sparrow and took a few gulps out of it. Red fox curled himself up and slept.

The morning light woke Red fox up on his paws. He blinked to see Hunter patting his paw at him. “Time for hunting lazybones.” he told him as he went out of the burrow. Red fox staggered to his paws and followed him out of the burrow. 

Todd led them into the forest to let them hunt prey. Red fox wanted to hunt alone for once with Rocky to bug him. He quietly walked to the opposite direction and sniffed for any scents. He smelt a mouse nearby and crouched low ready to pounce on the mouse. Before he could track it down, he saw a white tail lash near his nose. “Got you!” cried the voice triumphantly. Red fox spun around to see Artic’s paw on the mouse. Red fox lashed his tail furiously. He began to stalk off as Artic called “Oh hi!”. Red fox ignored her and sniffed the air for any more prey. Star popped out behind from Artic. “Hey!” he called to her. “Keep down your voice, would you?” When Star saw Red fox he flicked his ears questioningly. Red fox shook himself as he murmured “Sorry.” 

He bounded away from them and sniffed the air again. He smelt a rabbit. “That would be enough.” he thought as he tracked down the scent quietly. He saw the rabbit scuffling through the tall grass. He bent down his paws lightly and crept up on it. He pounced on the rabbit and made his way back to where his brothers were. He saw a swish of an orange tail and patted at it. The tail stopped and vanished. Red fox stepped forward to see Hunter leaping toward the sparrow in the air. 

Hunter nodded his head with the sparrow in his jaws. He led Red fox back to the rock where Todd was waiting. Rocky had a mouse in front of him and a rabbit in his jaws. He dropped the rabbit as he yipped triumphantly. “I caught more prey than you!” he called out to them with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. Before Red fox could urge, Todd stepped up to them. “I caught the mouse.” he told him. “We stocked the prey on a pile for a while.” He pointed at the rabbit with his tail.  Todd’s head turned his head to Red fox and asked “Where were you?” Red fox dropped the rabbit and told him “I was hunting a bit far away.” he admitted. “I saw Artic and Star though.” Todd’s eyes widen for the first time. “Hog is here?” he asked himself. He turned away and picked up his rabbit. 

Rocky sprang up to their mother as they got into the burrow. “I caught this mouse!” he screeched as he dropped the mouse from his jaws. Their mother stood still on her paws. She was looking serious as she whispered to them “There’s a badger in the hole.” Red fox perked his ears. “what’s a badger?” he asked quietly. “Maybe it’s a giant sized rabbit.” snorted Rocky, not keeping his voice down. “Sh…” said Hunter. Todd’s fur was bristling as he turned back and set off without another word. “So your worried nothing too?” sneered Rocky. “Just keep your voice down.” insisted Hunter. Their voices were drawn out of Red fox’s ears as he followed Todd not making a sound. He wanted to see this badger and what it would do. Todd halted as he stood nose to nose with the badger. “So I was right that this was a fox’s burrow.” sneered the badger. Before he could say more, Todd leaped onto his grey fur. 

Todd racked his claws down his spine as the badger struggled to get him off. He kicked his hind legs to throw Todd off and he bit down hard on his tail. “Ow!” cried the badger as Red fox appeared and clawed his hind legs. Todd stood on his paws again and aimed for the badger’s throat. The badger was shaking himself furiously as Red fox bit down hard on his tail. Red fox flipped the badger over as Todd scratched his claws onto the badger’s belly. “Wait where’s Red fox?” said a quiet voice behind Red fox. The badger yowled and screeched in pain as he drowned out the voice of Rocky and Hunter to his ears. Todd raised his paw for a finale death blow to the limping body in front of him. The badger yowled and struggled furiously from Red fox’s grip.

 To be continued...

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