A fox's Tale
Written by: Gillian Perry

          It was a beautiful sunny day in the forest. The sun was streaming down onto the forest floor dappling it with soft light. I was walking along taking my time to sniff the air for a hint of prey. I was hunting for some fresh kill for my babies: Sparrowkit, Turtlekit, and Hollykit, because they hadn't eaten for days. It was the middle of leaf bare, when the prey was all hibernating in their burrows and dens. I had had a bad hunt for the last few days, and I was desperate for food for my babies and I. As I was trotting along through the forest, I suddenly caught a faint whiff of a rabbit that was nearby. My instincts kicked in and I swiftly went into a crouch like I had been taught all my life as a fox. I began to inch forward inch by inch stalking my prey but also making sure that I was downwind of the rabbit so that it would not sense my smell and run away. I barely made a noise as I kept inching closer. When I was close enough to pounce, my bushy white, black, and red tail stopped twitching and went still. All my senses were focused on the rabbit in front of me. For I knew that if I lost this piece of prey, then my kits and I would have to go hungry for another night. I tensed up by muscles and pounced swift and quick onto the prey using my fore-paw to hold it down as I quickly went in for the kill and sank my jaws into its neck until I heard the snap of the back bone breaking. 

          I picked up the kill and started to head back to the den where my babies sat hungry waiting for me to return with a juicy morsel to fill and satisfy their raving hunger in their bellies. When I reached the den, I greeted my pups with a nuzzle and set the fresh kill on the ground in front of them. I let them eat first, since I knew that if they were going to survive, then they needed all of the nourishment and protein they could get. After they had their fair share of food, I ate the rest and then told the pups that we should get some rest. I curled up in the back of the den and my pups came tumbling and rolling over their tiny fur paws trying to get the warmest spot next to me first. Once we were settled in, We fell fast asleep.

           The next day was warm and sunny, and my babies were still fast asleep. As I headed out of the den, I checked the surroundings to make sure t was safe, and then I left to go and search for breakfast. As I was walking along, I decided to go down to the stream and search for a few water vole. As I headed in the direction of the river, my delicate little black nose quivered in the air sniffing for stuff that smelled like prey. Suddenly, I heard a rustle in the bushes. With my ears listening keenly, I started to move toward the sound and spot of the prey. My sharp eyes caught a flash brown and white, and at that moment excitement coursed through me. I knew that that was a rabbit and that meant that we would have full bellies if I managed to catch it. So I followed its scent making sure to stay downwind. I came out of a bush, and there it was, just sitting there in a clearing of a meadow munching on grass oblivious to what was going on around it. I crouched forward and with a swift silent spring, I landed on my prey holding it down with my sharp claws. With a swift bite to its neck, the rabbit twitched one last time and then lay still. I Felt immense pride and happiness coursing through my thick fur. I had just secured a good and filling catch for me and my babies. Things are looking up, I thought to myself, as I walked back toward my den with my head held high, and the prey hanging limp in my jaws like a golden trophy. I was Happy and Content.

THE END

Mother Fox
Moon

Top: Sparrowleap
Middle: Firepaw
Bottom: Hollyleaf