Fox's Feud Read Online Free

Fox, who impressed on her once more not to attempt to hunt outside their own corner of the Park. She took a necessarily quiet farewell of him and of their friends and led the cubs away. Shortly afterwards Fox followed, making sure he was out of sight and keeping far enough behind for his scent to remain undetected. For, although it was Vixen’s job to instruct the cubs, he was determined to be within reach should anything untoward occur.
    ‘Keep close to me,’ Vixen told the cubs, ‘and there’s no danger. Do you understand, Dreamer? No wandering off!’
    ‘Don’t worry, Mother,’ the cub replied. ‘I’ll stay with you.’
    Bold was snuffling the night air keenly as the little group trotted on. A hundred exciting scents were wafted to him on the breeze and his young feet fairly danced along in his exhilaration.
    ‘I want complete quietness now,’ Vixen ordered, as she led them into some long grass. Friendly, who had been chatting to his sister cubs, fell silent. They followed their mother in a line, nosing their way through the tall stalks. A variety of insects scattered in their wake – beetles, crickets, spiders and earwigs. Some tumbled into their path, and following their mother’s example, they snapped them up. They quickly discerned which were to their liking.
    But Vixen was after larger game. They arrived on the banks of a stream rich in water-rats. She showed the cubs how to exercise their patience while nothing seemed to appear; then, when the prey was spotted, to freeze if it approached or, alternatively, to stalk it from behind. Sheshowed how to pounce and pin it with front paws and how to render it immobile with the jaws.
    The cubs at first were clumsy and too eager, and for a long time they caught nothing. The water-rats were far too nimble and knowing for them. But Bold caught a water-shrew at the stream’s edge and this success spurred him on. Vixen helped the others and, eventually, Charmer and Friendly were also successful. Only Dreamer, who had eaten rather too many insects and earthworms on the way, showed little aptitude.
    ‘You will go hungry tonight,’ Vixen told her. ‘Then tomorrow perhaps you will try harder.’
    All the time Fox watched them from further downstream. When he saw they were about to leave he disappeared. He was satisfied that there was no danger abroad and that they would soon be safely back in the den again. He had completely failed to notice a familiar figure, hidden in the shadows on the opposite bank. Scarface had also been watching the cubs’ lesson, but from a quite different motive.
    At that very moment in another area of the Park his mate was going through the self-same procedure with her cubs. Scarface looked with anger and resentment at Vixen’s cubs, comparing his own unfavourably with them. Vixen’s seemed sturdier and more agile. In reality only Bold was bigger, but he likened the cub’s brother and sisters to him in his mind’s eye. He jealously watched Bold’s dawning skills and knew that he could be supreme among all the foxes one day. ‘But that shall not be,’ he muttered darkly to himself. ‘No interloper will supercede me and mine while I live. This young cub must be dealt with before he grows any more.’
    He watched Vixen set off with the cubs following, and then swam across to the other bank silently. As they re-entered the long grass, he ran quickly round the outsideto head them off. Vixen emerged first, then Charmer and Dreamer, and finally the two male cubs. Scarface set up a loud yapping and barking to startle them. Vixen halted stock still, but all four cubs leapt into the air in alarm. She saw the hostile fox speeding towards them.
    ‘Quickly!’ she cried. ‘Run for the earth!’
    The cubs set off as swiftly as their legs could carry them, while their mother faced about to encounter their attacker. But Scarface twisted out of her reach and raced after her young ones. In no time his longer legs brought him up to their heels. He