Foxy Encounter

Storm nibbled at the tips of the grass out in the field. It was a warm sunny day, with hardly a cloud in the sky. The colt was a few months old now and still drinking milk from his mother, but liked to nibble from the grass, even if he wasn't really eating it. He slowly made his way further out into the field. That was when he stumbled upon an unfamiliar furry face. Cats and dogs inhabited the stables but this was neither of those. It was about the size of a cat with a long thin muzzle, a red coat with black and white markings. They stared at each other. Neither of them moved.

Curiosity finally got the better of Storm and he stepped closer. The creature dashed away, pausing after several metres to look back at him. Storm nickered in greeting, hoping to call it back. The creature tilted its head, pointed triangle ears perked. He nickered again. The tension in the creature’s posture drained away and it relaxed. It turned to him fully, lifting its head and glancing around. Seeming satisfied, it took a few steps toward him.

Storm pranced playfully, inviting it to have some fun. It still looked a little wary and backed away. Stilling, he nickered gently, extending his muzzle out to sniff it better. It reminded him of dogs and cats. A predator maybe? It was too small to do more than bite at his ankles, so he didn’t fear it. Besides, the dogs and cats were his friends, maybe this one would be too.

He shook out his fluffy foal mane. He just had to show this creature that he wasn't scary. He nickered again, and pranced away from it, hoping to get it to follow. The creature looked at him, taking a step forward. Storm whinnied softly, and took a few more steps away. The creature trotted after him, ears folded back. He squealed playfully and pranced away. This time it ambled after him, ears perked. Yes! A new friend!

A dog barked in the distance. The creature froze. Several more barks followed, closer this time. Storm whinnied back in greeting. It was Cherry, the stable’s husky. The creature took off. Oh no! Don’t leave!

Storm raced after the creature but it was too fast and dashed under the fence. He skidded to a stop and whinnied after it. It kept running, not even looking back. Aww… There went his play time. The red and white husky, Cherry, raced past him, jumping through the fence to chase after it. No fair. He snorted in displeasure. He wanted to play.

Cherry came back without the creature, looking very pleased with herself. Storm snorted, and trotted off to find something else to do.

When he told his mother about the encounter later, she explained that it was a fox. They were spotted occasionally in the area but didn’t often come on the farmlands with the dogs running around. The foxes were often viewed as pests because they didn’t originally come from the lands like kangaroos and the cockatoos, the wombats and the magpies. Humans brought foxes here. Like horses, they did not belong in the land. They were visitors in a home that was not theirs.

Storm wondered what the foxes thought of being so far from home. He wouldn’t want to be far from home, far from his mama.

His mother reminded him that they, too, did not come from these lands. But as long as they respected the animals that belonged there, they would be welcomed.