Scary Stories for Young Foxes

As told by the storyteller:

Having fled the den, Uly waits as long as he dares for his mother but worries that remaining in place will put him in the greatest danger. He finally ventures out and tries to hunt. Sniffing out baby opossums, he is lucky to escape when their mother chases him off. By evening, he is drawn to the scent of fire. Drawing near, he pauses, hearing a sound he cannot place: “Creeeaaak THUMP!” Perplexed by the structure before him, Uly recognizes it as a dwelling. Creeping around, he is distracted by a pile of rabbit entrails but looks up to see a female kit (Mia) swaying at the end of a rope. She drops to the ground, and the two are equally startled by one another. Uly darts away to hide beneath a shrub, and she pursues cautiously. She asks for help and explains that a human is trying to kill her. She promises not to hurt him, and he moves closer, holding the rope so that she can wiggle free.

The door to the structure flies open to reveal an enraged creature shouting. The two fox kits flee. When they stop, Mia is so delighted by her reclaimed freedom that she bounds around Uly, who takes offense when he does not realize that she is being playful.