Fox's Feud (10 page)

‘I’ve seen you before,’ it said. Charmer was relieved to see it was just a cub like herself.

‘Yes, I recognize you,’ she responded. ‘You are one of Scarface’s cubs.’

‘I’m Ranger,’ he told her. ‘Once I met your brother: the big cub.’

‘That’s Bold,’ she said. ‘I am called Charmer.’

‘I can well understand why,’ Ranger told her gallantly.

Charmer looked taken aback. ‘I – I must return home,’ she muttered.

‘Not on my account,’ said Ranger. ‘I bear you no ill will. This quarrel is none of my doing. It is our parents’ battle.’

‘My sister cub was killed by your father,’ said Charmer sullenly. ’We have no love for your tribe.’

‘I understand,’ answered Ranger. ‘But I am not responsible for my father’s actions. He is a jealous animal and a proud one. I am only a fox cub.’

Charmer looked steadily at him. He was talking sense. ‘For my part, I think it’s regrettable we can’t all live in peace,’ she said.

‘I’m of the same opinion,’ Ranger agreed. ‘Perhaps our generation see it differently.’

Charmer sighed. ‘Nevertheless our loyalty lies with our family,’ she reminded him.

‘That is true,’ Ranger said flatly.

There was a pause. ‘Er – are you hunting?’ he asked her.

Charmer smiled. ‘Unsuccessfully,’ she answered.

‘If you’re hungry, I can show you good sport,’ Ranger offered. ‘There’s a colony of mice nearby.’

Charmer hesitated. She wondered if any of them were the fieldmice she was forbidden to kill – the old companions of her father.

‘Do come,’ the young fox urged her softly. ‘It’s much more fun hunting with another.’

Charmer relented and followed where he led to a patch of scrub. ‘There’s a regular nest of them in there,’ he said. Satisfied that the spot was too far away from the home area for any Farthing Wood mice to be involved, Charmer’s mouth began to water in anticipation.

Ranger looked at her and said: ‘I’ll see if I can drive them out to you.’ And he did just that. In no time Charmer had pounced on four plump creatures and had made short work of them. She was appreciative of Ranger’s interest.

‘You’re very skilful in coaxing them into the open,’ she smiled.

‘Ah. I’m getting quite familiar with the ways of these mice,’ he said, smiling back. ‘I often spend an odd hour here. Sometimes I just stalk them if I’m not hungry.’

‘I’m surprised there are any left,’ Charmer laughed.

They looked at each other for a long moment and
something indefinable passed between them. Charmer looked away shyly. ‘Thank you for taking the edge off my appetite,’ she said softly. ‘But I must be going. My brothers may come looking for me.’

‘I’ll come some of the way with you,’ Ranger said hopefully.

‘No.’ She answered quickly, thinking of Bold’s reaction if he should see them together.

‘As you wish,’ he said in a regretful tone.

‘I’m sorry,’ Charmer said quietly. ‘I think it’s best.’

‘Well, I hope we may meet on another occasion,’ Ranger said, leaving a question in the air. ‘As I said, I often come to this spot. You will know the way now, I think.’

‘Yes, but I don’t always come as far as this,’ she replied non-committally. But, even as she said it, she knew she would return.

‘A safe journey back,’ Ranger wished her.

‘Thank you. The same to you.’ Charmer smiled sweetly and set off at a trot for home. Ranger watched her go. His blood was singing in his veins. The thought of his father and of the young she-cub’s parent was a long way from his mind.

Charmer saw Friendly ahead as she approached the earth.

‘I was out looking for you,’ said her brother. ‘Were you lucky in your hunting?’

‘Yes, very lucky,’ Charmer answered rather breathlessly.

Friendly looked at her sharply. She seemed to be glowing with health, and there was something in her tone – he was not quite sure what. He questioned her no further and said nothing as they passed the spot where Bold was lying hidden. But he decided he would stay closer to his sister on their next outing.

The next night was Friendly’s watch and Bold showed no sign of wanting to keep Charmer company. He preferred to be alone. Charmer went straight to the patch of scrub but Ranger was not there. She was bitterly disappointed. She waited a little, passing the time by pouncing on unsuspecting mice. Of course, it was not likely (she told herself) that he would come to that place every night. But she kept her ears cocked to catch every faint sound. At last, when she had given up all hope, she heard the sound of approaching feet and her every nerve tensed. She knew it was Ranger for she recognized his scent. He came carefully, snuffling the air for any strange smell. Then he saw her. They smiled at each other.

‘I’m very glad to see you,’ he said, wagging his tail.

‘Oh, I – I felt like mousehunting,’ she whispered. He caught her expression and they both laughed.

‘I’ve caught some water-rats,’ he said. ‘Will you share them with me?’

‘Where are they?’

‘Oh, not far. Up by the stream.’

‘Oh, no, I couldn’t, I’m afraid,’ Charmer said. ‘It’s too far for me. I’m not supposed to wander that far afield.’

‘Oh, I see. Well, perhaps I could bring them a little nearer,’ he suggested.

‘That would be very kind,’ she murmured.

Ranger loped off and soon returned carrying two carcases. ‘You start on those,’ he said generously, ‘and I’ll fetch the rest.’

A few minutes later they were enjoying their meal together.

‘It’s amazing how famished I get,’ said Ranger between mouthfuls. ‘Soon I hope to hunt for bigger game.’

Charmer thought of Hare’s mate and let the comment pass unanswered.

‘You have a good appetite yourself,’ Ranger went on approvingly, and Charmer knew what he was leading up to.

‘I don’t know if it would be possible for us to hunt together,’ she told him. ‘We might run into my brothers, or, worse still, my father.’

‘Would that matter?’ Ranger asked innocently. ‘We mean no harm.’

‘I don’t think my family would see it that way,’ she replied softly.

The words were hardly out of her mouth when Ranger froze and pricked up his ears. There was an angry growling close by and then Bold raced on to the scene, hackles rising. Charmer had not reckoned with his more venturesome spirit. Luckily she was obscured by a low branch of the shrubs and only Ranger had been seen. She decided the best course of discretion was to make herself scarce. Ranger stood his ground, though nervously.

Bold stopped dead, his fangs bared and his tail swishing incessantly like an aggressive cat’s. He had no intention of attacking the smaller cub, but had hoped to frighten it away and achieve a moral victory for himself. But Ranger met his fierce gaze steadily.

‘You’re a cool customer,’ Bold acknowledged, despite himself. ‘You seem to have gained a little in stature since we last encountered one another.’

‘I have a new source of confidence,’ Ranger answered him enigmatically.

‘Well, I have no wish to fight you now,’ said Bold. ‘The Park is as much yours as mine.’

‘I’m not looking for any trouble,’ said Ranger. ‘Why need we assume we’re on opposing sides?’

Bold laughed shortly. ‘I think your father can be left to explain that to you,’ he commented. ‘I’m sure that one
day he will see to it that you and I join battle.’ Then he left the other fox standing where he was. No trace of Charmer was to be seen.

On his way back to the family den, Bold paused for a word with Friendly. ‘Have you seen our sister?’ he asked. ‘There’s a strange fox-cub abroad and she should keep out of harm’s way.’

‘Oh yes, I’ve seen her,’ replied Friendly with the ghost of a smile, at once understanding the situation. ‘And I can assure you,’ he added pointedly, ‘I’ve never seen her looking better.’

Bold had no reason to read anything into his words, and thought no more of the matter apart from reporting his meeting to his father. As for Friendly – he liked to think the best of everyone, as his name implied, and he certainly was not going to expose any secrets his sister might have. He only stuck to his decision to see for himself, when the occasion should arise, how serious the affair was becoming.

For days Adder remained in hiding, confining himself to a small area of dense vegetation not far from the boundary stream. He was completely concealed but could detect any movement by others close by. In this way he hoped to catch Scarface off guard when the fox decided to begin his wanderings again. Also Adder was deliberately starving himself. He wanted to maintain his store of venom intact – there was none to spare on his usual prey.

Going without food was no problem for Adder. As a reptile a good meal could last him many days, provided he did not move around much and use up too much energy. In his present, rather torpid, state he could fast for a long while. It was not until about the seventh day
that the first pangs of hunger struck him, and even then they were mild enough to be ignored. However, Adder was experiencing another sort of problem. He was cold. A spell of very cool, cloudy weather had prevailed for a time and, in his dark place of concealment, no spark of sunlight filtered through to warm his blood. Unlike his mammal friends, the snake could not regulate his body temperature internally – that was why in the cold winter months he was obliged to hibernate. He relied entirely on external warmth to keep himself active, and he knew that if he could not heat his blood sufficiently first, he would be simply too sluggish to move against the enemy with the necessary speed when conditions permitted.

More days passed and Adder became more and more torpid. Then one morning he knew the sun was beaming again. He was desperate for warmth and knew that, come what may, he must venture forth and bask for a spell if his plan was to go forward. With the utmost care, he slid slowly from his screen of vegetation and found a small open space surrounded by bracken where the sun could be enjoyed in seclusion. There had been neither sign nor sound of Scarface and his tribe. But, unfortunately for Adder, he had no idea that Ranger was making nightly trips across the stream to keep tryst with his new friend and that, on this particular morning, he was returning late to his father’s territory.

The cub, after his latest meeting with Charmer, had been so full of spirits that he had run the length and breadth of the Reserve in his new mood of confidence. The dawn had begun to break as he had lain, intently watching the activity of a ginger cat inside the perimeter of the Warden’s garden. It was an animal he had not come across before, and it was only the eventual disappearance of the cat that had set him in motion again on his homeward trail. As luck would have it, as he
approached the banks of the stream again, he had chased a rabbit into the very clump of bracken that fringed the sunbathing Adder. Ranger saw the snake and immediately recalled his father’s words. He ran straight off to tell him.

Scarface received the news without enthusiasm. ‘A snake is a snake,’ he said. ‘But I doubt if it is the one
I’m
interested in. He is far too secretive.’

‘Well, he’s lying not far from the spot where our cousin was killed,’ Ranger persisted. ‘Shall we investigate?’

‘I think not,’ Scarface replied sourly. ‘You look in need of a rest.’

‘Oh no, Father, I feel quite fresh,’ Ranger asserted.

‘That’s for me to decide,’ Scarface remarked bluntly, and the cub knew he was dismissed.

The old fox sat alone and contemplated. Although it was unlikely that the basking snake was the one he wanted, he could not afford to ignore even a slender chance. There might be some way of trapping the creature into admitting its guilt. If it appeared unsuspicious of him – well, he could still kill it anyway. One poisonous snake less was no bad thing. But he wanted no companions. This exercise called for all his timeless skill and cunning. He trotted in a half circle from his den and crossed the brook downstream. Then he slunk noiselessly and slowly towards the patch of bracken Ranger had described. His paws made no sound on the ground.

Under and through the stalks of fern went Scarface. His feet trod carefully on the soft ground, but even he was unable to avoid just the barest rustle as he brushed the dry fern fronds of last year. Adder detected nothing until the fox, in a final burst, breasted through the last clump to the clearing.

The snake wriggled quickly to one side as Scarface leapt out at him, his teeth showing. Then a chase began as Adder bolted for thicker cover, while his pursuer jumped
this way and that, trying to head him off. Escape was now the only thing in Adder’s mind – a counterattack was impossible. The element of surprise, essential when attacking a larger animal, was lost in this instance. Scarface snapped again and again, but amongst the bracken Adder was difficult quarry. The fox snarled with frustration. ‘You – can’t – get away,’ he panted. ‘You must pay – the – penalty – for daring – to attack – one of my – tribe.’

Adder was too busy to answer, even had he the inclination. So Scarface still had no idea if he were pursing the right snake. At last, just as Adder appeared to be cornered and the fox made a lunge, the snake found a hole in the ground and shot into it. But he was not quick enough. Scarface’s ancient teeth closed on the end of his tail and held him fast. An agonizing tug of war followed. Adder grimly tried to pull himself away while Scarface’s grip tightened as he attempted to haul the snake clear of the hole. During the struggle Adder’s tail was actually bitten right through and the surprised fox was left holding over an inch of his vanished quarry in his jaws.