We left nothing, but our paw prints in the snow

Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

After eating my fill, I ran back to the den, making sure nobody was following me. When I got there, I trained my ears on the den and heard Pup and the cubs inside, snoring lightly. What can I say? They sounded really cute though. And so vulnerable. Something that I didn't really want.

I crawled into the den and felt my lips pull back in a smile as I saw the cubs and Pup sleeping together, huddled into a heaving ball of warm limbs and fur. Of course, Pup wasn't exactly furry, but...

I reversed out of the den and looked around, lifting my nose upwards to sniff the air. I caught the scent of a fox, an unwelcomed guest in this area. Fox eat some easy prey, the could eat my cubs if nobody stopped them, they do naughty things and are generally not loved by the wolves. And now, a mother, my instincts told me not to move, to wait, and should the threat present itself, fight it off. That was the plan A. Plan B didn't excist. Neither did plan C or D for that matter.

There was some movement in the trees. Instantly alert, I trained all my senses on that, my ears flicking around, trying to catch a sound. My eyes burned holes into the spot I was intently staring at, my nose twitching, catching the scent of fox and forest and wolf. Fox equaled threat, forest equaled oportunity and wolf equaled family equaled protection and defence equaled protect and defend. That was the equation that was the very core of my instinct.

My nose burned with the smell of fox, of threat. My eyes started stinging from starting unblinkingly at my surroundings. My ears hummed with anticipation as blood surged through my body, fast now due to adrenaline. My body was rigid, every muscle tense, ready to attack, to spring, to run.

I turned my head to the left, just in time to see the end of a bushy red tail disappear into some undergrowth. I followed to the sound paws on dried leaves and twigs, until I spotted the gleaming eyes of a fox. I sniffed. My brain started analysing the smell, 'fox, female, young, pregnant, hungry, anxious, cunning.' But there was more. More that didn't belong to this fox, but that wasn't important now.

Another flash of rusty red fur, my head snapping around to keep the female fox in my field of vision. I heard rustling leaves behind me and spun my whole body around. I couldn't see the fox.

Then she appeared, stepping inot the clearing so that I could see her. Her eyes frlicked from me to my den, my cubs. I could see her thinking, planning.

Fox made her intentions clear almost instantly. She tested me with a growl, observing me for any reaction.

I pulled my lips back and bared my teeth, displaying my sharp fangs.

In turn, Foxy displayed her own teeth. She must really be hungry to dare a fight with a wolf. I was bigger, stronger, not pregnant, recently fed. Normally a fox would waitm then sneak into the den and steal the cubs. Why such an open attack?

I felt a growl form in my chest and slip through my bared teeth.

Foxy growled back, still unsure of how to act.

I used her uncertaintly and took a step forward, showing that I was certain, that I had been hungry, I could have easily turned her into my lunch.

As I had expected, Foxy took a step back. Now that I knew she knew she was the weaker one, I ran forward, leaving the entrance of the den unguarded, to chase Foxy away.

I heard paws behind me and quickly spun around. Foxy was still running, I knew that, but another fox, her partner, Tricksy (that's what I named him) was using my absense to sneak up to my den, my cubs, his lunch.

I heard Pup growl a warning and I charged Tricksy. Well, it's nice to know that foxes are still very cunning.

When Tricksy saw me, he ran, not even attempting to fight me. I had nearly been outfoxed! Had I lost a cub to a could-have-been-prey I would have been very embarrassed. Not to mention sad because of me loss and guilty for not having done a better job at keeping my cubs alive.

I joined Pup in the den and asked if she was okay, whether the fox had hurt her.

“No,” was her reply.

“Good,” but I smelt fear on her. The smell clung to the air, filling the den with its overpowering stench.

“Relax,” I tried to chase the smell away, let something else take the place of fear. The fast beating of excited hearts, however, told me that it wasn't working.

I lay down and curled my body protectively around the cubs, who lay there, helpless and blind. Pup lay down too and rested her head on my body. I lowered my head to my paws, untensing as many muscles as possible.

“Will they come again?” Pup asked me.

I listened to the cubs' breathing a while before answering,” I doubt it, but other threats may still present themselves.”

I watched as Pup slowly closed her lids and I listened as her and the cubs' breathing gradually became deeper, slower, and steadier.

The rise and fall of bodies and the low hum of breathing and beating hearts, muffled slightly by the moistm dense earth around us, slowly lulled me into a light sleep. I let my eyes closem but kept my nose and ears on guard as I let my mind rest, falling into the clutches of sleep.