Red Fox

Thick layers of hard snow covered the ground, easily supporting the weight of the fluffy red fox as it wandered through the forest in search of prey. As a fresh blanket of snow began to fall, the firm snow the fox was effortlessly padding through quickly began to soften. The air was cold enough that the warm breath of the fox created a small billow of fog around his muzzle, but the fox paid no mind to the bitter temperature. A long, heavy coat of auburn fur served well in keeping the fox warm. Even if the unprotected nose of the fox managed to become cold, it was an easy fix. The fox could simply curl up and cover the tip of his nose with his thick, bushy tail and soon his entire body would be warm once again. No, the frigid weather did not …show more content…
This fear was only a small one, because the fox had made sure that the entrance had been well hidden before leaving on his hunt. However, many creatures would be seeking sanctuary from the storm, and some seemed to have an extra sense for finding even the best hidden shelters. The fox increased his pace slightly, spotting the large thicket of trees he would have to cross to reach his den. He had not travelled as far away during his journey as he had thought. However, the nearby sound of rushing water soon brought the fox to a stop. Turning his head so that he could study his surroundings more completely, the fox began to think over his options. Across the river he was hearing, he saw the rise where his den was hidden. The river was in a little valley between where the fox was standing and the den, so without getting closer to the edge the fox could not see the rushing waters. He knew from the sound that it had not yet frozen over, but there seemed to be a ledge that the fox could use to try and jump over to the other …show more content…
Once the fox felt that he was in a good position, he lowered himself slightly. His haunches wriggled from side to side to help him take off faster. The fox raced briskly down the snowy path towards the ledge, deciding where he needed to go as he ran.
The agile fox quickly reached the edge of the precipice, hopping deftly off as he did so. He hung in the air for just a moment before his front paws touched the ground on the other side. The weight of the fox pushed his feet into the soft snow it had landed on, forcing his front half to sink deeply into the snow. The momentum of the fox refused to slow, and he continued to plow forward. The fox had landed differently than he had expected, and this affected the rest of his landing as well. His hind legs swung lower than he had intended, finally landing in an area where the snow was loose and unstable. The snow broke apart as it was disturbed, immediately dropping into the river below. The fox yipped in terror as it began to fall, scrambling to find a purchase on the unsettled ground. The claws on the fox’s feet scraped and scratched frantically, finally catching on an old root in the ground. The root provided just enough footing that the fox was able to stabilize