Fox's Feud by Colin Dann Read Free Book Online Page B

growled.
    ‘We too lost some of our numbers,’ the Stag reminded him. ‘And the toll could have been a lot higher on all sides had those men not been stopped.’
    Scarface was silent. No animal cared to gainsay the inherent authority of the Great White Stag. The other foxes sat pensively, as if digesting the words they had heard. Badger wandered over to his friends by the pine tree.
    ‘Er – I think now would be a good time to leave,’ he whispered, and turned to give a greeting to the Stag. Fox nodded, and the two began to walk back along the path without exchanging further words. The two birds waited a little before they followed. The Stag seemed to feel the scene was at a close and made his exit.
    Badger turned once as he and Fox proceeded quietly on their way. Scarface had remained motionless, an almost baffled expression on his face. He appeared to be conscious that somehow he had been outwitted, without quite realizing how this had been achieved. His dependents, to the last animal, watched him curiously as if waiting for a reaction. Meanwhile Badger and Fox were putting themselves at a safe distance.
    ‘Well,’ said Badger finally, ‘the Great Stag’s presence certainly saved the day. How did he come to be involved?’
    ‘More by luck than judgement,’ replied Fox. ‘It was uncanny in a way. Quite suddenly he just materialized on the scene.’
    ‘Did Kestrel fetch him perhaps?’
    ‘No, no. The birds seemed as surprised as everyone else at his arrival.’
    ‘There’s more to this than meets the eye,’ Badger rejoined, and fell to musing as they went along. No more was spoken on the subject for the time.
    Their friends had all moved on from the earlier hiding-place and, as Fox was, naturally, still concerned for his family, Tawny Owl and Kestrel flew on to tell Vixen all were safe. Fox and Badger re-crossed the brook and, once on the other side, began to feel their relief. As they breasted their way through the long grass, a familiar figure reared up in their path. It was Adder.
    There was something of a self-satisfied look in his expression that the preoccupied Fox did not at once notice. But Badger recognized it all right. ‘Hallo,’ he said knowingly. ‘Do I detect the missing link in the recent chain of events?’
    Fox looked a little puzzled as the snake’s favourite leer was directed at Badger.
    ‘How pleasant to see you both,’ Adder hissed non-committally.‘This is developing into quite a parade. I’ve just watched the whole of the Farthing Wood community go past me.’
    ‘Yes, indeed,’ said Badger. ‘And I know that the deer herd often go up to the stream there to drink. Perhaps you’ve seen them today too?’
    ‘Aha!’ cried Fox who had now got the thread of things. ‘So you’re the culprit, Adder!’
    ‘Oh, I’m quite innocent in all respects,’ Adder replied with feigned indifference. ‘I often feel we snakes have a quite undeserved reputation for a sort of low cunning.’
    ‘No, my friend, there is nothing low about you,’ said Fox, ‘apart, of course, from your necessary adaptation to life.’
    Badger chuckled at the allusion, while Adder broadened his leer still further.
    ‘Once again, I believe I am indebted to you,’ Fox told him. ‘But the result of my recent encounter will probably mean we shall all have to be even more cautious in the future.’
    ‘I think one young creature has learnt his lesson today, at any rate,’ Badger ventured to say.
    ‘I’m sure he has,’ Fox agreed. ‘When I see him I shan’t feel it necessary to raise the subject any further.’
    Adder began to glide away.
    ‘Before you go, Adder,’ Fox called, ‘where can we find you if we need you again?’
    ‘I shall be within walking distance,’ said the snake enigmatically. And Fox knew that that was the most he could get out of him.
    ‘He saw the Stag all right,’ Badger said as they continued on their way, ‘and sent him in the general direction of the Scarface