Fox's Feud Read Free Page A

turned again and lowered himself to creep stealthily into the hole.
    At once, Tawny Owl glided noiselessly down from his perch, and Badger rushed forward. Scarface sprang back.
    ‘You’ve no reason to go in there,’ said Tawny Owl. ‘What exactly is your game?’
    ‘I’m not accountable to you,’ snarled the fox, angry at being detected unawares.
    ‘But you’re accountable to the inhabitants of the den who, to my knowledge, have not invited your presence.’
    ‘A social call from one fox to another is no concern of a bird’s,’ Scarface sneered.
    ‘It is in this instance,’ Tawny Owl informed him calmly, ‘as I was specifically requested to keep watch for intruders.’
    ‘Intruders?’ snapped Scarface. ‘Intruders? How dare you talk to me of intruders. I’ve lived in this Park all my life – and my kind with me. I’ve more right to enter this earth than those who are already in it – cubs or no cubs.’
    ‘Just because you were born here doesn’t mean you own the Park, you know.’ Badger spoke for the first time. ‘There’s more than enough room for everyone to live comfortably without any interference being called for. We all lost our original homes thanks to human intervention,and we came here for the very reason that it was safe from human hands.’
    ‘Yes, yes, we’ve all heard about your heroic journey from Farthing Wood,’ the fox said sarcastically. ‘I was at the reception party when you arrived, just like everyone else. The Park could absorb your numbers rightly enough. But now you’ve started breeding . . .’
    ‘Some of us have,’ Badger corrected him. ‘I myself have no mate. Neither does Tawny Owl here. But you’ve nothing to fear from our party. We like to keep ourselves to ourselves.’
    ‘You have to eat, don’t you? I’m sure you don’t leave the Park every time you go hunting.’
    ‘Of course not,’ replied Tawny Owl imperturbably. ‘Do you?’
    Scarface bristled with anger again. ‘The whole of this Reserve is my hunting territory,’ he seethed. ‘From time immemorial my ancestors lived and hunted here, long before it was fenced off by humans, or even had a name. When it was still wild and unchecked countryside, they roamed here freely. And it will always be that way. My cubs will hunt here after me, and their cubs after them . . .’
    ‘And so on ad infinitum,’ Tawny Owl remarked drolly.
    Scarface looked at him dangerously, baring his fangs. Badger quailed slightly, though Tawny Owl stood his ground. In slow, menacing tones Scarface said: ‘No other family of foxes will be allowed the freedom of the Park. Tell your gallant leader to stay in his own quarter if he values the safety of his mate and her cubs. My family is large: I have many dependents. Don’t let him think he can outwit me. I’ve lived many years and I’ve yet to be bested.’ With a final snarl, he loped off into the shadows.
    ‘Well, well, well,’ Badger whispered, ‘what an alarming character.’
    ‘Pooh, nonsense,’ blustered Tawny Owl, who was secretly shaken by their confrontation, ‘nothing but idle threats. We thwarted his little game all right. I believe he was about to do some mischief to Vixen’s cubs.’
    ‘I’m sure of it,’ agreed Badger. ‘But I’m not convinced we’ve seen the last of him. I have an unpleasant feeling you and I have made an enemy for ourselves tonight, Owl.’
    Tawny Owl stretched his wings and shook his feathers in an effort to hide a distinctly disconcerted expression. ‘Oh, I don’t know . . .’ he began.
    ‘Sssh, here’s Fox back,’ Badger interrupted him. He quickly acquainted Fox with the recent events. Fox invited them down into his earth while he took food in to Vixen. They all sat silent for a while.
    ‘I shall do exactly as he asks,’ Fox announced finally.
    ‘What!’ exclaimed Tawny Owl.
    ‘Yes, Owl. Vixen and the cubs must be my first consideration. I won’t do anything to put their lives at risk.’
    ‘Quite right, my