The Weekly Tot 2/19/2023

The long awaited third part of the Fox and the Poacher is here, only on Quarantime. We'll post the rest of the story with it for your convenience :D

A little arctic fox sat all alone, waiting. He had been told by his older sister to stay put, so he didn't run into danger. So there he sat, munching on the cloudberries that grew in the brief tundra spring. A hunter ambled up to him and the fox pup looked him straight in the eye and cocked his head. The hunter dropped a cage over the fox pup laughing.

"Hahaha, I'm about to steal your fur away, and you won't even run!!" the hunter bellowed.

"Please Mr. Hunter, why do you want my fur?" the fox pup pleaded.

"I'll take your fur and turn it to gold, so the rich folk can have a cape!" the hunter laughed greedily.

"Please Mr. Hunter, they won't want me, my fur is gray as ash. Just wait till winter, and my new coat will gleam like moonlight. They'll want that for sure!" the arctic fox pup said.

"Hmmm alright, I'll wait till winter and win twice as much gold!" the hunter said, and went off.

The pup's older sister trotted up to him a while later. "Anything happen?" she asked.

"Nothing interesting!" the fox pup said brightly and they went off to their den.

That winter the hunter came back and looked all over for his prize. But the clever fox pup's ashen gray fur now gleamed like moonlight, perfect for hiding in the thick white snow. The hunter searched till his blood ran blue from the cold, and ran back home.

The following spring the fox pup was sitting by the cloudberry bush, waiting for his brother. He had been told to stay put. The hunter ambled up to him and growled.

"You tricked me once, you won't trick me twice! Now I'll steal your pelt and you'll make a fine jacket!" the hunter bellowed, glaring at the fox pup.

"Please Mr. Hunter, my summer coat is quite thin. My fur would let the cold in and freeze whoever's inside. Come back in the winter, and my fur will be soft, thick and warm. That'll get you some gold." the fox pup suggested.

"Hmmm alright, I'll wait, and get more gold!" the hunter said greedily, and went off.

The pup's older brother came back a bit after. "How are you doing? Eventful day I suppose." he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh yes, it's been a good day!" the fox pup said cheekily, and they went back to their den.

You know what happened that winter. The fox pup crouched in the snow when he saw the hunter, and cozied up in his den while the hunter's fingers froze.

The next spring, both his brother and sister had taken him to the cloudberry bush, and told him to stay put while they foraged. The fox pup waited and snacked on cloudberries. Soon enough the angry hunter came.

"You tricked me twice, it won't work anymore! Now you just wait and I'll skin you and you'll make a lovely carpet." the hunter cackled.

"Please Mr. Hunter, for I'm small and weak, and my fur won't earn you a dime." the arctic fox pup pleaded

"Nothing doing, I'll have your fur coat and turn it to gold." the hunter promised.

"Please Mr. Hunter, just wait a little longer, and I'll lick the cloudberry juice from my fur so you won't have to wash it." the clever fox pup pleaded.

"Hmmmm alright, you can do that, and I'll win twice the gold!" the foolish hunter said.

The fox pup licked and licked, till the hunter grew impatient.

"Are you done yet?" he asked, stomping his foot loudly "I want to take you home and steal your fur before the night has ended." he grumbled.

"Oh yes, he's very much done" a voice said from behind the hunter.

"But don't be so sure about taking his pelt. We're quite attached to him." another growled. The little arctic fox pup's siblings stood, hackles raised and fur bristling. The hunter took a step back.

"Oh, I was just joking. I'll be on my way now." the hunter said.

"I think we'd rather not have you bothering us." the fox pup's sister said

"Nobody tries to mess with our brother!" the fox pup's brother growled.

They nipped at the hunter's ankles, biting his hands and his feet till he ran howling into the forest. He never showed his face in the tundra again.

The clever little arctic fox pup went home with his siblings, his belly full of cloudberries, and his heart full of warmth, curled up in his den, where his mother was just ready to tell a bedtime story.

Also there is no official day of posting. :D