Week of 5/1/2023 Story

The Unfortunate Tale of Blizzard I suppose it was my fault to think that the fox would give up. I thought he would be easy prey, but it seems that I was wrong. I should have known, I suppose. My mother always told me that arctic foxes were clever, quick and never to be trusted. I had an entirely different impression of them. Something so fluffy and little couldn’t possibly be dangerous. Not to a big polar bear like me. I suppose I was wrong… so terribly wrong indeed. My first mistake was lamentable, but not quite my fault. I had been told that there were more polar bears than foxes when I was young, but my mother must have been wrong. I saw arctic foxes all over the tundra. Sure there were dips and falls in their population, usually coordinated with the lemmings, but never did they decline so quickly as we did. They had lovely thin gray summer coats, so they could live, albeit not easily in the growing tundra summers. It seemed the summer was longer and hotter each year, and that there was always less ice than we needed. That didn’t bother the foxes though. They would live on the tundra as long as there were lemmings. That was that. I wish I could be satisfied with such a small, easy meal, but I can’t be. Seals are harder to find every year, so this time I thought I’d try fox. There were just so many running around the tundra, and it would be oh-so-satisfying to not have to swim through the barely frosted-over waters. I traced the smell of blood to the den of a lone fox, where he resided by a long river. The white fox shook out his glorious winter coat and licked the lemming blood off of his paws. I was quite pleased. I hadn’t eaten in days, and the seal I had 4 days ago had the icky residue of oil on its skin, the flesh tainted by the plastic it had consumed. Even the once-icy waters had an after-taste of pollutants. There was a metallic taste in the back of my mouth, even now. It fogged up the back of my brain. Perhaps that's why I was hunting foxes. I had never thought to do so before. I approached the den eagerly, waiting in the snow for the unfortunate creature to come out. I was excited. The fox emerged from its den, sauntering towards the river. I was almost drooling in anticipation. The fox's eyes darted in my general direction, and then away as if it didn't see me. Not that it would matter. I had the fox cornered. It could run towards the river, towards its den, or towards me. I could catch it in all of those places. I rose, shaking out my majestic fur and revealing my girth. The fox stiffened but stayed still. I ran towards it, the snow flying away as my massive paws hit the hard earth. The fox made for the den, crouching in the shelter. I nosed my way in, snuffling around hungrily. My hot breath stank of death, and I bared my sharp teeth. The fox snarled, swishing his plumy tail. The cave was too narrow for me to go in any farther, but no matter. The fox couldn't hide forever. I sat down, waiting for the fox to come out. It paced towards me, and I reached out a paw, only for it to leap back, taunting me. It repeated this, walking towards me, leaping back when I got too close. It was aggravating. My prey was so close- yet so far. I sat up a little, and the arctic fox dashed towards me again. I swiped at it, but again, it was too swift for me. I stood up, and this time, when it came towards me, I slammed my paws down, just narrowly missing the little fox. They ran away, and this time, they looked straight at me and ran for the space between my legs. I looked around in confusion, but the fox had gone out from under me, and made it out of the den. The fox darted away and I chuffed angrily. I turned, ready to give chase. A mere fox wouldn't get the better of me! Alas, the cave was too wide for me to turn. I crawled out backward like a cub, shame pricking my fur. I had not seen where the arctic fox had run off to. I had been tricked out of my prey, and now I was far too tired to continue. I flopped down in the den, hoping the fox would come back, but to no avail. They had made for brighter skies and better hunting grounds, while I was stuck in a tundra that was barely cold enough. I had failed. The fox had gotten the better of me. I was still starving, and hungry, and it seemed to get hotter every day. If only I could find some food… perhaps, then I would have a chance. I wandered the tundra half-heartedly, and suddenly I heard something behind me. Was it something edible? Something to satisfy my great hunger? I turned, and to my shock, I saw humans. Wrapped up in their fluffy polar bear skin clothes, aiming their guns at me. Rage filled my tired bones, but the pain was stronger. I limped away, fearing my demise if I lingered longer. The humans raced towards me, and a bullet whizzed by, narrowly avoiding me. The ache in my legs seemed to intensify. I heard the snowmobile rev up and shoot through the snow toward me, and I turned. If anything, I could look my attackers in the eyes as the life poured out of me. I looked straight at them. Their eyes were inky pools of darkness. They're unblinking gaze penetrated my skin and seemed to cut right through me. It shocked me. These creatures- these humans, were something far less than human. It was as if they were cold and soulless. I saw no life within those creatures. Only a faint glitter in their eyes as they aimed the gun toward me. The only spark of life they could derive was from taking it from another being. The only joy they could obtain, was from my brief cry, as I fell to the hard cold tundra floor.

---

Something to think about, eh? I, unfortunately, won't be able to post a proper story next week, so enjoy the companion to The Unfortunate Tale of Blizzard the Bear.

---

The Fox's Victory Glacies panted. He would never give up. It was the polar bear's fault for thinking so. Everyone knew that arctic foxes were quick and clever, and never to be trifled with. It was the polar bear's fault for not believing it. Glacies had seen the polar bear wandering around looking for food for days. Other foxes had stayed away from the area, but Glacies couldn't afford to give up his prey. He had found a wonderful territory, and he wasn't going to let a polar bear take it all away from him. That day, the polar bear crept towards Glacies' den while he was finishing off his meal. Glacies didn't notice him for quite some time. It was only when he left his den to go hunting that he noticed the drooling bear lurking in the snow, but he pretended he couldn't see it. Glacies was cornered. He could jump into the icy river, run towards the polar bear, or hide in his den. He waited for a second, hoping the polar bear would decide it didn't fancy fox, but instead, it stood, revealing it's magnificent size and glossy fur. Glacies stiffened, and froze. The polar bear raced towards him, the snow flying away as his massive paws hit the earth. Glacies shot towards his den, pressing himself against the back wall. The polar bear nosed his way in, snuffling around hungrily. Their hot breath hit Glacies's smelling of death. Sharp fangs dripped with saliva, and beady black eyes glittered in anticipation. A starving, desperate polar bear. Perhaps Glacies could trick him. After all, he couldn't hide forever. For now, the polar bear couldn't get in any further. Glacies couldn't hide forever. The bear sat down, waiting for the fox to come out. Glacies saw the tundra behind the towering figure. Perhaps he could get out. Glacies paced towards the bear. The bear let forth a massive paw, only for Glacies to leap back, taunting him. He repeated this, walking towards the bear, leaping back when he got too close. It was aggravating the bear. He couldn't think straight. Glacies could exit from under him, but first, the bear would have to stand up. The bear sat up a little, and the arctic fox dashed forward. The enormous polar bear swiped at Glacies, but again, the fox was too swift. The bear finally stood up and this time, when Glacies ran towards them, they slammed their paws down, just narrowly missing the little fox. Glacies reared back. Now was their chance to get out. This time, they looked straight at the bear and ran for the space between their legs. The bear looked around in confusion. Glacies had escaped from under the bear, and made it out of the den. Glacies darted away and the bear growled. While the bear crawled out backward like a pitiful cub, Glacies raced away. The bear flopped down, tired of chasing me. Glacies felt a surge of satisfaction. It served them right for trying to eat him. The bear flopped down in the den, hoping the fox would come back, but to no avail. Glacies hid behind a snowdrift, waiting for the bear to finally leave his home. He still needed his den back, and he couldn't have a polar bear hanging around his territory. The fox had won. He watched as the hungry bear stumbled around. There was a revving sound as a snowmobile glided toward the bear. They ignored Glacies. Today, the poachers had far bigger prey. They pointed their guns at him and shot the bullet. The polar bear fell to the ground with a cry, and the humans ripped out his fur. Glacies felt a twinge of pity for his predator. Humans were a common enemy. He was glad the polar bear was gone now. His territory was his own again. He would tell any foxes he came upon, that he Glacies, had bested a ferocious polar bear with nothing but his wits. Nobody would dare hunt on his lands again.

---

An entirely different perspective of the same story. Who do you think is right here? Is Glacies right to be happy that Blizzard is dying and to celebrate it? Is Blizzard right to try to eat Glacies? How would you feel if you had read the stories in a different order? Here are my quick summaries to help you question humanity, the stories, and the natural order of things.

The Fox's Victory is about a quick-witted fox outsmarting a ravenous beast who is dead set on eating him.

The Unfortunate Tale of Blizzard the Bear is an anticlimactic tale about a lone polar bear's attempts to eat, ultimately leading him to misery due to human actions.

Well? Whose side are you on? Blizzard, whose relatives you will soon meet in fact, or Glacies, the hero of past tales. Who was in the right? Whose actions were wrong? Who should have died?

Noodly Out!