Fox's Feud Read Online Free Page A

knew he would have time only to catch one cub, and he immediately singled out Bold for attack. Running in amongst the cubs, he scattered them and isolated Bold by shielding him with his body. Then he bared his fangs and prepared to lunge.
    But Bold was not so named for nothing. Taking Scarface completely by surprise, the plucky little animal snapped at the old fox first, and bit him neatly on the foreleg. Scarface actually fell back a pace or two in utter amazement at the cub’s audacity. For a moment he was dumbfounded; then, with a wild snarl, he sprang forward again.
    By now Vixen, with her famed swiftness, was catching up with the aggressor. As she ran, she let out a piercing scream as a signal to Fox. The eerie cry cut through the night air like a knife, and was heard not only by Fox but by a number of the other Farthing Wood animals.
    Before Scarface could aim again at Bold, Vixen was in between them, snapping viciously at the hideous muzzle while she protected her bravest cub. The other three were now out of danger and well on the way back to their den. While Vixen and Scarface lunged and feinted at each other, growling horribly the whole time, Bold ran round his mother and bit his enemy from behind with his sharp young teeth.
    Scarface was in a fury – the attacker became the attacked. As he swung backwards and forwards, he spied in the distance Fox galloping in their direction. He knew it was time to break off the contest. With a final wild snap at Vixen which caught her a glancing blow on the shoulder and made her yelp, Scarface broke free and made off at a good pace back to his own kind.
    Fox saw this as he approached and felt inclined to race after him, but Vixen’s cry of pain had decided him to attend to his family first. He was quickly assured when it became obvious Vixen had only sustained a scratch. While he comforted his mate, Fox said: ‘That creature is beginning to interfere a little too much in our affairs. If he wants to really stir up trouble, I’ll give him something he didn’t bargain for.’
    ‘He was after Bold,’ panted Vixen. ‘I don’t know why – the other cubs didn’t interest him.’
    ‘Where are they?’ Fox asked quickly.
    ‘They got away, luckily. They should be back in the den by now.’
    Fox sighed with relief and then smiled down at Bold, who was wagging his tail as hard as he could, begging for recognition.
    ‘You’re a game one,’ his father said to him. ‘I saw you helping your mother.’
    ‘He was defending himself before I came on the scene,’ Vixen told him. ‘He bit that hateful creature before he had a chance to be bitten.’
    ‘No, did he though?’ Fox murmured. ‘What, he attacked old Scarface?’ There was pride in his voice. ‘My word, that is something.’
    ‘I thought he was going to kill me,’ said Bold quietly, ‘so I had to do something .’
    ‘Well, you certainly seem to be able to look after yourself,’ Fox praised him. Yet, even as he spoke, in hisheart he knew the brave little cub would from now on be the prime target for their enemy – even more so than before. Scarface would never forget his humiliation of this night.
    Fox made Vixen tell him in detail exactly what had happened from the time he let her out of his sight. ‘So he’s not even true to his word,’ he muttered afterwards. ‘We have kept to our own area, and still he has sought us out. Well, now we know where we stand for sure.’
    They heard a familiar voice calling them. ‘Fox! Vixen!’ It was Badger. He ran up to tell them that the other cubs were safely in their earth, in the care of Weasel and Mole. Then he stopped in dismay, looking down at Bold. ‘But where’s Dreamer?’ he asked.
    ‘What?’ gasped Vixen. ‘Wasn’t she with the others?’
    ‘No, only Charmer and Friendly are in the den. We thought she was with you.’ Badger looked almost as worried as the parents.
    ‘Then wherever can she . . .?’ began Fox.
    ‘She’s wandered off somewhere