Eric and The Fox
Chapter 3 - A Nasty Plant
Chapter 4 - The Search Begins
Written by Karen Backway
Read by Rachel Anderice
Shine, Moon, Sunny, Spunky, Molly and Abby were outside the family den solutioneering, when Mama Owl swooped in during her night time rounds. Radar had told her about the fox guests at the family den. Mama Owl poked her head into the den to see the pupper-fox-pup pile and, like Shine, couldn't help but chuckle.
“Looks like strawberry swirls with lots of cream!” chuckled Mama Owl.
“So true,” agreed Spunky. “But now what?”
“They must be reunited with their family,” added Sunny. “Fox pups need to learn to be foxes from foxes.”
“Woohoo, woohoo,” hooted Mama Owl. “So true, so true.”
“Their Mama and Papa went missing while searching for Sylvie,” explained Shine.
“A Vix and Tod would never abandon their pups, never,” said Mama Owl, quite puzzled and very concerned.
“What do you mean? A Vix and Tod?” asked Abby.
“That is what a Mama and Papa fox are called, a Vix and a Tod,” explained Shine.
“I will keep an eye out during my night watch. This is most unusual,” said Mama Owl.
“The bees can also scout it out and report back if they find a clue,” added Shine. “We must find them.”
“What about the thorny vine plant?” Moon asked Mama Owl. “Both Sylvie and Eric were trapped very quickly.”
“Have you seen such a nasty vine with thorns in the forest before?” asked Shine.
“Woohoo, no. Very odd, very odd indeed,” answered Mama Owl. “This plant is not native to the forest.”
“What about in The Champlain Hills and Ridges?” asked Abby. “Any thorny vines?”
“None that I saw,” answered Spunky.
“Nor in or around the ridge or under ridge tunnels,” agreed Moon.
“And there were no similar plants in The Hidden Valley before we joined The Forest,” added Sunny.
“But we know there are dangerous plants in The Champlain Ridges,” said Molly. “Don’t forget the stinky poisonous plant with blistering grapes.”
“What about before the fire?” asked Abby. “Maybe they were destroyed in the fire and have somehow been awakened by the floods of the recent past.”
“Yes, that is possible,” answered Sunny. “Sometimes seeds or roots will start to grow if the conditions are right.”
“Or some creature is invading the forest, setting traps,” argued Moon, worried.
Several days passed and the puppers and the puppettes, as the fox pups came to be known, became great friends, often running and tumbling in the forest clearing by the creek. Only Sylvie was willing to splash in the creek - foxes can swim, but like cats, they like to stay dry.
Sylvie was growing restless. Waiting is very tiresome.
“I cannot sit here playing and laughing when Mama and Papa are lost,” complained Sylvie.
“The bees are searching for them and if they are still in the valley or the forest, the bees will let us know,” answered Eric.
“Do the bees search beyond the waterfall?” asked Sylvie.
“Maybe, but it’s at the edge of their territory,” said Eric. “Why do you ask?”
“They were looking for me,” explained Sylvie. “Oh, this is all my fault. I was exploring upriver for the first time that morning. But they would search for me downriver.”
